Rain Parade are proud to present a deluxe edition 2xLP reissue of their classic 1983 debut album, ‘Emergency Third Rail Power Trip’. This seminal record went on to influence many of the best known guitar-based UK acts of the 1980s and 1990s, including Stone Roses, The Charlatans and much of the Creation stable, with Teenage Fanclub, My Bloody Valentine and Ride all declaring themselves massive fans. Andy Bell of Ride recalls that “Rain Parade was the one that changed me like an explosion in my mind. I saw them perform on TV and it was like, ‘Here is something I can fully get behind.’ It’s just incredible, and I have to say would have been pretty influential on the early Ride sound for sure.” Their reputation has continued to grow ever since, while their songs have been covered by the disparate likes of The Bluetones, Buffalo Tom, This Mortal Coil and The Bangles.
‘Emergency Third Rail Power Trip’ was the sound of California, both north (all the Fillmore West & Haight-Ashbury bands) and south (The Doors, Buffalo Springfield, The Byrds and the Sunset Strip). Rain Parade took all of that, filtered it through the English psychedelia of the Beatles and Pink Floyd, then sprinkled in some Television and other assorted punk/new wave influences. They recall Syd Barrett’s combo, the Steve Winwood with Dave Mason era of Traffic, post-‘Rubber Soul’ Fab Four and the Beach Boys with beards (before they became an oldies act). Live, Rain Parade also do not disappoint, with band co-founder Matt Piucci’s guitar a lush yet vibrant soundscape – like Neil Young’s sinewy lead guitar bumping into a Mellotron helmed by Brian Eno – while Steven Roback’s dreamy vocals are a warm blanket enveloping the brain like a hit of Benzodiazepine.
This deluxe edition features the original classic ten song album on LP1 plus a bonus LP of demos and live recordings with the following tracklistings:
ORIGINAL ALBUM
Side 1 Talking In My Sleep | This Can’t Be Today | I Look Around | 1 Hour 1/2 Ago | Carolyn’s Song Side 2 What’s She Done To Your Mind | Look At Merri | Saturday’s Asylum | Kaleidoscope | Look Both Ways
BONUS LP
Side 1 What She’s Done To Your Mind (original single) | This Can’t Be Today (4 track) | I Look Around (4 track) | Look Both Ways (4 track) | Saturday’s Asylum (live) | First of September (live) Side 2 What You’ve Done (demo) | Look At Merri (demo) | Paper Girl (live) | Speedway (live) | No Good Trying (live) | Unexpected (live) | Time Machine (demo)
‘Emergency Third Rail Power Trip’ was internationally recognised as a unique psychedelic album upon its original release, with seven of its ten songs sung by band mainstays Matt Piucci and Steven Roback. A follow-up mini-LP, ‘Explosions In The Glass Palace’ (1984), garnered similar acclaim, their status as a leading light of the Paisley Underground scene growing ever since.
A long-awaited brand new album by the band entitled ‘Last Rays Of A Dying Sun’ (featuring Matt, Steven and John Thoman, who joined in 1984) was released in 2023. Their first studio record in 38 years, it sounds like a lost classic and the groundbreaking work of a new artist as they continue to evolve and surprise.
The full list of dates is:
06.06.24 OSLO (NO) Blå tickets
07.06.24 STOCKHOLM (SE) Kafé Himlavalvet tickets
08.06.24 MALMO (SE) Medley tickets
09.06.24 COPENHAGEN (DK) Loppen tickets
11.06.24 HAMBURG (DE) Nochtspeicher tickets
12.06.24 AMSTERDAM (NL) Paradiso Zonnehuis tickets
13.06.24 ANTWERP (BE) Djingel Djangel tickets
14.06.24 BRISTOL Strange Brew tickets
15.06.24 LEEDS Brudenell Social Club tickets
16.06.24 MANCHESTER Night & Day tickets
18.06.24 NOTTINGHAM Metronome tickets
19.06.24 LONDON 229 tickets
21.06.24 VITORIA-GASTEIZ (ES) Azkena Festival tickets
