A BOX OF...
Graham Parker - A BOX OF... Graham Parker [1976-2023] (56 x CDs)
Graham Parker was born in London in 1950, and by the mid‑1970s he emerged as one of Britain’s sharpest, most combustible songwriters. His voice, a wiry, soulful rasp, carried the urgency of rhythm and blues into the new era of pub rock and early new wave. Parker’s writing was always direct, emotional, and unafraid of social bite, but beneath the fire sat a craftsman with deep affection for American soul, Motown, and classic rock’n’roll. Over five decades he has recorded with a revolving cast of bands, most famously The Rumour, whose tight, soulful attack helped define his early sound. Parker’s catalogue is a long, restless journey: electric, acoustic, political, romantic, and always unmistakably his.
This A BOX OF... set gathers the full sweep of Parker’s recorded life, beginning with the explosive Mercury and Vertigo years. Howlin’ Wind (1976) and Heat Treatment (1976) introduced a songwriter who could fuse R&B punch with literate, bruised storytelling. The Rumour, a band of seasoned players with roots in soul, pub rock, and rhythm & blues, gave these early records their muscular drive, a sound that carried through The Up Escalator (1980) and the Stiff singles of the same era.
The Arista period brought a cleaner, more spacious production style. Albums like Another Grey Area (1982) and The Real Macaw (1983) showed Parker stretching into pop‑rock, balancing sharp hooks with reflective writing. By the late 1980s and early 1990s, The Mona Lisa’s Sister (1988), Human Soul (1989), Struck by Lightning (1991), Parker had settled into a confident, mature voice, blending acoustic textures with his trademark lyrical bite.
Across the 2000s and 2010s, Parker’s catalogue expanded again. Collaborations with The Figgs brought back the electric snap of his early years, heard on Songs of No Consequence (2005) and Imaginary Television (2010). Later albums such as Cloud Symbols (2018) reveal a songwriter comfortable in his skin: warm, witty, and still capable of sharp turns of phrase.
Throughout his career Parker recorded under many group configurations — Graham Parker & The Rumour, The Goldtops, The Episodes, The Latest Clowns, The Shot, The Small Clubs, The Twang Three, and others. Each ensemble brought a different shade to his music: the Rumour’s horn‑driven soul attack, the Figgs’ power‑pop energy, the stripped acoustic intimacy of his solo live recordings.
Stylistically, Parker’s music sits at the crossroads of pub rock, new wave, blue‑eyed soul, and roots‑driven rock’n’roll. His songs carry the emotional directness of soul, the punch of early punk, and the storytelling of classic singer‑songwriters. Across more than forty albums and countless live releases, Parker has remained fiercely committed to honest, human‑scale songwriting, sharp, melodic, and always alive. (B)
Included in this set are the following:
01 Albums
Howlin' Wind [1976]
Heat Treatment [1976]
Stick to Me [1977]
Squeezing Out Sparks [1979]
The Up Escalator [1980]
Another Grey Area [1982]
The Real Macaw [1983]
Steady Nerves [1985]
The Mona Lisa's Sister [1988]
Human Soul [1989]
Struck By Lightning [1991]
Burning Questions [1992]
12 Haunted Episodes [1995]
Acid Bubblegum [1996]
Loose Monkeys [1999]
Deepcut to Nowhere [2001]
King Biscuit Flower Hour [2003]
Your Country [2004]
Songs of No Consequence [2005]
Don't Tell Columbus [2007]
Carp Fishing on Valium [2009]
Imaginary Television [2010]
Three Chords Good [2012]
Mystery Glue [2015]
Cloud Symbols [2018]
Last Chance to Learn The Twist [2023]
02 Box Sets & Best Of
The Parkerilla [1978]
Passion is No Ordinary Word [1993]
Passion is No Ordinary Word CD1 [1993]
Passion is No Ordinary Word CD2 [1993]
Vertigo CD1 [1996]
Vertigo CD2 [1996]
Don't Ask Me Questions, The Best Of [2014]
These Dreams Will Never Sleep CD1 [2016]
These Dreams Will Never Sleep CD2 [2016]
These Dreams Will Never Sleep Cd3 [2016]
These Dreams Will Never Sleep CD4 [2016]
These Dreams Will Never Sleep CD5 [2016]
These Dreams Will Never Sleep CD6 [2016]
03 Live & Other
The Pink Parker (EP) [1977]
Live at Trent Poly Sports Hall, Nottingham 1977 [2019]
Live on The Test [1978]
Live at Marble Arch [1976]
Live at The Rainbow Music Hall [1979]
Live Sparks [1979]
Seattle [1979]
Sweet Home Chicago [1983]
1991/02/08 Hammersmith Odeon, London [1991]
Solo Acoustic (Bootleg) 08/02/1991 Hammersmith Odeon, London CD1 [1991]
Solo Acoustic (Bootleg) 08/02/1991 Hammersmith Odeon, London CD2 [1991]
1994 Graham Parker's Christmas Cracker [1994]
That's When You Know [2001]
The Official Art Vandelay Tapes V1 [2003]
The Official Art Vandelay Tapes Vol. 2 (Live, Remixes, alternate Takes etc.) [2005]
Reunion [2010]
Squeezing out Sparks, 40th Anniversary Acoustic Version [2019]
5 Old Souls (Live) [2021]
The Middlesex Demos [2022]
Movie
Graham Parker & The Rumour - This Is Live [2013]
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01 Albums
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02 Box Sets & Best Of
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03 Live & Other
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Movie
Graham Parker & The Rumour - This Is Live [2013]
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Track lists
Refer to the following page for track lists...
https://www.discogs.com/artist/289622-Graham-Parker
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Music weaves itself into the fabric of our emotions, dances through the corridors of memory, and whispers to the soul of who we are. Sharing these stories deepens the connection, turning the experience into something timeless and profound.
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Now you went and done it Butterboy. One of my all time faves. The snarling vocals and what we used to call white boy soul. It doesn't get any better. I must have played Squeezing Out Sparks so many times the needle on my turntable was peeling the plastic outta the grooves. Thank you.
ReplyDeleteHi RichardR,
DeleteThose snarling vocals and that fierce strain of white‑boy soul were exactly what made Parker so gripping in those years. Squeezing Out Sparks is one of those albums you play until the grooves start to complain, and it still hits with the same urgency every time. I’m really glad this set brought all that back for you.
Cheers.
Those early Parker albums are classics. Thank you kindly!
ReplyDeleteEu conheço poucas músicas dele. Você poderia me dar sugestões por onde começar? Muito obrigado
DeleteHi Beto,
DeleteIf you ask me , pretty much all of them. However, the esentials are: The first four albums are great, the album "Mona Lisa's Sister" is terrific and the box set "These Dreams Will Never Sleep" is a must have.
Try those on for size.
Cheers.
Hi LOFC,
DeleteYou really can’t go wrong with those early Parker sets, they’re full of fire and craft. He’s one of those artists who ages like a good wine, gathering depth and character as the years roll on.
Cheers.
Muito obrigado pelas dicas BB. Forte abraço
DeleteI have have some vinyl and cd's by this guy, he released some quality stuff over the years.
ReplyDeleteMany Thanks
Couldn't agree more, Steve.
DeleteA great artist(s) with a catalog that is far greater than the accolades received.
Cheers.
Thanks for another astonishing and comprehensive collection, K & BB! Graham Parker is one of my favorites-one of my "This guy shouda been a star" choices.
ReplyDeleteClive Davis said in his entire career he'd never seen such a huge disparity between album quality and popular reception as he did with Squeezing Out Sparks. That's a strong statement coming from Mr. Davis.
DeleteNever heard that quote from Clive before, but I couldn't agree with him more, Ian! Squeezing Out Sparks is a complete banger, start to finish...
DeleteHi Bill M,
DeleteGlad to hear this set is a winner.
Cheers.
Hi Ian,
DeleteThat’s a remarkable observation from Clive Davis, and it really underlines how sharp the disconnect was between the brilliance of Squeezing Out Sparks and the reception it got at the time. When someone with his experience says he’s never seen such a gap between quality and commercial response, it tells you just how exceptional that record was, and how strangely it slipped past the wider audience.
Cheers.
Clive Davis' quote can be found in his autobiography, The Soundtrack of My Life.
DeleteThanks for this SPECTACULAR post, BB...I first heard Graham Parker when my friend and I went to see Cheap Trick in 1979, and GP and the Rumour were the opening act (It's always such a treat when the opening act knocks your sock off!!!)
ReplyDeleteHi Etienne,
DeleteWhat a fantastic memory to have. It’s always a thrill when the support act blows the room wide open, and Parker was absolutely in that kind of form during those years. I’m really glad this big set brought that spark back for you.
Cheers.
Saw him at The Park West in Chicago a number of times. Went to the bathrom during intermission and literally ran into Graham. Told him of going to Poplar Creek to see him as an opening act. He was'nt there and they would'nt refund my ticket price. He laughed and said he had heard he was supposed to be there. But was never booked. One of my all time favorites. Temporary Beauty video is awesome. Ex wife and I saw him there promoting The Real Macaw. She loved "You Can't Take Love For Granted" Then She Did. Thanks for letting me tell this tale. Mark
ReplyDeleteHi Mark,
DeleteWhat a great story, running into Graham in the hallway like that is the kind of moment you never forget. He had that sharp, human touch that made every encounter feel real.
Temporary Beauty is a fantastic pick, and The Real Macaw era was full of gems. “You Can’t Take Love for Granted” hits even harder when life proves the title right.
Thanks for sharing the tale, it’s memories like these that keep the music alive.
Cheers.