Simon Parkin profile picture

Simon Parkin

Looking for collaborators - get in touch!

About Me

1974
Born upside down in Dudley, West Midlands weighing in at a phenomenal 10 pounds 9 ounces.

1974-
Hated Dad's jazz records.

1980s
1st single: Joe Dolce, Shaddap You Face
1st cassette: Nik Kershaw, Human Racing
1st LP: Ben E King, Stand By Me

1986
Introduced to the Art of Noise by my friend Bezz. Have loved them ever since.

1990
Finding my musical identity: Guns n Roses, Iron Maiden, BDP/KRS1, Public Enemy, NWA, De La Soul, A Tribe Called Quest.

1991
Went to my first rave at the Dance Factory in Birmingham. Listened to nothing but hardcore rave for the next 3 years.

1994
Loved the sound of the Brand New Heavies. Introduced to funk by my friend Bezz and recognised all the breaks that my favourite hip-hop tunes had sampled. Realised that funk was better than hip-hop.

1995
Left Midlands for Swansea Uni. Got a DJ slot at YumYum playing funk and jazz every other week. Realised that funk and jazz are pretty much the same thing. Went home and bonded with Dad over jazz.

1996
Picked up a guitar in the shared house I was living in. Strummed a few Oasis songs. Played tambourine with friends at an open mic night.

1997
Went to the Prince's Trust rock school to learn how to get drunk and be sick out of windows, and also to play bass. Played guitar at a few open mic nights. Played bass with Hailbop at a few open mic nights.

1999
Moved to Brighton.

2003
Found a new lease of life by joining Carnival Collective, a 40-piece carnival band. Played surdo (bass drum). Played all sorts of venues: France, Scotland, London, Glastonbury, Cardiff. Through meeting 40 passionate music lovers I gained an appreciation of all sorts of music: reggae, ska, folk, bluegrass etc

2004-5
Brought my own tune to Carnival Collective: a cover of 1993 classic drum and bass tune The Helicopter. Performed it at Glastonbury.

2006
Left Carnival Collective to pursue solo career. Hooked up with friends Adam and Jayne in Hastings to start recording my own songs.

2007
Join The Great Indoors as bass player. Play gigs around Brighton plus in London & Oxford. Realise one of my ambitions by playing gigs in Brighton Live.

2008
Join up with Annie Whittingham playing guitar and acoustic bass.

The future
More gigs with The Great Indoors. A solo album. Start a band of my own called Marble Lion. Play house gigs.

The Great Indoors poster designed by Simon Parkin. Available as a gorgeous A2 limited edition screenprint, signed & numbered, for the princely sum of £10+p&p - drop me a line if you want one.

My Interests

Music:

Member Since: 2/28/2006
Band Members: Simon Parkin
I write the songs, sing (or try to!), play guitar, bass, banjo (on Down The Line), cavaquinjo, have a bash at the drums and the Tesco salt shaker.

Huge thanks and love to Adam and Jayne (look up Blue Eyed Sounds on my friends) who recorded my first songs with utmost expertise. Adam also provided fantastic guitar and banjo parts. Jayne provided the lovely piano bits and BVs. Both provided untold inspiration, advice and friendship. Eternally thankful... it meant that much to me.

And of course, thanks to Juju, who provides inspiration...
Type of Label: None

My Blog

Band available for house-gigs in Brighton & surrounding. Get in touch!

I'm looking to do some small house-gigs with Annie Whittingham (see in my top friends).If you can get together about 10 people then I can get together a 3-piece acoustic band to play in your living ro...
Posted by Simon Parkin on Mon, 16 Jun 2008 08:32:00 PST

I'm looking for collaborators...

I'm looking to collaborate with some other musicians. I'd like to be making music with other people - playing a few of my songs, a few of your songs; swapping instruments and experimenting a bit.I pla...
Posted by Simon Parkin on Tue, 05 Jun 2007 03:52:00 PST

All this great music around...

Brighton is holding a big music festival in Stanmer Park. This park hasn't seen a music event since The Essential Festival yonks ago when I had the priviledge of seeing James Brown do a set. In a tent...
Posted by Simon Parkin on Mon, 21 May 2007 07:01:00 PST

Icelandic music please

I'm always amazed at what different forms music can take. And this week was a real eye-opener... particularly to the Icelandic music scene. I didn't even know there was an Icelandic music scene. Isn't...
Posted by Simon Parkin on Mon, 21 May 2007 01:35:00 PST