Parlour Flames is a musical collaboration between former OASIS rhythm guitarist Bonehead [aka Paul Arthurs] and the Manchester based singer songwriter Vinny Peculiar [aka Alan Wilkes].
Since leaving OASIS in 1999 Boneheadhas worked on projects with Andy Rourke & Mike Joyce [The Smiths], he’s also toured with Thailand’s Sek Loso and spent a spell co- hosting the Manchester Music Show on BBC Radio Manchester. Bonehead played bass in Vinny’s band on a string of European shows in 2007 and guitar on the Vinny Peculiar album Other People Like Me [2011].
Vinny continues to write, record and perform as a solo artist, releasing records through his Shadrack & Duxbury label. Past collaborations include Luke Haines [the Auteurs] and Bill Drummond [KLF, SOUP ART, The 17]; former Smiths Mike Joyce, Andy Rourke & Craig Gannon were his band members at various times between 2004-2007. He has released nine albums of outsider pop music with a lyrical sensibility; he’s often likened to Jarvis Cocker or Neil Hannon.
‘Parlour Flames’ is the title of the debut album. Vinny and Bonehead have written and produced, playing guitars, basses, pianos and keyboards. Vinny sings and writes the lyrics. The record features Che Beresford [Badly Drawn Boy] on drums and percussion, Semay Woo on cellos, Anna Zweck [Samson & Delilah] on flute and backing vocals, Bob Marsh [Badly Drawn Boy, I Am Kloot] on trumpets & fugal horn. Ollie Collins [Cherry Ghost] played bass on a couple of tracks. The record was engineered by Dave Fyfe, and produced by Parlour Flames, it’s described as ‘an eclectic mix of guitar-based pop with a psychedelic twist, a folk-art-rock record, lyrically engaging and melodic’.
