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Duncan Parsons

Nick Fletcher

Rik Loveridge /
Single Helix

RoughDraftAudio

Following tutelage from Bill Bruford, being very politely turned away by Anthony Phillips, appearing on a handful of obscure releases in the 90s (including Paley's Watch), and producing work which caught Rick Wakeman's ear, a decade and a half later Duncan finally started releasing albums..

With humour, pathos, and questions, the vocal albums tend to follow broad concepts of love, The Arts, nostalgia, being alive; while the instrumental albums (the Music for Stairlifts volumes) focus more on improvising short quirky pieces of electro-acoustic ambient folk (whatever that is..!)

If asked to describe the music he writes, Duncan claims "it's as if the 80s never quite arrived. It's music from around Nineteen Seventy Twelve or Thirteen."

He is also the drummer with the John Hackett Band and former bass player with Joanne Harris' #Storytime Band

Since 2012 Duncan has released eight albums through RoughDraftAudio

"I'm Here, All Weak" is a retrospective album of 17 tracks from six solo albums released over the last decade.
Amongst the selections you'll find a Sklar, a Helliwell, a brace of Hacketts, a Fletcher, some Lindley, a bit of Boyle, a shade of Scherpenzeel, and a spot of spoken Bruford...

"sounds like something beamed from an earlier, more innocent musical era ..a slightly more assertive Nick Drake""
Prog Magazine on I'm Here, All Weak (2023)

"He is truly progressive in his approach and thinking.. will refresh parts that other prog music daren't venture to explore"
John Wenlock-Smith, Progradar, on I'm Here, All Weak (2023)

"a must have for the lover of complex prog rock (98/100)"
Esther Kessel-Tamerus on On Earth, As It Is (2022)

Duncan Parsons on Bandcamp

Duncan Parsons on Facebook

Duncan Parsons on Soundcloud

(While information about albums, gigs, etc are maintained on his Facebook page, an archive of old news items can be found here)

Selected Discography

Solo
2012 - Abandoned Buildings
2013 - The Abandoned Buildings Cinema Show (animated DVD)
2014 - C:Ore
2014 - Music for Stairlifts (Vol.1)
2016 - Music for Stairlifts (Vol.2): (Adapting Silent Films) For The Radio
2020 - Common Sense Dancing
2022 - On Earth, As It Is
2023 - I'm Here, All Weak (Compilation)
2025 - Music for Stairlifts (Vol.3): Listening To Subtitles

With others
1993 - Hot Air For Jesus (Marc Catley Band)
1993 - The British Progressive Rock Directory (Volume 2) -
(Paley's Watch, single track, November, which did not feature on the subsequent album)
1994 - No Tomorrow (Marc Catley And The Flaming Methodists)
1994 - November (Paley's Watch)
1994 - Mannerisms - A Celebration of the music of Geoff Mann (track Certainly by Marc Catley and Paley's Watch)
1995 - Greenbelt 95 (sampler, one track each from Marc Catley and Paley's Watch)
1996 - Guat-a-Gig Live! (charity album, Caza Alianza Suite with Paley's Watch)
1996 - Char (Marc Catley And The Flaming Methodists, a compilation of Hot Air For Jesus and No Tomorrow)
1997 - Inhale The Colours (Sound)
2015 - Another Life (John Hackett; triangle and additional sound engineering on track Satellite)
2017 - We Are Not Alone (John Hackett Band)
2025 - Red Institution (John Hackett Band)

Production
2013 - Overnight Snow (John Hackett and Nick Fletcher)
2014 - A Moment Of Stars (Nick Fletcher)
2016 - Blue Horizon (Nick Fletcher)
2016 - Hills Of Andalucia (John Hackett and Nick Fletcher)
2017 - We Are Not Alone (John Hackett Band)
2017 - Prog Alchymia (Playing The History) (sound engineering, percussion, keyboards, vocoder)
2019 - The Journey Continues (Nick Fletcher) (final mix, mastering)

Selected Reviews

I'm Here, All Weak (2023)
"sounds like something beamed from an earlier, more innocent musical era"
"a slightly more assertive Nick Drake"
Prog Magazine

I'm Here, All Weak (2023)
"quite a singular vision in which prog, fusion and symphonic music create an incendiary mélange of melodies and take the listener on a trip beyond the expected"
"robust grooves in vibrant arrangements"
"weaving a thread from acoustic to electric texture for the dynamic tapestry"
5 stars
Dmitry M. Epstein, DMME.net

I'm Here, All Weak (2023)
"He is truly progressive in his approach and thinking.. will refresh parts that other prog music daren't venture to explore"
"his way of approaching and applying his musical vision bears great fruit"
"I think that all this makes this a very worthwhile listen and I commend it and, indeed, all of Duncan's music to you as you find within it all a plethora of wonder and imagination"
John Wenlock-Smith, Progradar

On Earth, As It Is (2022)
"..original concepts and innovations. This album is wonderful"
Included in top 20 albums of 2022 - Mark Preising, Progressive Rock Central

"'On Earth, As It Is' is a fantastic album.. In short: this is a must have for the lover of complex prog rock (98/100)"
Included in her Top Albums 2022 - Esther Kessel-Tamerus, blog (and in Dutch in Rockmuzine)

"a most impressive collection of tracks that certainly makes you think.. this is a highly intelligent and articulate album"
John Wenlock-Smith, Progradar

"Head full of brilliant music, heart in the right place, all passionately put down on a remarkable recording on which Parsons practices what he preaches."
Paul Davies, Fireworks Magazine

Abandoned Buildings (2012)
"The album can only be appreciated through immersion. The levels of lyrical acuity and textured arrangement yield more and more with each listen.
Spring Cleaning speaks about facing up to the dark material of our lives perhaps for the first time, in order to move on. Lavender Rose is a slick Steely Dan groove, If I Knock On Your Door a high-style smiler. Sometimes I Talk to Ghosts has a Pink Floyd edge, rich with incoming and outflowing lines and features. Answerphone is a deceptively simple stomp on the theme of communication - 'has it all been a big mistake?' Glass Fortress is a dark, swirling journey into the heart of one once-loved, ending with the heartfelt, unbearable 'I tried but I couldn't get in' which threatens to build to breaking point. Footnote in Your Heart is the most fragile, delicate love letter you're ever likely to hear."
Review on last.fm

"Parsons writes catchy ditties and clever lyrics, he also possesses the ability to make restrained ideas have more impact than first impressions would have you believe."
Sea Of Tranquillity

"..mixes a dry wit with a wonderfully observant line in lyrics, this is an album that will both delight and provoke thought in equal measures."
The Waiting Room

Selected Reviews
I'm Here, All Weak (2023) "sounds like something beamed from an earlier, more innocent musical era" "a slightly more assertive Nick Drake" Prog Magazine
I'm Here, All Weak (2023) "quite a singular vision in which prog, fusion and symphonic music create an incendiary mélange of melodies and take the listener on a trip beyond the expected" "robust grooves in vibrant arrangements" "weaving a thread from acoustic to electric texture for the dynamic tapestry" 5 stars Dmitry M. Epstein, DMME.net
I'm Here, All Weak (2023) "He is truly progressive in his approach and thinking.. will refresh parts that other prog music daren't venture to explore" "his way of approaching and applying his musical vision bears great fruit" "I think that all this makes this a very worthwhile listen and I commend it and, indeed, all of Duncan's music to you as you find within it all a plethora of wonder and imagination" John Wenlock-Smith, Progradar
On Earth, As It Is (2022) "..original concepts and innovations. This album is wonderful" Included in top 20 albums of 2022 - Mark Preising, Progressive Rock Central "'On Earth, As It Is' is a fantastic album.. In short: this is a must have for the lover of complex prog rock (98/100)" Included in her Top Albums 2022 - Esther Kessel-Tamerus, blog (and in Dutch in Rockmuzine) "a most impressive collection of tracks that certainly makes you think.. this is a highly intelligent and articulate album" John Wenlock-Smith, Progradar "Head full of brilliant music, heart in the right place, all passionately put down on a remarkable recording on which Parsons practices what he preaches." Paul Davies, Fireworks Magazine
Abandoned Buildings (2012) "The album can only be appreciated through immersion. The levels of lyrical acuity and textured arrangement yield more and more with each listen. Spring Cleaning speaks about facing up to the dark material of our lives perhaps for the first time, in order to move on. Lavender Rose is a slick Steely Dan groove, If I Knock On Your Door a high-style smiler. Sometimes I Talk to Ghosts has a Pink Floyd edge, rich with incoming and outflowing lines and features. Answerphone is a deceptively simple stomp on the theme of communication - 'has it all been a big mistake?' Glass Fortress is a dark, swirling journey into the heart of one once-loved, ending with the heartfelt, unbearable 'I tried but I couldn't get in' which threatens to build to breaking point. Footnote in Your Heart is the most fragile, delicate love letter you're ever likely to hear." Review on last.fm "Parsons writes catchy ditties and clever lyrics, he also possesses the ability to make restrained ideas have more impact than first impressions would have you believe." Sea Of Tranquillity "..mixes a dry wit with a wonderfully observant line in lyrics, this is an album that will both delight and provoke thought in equal measures." The Waiting Room