Don't Ask Me Questions: The Unsung Life of Graham Parker and the Rumour

Long a cult favorite, Graham Parker has enjoyed a career resurgence with a new record and a role in Judd Apatow's This Is 40. A reunion here with his former band, The Rumour, provides opportunities for reflection. Parker grew up in Surrey, which he recalls fondly, although educators steered him towards factory work, which put him off. He credits pirate radio for turning him on to rock ‘n' roll. Parker's manager, Dave Robinson, remembers that label offers rolled in quickly once the musician started to get airplay. Parker predicted that his first album would be a hit, but sales never kept pace with critical acclaim. Parker attracted high-profile fans like Bruce Springsteen, who praises his songwriting, and Nick Lowe, who cites Parker's genuine “soul” in an era filled with phonies. Unfortunately, the pub rock crowd found him too aggressive and the punk crowd thought he was too traditional. In 1980, Parker fired The Rumour, but continued to record and tour, both solo and with other outfits, such as The Figgs. His former band mates continued to play music, except for bass player Andrew Bodnar, who became a librarian, but he returned for the recording of 2012's Three Chords Good (drummer Steve Goulding and keyboard player Bob Andrews also flew in from the U.S.). Aside from a few words from Parker's daughter, however, there is little here about the man's personal life, which may be by design, but still leaves the film feeling incomplete. A strong optional purchase. (K. Fennessy)