John Parish

For other people named John Parish, see John Parish (disambiguation).

John Parish
Parish performing live in July 2011.
Background information
Born	11 April 1959 (1959-04-11) Yeovil, England
Origin	Bristol, England
Genres	Alternative rock, experimental rock, art rock
Occupations	Musician, songwriter, composer, producer
Instruments	Guitar, bass, drums, piano, keyboards, synthesizer, ukulele, mandolin, banjo, maracas, percussion
Years active	1983-present
Labels	Thrill Jockey, Dreamboat
Associated acts	Automatic Dlamini, PJ Harvey
Notable instruments
Fender Jazzmaster Fender Telecaster Lap steel guitar

John Parish (born 11 April 1959) is an English musician, songwriter, composer and record producer.

Parish is best known for his work with singer and songwriter PJ Harvey. He has also worked with many other bands including Eels, Tracy Chapman, Giant Sand, and Sparklehorse. His sister is the actress Sarah Parish.. Parish was born in Yeovil, Somerset and lives in Bristol.

Career

His first record release was a single ‘Mind Made’ by British new wave band Thieves Like Us (1980). In 1982 he formed the band Automatic Dlamini, with Rob Ellis. The changing line-up of Automatic Dlamini included Polly 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). By the time From A Diva to a Diver was released, Harvey had left to form the PJ Harvey trio with ex-Dlamini members Rob Ellis and Ian Olliver, and Parish was playing guitar with Marc Moreland's band The Ensenada Joyride.

In 1986 Parish had begun a parallel career as a record producer working with UK bands including The Chesterfields, The Brilliant Corners, The Caretaker Race and The Becketts. In 1995 he co-produced PJ Harvey's 'To Bring You My Love', on which he also played guitar, drums, percussion and organ. He co-wrote & produced the Eels album Souljacker (2001)and played guitar on the world tour that accompanied its release. He has produced and/or played on a number of Howe Gelb / Giant Sand albums and frequently appears onstage with them. Parish produced the Giant Sand album Chore of Enchantment (2000), and a photograph of his wedding in Tucson in 1998 is used as the cover for the 2011 re-release of the record.

He also began working as a film composer in 1998, writing the score for Belgian director Patrice Toye's debut feature film ‘Rosie’. Parish’s score won the Jury Special Appreciation prize at the 1999 Bonn Film & TV Music Biennale. He has since scored other films and a Dutch seven part TV drama ‘Waltz’ (2006)

Parish has now worked on six albums with Harvey including two co-written albums: Dance hall At Louse Point (1996) and A Woman A Man Walked By (2009). He played in the PJ Harvey touring band (guitar/drums/keyboards) from 1994 –1999, and again from 2009 – 2012.. He co-produced and played on White Chalk (2007) and the Mercury Prize-winning Let England Shake (2011).

Partial discography

Solo

• Rosie (2000)
• How Animals Move (2002)
• Once Upon a Little Time (2005)
• She, A Chinese Original Soundtrack (2010)

Collaborations

• 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
• Bettie Serveert - Private suit (2000) : producer
• Goldfrapp - Felt Mountain (2000) : guitar, drums
• Thou - Put Us in Tune (2000): producer, mix
• 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(2004): Producer
• Nada - Tutto l'amore che mi manca (2004): Producer
• M. Ward - Transistor Radio (2005) : drums.
• Afterhours - Ballate per piccole iene (2005): Producer e guitar on Ballata per la mia piccola iena
• Dionysos - Monsters in Love (2005): Producer
• PJ Harvey - White Chalk (2007): Producer
• Tom Brosseau - Cavalier (2007): Producer
• Magic Rays - Off the Map (2007) : Producer
• Marta Collica - Pretty and Unsafe (2007) : Producer
• Afterhours - I Milanesi Ammazzano il sabato (14 ricette di quotidiana macabra felicità) (2008): Producer
• Jennie DeVoe- Strange Sunshine(2009): Producer
• This Is The Kit - Krulle Bolle (2008): Producer, drums.
• Cesare Basile - Storia di Caino (2008): Producer, guitar.
• Marta Collica - About Anything (2009): Producer
• PJ Harvey & John Parish - A Woman a Man Walked By (2009): Producer, Various Instruments
• Maika Makovski - Maika Makovski (2010): Producer, guitar, drums, bass, banjo.
• Kira - Look Up Ahead(2010): Producer
• Zender - "Sunday Kids" (2010): Mix
• Nive Nielsen and The Deer Children - "Nive Sings" (2010): John Parish: drums, guitar, bongos etc. (on 9 tracks)
• Peggy Sue - Acrobats (2011): Producer
• PJ Harvey - Let England Shake(2011): Producer, guitar, drums, vocals, keyboards, trombone.

External links

• Official website
• Cat On The Wall Interview
• June 2009 Interview with L.A. Record
• [http://www.guardian.co.uk/music/video/2009/mar/23/pj-harvey-john-parish PJ Harvey and John Parish interview with The Guardian writer John Harris.