Calling London
In the mid-1970s, British musician Graham Parker arrived on the music scene with his first release, Howlin’ Wind (1976), and was considered by many a main staple of the English rock scene. To date, Parker has more than 16 records to his credit while still receiving critical acclaim from both sides of the Atlantic. But Parker is still an independent spirit at a time when record companies seem to want a sure thing to give to the public. He seems to enjoy avoiding the hype that follows many in the music industry.
With a tendency to avoid the over-promotion that follows many bands and artists, Parker has recently came out with his new record Deepcut to Nowhere last August. He toured in September and October to support it. In a recent phone interview, Parker talked with Jupiter Index from his home in England about his album and the music industry.

Gabrielle Burns: What was it like working with co-engineer Dave Cook and ex-Rumour drummer Steven Goulding on this album?
Graham Parker: Well, Dave, I thought, did a great job. He engineered Struck By Lighting [1991] and I’ve often thought of working with him again, because he is definitely my style of engineer. He doesn’t try to take over. He’s just trying to put things in place for me so that every idea I’ve got comes across. And he covers all the technical aspects of things and will definitely tell me whether we got a good take or not. And it was the right time for it.
And Steve Goulding, he’s lived in Chicago quite a few years and I’ve often bumped into him there when I’ve been playing. And as the years [have] gone on we have mentioned casually that it might be nice to do something one day. He recently moved to New York City so it’s just a few hours down the road – so I called him up on a whim and said ‘can you spare a week? I want to do an album with you.’ And it worked out fantastic. I had a pretty good hunch that Peter Donnely, the bass player from the Figgs would be excellent with Steve and combined with Professor Louie, the keyboard player, we just cut the track live.

What was the hardest song to write on this album?
The hardest song was "It Takes a Village Idiot," because it took years to write. I had the melody and different lyrics in various combinations over the years. And you can tell the song has a kind of Motown rift going for it. This time when I dragged it up again, just to see if anything would happen to it and usually that means that you try and dump then it again – that often happens with these kinds of songs. But with this one, I was struck by the idea of slowing it down and putting these lyrics on and [it] seemed very timely. It was a great feeling to use that melody which I had always liked.

Do you usually finish the lyrics of songs and then record them in the recording studio?
Yeah, everything is as finished as it will be, the only thing I might do in the studio is to cut something out.

Music has clearly changed in the last few decades, what is the hardest thing now about music for you?
Well the writing doesn’t get any easier, but it still comes for me. Once I concentrate and get in to it and go into what I call the tunnel, which is a frame of mind, the songs pretty much seem to come as they always did. It’s a little harder to know how good they are because in the early days when I got a great idea it was so fresh and new sounding and their wasn’t so much competition around that I felt I was really quite unique in what I was doing. And second-guessing is something that comes into play and I try to keep that out of my mind because I just have to follow where the songs are leading me. It’s not something I can design to much. It’s not like the old days when I write 12 [songs] that was an album, now I am writing more. I write more songs now.

Because you write more, is that because there is more competition or more pressure to produce something that will sell?
It’s not about selling or competition for me now, it’s just that I want people to say ‘Boy, G.P. has a great record out now.’

What albums have you been listening to that also help you as a songwriter and musician?
I am finding that there is nothing that is influencing me, at all, apart from myself. My own history is my influence.

Who are some of your favorite musicians that you would most like to work with in the future?
Just a few months before I start an album, I think about what musicians I want to put on this album and I have no interest in star-guest musicians. I’m not saying I won’t go for it if it wasn’t organic – it is fun to work with other people in that respect. But I really don’t feel the need to get other singers that I admire - there is nobody that I admire that much. I have some favorites like Tom Freund, he has done a few albums. And I like a lot of the hit bands that make hit singles and the ones that are alternative that you hear on rock radio like Fastball and some of the Smashing Pumpkin tunes.

How have you handled the changes that have occurred with the different record labels you have worked with?
I have always had the same thing going for me which is I don’t want any input. And I’ve achieved that all the way down the line.

What is it about your music that attracts old and new listeners in your music?
I think the writing is in the tradition of Mick Jagger and Keith Richards and going back to ska music. Basically, I’ve just had my first four albums re-released here over here [England], all separately and some lost demos and Live at Marble Arch, which was a collectable item once. And people seem to be very interested in the new record so I think there is a cyclical motion going on here.

In your spare time how do you relax?
Well I play soccer, I ski, play a bit of tennis and it just depends on the year.

If there would be one thing that you would like people to know about your music what would that be?
I think that I have never consciously get away with wasting peoples’ time with albums. And I think that is an important thing for me, even though there maybe quite a lot that were not so well received critically and there are definitely low points. I really feel I have put out the best stuff I had at the time and let the rejects in the rejects bin.

- Gabrielle Burns C 2001