- This article is about the English musician. For the American historian, see John Carl Parish.
John Parish is an English musician and producer best known for his work with singer and songwriter PJ Harvey, though he has also worked with Eels, Tracy Chapman, and Giant Sand, amongst others.
In the 1980s he worked under the name of his band Automatic Dlamini, with a changing line-up which included Polly Jean Harvey from 1988 until 1991. Automatic Dlamini recorded three albums:
The D is For Drum (1987),
Here Catch Shouted his Father (1990 - unreleased but available as a bootleg), and
From A Diva to a Diver (1992). During this period Parish also began his career as a record producer working with UK bands including The Chesterfields and the Brilliant Corners, before co-producing PJ Harvey's
To Bring You My Love (1995), on which he also played guitar, drums, percussion and organ.
Parish toured with Harvey during 1995, and in 1996, they recorded
Dance Hall at Louse Point together. In 1997 he produced 16 Horsepower's album
Low Estate. During '97-98 he also played on PJ Harvey's next album
Is This Desire (1998), and in 1998 he wrote and recorded the film soundtrack for Belgian director Patrice Toye's film
Rosie, for which he won the Jury Special Appreciation prize at the Bonn International Film Music Biennale in 1999. The soundtrack to
Rosie was released as a CD in 1998, and includes one song ("Pretty Baby") sung by Alison Goldfrapp. He toured the soundtrack music with a seven piece band under his own name in 1999.
The following year he produced Giant Sand's
Chore of Enchantment (2000) and guested on Goldfrapp's album
Felt Mountain. He went on to co-write the Eels album
Souljacker (2001), and to produce Sparklehorse and Tracy Chapman. He has worked with a number of European artists, producing albums for the French artist Dominique A, the Belgian pop band Thou, the Swiss Magic Rays, and Italian bands including After Hours, Cesare Basile, and the Italian diva, Nada.
At the same time he has recorded and toured his own music, working with an 11 piece band (including Portishead's Adrian Utley) for his album
How Animals Move (2002), and a four piece band of Italian and French musicians for
Once Upon A Little Time (2005).
In 2006-7 he returned to the studio to work on PJ Harvey's album White Chalk. Another collaborative album between the two is due for 2008.
Partial Discography
As Solo Artist
- How Animals Move (2002)
- Once Upon A Little Time (2005)
Other releases
- PJ Harvey - To Bring You My Love (1995): Producer, Guitar, Organ, Percussion, Drums
- John Parish & Polly Jean Harvey - Dance Hall at Louse Point (1996): Producer, Various Instruments
- Spleen - Soundtrack To Spleen (1997): Co-writer, guitar, percussion
- 16 Horsepower - Low Estate (1997): Producer, Various Instruments
- PJ Harvey - Is This Desire? (1998): Various Instruments
- Spleen - Little Scratches (1998): Co-writer, guitar, percussion
- Giant Sand - Chore of Enchantment (2000): Producer
- Goldfrapp - Felt Mountain (2000) : guitar, drums
- Eels - Souljacker (2001): Producer, co-writer, various instruments
- Dominique A - Auguri (2001): Producer, various instruments
- Morning Star - My Place in The Dust (2001): Producer
- Sparklehorse - It's a Wonderful Life (2001): Co-Producer, Various Instruments
- Tracy Chapman - Let it Rain (2002): Producer
- Thou - I like Girls in Russia (2004): Producer
- Morning Star - The Opposite is True (2004): Producer
- Jennie DeVoe- Fireworks and Karate Supplies: Producer
- Nada - Tutto l'amore che mi manca (2004): Producer
- M. Ward - Transistor Radio (2005)
- Dionysos - Monsters in Love (2005): Producer
- PJ Harvey - White Chalk (2007): Producer
- Tom Brosseau - Cavalier (2007): Producer
- Jennie DeVoe- Untitled Fourth Studio Album: Producer
External links
English record producersEnglish rock guitaristsEnglish multi-instrumentalistsLiving people
John ParishJohn ParishJohn Parish