Ted Parsons
Encyclopedia
Ted Parsons is an American drummer
most notable for his membership in bands such as Swans
, Prong, Godflesh
, Killing Joke
and Jesu
.
, when he contributed to their Holy Money album. He left Swans in 1987 and joined guitarist Tommy Victor
's fledgling Prong. In 1994 he appeared on Buckethead's
album Giant Robot. Prong would be Parsons' main project until the group disbanded in 1996. He then started a long-standing friendship with UK composer Justin Broadrick
, playing on Godflesh's
1996 tour and their album, Hymns. Parsons has also played in Of Cabbages and Kings with former Swans bandmate Algis Kizys
and was a one-time member of Foetus
touring band.
Over the years, he has also recorded with members of Public Image Ltd.
, Legendary Pink Dots and Killing Joke
, some of whom appear on his recent NIC remix project album. Youth
of Killing Joke contributed a remix based on a Glen Brown
/Sylford Walker
dub tune. Some music journalists have noted that the cover art on the recent NIC remix album appears to be a hommage to early Killing Joke art and design style, in particular referencing the nihilistic anti Imperialist/anti war artwork of Mike Coles of Malicious Damage.
Parsons is currently a member of Broadrick's Jesu
project, and has his own dub
group, Teledubgnosis.
Ted Parsons now lives in Oslo, Norway, where he is married and has two children. There he plays in N.I.C and works as a drum teacher.
Drummer
A drummer is a musician who is capable of playing drums, which includes but is not limited to a drum kit and accessory based hardware which includes an assortment of pedals and standing support mechanisms, marching percussion and/or any musical instrument that is struck within the context of a...
most notable for his membership in bands such as Swans
Swans (band)
Swans are an influential American post-punk band initially active from 1982 to 1997, led by singer, songwriter and multi-instrumentalist Michael Gira. The band was one of the few groups to emerge from the early 1980s New York No Wave scene and stay intact into the next decade. Formed by Gira in...
, Prong, Godflesh
Godflesh
Godflesh are an English industrial metal band from Birmingham, England. Originally known as Fall of Because, they formed in 1988 by Justin K. Broadrick and G.C. Green and disbanded in 2002. Godflesh's innovative music is widely regarded as a foundational influence on industrial metal and post-metal...
, Killing Joke
Killing Joke
Killing Joke are an English post-punk band formed in October 1978 in Notting Hill, London, England; other sources report the band formed in early 1979.Related news articles: Founding members Jaz Coleman and Geordie Walker have been the only constant members.A key influence on industrial rock,...
and Jesu
Jesu (band)
Jesu is a post-metal band formed in 2003 by Justin Broadrick following the breakup of Godflesh. Jesu was the name of the last song on the final Godflesh release, Hymns, and Broadrick decided to adopt it as the name of this project....
.
Biography
Parsons' early career began in 1985 with SwansSwans (band)
Swans are an influential American post-punk band initially active from 1982 to 1997, led by singer, songwriter and multi-instrumentalist Michael Gira. The band was one of the few groups to emerge from the early 1980s New York No Wave scene and stay intact into the next decade. Formed by Gira in...
, when he contributed to their Holy Money album. He left Swans in 1987 and joined guitarist Tommy Victor
Tommy Victor
Tommy Victor is the lead singer and guitarist for the crossover thrash/industrial metal band Prong that he founded in New York in 1986. In the late 1980s Victor worked as a soundman at CBGB's. After the release of Rude Awakening in 1996, Prong disbanded and Victor moved to Los Angeles. Since then...
's fledgling Prong. In 1994 he appeared on Buckethead's
Buckethead
Brian Carroll , better known by his stage name Buckethead, is a guitarist and multi instrumentalist who has worked within several genres of music. He has released 34 studio albums, four special releases and one EP. He has performed on over 50 more albums by other artists...
album Giant Robot. Prong would be Parsons' main project until the group disbanded in 1996. He then started a long-standing friendship with UK composer Justin Broadrick
Justin Broadrick
Justin Karl Michael Broadrick is a British singer, songwriter, guitarist and drummer. He is best known as a founding member of the band Godflesh, one of the first bands to combine elements of extreme metal and industrial music.-Biography:Broadrick was born in the council estates of inner...
, playing on Godflesh's
Godflesh
Godflesh are an English industrial metal band from Birmingham, England. Originally known as Fall of Because, they formed in 1988 by Justin K. Broadrick and G.C. Green and disbanded in 2002. Godflesh's innovative music is widely regarded as a foundational influence on industrial metal and post-metal...
1996 tour and their album, Hymns. Parsons has also played in Of Cabbages and Kings with former Swans bandmate Algis Kizys
Algis Kizys
Algis Kizys is a New York City bass guitarist most well-known for his long-time membership in No Wave indie band Swans. First joining Swans on 1986s Greed LP, he stayed with the group through The Great Annihilator...
and was a one-time member of Foetus
Foetus (band)
Foetus is the primary musical outlet of industrial music pioneer J. G. Thirlwell. Until 1995 the band underwent various name changes, all including the word foetus. Monikers adopted at different times include Foetus Under Glass, You've Got Foetus On Your Breath and Scraping Foetus Off The Wheel...
touring band.
Over the years, he has also recorded with members of Public Image Ltd.
Public Image Ltd.
Public Image Ltd are an English post-punk band formed by vocalist John Lydon , guitarist Keith Levene and bassist Jah Wobble, with frequent subsequent personnel changes. Lydon is the sole constant member of the band....
, Legendary Pink Dots and Killing Joke
Killing Joke
Killing Joke are an English post-punk band formed in October 1978 in Notting Hill, London, England; other sources report the band formed in early 1979.Related news articles: Founding members Jaz Coleman and Geordie Walker have been the only constant members.A key influence on industrial rock,...
, some of whom appear on his recent NIC remix project album. Youth
Martin Glover
Martin Glover, also known as Youth, is a record producer and a founding member and bassist of the UK band Killing Joke. He is a member of The Fireman along with Paul McCartney. Glover was born in Africa.-Early career:...
of Killing Joke contributed a remix based on a Glen Brown
Glen Brown
Glen Brown , also known as 'God Son' and 'The Rhythm Master', is a Jamaican singer, musician, and record producer, working primarily in the genres of reggae and dub...
/Sylford Walker
Sylford Walker
Sylford Walker is a Jamaican reggae singer who first recorded in the mid-1970s and, with reissues renewing interest in him, returned to recording and performing in the 21st century.-Biography:...
dub tune. Some music journalists have noted that the cover art on the recent NIC remix album appears to be a hommage to early Killing Joke art and design style, in particular referencing the nihilistic anti Imperialist/anti war artwork of Mike Coles of Malicious Damage.
Parsons is currently a member of Broadrick's Jesu
Jesu (band)
Jesu is a post-metal band formed in 2003 by Justin Broadrick following the breakup of Godflesh. Jesu was the name of the last song on the final Godflesh release, Hymns, and Broadrick decided to adopt it as the name of this project....
project, and has his own dub
Dub music
Dub is a genre of music which grew out of reggae music in the 1960s, and is commonly considered a subgenre, though it has developed to extend beyond the scope of reggae...
group, Teledubgnosis.
Ted Parsons now lives in Oslo, Norway, where he is married and has two children. There he plays in N.I.C and works as a drum teacher.
Trivia
- Ted attended Art College at The Pratt Institute in Brooklyn, New York with "Eightball" author, Daniel ClowesDaniel ClowesDaniel Gillespie Clowes is an American author, screenwriter and cartoonist of alternative comic books....
.
External links
Teledubgnosis Reviews by Greg Whitfield, AKA "Prof Barnabas":- http://www.reggae-vibes.com/rev_sin/magnetic.htm
- http://www.reggae-vibes.com/rev_sin/teledubg.htm
- http://reggae-vibes.com/rev_sin/nic.htm