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Graham Parker is underappreciated

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Woodface

pfm Member
I have relatively recently became aware of Graham Parker, not sure how as he seems to scant appreciation compared to a number of his peers. Good songwriter within the early new wave mould, far lesser known than Nick Lowe or Elvis Costello. Picked up 'The real makaw' for a mere £6 on vinyl yesterday, very clean copy as well.
 
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Yes, it is rather odd that history has defined Elvis Costello as the sole winner there. Joe Jackson gets rather overlooked too. Alway surprises me that I can find their albums fairly easily and when I do they take an age to sell!
 
Tony L said:
Yes, it is rather odd that history has defined Elvis Costello as the sole winner there. Joe Jackson gets rather overlooked too. Alway surprises me that I can find their albums fairly easily and when I do they take an age to sell!
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Yes, Joe Jackson is massively overlooked & probably more talented than all them put together. I bought a very clean 'Night & day' a few years ago for £3. I reckon an album of Elvis Costello from same period would be at least £10-15?
 
bigjonny said:
Heat Treatment is his best album, still got my copy I bought on a school trip to London, 1977 I think.
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I bought my copy of the album from Comet in Bolton and I still have mine too. I think there may have been a 7” single included with the LP.
 
I used to have him down as a sort of Springsteen wannabe, so it came as a surprise when Springsteen said he had been a big influence.
 
I always figured Joe Jackson to be a conservatory muso who tried to cash in on the 1977 angry young man movement, but soon showed his true colors. A fake in the same sense as The Police.

Graham Parker really was angry. Authenticity counts for something.

I mixed a set for Mr. Parker once, he was a total gent and was lovely to his fans.
 
Yank said:
I always figured Joe Jackson to be a conservatory muso who tried to cash in on the 1977 angry young man movement, but soon showed his true colors. A fake in the same sense as The Police.
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That's exactly how I felt about both of them at the time. I believe that Joe Jackson has some musical merit but the hype around him and those awful album sleeves put me off; I am easily 'put off'.
 
Snufkin said:
That's exactly how I felt about both of them at the time. I believe that Joe Jackson has some musical merit but the hype around him and those awful album sleeves put me off; I am easily 'put off'.
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It didn't help that Billy Joel put out a song that sounded EXACTLY like Joe Jackson...
 
Yank said:
I always figured Joe Jackson to be a conservatory muso who tried to cash in on the 1977 angry young man movement, but soon showed his true colors. A fake in the same sense as The Police.

Graham Parker really was angry. Authenticity counts for something.

I mixed a set for Mr. Parker once, he was a total gent and was lovely to his fans.
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A bit harsh on Joe Jackson, would he have been more genuine if he had less talent? Is Elvis Costello also a fake sellout because he worked with Burt Bacharach? Actually pretty much every artist I can think of is ultimately a fake. Authenticity is something of a unicorn
 
Stunsworth said:
I always thought that “That’s What They All Say” by Parker sounded very much like “Positively 4th Street” by Dylan.
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My point, though, was that "Still Rock 'n Roll To Me" sounds just like a Joe Jackson song, or a pastiche of one, and is totally naff. By association that makes Jackson seem naff as well. :)

Woodface said:
A bit harsh on Joe Jackson, would he have been more genuine if he had less talent? Is Elvis Costello also a fake sellout because he worked with Burt Bacharach? Actually pretty much every artist I can think of is ultimately a fake. Authenticity is something of a unicorn
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Or was Jackson pretending to have less talent, in an attempt to gain street cred and cash in on a trend?
 
Yank said:
My point, though, was that "Still Rock 'n Roll To Me" sounds just like a Joe Jackson song, or a pastiche of one, and is totally naff. By association that makes Jackson seem naff as well. :)



Or was Jackson pretending to have less talent, in an attempt to gain street cred and cash in on a trend?
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I don't think he dumbed down, 'Different for girls' is actually a very clever song for example. It also sounds of a piece to some tracks on night & day. I have no view on Billy Joel. Lots of bands/artists who started in the late 70's early 80s developed some later sophistication, not all of them successfully.
 
I came to Parker via Heat Treatment - I think he was on OGWT playing songs from it. Very under appreciated.

I've managed to pick up a couple of his albums I was missing from Tony on this very site.

Mick
 
Woodface said:
Is Elvis Costello also a fake sellout because he worked with Burt Bacharach?
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What? How could anyone be a sellout for working with Burt Bacharach? One of the greatest songwriters of the C.20th, even despite 'Magic Moments' ;). You can keep Costello, Parker & Jackson, and I'll keep Bacharach.
 
"The up escalator" was my first Parker purchase - Stupefaction is still a favourite.

That album led me to buy quite a few of his albums ("Howling wind" to 'Mona Lisa's sister") , supremely talented writer and performer - although never seem him live, much to my regret.
 
"The Up Escalator" for me as well. John Hiatt seems to be similarly overlooked. My favourites are "Slug Line" and "Bring the Family"
 
alanbeeb said:
What? How could anyone be a sellout for working with Burt Bacharach? One of the greatest songwriters of the C.20th, even despite 'Magic Moments' ;). You can keep Costello, Parker & Jackson, and I'll keep Bacharach.
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Burt Bacharach would have been seen as a sellout by the punk/new wave cognoscenti. I was merely using it as an illustration rather than any critique of him; who is one of the greatest song writers of all time.
 
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