''The Up Escalator'' is an album by

Graham Parker Graham Thomas Parker (born 18 November 1950) is an English singer-songwriter, who is best known as the lead singer of the British band Graham Parker & the Rumour. Life and career Early career (1960s–1976) Parker was born in Hackney, East L ...

and

the Rumour The Rumour was an English rock band in the late 1970s and early 1980s. They are best known as the backup band for Graham Parker, whose early records (from 1976 to 1980) were credited to Graham Parker & The Rumour. However, The Rumour also ...

, released on 23 May 1980 by

Stiff Records Stiff Records is a British independent record label formed in London, England, by Dave Robinson and Jake Riviera. Originally active from 1976 to 1986, the label was reactivated in 2007. Established at the outset of the punk rock boom, Stiff ...

as LP (SEEZ 23) and as

cassette Cassette may refer to: Technology * Cassette tape (or ''musicassette'', ''audio cassette'', ''cassette tape'', or ''tape''), a worldwide standard for analog audio recording and playback ** Cassette single (or "Cassingle"), a music single in the ...

(ZSEEZ 23). In the USA, the album was released by Arista. Released after Parker's successful 1979 album ''Squeezing Out Sparks'', the album features production by

Jimmy Iovine James Iovine ( ; ; born March 11, 1953) is an American entrepreneur, record executive, and media proprietor best known as the co-founder of Interscope Records. In 2006, Iovine and rapper-producer Dr. Dre founded Beats Electronics, which produces ...

. Upon its release, the album saw mixed reviews, with many criticizing Iovine's production. Parker separated from the Rumour shortly after the album's release.

Background

''The Up Escalator'' was released as the follow-up to Parker's successful 1979 release, ''

Squeezing Out Sparks ''Squeezing Out Sparks'' is the fourth studio album by English singer-songwriter Graham Parker and his band the Rumour. The album was released in March 1979. Although the Rumour were not credited on the cover, their name was included on the album ...

''.

The Rumour The Rumour was an English rock band in the late 1970s and early 1980s. They are best known as the backup band for Graham Parker, whose early records (from 1976 to 1980) were credited to Graham Parker & The Rumour. However, The Rumour also ...

's keyboardist, Bob Andrews had left the band after the ''Squeezing Out Sparks'' tour, being replaced on ''The Up Escalator'' by studio musician

Nicky Hopkins Nicholas Christian "Nicky" Hopkins (24 February 1944 – 6 September 1994) was an English pianist and organist. Hopkins performed on many popular and enduring British and American rock music recordings from the 1960s to the 1990s, most notably ...

, the E-Street Band's

Danny Federici Daniel Paul Federici (January 23, 1950 – April 17, 2008) was an American musician, best known as the organ, glockenspiel, and accordion player and a founding member of Bruce Springsteen's E Street Band. In 2014, Federici was posthumously induct ...

, and Peter Wood of

Quiver A quiver is a container for holding arrows, bolts, ammo, projectiles, darts, or javelins. It can be carried on an archer's body, the bow, or the ground, depending on the type of shooting and the archer's personal preference. Quivers were trad ...

. The album was produced by

, who had been a popular producer at the time for his work on

Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers were an American rock band from Gainesville, Florida. Formed in 1976, the band originally comprised lead singer and rhythm guitarist Tom Petty, lead guitarist Mike Campbell, keyboardist Benmont Tench, drummer S ...

' '' Damn the Torpedoes'' and

Patti Smith Patricia Lee Smith (born December 30, 1946) is an American singer, songwriter, poet, painter and author who became an influential component of the New York City punk rock movement with her 1975 debut album '' Horses''. Called the "punk poe ...

's ''

Easter Easter,Traditional names for the feast in English are "Easter Day", as in the '' Book of Common Prayer''; "Easter Sunday", used by James Ussher''The Whole Works of the Most Rev. James Ussher, Volume 4'') and Samuel Pepys''The Diary of Samuel ...

''. Compared to the band's previous album, ''The Up Escalator'' was commercially less successful, staying on the charts for less time. Following a few additional concerts and television appearances, Parker and the Rumour split due to musical differences (Parker claimed the band had been "butchering" his songs). " Stupefaction" was released as a single, backed with the non-album track "Woman in Charge"; the single failed to chart. The track " Endless Night" features backing vocals from American rock musician

Bruce Springsteen Bruce Frederick Joseph Springsteen (born September 23, 1949) is an American singer and songwriter. He has released 21 studio albums, most of which feature his backing band, the E Street Band. Originally from the Jersey Shore, he is an originat ...

, who named Parker as the only musician he would pay to see perform.

Reception

''The Up Escalator'' has seen mixed reception from critics, many of whom took issue with

's production. Mark Deming of

AllMusic AllMusic (previously known as All Music Guide and AMG) is an American online music database. It catalogs more than three million album entries and 30 million tracks, as well as information on musicians and bands. Initiated in 1991, the databas ...

said of the pairing of Iovine with Parker, "The idea looked good on paper. ... But one listen to ''The Up Escalator'' reveals that Iovine's trademark sound somehow escaped him for this project; the recording and mix are flat and poorly detailed ... and the often mushy audio manages the remarkable feat of making the Rumour, one of the most exciting rock bands of their day, sound just a bit dull." Debra Rae Cohen of ''

Rolling Stone ''Rolling Stone'' is an American monthly magazine that focuses on music, politics, and popular culture. It was founded in San Francisco, San Francisco, California, in 1967 by Jann Wenner, and the music critic Ralph J. Gleason. It was first kno ...

'' similarly stated, "The new album seems like an attempt to 'gentrify' Parker, to turn him into a commercial classic-by-association by surrounding him with blue-chip artifacts. ... Such an attempt merely devalues Graham Parker's artistry as well as his past achievements. It also drastically undermines his material." Despite its production, many have praised Parker's songwriting on the album. Deming pointed to "Empty Lives," "The Beating of Another Heart," and "Endless Night" as examples of "A-list material" on the album.

Geoffrey Himes Geoffrey Himes is an American music critic who has written weekly for ''the Washington Post'' since 1977. He also wrote for '' No Depression'' as a contributing editor in its first print era in the late 1990s to the early 2000s and has written for ...

of ''

The Washington Post ''The Washington Post'' (also known as the ''Post'' and, informally, ''WaPo'') is an American daily newspaper published in Washington, D.C. It is the most widely circulated newspaper within the Washington metropolitan area and has a large nati ...

'' wrote, "''The Up Escalator'' is one long howl for an endless night that will cut through the alienation of the 'Same thing, same way, every day, stupefaction and noted that "Parker's music is just as powerful an argument as his lyrics."

Track listing

;UK version ;US and Australia version

Charts

Personnel

*Graham Parker - guitar, vocals *

- background vocals on "Endless Night" *

- acoustic piano *

Jimmy Maelen Jimmy may refer to: Arts and entertainment Film and television * ''Jimmy'' (2008 film), a 2008 Hindi thriller directed by Raj N. Sippy * ''Jimmy'' (1979 film), a 1979 Indian Malayalam film directed by Melattoor Ravi Varma * ''Jimmy'' (2013 f ...

- percussion *

Martin Belmont Martin Belmont (born 21 December 1948) is an English rock and country-blues guitarist, best known for being a founding member of Graham Parker & The Rumour. Life and career Belmont was born in Bromley, Kent, England. After working as a roadie ...

- guitar *

- organ *

Steve Goulding Steve Goulding (born 1954) is an English drummer, who has played as a member of Graham Parker and The Rumour, The Associates, Poi Dog Pondering, The Waco Brothers, Sally Timms and the Drifting Cowgirls and The Mekons. He also played the drums ...

- drums *

Brinsley Schwarz Brinsley Schwarz were a 1970s English pub rock band, named after their guitarist Brinsley Schwarz. With Nick Lowe on bass and vocals, keyboardist Bob Andrews and drummer Billy Rankin, the band evolved from the 1960s pop band Kippington Lod ...

- guitar, background vocals *Peter Wood - synthesizer *

Andrew Bodnar Andrew Bodnar is an English bass player who grew up in Clapham, South London. He and drummer Steve Goulding (The Rumour, The Mekons, etc) met and began playing together as a rhythm section while still at school. They spent their teenage years au ...

- bass

Certifications

Canada-Gold

Sources

*''The Up Escalator'' album cover

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Up Escalator, The 1980 albums Graham Parker albums Albums produced by Jimmy Iovine Stiff Records albums Arista Records albums