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Rejecting the prog rock and psychedelia of the early 1970s, Graham Parker drew on R&B, Motown and even ska to become an agitated, energetic, heartfelt voice of London's pub rock and new wave scenes. Raised on The Beatles and The Rolling Stones, Parker's songwriting impressed Stiff Records founder Dave Robinson, who set him up with a group of highly accomplished musicians, who'd been unsuccessfully plugging away in the city's grimiest venues for years. Bob Andrews (keyboards), Brinsley Schwarz (guitar), Martin Belmont (guitar), Andrew Bodnar (bass) and Stephen Goulding (drums) became Parker's backing band The Rumour and, with the release of debut album Howlin' Wind (1976), Parker was soon being compared to Dylan and Van Morrison. That level of fame never reached fruition, but the band found a good level of success in America and acclaimed albums Squeezing Out Sparks (1979) and The Up Escalator (1980) had a big influence on Bruce Springsteen and Pixies frontman Frank Black. Parker turned solo in 1980, but the band reformed in 2011 for comeback album Three Chords Good (2012).
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