E180 - Top 5 Songwriters (with GRAHAM PARKER!)

The Rolling Stones once intoned that "it's the singer, not the song"...but this week, it's all about the song, as we celebrate the great songwriters of the O3L era. What better way to do that than with one of THE all time great songwriters, the legendary Graham Parker?!? We're still pinching ourselves.

Of course, you know his classic records with The Rumour like Howlin' Wind, Heat Treatment, and Squeezing Out Sparks, and songs like 'Silly Thing,' 'Hold Back The Night,' 'Hold Back The Night', 'Don't Ask Me Questions', 'Discovering Japan', 'Local Girls,' 'Life Gets Better,' 'Wake Up (Next To You),' and 'Get Started, Start A Fire.' But we're not here so much to look back at a remarkable past as we are to celebrate an artist who, 47 years into his recording career, is still relevant, vital and making some of his best music yet. His brilliant new album, Last Chance To Learn The Twist, was released on September 8th from our friends at Big Stir Records. The record was produced by GP & Tuck Nelson, and features his incredible backing band The Goldtops, backing singers The Lady Bugs and swinging brass from The Easy Access Orchestra. In this episode, you'll hear fascinating insights into the songwriting and recording processes for the new album, GP's songwriting inspirations, genres that don't exist, streaming, his biggest regret, and much more. And you'll be happy to know: THE GOUT IS ON ITS WAY OUT!

About Graham Parker (edited from Mark Demming's intro in the All Music Guide): Stereotyped early in his career as the quintessential angry young man, Graham Parker was one of the most celebrated singer/songwriters to emerge from England in the '70s. Drawing heavily from Van Morrison and the Rolling Stones, Parker developed a sinewy fusion of driving rock & roll and confessional folk-rock, highlighted by his indignant passion, biting sarcasm, and bristling anger. At the outset of his career, his albums crackled with energy, snide witticisms, and perceptive insights, earning him a devoted following of fans and critics, who lavished praise on his debut, 1976's Howlin' Wind, recorded with the Rumour, his backing band of pub rock all-stars. After delivering Squeezing Out Sparks in 1979, which was a smash with critics and won him a larger audience in the United States, Parker courted a crossover career with solo projects such as 1982's Another Grey Area and 1985's Steady Nerves before settling into a cult following in the late '80s and continuing to garner critical acclaim as his music mellowed but his lyrical perspective stayed sharp. At the behest of filmmaker Judd Apatow, Parker reunited with the Rumour for his movie This Is 40, which led to concert tours and a pair of albums, 2012's Three Chords Good and 2015's Mystery Glue. After the Rumour reunion ran its course, Parker formed a new band, the Goldtops, playing easygoing but committed R&B-informed rock on 2018's Cloud Symbols and 2023's Last Chance to Learn the Twist.

Technical note: We recorded this episode in two segments - we did our interview with GP first, and then reconvened a couple of nights later to record our top five lists (when Brett was sick and Uncle Gregg was at least a sheet and a half to the wind).

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