The latest band to take on our 2021 Q&A challenge are York based band Parker Lee, a revolving lineup of musicians centred around Jowan Mead and multi-instrumentalist producer Annie Prior.
Q1: 2021 will hopefully be better than 2020. What are your hopes and ambitions for the band this year?
Jowan: I think it’s hard to be able to have any concrete expectations. All I can really ask for is for more new people to hear our music this year, for us to release as much content as possible, and god willing, get together in person to work on some new ideas. I miss cultivating magic in the flesh.
Annie: Jowan has sent me plenty to keep me busy, nothing is concrete yet but we’re working on a few singles and also some extra happy surprises.
Q2: What can fans expect from you this year, assuming things get back to some kind of normality?
Jowan: We’re aiming to just have some fun and try on some new sounds through a series of singles and/or EPs. Our first rock-tinged single, ‘Reasons’, comes out in February, and following that we’re looking to release a kind of sequel EP to ’Scrundle’ featuring remixes and a couple bonus tracks.
Annie: I have no faith that things will ever be the same as they were but fans can expect more grooves and synthesisers I think.
Q3: If you could have written any song in history, which would it be and why?
Jowan: ‘Never Too Much’ by Luther Vandross. Beautiful sentiments, beautiful hooks, pure glitz.
Annie: The greatest song ever written is ‘Fast Car’ by Tracy Chapman, but if i had written it I probably wouldn’t like listening to it so much. As such, i must choose the second best song: ‘Roam’ by the b-52’s.
Q4: The year is 2031, what would you like to have said you’d achieved by then?
Jowan: Release 20 albums of unfettered material and curate perfect on-stage choreography.
Annie: I would like to have outlived Morrissey.
Q5: You can collaborate with any international artist, who is it and why?
Jowan: I would love for Kaho Nakamura to sing on something I’ve made. Her voice is effervescent.
Annie: I think John Stanier would be fun to work with, wish I could play drums like that.
Q6: The Ultimate Tour – which venues feature if you have to tour the following criteria
Date 1: The venue of the best show you’ve played so far
The Brudenell Social Club.
Date 2: Your bucket list venue
The Brudenell Social Club.
Date 3: The venue of the best show you’ve ever seen live
Jowan: Has to be Bull at Fuel Cafe Bar in Manchester or Big Thief at The Brudenell Social Club.
Date 4: Any global festival
Jowan: Primavera. I crave sunlight desperately.
Date 5: A hometown show
Eternally, The Crescent Community Venue in York.
Q7: In one sentence, why should people check out your music?
Jowan: Empathy grows as we learn.
Q8: What’s your favourite song you’ve recorded so far and your favourite to play live?
Jowan: On record, I think ’Stitch In Time Saves Nine’ from our 2020 EP ’Scrundle’. It’s underrated in our repertoire, Annie did a real nice job with the pocket symphonies. Live, either our new single ‘Reasons’ or ‘Leather’ from last year – both full of beans and zesty little moments.
Annie: ‘Reasons’ is my fav Parker Lee song and it always has been. Live, though, we used to have a song that ripped the hook from a Backstreet Boys song. our friends Mikey and Joey Donnelly (Epilogues and Elkyn, listen to their hits) had a really tight rhythm section groove going and I was permitted to shred. We don’t play it anymore though and I forget what it was called.
Q9: Someone’s writing a book/film about your band, what’s the title?
“If you’re not serious, don’t say it.”
Q10: If we were to play your Spotify Wrapped from last year, who would we be listening to?
Jowan: ‘Lisa P’ by Fordaze and ’The Floor Below’ by Kern Parks, besties only.
Annie: I expect we’d be listening to a bunch of Fishmans, Earl Sweatshirt, and Guided by Voices. Good times 
Quickfire:
Salt or pepper
Jowan: Pepper is a fun little option but salt makes everything better.
Annie: salt
Fries or crisps
Jowan: Crisps, better vessel for dip.
Annie: fries
ACDC or ABBA
Jowan: ABBA, no question. Genius songwriters.
Annie: ABBA
Tea or Coffee
Jowan: Coffee.
Annie: coffee
Beach holiday or city break
Jowan: Go to Barcelona to witness us headline Primavera and have both.
Annie: city break
PARKER LEE RELEASED LATEST SINGLE REASONS IN FEBRUARY 2021. CHECK IT OUT HERE.
Halfway 2 Nowhere 