A legend of the English rock scene returns to Italy: Graham Parker, historic leader of the band Graham Parker & The Rumour, will be in our country on 10 October at the Sala Estense in Ferrara, on 11 October at the Suoneria in Settimo Torinese (TO), on 12 October at the Auditorium Scuole Medieie 'A. Toscanini' di Chiari (BS).
Parker will perform solo in a half-acoustic, half-electric set.
Opening is Irish guitarist Alex Seel.
The career of the artist, who was born in 1950, began in London in the mid-1970s when he met some musicians from the British capital's pub rock scene: keyboardist Bob Andrews and guitarists Brinsley Schwarz and Martin Belmont, bassist Andrew Bodnar and drummer Steve Goulding. Under the auspices of manager Dave Robinson, the line-up signed a contract with Phonogram and released 'Howlin'Wind', the first album under the name Graham Parker & The Rumour, in 1976.
The album, shortly followed by the second 'Heat Treatment' and the ep 'The Pink Parker', convincingly mixes Parker's main artistic references (from Bob Dylan to Van Morrison, Motown, reggae and the Rolling Stones) and ranges from ballads to rousing r'n'r songs that become authentic classics during live performances. The band won critical acclaim with songs that anticipated the days of new wave and punk by a few years, such as 'White honey', 'Gypsy blood' and 'Don't Ask Me Questions'.
But it was with the fourth album 'Squeezing Out Sparks' (which followed 'Stick To Me' in '77), released by Arista in 1979, that the definitive consecration took place. Considered the band's undisputed masterpiece, the album reached the American top 50 thanks to the compact and lashing sound of 'You Can't Be Too Strong,' 'Discovering Japan' and 'Passion Is No Ordinary Word'.
In 1980, the band members parted ways after a last record together, 'The Up Escalator', which also featured Bruce Springsteen (on backing vocals in 'The Endless Night') among the guests.
From here, Graham Parker embarked on a solo career, while still maintaining a collaborative relationship with former bandmates, in particular Schwarz and Bodnar, who appear on his most successful and popular album of the decade, 1988's 'The Mona Lisa's Sister'.
A prolific songwriter, Parker continues to release unreleased albums, live performances and compilations for various labels. In 2000, he also published a collection of short stories, 'Carp Fishing On Valium', while in 2011, he surprisingly contacted the former members of The Rumour: under the name of the band, the album 'Three Chords Good' was released in 2012, followed by two US tours of the reunited line-up.
In 2012 Graham Parker also appeared, playing himself together with The Rumour, in Judd Apatow's film 'This is 40', and in the forthcoming documentary by the Gramaglia Brothers 'Don't Ask Me Questions'.
The dates in detail:
Thursday 10 October 2013
Ferrara, Sala Estense
Tickets: 20 € + d.p.
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Friday 11 October 2013
Settimo Torinese (TO), Suoneria
Tickets: 15 € + d.p.
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Saturday 12 October 2013
Chiari (BS), Auditorium Scuole Medieie "A. Toscanini
Tickets: 25 € + d.p.
Concerts start at 9 p.m.
Presales available on the Ticketone circuit and at authorised points of sale
