The Merton Parkas

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The Merton Parkas were a British mod revival band formed in the mid-1970s in the Merton area of South London. The group consisted of Danny Talbot on vocals and guitar, his brother Mick Talbot on keyboards, Neil Hurrell on bass, and Simon Smith on drums. They were discovered playing in a pub in Clapham by punk journalist Alan Anger and subsequently signed with Beggars Banquet Records. Initially known as The Sneekers, the band released several moderately successful singles, including "You Need Wheels", "Plastic Smile", "Give it to Me Now" and "Put Me in the Picture". Their most notable track, "You Need Wheels", reached Number 40 on the UK Singles Chart in the summer of 1979. The Merton Parkas released their only album, Face In The Crowd, in October 1979. Rick Buckler of The Jam played with the band at Ronnie Scott's, and Mick Talbot contributed to "Heatwave", a track on The Jam's 1979 album Setting Sons. Despite contractual disputes that prevented them from featuring on the 1979 album Mods Mayday, an unreleased recording of their set at the Bridge House in Canning Town became available online. The Merton Parkas disbanded in 1980, with Mick Talbot going on to play with Dexys Midnight Runners and The Style Council, Simon Smith joining Mood Six, and Danny Talbot becoming a chemistry teacher.

Top tracks

01	Put Me in the Picture	The Merton Parkas	Face In The Crowd / Gi's It			02:51
	Writer: Danny Talbot / Composers: Danny Talbot
13	Steppin' Stone	The Merton Parkas	Face In The Crowd / Gi's It			03:38
	Writer: Bobby Hart - Tommy Boyce / Composers: Bobby Hart - Tommy Boyce
09	Give It to Me Now	The Merton Parkas	Face In The Crowd / Gi's It			02:29
	Writer: Danny Talbot / Composers: Danny Talbot
08	When Will It Be	The Merton Parkas	Face In The Crowd / Gi's It			02:48
	Writer: Danny Talbot / Composers: Danny Talbot
10	You Need Wheels	The Merton Parkas	Face In The Crowd / Gi's It			02:45
	Writer: Danny Talbot / Composers: Danny Talbot - Mick Talbot
02	Face in the Crowd	The Merton Parkas	Face In The Crowd / Gi's It			01:57
	Writer: Danny Talbot / Composers: Danny Talbot
06	Hard Times	The Merton Parkas	Face In The Crowd / Gi's It			02:25
	Writer: Danny Talbot / Composers: Danny Talbot - Mick Talbot
12	I Don't Want to Know You	The Merton Parkas	Face In The Crowd / Gi's It			02:16
	Writer: Danny Talbot / Composers: Danny Talbot - Mick Talbot
05	Tears of a Clown	The Merton Parkas	Face In The Crowd / Gi's It			02:53
	Writer: Hank Cosby - Stevie Wonder - William Robinson / Composers: Hank Cosby - Stevie Wonder - William Robinson
07	Silent People	The Merton Parkas	Face In The Crowd / Gi's It			03:15
	Writer: Danny Talbot / Composers: Danny Talbot - Mick Talbot
11	You Should Be So Lucky	The Merton Parkas	Face In The Crowd / Gi's It			02:00
	Writer: Danny Talbot / Composers: Danny Talbot - Mick Talbot
04	Empty Room	The Merton Parkas	Face In The Crowd / Gi's It			02:57
	Writer: Danny Talbot / Composers: Danny Talbot - Mick Talbot
14	Band of Gold	The Merton Parkas	Face In The Crowd / Gi's It			01:59
	Writer: Edith Wayne - Ronald Dunbar / Composers: Edith Wayne - Ronald Dunbar
03	Plastic Smile	The Merton Parkas	Face In The Crowd / Gi's It			02:11
	Writer: Danny Talbot / Composers: Danny Talbot
15	The Man with the Disguise	The Merton Parkas	Face In The Crowd / Gi's It			01:53
	Writer: Danny Talbot / Composers: Danny Talbot
16	Give It to Me Now (Single Version)	The Merton Parkas	Face In The Crowd / Gi's It			02:17
	Writer: Danny Talbot / Composers: Danny Talbot

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Discography

Albums

Face In The Crowd / Gi's It

℗ 2007 Beggars Banquet Records Ltd: 01-10-1979

Face In The Crowd / Gi's It

01	Put Me in the Picture	The Merton Parkas	Face In The Crowd / Gi's It			02:51
	Writer: Danny Talbot / Composers: Danny Talbot
02	Face in the Crowd	The Merton Parkas	Face In The Crowd / Gi's It			01:57
	Writer: Danny Talbot / Composers: Danny Talbot
03	Plastic Smile	The Merton Parkas	Face In The Crowd / Gi's It			02:11
	Writer: Danny Talbot / Composers: Danny Talbot
04	Empty Room	The Merton Parkas	Face In The Crowd / Gi's It			02:57
	Writer: Danny Talbot / Composers: Danny Talbot - Mick Talbot
05	Tears of a Clown	The Merton Parkas	Face In The Crowd / Gi's It			02:53
	Writer: Hank Cosby - Stevie Wonder - William Robinson / Composers: Hank Cosby - Stevie Wonder - William Robinson
06	Hard Times	The Merton Parkas	Face In The Crowd / Gi's It			02:25
	Writer: Danny Talbot / Composers: Danny Talbot - Mick Talbot
07	Silent People	The Merton Parkas	Face In The Crowd / Gi's It			03:15
	Writer: Danny Talbot / Composers: Danny Talbot - Mick Talbot

Access the complete album info (22 songs)

Singles

Put Me in the Picture

Beggars Banquet Records Ltd: 08-08-1980

Put Me in the Picture

01	Put Me in the Picture	The Merton Parkas	Put Me in the Picture			02:51
	Composers: Danny Talbot
02	In the Midnight Hour	The Merton Parkas	Put Me in the Picture			02:25
	Composers: Steve Cropper - Wilson Pickett

Give It To Me Now

℗ 1979 Beggars Banquet Records Ltd: 23-11-1979

Give It To Me Now

01	Give It to Me Now (Single Version)	The Merton Parkas	Give It To Me Now			02:17
	Writer: Danny Talbot / Composers: Danny Talbot
02	Gi's It	The Merton Parkas	Give It To Me Now			02:16
	Writer: Danny Talbot / Composers: Danny Talbot

Plastic Smile

℗ 1979 Beggars Banquet Records Ltd: 21-09-1979

Plastic Smile

01	Plastic Smile	The Merton Parkas	Plastic Smile			02:11
	Writer: Danny Talbot / Composers: Danny Talbot
02	The Man with the Disguise	The Merton Parkas	Plastic Smile			01:53
	Writer: Danny Talbot / Composers: Danny Talbot

You Need Wheels

Beggars Banquet Records Ltd: 13-07-1979

You Need Wheels

01	You Need Wheels	The Merton Parkas	You Need Wheels			02:45
	Composers: Danny Talbot - Mick Talbot
02	I Don't Want to Know You	The Merton Parkas	You Need Wheels			02:16
	Composers: Danny Talbot - Mick Talbot