The new album by Graham Parker and the Rumour is "Stick To Me," the title derived from a surprise found inside the LP jacket. Several of the songs on "Stick To Me" are a reflection of Parker's impressions of the U.S. during his two tours. The album is backed by the group's third American tour, this time as special guest star to Thin Lizzy.

   Graham Parker and the Rumour are composed of Parker, lead vocals and guitar; Bob Andrews, keyboards; Brinsley Schwarz and Martin Belmont, guitars; Andrew Bodnar, bass; and Steve Goulding, drums. Brinsley has also been known to play a bit of keyboards and tenor sax as well.

   In retrospect, destiny has played a large part in bringing Graham Parker and the Rumour together to set the rock world on its ear. The first incident was the breakup of several British bands in the wake of the demise of the so-called pub rock boom. While this was happening, Parker, a gas station attendant in Surrey, put together a demonstration tape of some of his songs and sent it to the Hope and Anchor Pub, a gathering place for musicians.

   By chance, Brinsley heard the tape and invited Graham up to the pub to record a demo in the adjacent studio. When he arrived, Bob Andrews, Schwarz's partner in the band that bore Brinsley's name, was there. Living upstairs from the pub was Martin Belmont, late of Ducks Deluxe, who, in his spare time, tended bar at the pub.

   Joining at this time was the rhythm section from Boutemps Roulez, Andrew Bodnar and Steve Goulding. The five played together for the first time on a demonstration tape as the backing band for Graham Parker.

   The group rehearsed at another nearby pub, honing their sound before even attempting a live performance. In the meantime, Charlie Gillett received a copy of the demo tape and played it on his Radio London show. A Phonogram/England A&R man happened to be listening and a couple of phone calls later, negotiations were under way for a worldwide contract with Phonogram (Mercury Records in America).

   The group's debut album, "Howlin' Wind," was greeted ecstatically on both sides of the Atlantic. But as good as the album was, it gave literally no indication of the power of Graham Parker and the Rumour on stage. The "take-it-from-four-and-burn" adage was never more appropriate and for one of the few times in recent years, the on-stage excitement was generated by the music and not firebombs, slide shows, selfimmolation or other tricks.

   The second album, "Heat Treatment," which coincided with the second U.S. tour, continued the critical and consumer acclaim, both here and overseas. The bar room sound of the first LP was replaced with a clearer sound on the instruments and voices. Even though it's Graham's voice and lyrics that are out front, it is difficult to separate the Rumour's tight playing and musical arrangements from Parker's work. They fit together like hand in glove.

   In March of 1977, the group released the industry's first four-sided single. Under the banner of "The Pink Parker" (called that because of initial pressings on pink vinyl), the single contained four songs, including his show stopping version of "Hold Back The Night." The other rocker on side one was "(Let Me Get) Sweet On You." The "B" side contained live versions of "White Honey" and "Soul Shoes," taken from the infamous authorized British bootleg LP, "Live at Marble Arch."

   In between "The Pink Parker" and the new album, the Rumour took time to record its own solo album, "Max." Belmont, Bodnar, and Andrews wrote most of the songs on the LP, although the Rumour borrowed a couple of tunes from Nick Lowe and Duke Ellington. "Max" confirmed to a lot of people what others already knew: they are one of the world's best bands.

   One can get intellectual about Parker's lyrics, and go on at length at the subtleties that the Rumour throws into their music. But when you get down to basics, Graham Parker and the Rumour are just six guys playing their collective ___ off.

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