Graham Parker

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Graham Parker (born November 18, 1950 in London) is an English rock singer and songwriter. Beginning in the late 1960s and early 1970s, Graham Parker sang in small-time English bands such as the Black Rockers and Deep Cut Three while working in dead-end jobs at a glove factory and a petrol station. In 1975, he recorded a few demo tracks in London with Dave Robinson, who would shortly found Stiff Records and who connected Parker with his first backing band of note.

Graham Parker & The Rumour (with Brinsley Schwarz and Martin Belmont on guitar, Bob Andrews on keyboards, Andrew Bodnar on bass and Steve Goulding on drums) formed in the summer of 1975 and began doing the rounds of the British pub rock scene. Their first album, Howlin’ Wind, was released to acclaim in 1976 and rapidly followed by the stylistically similar Heat Treatment. A mixture of rock, ballads, and reggae-influenced numbers, these albums reflected Parker’s early influences (Motown, The Rolling Stones, Bob Dylan) and contained the songs which formed the core of Parker’s live shows — “White Honey”, “Soul Shoes”, “Lady Doctor”, “Fool’s Gold”, and his early signature tune “Don’t Ask Me Questions”, which hit the top 40 in the UK. Like the pub rock scene he was loosely tied to, the singer’s class-conscious lyrics and passionate vocals signaled a renewal of rock music as punk rock began to flower in Britain.
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Top Albums

  • Squeezing Out Sparks
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  • Howlin' Wind
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  • The Up Escalator
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  • Heat Treatment
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Top Tracks

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  • ijkidd

    Saw him supporting Bob Dylan at Hammersmith Odeon in 1991, he blew Bob off the stage, and I didn't even know any of his songs. Then again, I didn't recognise any of Bobs either, they were indecipherable against the originals and couldn't make out a word he was singing.

    last month

  • jessieinthesky

    Songfacts recently sat down with Graham Parker. Enjoy the interview here: http://www.songfacts.com/blog/interviews/graham_parker/

    last month

  • IanCat87

    Why don't more people listen to him?

    June 2011

  • Waqikan

    Parker is definitely an under appreciated songwriter and performer. I've seen him a few times--once in the 70s with the Rumour and most recently in a small club solo. Both were excellent high energy performances, that latter with songs from his most recent albums.

    February 2011

  • Zarbini

    Agree with all of below, a truly underestimated British Artist/singer songwriter,his recent material is still full of energy,jnterest and emotive longing, not to say funny at times, listen to England 's latest clown on "Discovered America" album.

    November 2010

  • Cityitis

    Graham Parker deserves more credit.

    October 2010

  • robmin

    Too bad that most of the top tracks are from his great, older recordings. His more recent work is also excellent and worth discovering. He has grown up, like Ian Hunter, Dylan and Lou Reed. Clearly an artist that you listen to for the LONG haul.

    August 2010

  • dustingoffhome

    getting the Stiff boxset was like, the greatest thing that ever happened to me. Squeezing out Sparks + Live Sparks is GREAT.

    January 2010
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