Tiggerlion on These Dreams Will Never Sleep: Best Of 1976-2015
Graham Parker has enjoyed a forty year career that can be broadly divided into five parts: establishing his reputation in the seventies, earning a shilling in America during the eighties, domesticity in the nineties, creative resurgence of the noughties and The Rumour reunion in the teenies.
I first encountered him supporting Thin Lizzy on their Jailbreak tour in 1976. He cut a scrawny figure in The Stadium’s lights, wearing T-shirt, suit, trainers and his trademark shades. Even then, he sang with passion, the effort straining his sinews and beading his large forehead with sweat. I thought I could see his brain pulsing. He sang with the same commitment as Otis Redding or early seventies Van Morrison. The band played tight soulful rock. The horn section rocked soul. I’d seen Dr. Feelgood the year before and felt Graham Parker and The Rumour were just as good.
During that year, he released two albums, Howlin’ Wind and Heat Treatment. His manager was Dave Robinson, who later founded Stiff Records. Robinson gathered together the finest pub rock musicians he knew, including Brinsley Schwarz, to form The Rumour. Nick Lowe produced the debut and ‘Mutt’ Lange the second. Both albums spill over with quality songwriting, snappy choruses, acid wit and pithy performances. Don’t Ask Me Questions and That’s What They All Say have a real snarl to them. Yet, the blue-collar, angry young man sobriquet isn’t entirely justified as most of the material focuses on personal relationships. Between You And Me and Turned Up Too Late, for example, possess a genuine delicacy of touch. The band prove themselves more than pub rock, being deft enough to convince in R&B and reggae. Both albums established his reputation, skimmed the charts and had the critics swooning. Signed to a big label (Vertigo in the UK, Mercury in the US) and selling out concerts wherever he went, Graham Parker was set fair for a glittering career.
He turned his gaze on America, adjusted his writing style and hired an eighty piece string orchestra for the third album, Stick To Me. Right at the end of recording, during mixing, they spotted that the master tapes had been contaminated and were unusable. With another tour coming up, the whole thing had to be re-recorded in a matter of days. At the time, Nick Lowe’s production was slammed, particularly by the American critics. Today, its roughness is part of the charm. Then, Elvis Costello came onto the scene, The Rumour’s rhythm section providing the reggae lilt to his break through, Watching The Detectives. This angry young man was even more acerbically verbose and had a bigger forehead. It wasn’t long before Parker tired of the comparisons.
Parker’s ambitions were thwarted. He felt his label was selling him short in America, feelings expressed in his bitter single, Mercury Rising. The Parkerilla is a classic contract obligation live album, his heart clearly not fully engaged, but, in a live setting, unable to stop himself, he and The Rumour delivered. The Parkerilla is actually a good summary of the first three albums, if you ignore the disco version of Hey Lord, Don’t Ask Me Questions filling the whole of side four. It also is the best Parker sleeve, on which a striking, shadeless Parker is transforming into a gorilla.
A change of label and the installation of Jack Nitzsche to the producer’s chair, resulted in Squeezing Out Sparks, a punchy, direct, lean album. Nitzsche decided the horns were not required, so they spent their spare time working on The Clash’s London Calling. In their absence, Parker upped his writing game. Every song is a glittering jewel but Passion Is No Ordinary Word is exceptional. You Can’t Be Too Strong is a favourite of right wing politicians. As is so often the case, they obviously haven’t actually listened to the song. Squeezing Out Sparks went top twenty in the UK and top forty in the US. It is a masterclass of R&B inflected rock.
However, Parker did not fit comfortably in the UK new wave scene and in 1980, he turned away from England and The Rumour. He embarked on a series of albums recorded in America with substantial resources, not least of which were expensive session musicians, such as Nicky Hopkins. Returns diminished from a peak with 1980’s The Up Escalator, featuring some E Streeters and, even, Bruce on backing vocals, through Another Grey Area and The Real Macaw to Steady Nerves, an album riddled with eighties production values. Parker changed record labels and producers as often as his socks. His contract with Atlantic, for example, yielded no releases whatsoever. Listeners and journalists in the UK quickly lost interest. The problem wasn’t the strength or sense of purpose in the songs, it was the pursuit of the latest Phil Collins drum sound. The fact is that Graham Parker does not suit a glossy production.
Come 1988, Parker was reunited with a couple of Rumours, adding a couple Attractions and producing himself. If you are American, you may well think The Mona Lisa’s Sister is his best album and you will have a point. It certainly compares favourably with the UK favourite, Heat Treatment. Both sides of the Atlantic will agree on Squeezing Out Sparks. Human Soul was almost as good but Live! Alone In America, released in 1989, consisting of just Parker, his guitar and a microphone is revelatory, reminding us all of how spellbinding he is live and how great a singer-songwriter he really is. It pre-dated unplugged.
By the nineties, Parker was married with a daughter. He released fewer albums. Those he did were gentle and more acoustic, largely love songs focussing on domestic life. When he did get angry, he sounded more regretful than bitter. Struck By Lightening and 12 Haunted Episodes are intimate and warm. Acid Bubblegum in 1996, was an attempt to sharpen his axe with a garage rock band but he couldn’t quite capture the fire in his belly. Throughout the nineties, indeed his whole career, his main income has been from gigs. He toured solidly, performing his intelligently crafted songs with various bands, Bob Andrews on piano or just solo with his guitar.
A refreshed, mellowed, more adventurous Parker was ready for an increase in studio time during the noughties. Deepcut To Nowhere hints at dark days, presumably in his relationship. He spent 2003 having fun with Kate Pierson of The B-52s covering Lennon & McCartney songs. When you hear Your Country, you wonder why it took him so long to find a pedal steel. Lucinda Williams guests on one song. Songs Of No Consequence with The Figgs is Parker back to being snarky but with added humour, particularly on the subject of human frailty. Don’t Tell Columbus is tender and honest. Then, there are two concept albums: Carp Fishing On Valium, a collection of demos of songs based on short stories, while Imaginary Television is an LP of theme tunes for non-existent TV programmes, outlined in detail on the sleeve. It is an album of fun but with deep personal undercurrents, as though Parker is telling us the story of his life through the medium of television and song. It’s a career highlight.
In 2011, Graham Parker was no longer an angry young man. He was a grizzled old curmudgeon with a sentimental streak, much like the average Afterworder. He’d worked with each member of The Rumour regularly over the years. He had a collection of new songs. He called in the rhythm section. They suggested an invitation to Bob Andrews to play piano again and it was a short step to include Schwarz. This was a reunion based on new material, enough for two really good albums, Three Chords Good and Mystery Glue. It wasn’t long before they were itching to go back on the road, especially after Judd Atapow raised their profile by featuring them in his movie, This Is 40. These albums capture a Parker comfortable in his own skin at last and growing old well.
Looking back, Parker must be very content. 22 studio albums, 21 official live albums, hundreds of songs, a few published books, a film appearance and exclusive Bigwear Eyewear Special Edition shades is success in anybody’s book, even if major sales and a truly smash hit single eluded him. He would categorise himself as a singer-songwriter. He may have been happiest in front of an audience but he never lost his muse. Melodies and lyrics came to him easily. His songwriting quality never faltered. A good case could be made for Parker as one of the greatest living songwriters yet he was rarely covered. He used to joke that Rod Stewart’s take of Hotel Chambermaid (as recommended by Elvis Costello) and Dave Edmunds Crawlin’ From The Wreckage kept him in swimming pools. If he has any regrets, they are likely to be over poor choices of producers and labels.
These Dreams Will Never Sleep: The Best Of Graham Parker 1976-2015 is an attempt to summarise the whole of this in a luxuriant box with beautiful glossy paper, evocative photographs, a detailed booklet, complete with interview, 6 CDs and a DVD. There are early demos, a whole disc-and-a-bit of selections from the first five albums, eight tracks from the eighties, eleven from the next two decades and four from the reunion albums. Disc four is live BBC recordings from 1977 and 1979. Discs five and six are devoted to a complete Rumour gig in Southampton, 2015. The DVD is Top Of The Pops and Whistle Test performances plus more live Rumour in 2015. The trouble is you can still buy five classic albums (the first five but with Heat Treatment replaced by Struck By Lightening) in a basic box for a tenner. Perhaps, some of the live material could have been replaced with a broader studio selection from 1980 to 2010. There is far more to Graham Parker than his early work with The Rumour.
Many people, including me, hold Mr Parker in great affection and believe he is deserving of more success than he has enjoyed up to now. I wish him well and hope These Dreams Will Never Sleep helps fund his pension. It is available from Friday.
White Honey just leapt out of the speakers, just impelling you to dance. Those albums up to ‘sparks were just fanfuckingtastic.
I bought ‘Lightning from a bargain bin and have to sayI could hardly pick out a decent hummable melody.
Re “You Cant Be Too Strong” I understood that to be a woman from Australia grappling with the decision associated with a short lived encounter with GP while on tour down here. Is that right?
It’s written from the male point of view. Its language is uncompromising. It actually hurts to listen to it. Apparently, there was a poll of right wing voters on music in the US and You Can’t Be Too Strong was in the top twenty. It was perceived to be anti-abortion. Won’t Get Fooled Again was number one.
Absolutely lovely that, Tiggs – many thanks.
Great review, Tiggs. I was a Parker fanatic until Sparks. Have dipped into his later stuff every now and then but have to admit I found it all rather sad – the magic had long gone.
Ah. Magic.
*gazes wistfully out of the window*
Big fan of GP and that is a very good review. One thing though – my favourite album is The Monaco Lisa’s sister and I am not American! Am going to see him and Brinsley Schwarz on Friday and hope this is at a reasonable price on the merchandise stand. I had it on pre order from Amazon Germany at £27 before they realised they had the price wrong. At £55 it is too expensive given I have quite a lot of the stuff already. One more thing – his best ever song The Beating of another heart is absent.
I do believe that Parker was actively involved in the choice of tracks. Heckle him for a request. He loves that kind of thing.
Wonderful synopsis! Always loved the man, remembering my (initial) resentment as Costello stole his thunder (and much of his persona.) The Rumour years remain clearly untrashable, even on the Andrews absent Up Escalator, Roy Bittan more than compensating. I was initially disappointed by the ditching of the rest of the band, bar Brinsley, catching that first tour to launch Another Grey Area and being, dare I say it, a tad bored, even if Temporary Beauty is a song of permanent beauty. He then seemed to disappear into mid-america, with records increasingly and simultaneously more frequent and yet harder ever to source, courtesy the single album deals with smaller and smaller labels, as Tiggs recounts. Mona Lisa’s Sister I remember buying purely because it was there, in a UK shop, finding it at first a let-down until I turned the disc over, side 2 reminding me exactly why I rated him so much, that view supported by that Live Alone in America. Along with Warren Zevons similar solo without band Learning to Flinch and RT’s Small Town Romance, 1 of my top 3 live records. Here’s that “anti” abortion song…. (I hear the entire opposite p.o.v……..)
If you’re in That London tonight, Parker is playing with Brinzley Schwarz at The Union Chapel.
Fantastic appraisal. I’ve been a fan from the early days, saw him in student halls and town centre venues, saw him at Blackbush, bought the bootleg sets, thought I had enough, but you’ve mentioned a couple of titles I hadn’t considered. Reading this will cost me money. Top review. Top artist.
I’d consider Live! Alone in America, The Mona Lisa’s Sister, Imaginary Television and Three Chords Good in that order.
I went to Blackbushe, too. I thought he and The Rumour did remarkably well so early in the day.
Will no one post THAT picture of Graham Parker with Dylan? The one where Parker could well be saying to Bob, “how’s the weather up there?”
The TV album was ordered about nine seconds after I posted my reply above. 🙂
Great writing – so interesting and informative, loved reading that.
Copy that. Superb Mr TL
Have a soft spot massive for GP and The Rumour. Saw them possibly more than any other act between say 78 and 82. Preferred him, at the time, to Springsteen or Costello of whom he seemed a hybrid blend. In retrospect, in look and sound GP & The Rumour were not unlike a British Southside Johnny & The Asbury Dukes.
Haven’t listened to him for ages but a quick blast of this compilation via Spotify and the years roll away, the memories flood back.
Perhaps GP is not a great singer and the production was unhelpfully thin, and in comparison to his peers named above, the quality and breadth is not as strong, but certain songs – Watch The Moon Come Down, Thunder And Rain – are as good as anything in more vaunted catalogues.
Top man, that Parker. Nice review, Tig.
All this excitement has led me to purchase one of the remaining 8 tickets for the last night of the current duo tour, tomorrow in the bright lights of Bromsgrove. A duo through the accompaniment of Brinsley Schwartz (the man, not his eponymous band). That leaves 7 tickets left. Steve T (plus his bro) and I will be in the bar before, I would expect, if that tempts anyone to make it a sell-out(!)
Was the 2015 gig recorded at the Brook in Southampton? If so I was there, right at the front – using the edge of the stage as a repository for my beer glass – and with a view largely taken up by Martin Belmont’s left leg.
Wow! Indeed it was.
Hate to be the pedant, but it’s ‘Mercury Poisoning.’ I used to have a one sided 12″ on grey “mercury” colored vinyl!
Love GP, and completely agree with JW re: ‘White Honey.’ The ‘Live at Marble Arch’ version is even better than the studio version.
Yes, you are right. It was a predictive typo that I overlooked! Honest.
Marble Arch is my favourite GP live album. Part of me wishes he’d found room for the whole of it somewhere in this box. I guess directly comparing the two eras of live Rumour forty years apart would be unfair.
Re Live at Marble Arch on CD – did you get my PM from a couple of weeks back?
I thought I’d replied. I’ll try again. Thank you, Carl.
GP did release a bootleg box of Rumour shows through his website a couple of years ago. It consists of shows from Amsterdam 1978, San Francisco 1977, Bremen 1978, New York 1979 and a 2012 show from St. Paul. Bloody damn good it is too.
Saw him in Kendal last week. Absolutly brilliant. With such a back catalogue to go at you can always beat yourself up with ” He didnt play that, he should have played this….” His solo version of “You Cant Be Too Strong” however achieved pindroppable silence, eyes suitable moist.
I may be accused of bumping but I have to say I envy you, Uncle.
Up!
I’d buy this in a heartbeat if I had any money. Haven’t been able to catch him with Brinsley for the same reason. Guess I’ll have to settle for the memory of the reformed Rumour gig in Leeds a couple of years ago.
Was that gig up to expectations Count ?
Blimey! I went to that Leeds gig too. The band were on top form and the crowd were great, no pushing and shoving to get to the front/go to the bar. No talking between or during songs.
No cameraphone footage recording. Astonishing really,
What Uncle Mick says. I’d never seen GP before, despite being a long term follower. The only thing that surprised me was how relaxed and upbeat GP was, compared to his spiky reputation. The Rumour, of course, were as tight as the proverbial duck’s whatsit.
Never seen him be less than good live.
In 1988, I was at a gig featuring most of the Rumour somewhere in North London (the Town & Country) that was filmed but I’ve never seen a dvd release – anyone got one? – they were really good.
Also saw GP supporting Dylan on the Under A Red Sky tour. GP boldly opted to accompany himself on acoustic guitar and harmonica and was far far better than Bob that night.
The first Rumour reunion tour was quite outstanding. Everyone on top form and seeming to have a great time – later confirmed by Brinsley Schwarz who sometimes works as a guitar tech in Kew, I was in the shop and thanked him for a great evening and he said that all of them had just had a brilliant time, v. nice man.
Absolutely agree. Never less than good live, often brilliant!
I saw Graham and Brinsley perform at The Sage earlier this year, and it was probably the the most enjoyable, laid back gig i’ve ever been to !! As a long time GP fan i’d advise anyone to go see him if they get the chance, listening to him sing Between You and Me was worth the ticket price alone !!
Iggy!! Is that you? Have you added a ‘1’ or are you a different person?
Yep it’s me . Glammed up the old username with a snazzy ‘1’ !!
Well it’s wonderful to have you back! I’ve missed you @Iggypop1. And Moose is back too. Things are definitely looking up.
OK, I’ll do it myself.
GP: How’s the weather up there Bob?
BD: Watch it, shorty!
Parker is so short that even Bob is taller than him. Or is it just a boots issue?
No that’s the point, GP is probably the only man in rock smaller than Dylan
I wouldn’t ask him outside though. Probably a bit of a Rottweiler. One of those tensile, wiry guys that can go totally Tonto when riled.
More like a terrier. They never let go.
Graham is not much of a rock star name is it ?
Not much good on a book title either. 50 Shades of Graham really doesn’t have the same effect !!
Fantastic review, beautifully written. I was obsessed with GP for a short while, in the white heat of his rocket flare. Proper songwriter, electric live. One of those people who, even if you don’t buy his stuff, you’re glad that he’s around.
I can think of 2 others
Graham Gouldman 10cc could be wrong here
Graham Goble Little River Band
Graham Bond of course. And Graham Nash
Graham Garden (well, “Funky Gibbon” was a hit, wasn’t it?)
Graeme Edge out of the Moodies.
Eve Graham from the New Seekers
Graham Fellows aka Jilted John and John Shuttleworth
Are we collecting Grahams? How could we forget Graham Bonney (cue embarrassing TOTP turn)…
And the near-homophonic Graham Bonnet…
Graham Oliver from Saxon.
Does Gram Parsons count?
I had a school friend eternally grateful to Parker for making the name Graham less naff. The only other cool Graham we could think of at the time was Chapman from Monty Python.
How about Bill Graham?
Hmmmm…. too much The Man, eh?
Graham McPherson, then.
I still stand by Parker & Chapman as the only ‘cool’ Grahams.
Golden Grahams are definitely cool if you keep them in the fridge.
Never heard of them! Are you running short of fish?
No. Paint.
Thanks for asking.
You are running out of paint!? We can’t have that. Will dulux do?
Graham Coxon – well cool
Mmmm. The coolest one in Blur, granted… but that’s like being the most feminist member of 2-Live Crew.
Gram is short for Ingram though.
Graeme Taylor Albion, Gryphon, Home Service.
Was it Graham Bonnet that did a version of It’s All Over Now Baby Blue ? He wasn’t cool
Graham Central Station