By Geoff Cabin

The live material was recorded at the Bournemouth Wintergardens, the Manchester Palace, the Oxford New Theatre and the New York Palladium.(2) No one is listed as producer, but Bob Andrews is credited as "musical director."(3) The album was mixed by Robert John "Mutt" Lange.(4)

The Parkerilla received a fairly cool critical reception when it was released and it generally tends to be dismissed as inferior to Live at Marble Arch. In retrospect, however, it's somewhat difficult to unterstand the album's poor reception.

It's true that there are a few problems with the album. The three-sided format is a bit peculiar, suggesting that the band didn't have enough strong material to fill the fourth side. And while the new version of "Don't Ask Me Questions" is fine, it really is little more than filler, particularly since a live version of the song already appears on the album.

The live material, however, is very strong and certainly comparable in quality to that on Live at Marble Arch. The band's playing is tighter and more polished on The Parkerilla and the addition of the horn section, which did not appear on Live at Marble Arch, gives the songs an added punch. Among the highlights of the set are a smoldering performance of the slow ballad "Red Hot Gypsy Blood," an intense and highly propulsive take on "Don't Ask Me Questions" and hardrocking versions of "Back to Schooldays," "The New York Shuffle" and "Soul Shoes." As there is little overlap in material between The Parkerilla and Live at Marble Arch, they are both important documents of the band's performance.

The Parkerilla entered the Billboard charts the week of July 1, 1978 and remained on the charts for three weeks, peaking at number 149.(5)

The Parkerilla was the last album that Parker would record for Mercury Records. Parker had become unhappy with Mercury, feeling that they weren't promoting his records adequately, and managed to get out of his deal with them.(6) After leaving Mercury, Parker was pursued by all of the major labels before signing with Arista.(7)

Parker and the Rumour's first release for Arista was a promotional 12" single entitled "Mercury Poisoning," which was released in February 1979.(8) "Mercury Poisoning" was a catchy rocker and, with its scathingly funny lyrics, served as Parker's parting shot at Mercury Records. In the U.K., where Parker was still signed to Mercury's sister label, Vertigo, "Mercury Poisoning" was distributed anonymously by Stiff, the label headed by Parker's manager, Dave Robinson.(9)

Parker and the Rumour's first album for Arista was Squeezing Out Sparks, which was released in March 1979.(10) (In the U.K., the album was released on Vertigo.) The album was recorded at Lansdowne Studios in London and produced by Jack Nitzsche.(11) Nitzsche had previously worked as an arranger for Phil Spector and as an arranger and pianist for Neil Young and Crazy Horse. He had also scored a minor hit as a solo artist in 1963 with the instrumental "The Lonely Surfer."

Parker was unhappy with the way the sessions went initially - he felt that the Rumour were overplaying, going in too many different directions at the same time and "butchering" his songs.(12) After prodding from Parker, Nitzsche took control of the sessions and got the Rumour to simplify their sound and follow Parker's singing and playing more closely.(13)

The resulting album has a stripped-down and more guitarbased sound. The keyboards are relegated to a relatively minor role and the horns are absent entirely. Brinsley Schwarz's guitar plays a much more prominent role. Schwarz really rose to the occasion, contributing an array of highly catchy and propulsive riffs and solos, some of the best playing of his career.

Squeezing Out Sparks kicks off with "Discovering Japan," an eerie-sounding rocker with enigmatic and vaguely menacing lyrics. "Local Girls," one of Parker's classic put-down songs, is a mid-tempo rocker with a catchy sing-along refrain. On "You Can't BeToo Strong," a quiet, acoustic ballad, the song's narrator reflects on an abortion and its aftermath. "Nobody Hurts You" is a hard-driving rocker that provides a showcase for some of Brinsley Schwarz's most electrifying guitar work. "Protection" is a heavy-duty reggae number with lyrics that hint at political conspiracy, paranoia and violence. "Passion Is No Ordinary Word" rails against artificiality and false emotions and has become one of Parker's signature anthems.

On its release, Squeezing Out Sparks received excellent reviews. It became Parker's most commercially successful album, entering the Billboard charts the week of April 14, 1979 and remaining on the charts for 24 weeks, peaking at number 40.(14) The album has sold more than 250,000 copies in the U.S.(15)

"Local Girls," backed with a cover of the Jackson Five's "I Want You Back," to was released as a single but failed to chart.(16)

Later in the year, Arista released a promotional album entitled Live Sparks, which contained live versions of all of the songs from Squeezing Out Sparks as well as live versions of two additional songs, "I Want You Back" and "Mercury Poisoning." The material on the album was culled from two shows on the Squeezing Out Sparks tour that had been broadcast by local radio stations - April 9, 1979 in San Francisco, which had been broadcast by KSAN, and April 28, 1979 in Chicago, which had been broadcast by WXRT.(17) Squeezing Out Sparks and Live Sparks have now been reissued together on a single CD.

The Rumour's second album, Frogs, Sprouts, Clogs and Krauts, was released by Arista in the summer of 1979. (In England, the album was released by Stiff.) The album was recorded at Eden Studios in London and produced by Roger Bechirian, who had been the engineer on the Stick to Me album.(18)

Frogs, Sprouts, Clogs and Krauts was another excellent effort by the Rumour. With the exception of Rick Danko's "Tired of Waiting," the album consists entirely of original material written by various members of the band. In contrast to the band's first album, Frogs, Sprouts, Clogs and Krauts has a slick, new wave sound, with synthesizers playing a prominent role in the arrangements. Among the highlights of the album are the moody, haunting "Frozen Years" and the irresistibly catchy rocker, "Emotional Traffic."

Frogs, Sprouts, Clogs and Krauts entered the Billboard charts the week of August 4, 1979 and remained on the charts for three weeks, peaking at number 160.(19)

Unable to score a hit, the Rumour next tried releasing a record under a different name. Billing themselves as "the Duplicates" the band released a single, "I Want to Make You Very Happy"/"Call of the Faithful," on Stiff in the U.K. Hoping for a hit, the band planned to reveal its true identity when the song became successful.(20) Unfortunately, however, the band had no more commercial success as the Duplicates than they did as the Rumour.

(To be continued next issue.)

Brinsley Schwarz was originally formed in late 1969.(21) The band evolved out of an earlier outfit, Kippington Lodge, which had recorded a few pop-oriented singles in the late sixties.(22)

Brinsley Schwarz's original lineup consisted of Brinsley Schwarz (guitar), Bob Andrews (keyboards), Nick Lowe (bass) and Billy Rankin (drums). Lowe served as the band's lead vocalist and principal songwriter. Shortly after completion of the band's second album in 1970, singer, songwriter and guitarist Ian Gomm joined the band.(23) The band played in an American country-rock style, heavily influenced by the Band and the Byrds.

Brinsley Schwarz's career was launched with one of the most notorious promotional fiascos in rock history - a showcase gig at the Fillmore East in New York where contest winners and journalist were flown in from England to see the band perform.(24) This was supposed to bring the band instant stardom, but the whole affair was so plagued with problems that it instead earned the band a lot of negative press and left them heavily in debt.(25) In spite of the rocky start, the band persevered and went on to record six albums and establish themselves as one of the leading bands on London's pub circuit. The band's six albums were: Brinsley Schwarz (1970), Despite It All (1970), Silver Pistol (1972), Nervous on the Road (1972), Please Don't Ever Change (1973) and New Favorites of...(1974). Despite landing the opening spot on a tour by Paul McCartney and Wings, Brinsley Schwarz was never able to break out of the pub circuit and the band called it a day after playing a farewell gig at the Marquee Club in March 1975.(26)

Brinsley Schwarz and Bob Andrews, of course, went on to the Rumour. Nick Lowe went on to a successful career as a solo artist and record producer. Lowe scored a #12 hit in the U.S. in 1979 with "Cruel to be Kind" from the Labour of Lust album.(27) Ian Gomm also enjoyed some success as a solo artist, hitting #18 in the U.S. in 1979 with "Hold On" from the Gomm With the Wind album.(28) Billy Rankin went on to play with Terraplane.(29)

END NOTES

1. Borack, p. 28.
   
2. Anonymous, musician and production credits for The Parkerilla.
3. Id.
4. Id.
5. Whitburn, p. 565.
6. Borack, p. 28; McGrath, p. 25-98.
7. McGrath, p. 25-98.
8. Anonymous, "sources/personnel" listed in the booklet included with Passion Is No Ordinary Word, p. 47.
9. Muirhead, p. 49
10. Anonymous, "sources/personnel" listed in the booklet included with Passion Is No Ordinary Word, p. 47.
11. Anonymous, musician and production credits for Squeezing Out Sparks.
12. Borack, p. 30-32; Himes, "Graham Parker: Rock's Last Angry Man Reflects on Life After the Rumour," p. 51; Parker, "Graham Parker" (autobiographical/promotional essay for Burning Questions), p. 2; Parker, liner notes for CD reissue of Squeezing Out Sparks/Live Sparks, p 1-2.
13. Id.
14. Whitburn, p. 565.
15. Robbins, p. 4.
16. Whitburn, p. 565.
17. Anonymous, musician and production credits for Live Sparks.
18. Anonymous, musician and production credits for Frogs, Sprouts, Clogs and Krauts.
19. Whitburn, p. 641.
20. Muirhead, p. 83.
21. Dopson, liner notes for CD reissue of Nervous on the Road/New Favourites of..., p. 2.
22. Birch, liner notes for Naughty Rhythms: The Best of Pub Rock; Dopson, liner notes for CD reissue of Nervous on the Road/New Favorites of..., p. 2.
23. Dopson, liner notes for CD reissue of Nervous on the Road/New Favourites of ..., p. 6.
24. Birch, "Cheers...Yes, it's the story of Pub Rock...," p. 76-79; Dopson, liner notes for CD reissue of Nervous on the Road/New Favourites of..., p. 3-5.
25. Id.
26. Birch, "Cheers...Yes, it's the story of Pub Rock...," p. 89.
27. Whitburn, p. 436.
28. Whitburn, p. 287.
29. Frame, p. 28.

BIBLIOGRAPHY

1. Anonymous; "Graham Parker"; Mercury Records promotional biography; 1976.
2. ---; "Graham Parker and the Rumour"; Graham Parker and the Rumour (concert program from March 1977 British tour); Top-Billing Publications, Ltd.; February 1977; p. 2-5.
3. ---; musician and production credits for Howlin' Wind by Graham Parker; Mercury Records; 1976.
4. ---; musician and production credits for Heat Treatment by Graham Parker and the Rumour; Mercury Records; 1976.
5. ---; musician and production credits for The Pink Parker by Graham Parker and the Rumour; Mercury Records; 1977.
6. ---; musician and production credits for Max by the Rumour; Mercury Records; 1977.
7. ---; musician and production credits for Stick to Me by Graham Parker and the Rumour; Mercury Records; 1977.
8. ---; musician and production credits for The Parkerilla by Graham Parker and the Rumour; Mercury Records; 1978.
9. ---; musician and production credits for CD reissue of Squeezing Out Sparks/Live Sparks by Graham Parker and the Rumour; Arista Records; 1996.
10. ---; musician and production credits for Frogs, Sprouts, Clogs and Krauts by the Rumour; Arista Records; 1979.
11. ---; "The Rumour"; Arista Records promotional biography; 1979.
12. ---; "sources/personnel" listed in the booklet included with Passion Is No Ordinary Word: The Graham Parker Anthology: 1976 - 1991; Rhino Records; 1993.
13. ---; untitled essay; Graham Parker and the Rumour (concert program from November 1979 Australian tour); Playbill; 1979; p. 10-13.
14. ---; untitled promotional essay for The Mona Lisa's Sister by Graham Parker; RCA Records; 1988.
15. Belmont, Martin; liner notes for CD reissue of Ducks Deluxe/Taxi to the Terminal Zone by Ducks Deluxe; Mau Mau Records; 1991.
16. Birch, Will; "Cheers: Raise a glass to the regulars: in his usual chair, Ian Dury; hogging the jukebox, Nick Lowe; jockying up to the oche, Graham Parker and Elvis Costello; ordering pork scratchings, Wilko Johnson. And then there's Ace, Chilli Willi, Eggs Over Easy, the Hot Rods, Kokomo... Yes, it's the story of Pub Rock, served by our host, Will Birch."; Mojo; May 1996; p. 74-96.
17. ---; liner notes for Nauqhty Rhythms: The Best of Pub Rock; EMI/Premier; 1996.
18. Borack, John M.; "Graham Parker Is No Ordinary Dude"; Goldmine; April 15, 1994; p. 15-48.
19. Considine, J.D.; "Graham Parker Is 'Stuck With' Solo Tour"; The Baltimore Sun; October 2, 1988; p. 1N and 6N.
20. de Whalley, Chas; liner notes for Don't Mind Rockin' Tonite by Ducks Deluxe; RCA Records; 1978.
21. Dopson, Roger; liner notes for Live on the Test by Graham Parker; Windsong I ternational; 1994.
22. ---; liner notes for CD reissue of Nervous on the Road/New Favorites of... by Brinsley Schwarz; Beat Goes On Records; 1995.
23. Frame, Pete; Rock Family Trees; Omnibus Press; 1993.
24. Guterman, Jimmy; untitled article in the booklet included with Passion Is No Ordinary Word: The Graham Parker Antnology: 1976 - 1991; Rhino Records; 1993.
25. Handelman, David; "Graham Parker's Shades of Success: New Wave's Angry Young Man Is Older and Wiser"; Rolling Stone; June 30, 1988; p. 31-34.
26. Heatley, Michael; liner notes for Live From New York by Graham Parker and the Episodes; Nectar Masters; 1996.
27. Himes, Geoffrey; "Graham Parker: Rock's Last Angry Man Reflects on Life after the Rumour"; Musician; June 1982; p. 48-54.
28. ---; "Graham Parker's Solo Act: The Angry Rocker, Tackling 'Musical Fascism"'; The Washington Post; October 14, 1992; p. C7.
29. Joseph, Frank; "Brinsley Schwarz, Parker's Spark"; Musician; circa fall 1983; p. 80, 88 and 90.
30. Marcus, Greil; "The Graham Parker Rumor: A Search for Fool's Gold on Rte. 66"; Rolling Stone; December 29, 1977; p. 47-52.
31. ---; "Graham Parker's Tale of Fear and Drama"; Rolling Stone; May 17, 1979; p. 66-68.
32. McCann, Ian; The Stiff Records Story (booklet included in The Stiff Records Box Set); Demon Records/Rhino Records; 1993.
33. McCormick, Moira; "On the Road: Graham Parker and the Rumour: Marquee"; Sounds; June 19, 1976.
34. McGrath, T.J.; "Graham Parker: Squeezing Out All the Sparks"; Dirty Linen; June/July 1994; p. 23-25 and 98.
35. Milward, John; "Parker's Brand of Pub Rock"; Performance: The International Talent Weekly; September 3, 1976.
36. Morthland, John; "Things Begin to Happen for Graham Parker"; Rolling Stone; circa winter 1977.
37. Muirhead, Bert; Stiff: The Story of a Record Label: 1976-1982; Blandford Press; 1983.
38. Parker, Graham; "Graham Parker" (autobiographical/promotional essay for Burning Questions); Capitol Records; 1992.
39. ---; liner notes for The Best of Graham Parker and the Rumour; Vertigo Records; 1992.
40. ---; liner notes for BBC Live in Concert by Graham Parker; Windsong International; 1996
41. ---; liner notes for CD reissue of Squeezing Out Sparks/Live Sparks; Arista Records; 1996.
42. Robbins, Ira; liner notes for CD reissue of Squeezing Out Sparks/Live Sparks; Arista Records; 1996.
43. Rogers, Sheila; "Random Notes: Parker's Stinging 'Success'"; Rolling Stone; May 5, 1988; p. 11.
44. Rowland, Mark; "Graham Parker: Better Living on the Up Escalator: A Corrosive Would-Be Commercialist Finds Some Hard-Won Satisfaction and a Hard-Edged New Band"; Musician; circa summer 1985; p. 38-44.
45. Scoppa, Bud; "Pub Rock: Grass Roots on the Other Side of the Fence"; Crawdaddy; October 1975; p. 70-73.
46. Sculley, Alan; "Parker Goes Beyond His 'Angry Man' Reputation"; The Baltimore Sun: "Maryland Live" section; May 26 - June 1, 1995; p. 5.
47. Snow, Mat; "Phone Home: Graham Parker"; Mojo, issue #16, p. 21.
48. Spotnitz, Frank; "Wake Up! Graham Parker Has Something To Say"; Rolling Stone; July 18/August 1, 1985; p. 22-23.
49. Stewart, Tony; "This page has confidence and sniffs. It's (sniff) Graham Parker, The Singing Petrol Pump Attendant himself. And watch it - this boy could be going places! Tony Stewart told you first (or possibly second or third)."; New Musical Express; May 1, 1976; p. 12 and 38.
50. Whitburn, Joel; Joel Whitburn's Top Pop Albums: 1955-1992; Record Research, Inc.; Monommee Falls, Wisconsin; 1993.

Reproduced with kind permission from Geoff Cabin.

Rock Beat International is available from:

Rock Beat Int'l
PO Box 27636
Towson, MD 21285

Back to GP article bibliography