My brother owned a copy of 'Squeezing Out Sparks', so I was able to guiltily dip into it while outwardly professing much purer post punk listening habits. My favourite track from the album though (then and now) is 'Passion Is No Ordinary Word'.
More nice rememberies, Kevin! I had a very spotty indulgence with Parker's records. Was on his first two, but with not much enthusiasm. I think I was still in radio for the two '76 ones: Howlin' Wind and Heat Treatment, and seem to recall one of them being made available as a pink vinyl promo!
By '79, I was doing my record store "sentence," and certainly recall "Local Girls" fondly. I think it was this album that was his most popular, but just a guess.
It was interesting/amazing/curious to see "new wave" unfold in real time, with labels falling all over themselves trying to not only stay hip, but roll the dice on what they hoped would be the next big thing! It's key to notice that Mercury released Parker's debut over a year before Columbia had Elvis' "My Aim is True," something I was surprised to remind myself of!
But, the racks were full of single, male singer/songwriters (as round pegs) the rock press were working overtime to cram into the "new wave" proverbial square holes! Elvis joined Parker, Joe Jackson, Willie Nile, Elliott Murphy, and anyone who even remotely appeared dark, brooding, and/or the slightest bit neo-Dylan!
It helped that Mercury had Paul Nelson, a roots-rock apologist (and rock critic) who was in the label's A&R dept from '70-'75....not sure if he was there long enough to find/sign Parker, but I trust Mercury's more noble search for "art," than mega-label CBS (usually seen as the quintessential crass, commercial greed merchants...although, no one can argue with their noticing, finding and building Costello's monumental career (his talent helped)!!
Always a pleasure, Kevin, to see what you've uncovered every post! As I heard relentlessly on my wedding night......."Keep it up!"😎👍
Costello and parker seemed to be paired (or compared) in everything I came across while writing this up. Interesting how differently their respective careers have played out.
Great post, Kevin. I was lucky enough to see Parker along with Nick Lowe and Brinsley Schwarz sometime around 1985 when they played a few gigs in California. They were not using the Rumours name or any other band name, if I recall, just billed under their own names. What a great revival that time was--it felt like things had nosedived in the late 70's but came roaring back with acts like these. I did a post on rock of that era, on both sides of the ocean. Check it out:
Sweet post, Kevin! (PS while I started looking for the Flamin' Groovies setlist, I found ANOTHER Fountains of Wayne one. Still looking for the FG, but have some really good pics with Cyril Jordan!)
My brother owned a copy of 'Squeezing Out Sparks', so I was able to guiltily dip into it while outwardly professing much purer post punk listening habits. My favourite track from the album though (then and now) is 'Passion Is No Ordinary Word'.
It's a great song!
More nice rememberies, Kevin! I had a very spotty indulgence with Parker's records. Was on his first two, but with not much enthusiasm. I think I was still in radio for the two '76 ones: Howlin' Wind and Heat Treatment, and seem to recall one of them being made available as a pink vinyl promo!
By '79, I was doing my record store "sentence," and certainly recall "Local Girls" fondly. I think it was this album that was his most popular, but just a guess.
It was interesting/amazing/curious to see "new wave" unfold in real time, with labels falling all over themselves trying to not only stay hip, but roll the dice on what they hoped would be the next big thing! It's key to notice that Mercury released Parker's debut over a year before Columbia had Elvis' "My Aim is True," something I was surprised to remind myself of!
But, the racks were full of single, male singer/songwriters (as round pegs) the rock press were working overtime to cram into the "new wave" proverbial square holes! Elvis joined Parker, Joe Jackson, Willie Nile, Elliott Murphy, and anyone who even remotely appeared dark, brooding, and/or the slightest bit neo-Dylan!
It helped that Mercury had Paul Nelson, a roots-rock apologist (and rock critic) who was in the label's A&R dept from '70-'75....not sure if he was there long enough to find/sign Parker, but I trust Mercury's more noble search for "art," than mega-label CBS (usually seen as the quintessential crass, commercial greed merchants...although, no one can argue with their noticing, finding and building Costello's monumental career (his talent helped)!!
Always a pleasure, Kevin, to see what you've uncovered every post! As I heard relentlessly on my wedding night......."Keep it up!"😎👍
Costello and parker seemed to be paired (or compared) in everything I came across while writing this up. Interesting how differently their respective careers have played out.
Great post, Kevin. I was lucky enough to see Parker along with Nick Lowe and Brinsley Schwarz sometime around 1985 when they played a few gigs in California. They were not using the Rumours name or any other band name, if I recall, just billed under their own names. What a great revival that time was--it felt like things had nosedived in the late 70's but came roaring back with acts like these. I did a post on rock of that era, on both sides of the ocean. Check it out:
https://zapatosjam.substack.com/p/rock-1-the-1960s-part-1-20-07-05
I'm on it! And that sounds like a killer show!
Sweet post, Kevin! (PS while I started looking for the Flamin' Groovies setlist, I found ANOTHER Fountains of Wayne one. Still looking for the FG, but have some really good pics with Cyril Jordan!)
Thank you! All of your setlists/memorabilia would make for an amazing series or book. Just throwin' it out there again. :)