By Trevor Baxter
HE WASNT sure how Uppermill fitted into Saddleworth and vice versa but failed geography exam apart, Graham Parker, ticked all the boxes.
“We’re staying on the moors somewhere,” he informed his Civic Hall audience. “We’re hoping a skylark will wake us up.”
More likely boy racers on the Isle of Skye road but the enthusiasm for a new gig location appeared genuine.
And there has been plenty of gigging for the 64-year-old and mate, Brinsley Schwarz, down the decades.
For this latest tour of the nation’s highways and byways, Parker is minus the redoubtable Rumour.
So, could the pair-“we sound like a couple of Neasden accountants”-ensure that less can be more? Of course they could!
There was never really any doubt one of Britain’s finest singer songwriters still remains at the top of his profession. Indeed, it remains a mystery why he doesn’t command a greater mass appeal.
Then again a bit like that secluded cove on a hideaway beach or the six cover restaurant at the end of a one track road, selfishly you want them all to yourself.
And having once stumbled into and out of a Taylor Swift concert in shock, I know I would rather have my ears assaulted by the tunes than the screams.
And so to the music. Parker delivered a stripped down set of old, new, borrowed and blue to cater for all tastes.
The latest, including ‘Flying into London’ and ‘Railroad Spikes’-owing everything to Union Pacific and nothing to the Delph Donkey-come from the soon to be released ‘Mystery Glue’ album (on Universal Records) with the Rumour.
There were sprinklings from the earliest, ‘Howlin’ Wind’, and nothing better than ‘White Honey.’
In between, he treated his disciples to the likes of the Pointer Sisters covered, ‘Turned Up Too Late,’ ‘Nation of Shopkeepers’ from his 2004 ‘Your Country’ album before ending his encore with ‘Hold Back the Night.’
Uppermill’s former Mechanics Institute has thrown open its doors to many influential folk during its 156 year history.
To the list add Graham Parker whose one-night stand has set the bar for Ruby Turner and Joanne Shaw Taylor in the coming months.
‘Mystery Glue’, released on May 19, was written in Parker’s second home of New York and recorded in just six days at the legendary RAK Studios in London.
The album features its original line-up of Parker, Bob Andrews, Brinsley Schwarz, Martin Belmont, Andrew Bodnar and Stephen Goulding.
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