Interview: Henry Parker
5 min read
With his latest single, Red Fox, currently surfing the radio waves and a string of successful shows placed firmly under his belt, Henry Parker is one of the latest rockers to emerge from the UK music scene and ready to unleash his material onto the international stage.
His songs are catchy and edgy, his guitar wielding skills are flawless and we caught up with the rising star ahead of his latest London gig to talk about his brand new single and how the singer-songwriter defines success. Here is what Henry had to tell us:
Brendon Veevers: How are you doing Henry and can you tell is where our Q&A finds you today?
Henry Parker: Good thanks. I am by my computer, however this evening I have a gig which I must start packing for.
BV: Your latest single is called Red Fox. Can you tell us a little about the track and the inspiration behind the single?
HP: Well…… I met this girl at a gig once, who I got on with quite well, I seemed to bump into her rather frequently as time went on often in the most grottiest and “un ladylike” of places, she was always rather scantily clad and always wore this faux fur fox thing round her neck (like those dead fox scarves people used to wear in the 60’s). The more i spent time with her and observed her behaviour around people I came to the conclusion the she was a “naughty lady of the night” etc. Then she told me so, thus confirming my suspicions. I was fooling round with this acoustic song for some months that I knew should be about her, but was unable to illiterate the experience. Then early one evening I was sat down trying to think of words (it was just starting to rain) and the fox that had been picking off my chickens for the past week ran by my window, after chasing it off I sat down and wrote the first line of the song as it had reminded me of this girl, and the rest was easy.
BV: We love the artwork for the single: a mounted and smoking fox head. Who came up with the idea for that?
HP: Well “Charlie” as he’s affectionately known has been in my house many years, in fact I think he came with the place. Anyway I wanted something simple yet quite striking for the cover and he seemed to fit the criteria.
BV: For those who may not have heard of Henry Parker yet – can you describe the sound/style of your music?
HP: LOUD Rock’n’Roll.
BV: Red Fox is going to be included on your self-titled album. When can fans expect the album to land?
HP: I think January-February time is a safe bet.
BV: What can we expect from the record – does Red Fox give us a bit of a hint in terms of the style we can expect on the album or will there be a mix?
HP: Yes it does, we chose Red Fox as the first single as it is a good midway point for what I do, there are some quieter ballads and some faster rock numbers on the album and it fits in the middle. Light and Shade.
BV: What are you most enjoying about the experience of putting together an album?
HP: Well definitely the playing side. Whether it be recording the tracks or playing them live that’s what I really enjoy the most.
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BV: You performed a couple of shows in London last month – one at Borderline and another at The Troubadour. How did the shows go and what was the audience reaction like?
HP: They went great. The Troubadour and The Borderline are such nice venues and crowds are always great, always there for the music. We got a great reaction from the audience at each gig especially from the younger fans.
BV: What do you think you bring to the musical table that makes you so unique to other artists?
HP: I have absolutely no idea.
BV: What bands or artists would you say have influenced you the most?
HP: Lots, I try to take influence from everything I listen to, but few are Bob Dylan, Neil Young, The Band, The Beatles, The Allman Brothers and The Byrds
BV: How will you know when things have really taken off for you – how did you define your success?
HP: Well I guess if I make enough money out of my music to record another album I would be happy.
BV: Are there any acts out there that you would love to collaborate with or tour with and if so, who would they be and in what capacity would you like to see a collaborative project?
HP: There are lots of people I’d love to work with but however I think the person who I’d like work with most is Willie Nelson. Writing and playing with him would be an amazing experience.
BV: Will you be heading out on the road this year to support Red Fox and the upcoming album?
HP: Absolutely.
BV: What else is on the Henry Parker calendar for 2013?
HP: Just more gigs and maybe another single.
BV: Thanks Henry and good luck with the single
HP: Thank You
Henry Parker’s latest single Red Fox is out now
::: RenownedForSound.com’s Editor and Founder –
Interviewing and reviewing the best in new music and globally recognized artists is his passion.
Over the years he has been lucky enough to review thousands of music releases and concerts and interview artists ranging from top selling superstars like 27-time Grammy Award winner Alison Krauss, Boyz II Men, Roxette, Cyndi Lauper, Lisa Loeb and iconic Eagles front man/songwriter, Glenn Frey through to more recent successes including Newton Faulkner, Janelle Monae and Caro Emerald.
Brendon manages and coordinates the amazing team of writers on RenownedForSound.com who are based in the UK, the U.S and Australia.
