Graham Parker - That's What They All Say
In 1976 something was definitely stirring in the UK. Dr Feelgood and Graham Parker seemed to be the top exponents of what came to be called Pub rock. By this time the music had kind of lost its way and there seemed to be nothing but crap on the radio and in the charts. The scene was set for punk rock just around the corner.
My introduction to Graham Parker was definitely through going to see the Sports at places like Martinis in Carlton. They did a mean version of White Honey and I seem to remember them playing the record through their PA though I could be imagining that part. Suffice to say when I first started going to gigs it was bands like the Sports and Bleeding Hearts and this other great band that for the life of me I can't remember their name. And it was imported record shops with cheap albums in thick cardboard from the USA.
I bought his first album for 99cents cos it didn't have a cover. Heat Treatment I got cheap too because outside of Carlton and Fitzroy I don't think anyone was interested.
This song is from their second album and is a bit of Dylanesque put down. I didn't mind that. We were all angry about something in those days. Actually, Graham Parker was quite an angry intense performer. A gifted songwriter is thunder was kind of stolen by Elvis Costello. But even if his time in the spotlight was brief he kept writing great songs long after.
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