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Stereotyped early in his career as the
quintessential angry young man, Graham Parker was
one of the most celebrated singer/songwriters to emerge from
England’s pub rock scene in the early ’70s.
His biggest success was with his band Graham Parker
and The Rumour, originally his backing band of pub rock all-stars,
starting with their debut, Howlin’ Wind, in 1976 which led to a
cult-like following of devoted fans. After delivering Squeezing Out
Sparks in 1979, which was a smash with critics and won him a larger
audience in the United States, Parker courted a crossover career
with solo projects such as 1982’s Another Grey Area and 1985’s
Steady Nerves.
Parker unexpectedly reunited his original backing
band The Rumour in 2011, in part due to the intervention of
longtime fan and filmmaker Judd Apatow, who made the group a plot
point in his film This Is Forty. After appearing in the movie, the
group recorded an album of new material, Three Chords Good, which
arrived in November 2012.
Parker
and The Rumour took advantage of their new place in the spotlight
by touring America and the UK, but shortly thereafter The Rumour
reunion came to an end. Their guitarist, Martin Belmont became part
of The Goldtops, the ad hoc band that backed Parker on the 2018
release Cloud Symbols. Parker has been touring solo ever since and
continues to amaze his audiences with his new material, rooted in
the old band’s pub rock sensibilities.
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