Graham Parker's excellent new record put me in the mood for more Graham Parker, so I started digging. I pretty much gave up on Graham, somewhere around "Struck By Lightning," so there was a lot that got passed me, including these two covers.
The R. Dean Taylor cover is pretty straight-forward, but The Who cover feels like something I shouldn't like at all. Instead, I found myself loving the arrangement.
10 comments:
one cool tune from Struck by Lightning is Kid with the Butterfly Net
Understand what you are saying but its a grower, I 'll give him that.
Both tracks you posted are a lot of fun. Will have to give Loose Monkeys and The Official Art Vandelay Tapes - Live One a spin.
I play some of his 90's albums fairly often: Struck By Lightning, Burning Questions, and 12 Haunted Episodes. Each has some excellent songs. The one time I saw GP was on the tour for 12 Haunted Episodes. These may not get the rotation of Squeezing Out Sparks, Heat Treatment, or The Mona Lisa's Sister, but still are worth checking out. After that, I ignored almost all of it until 2021's Five Old Souls.
@neal t: you are right about that song - fabulous.
- Paul in DK
Never heard either one of these and loved them both! Thanks, Sal.
It's so hard to hear anything other than The Who's "Substitute", but I agree that this version grows on you after listening a few times. Also - now I know it's NOT acutally "I look pretty young, but I'm just 'bout 18" but "I'm just back-dated"! Look at that! And I owe it all to you!
I also never knew that Art Vandelay was not only a marine biologist, an architect, amongst other things, but a songwriter too! Look at that! Hahahaha!!!!!
First, glad you have recovered from the booster shot.
Love GP, and really appreciate his knowledge of music and excellent taste in covers (his cover of I want You Back is both ssurprising in choice and great in energy).
That said, whenever GP is featured, I have a vivid memory of himdoing an interview where he demonstrates how there really is no 'original' music, and demonstrates with and acoustic guitar and how similar various songs are. I've tried searching YouTube but never get anywhere close. Anyone have an inkling, or am I just making this memeory up...:)
I also remember a cranky interview with GP in Musician magazine, I think, where the interviewer asked for some his favorites songs of his own and GP replied, "I haven't written a bad song," or something close to that. It turned me off for a long time.
I find lots of gems even in the lesser Graham Parker albums. His live shows never disappoint. I've seen him dozens of times since 1976 when he opened for Richie Havens of all people. Don't laugh, the next time I saw him he opened for Thin Lizzy. But, even in his glory years, he never got the fame he deserved. Many of the times I've seen him, small 300 seat clubs would only be one-third full. But I haven't seen him in nearly ten years when he appeared as a duo with Brinsley Schwarz at the Coach House.
"Substitute" is something that takes either balls, or stupidity, to cover. Maybe both. But he makes it his own, to a degree. I think there are better things on the Art Vandelay release.
About twenty years ago he did a lost Beatles song album with Kate Pierson and the guitarist of Buffalo Tom. I didn't much care for it till I saw them do it in concert at the Coach House. About 90 people showed up for the 400-seat venue. But it got across in a live setting better than the record by far. More heartfelt, less sterile.
Glad you're up and around today, Sal
VR
Glad you're up and discovering (or rediscovering) some music Sal!
I've not seen GP live, but his Live! Alone In America is in my top-6 (no particular order) live albums list. Struck By Lightning was my last GP purchase, too, and I didn't keep up after that.
C in California
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