The Parkinsons

biography The Parkinsons are a Portuguese punk rock band, formed in 2000 in Coimbra, by Afonso Pinto (vocals), Victor Torpedo (guitar), Pedro Chau (bass) and Chris Low (drums). The band moved to London that same year, where they quickly became known for their explosive and controversial performances. The band released their first EP, "Streets of London", in 2001, through Fierce Panda. The album caught the attention of the British music press, who compared the band to the Sex Pistols and the Stooges. The band was later signed by Elevator Music, a subsidiary of Universal Music, and released their first album, "A Long Way to Nowhere", in 2002, produced by Jim Reid and Ben Lurie, of The Jesus and Mary Chain. The album was well received by critics and the public, being considered one of the best punk rock albums of the year. The band toured extensively across the UK and Europe, sharing the stage with bands such as The Hives, The Libertines, The Datsuns and The D4. The band also participated in several festivals, such as Reading Festival, Leeds Festival and T in the Park. In 2003, the band released their second EP, "Reasons to Resist", which included a version of the Stooges' "I Wanna Be Your Dog" and continued to play memorable shows, which often ended in chaos and violence. The band gained a reputation as one of the best live bands on the British punk rock scene. In 2004, the band released their second album, "Down with the Old World", which was recorded in New York with producer Jim Sclavunos, from the Bad Seeds. The album showed a sound evolution of the band, incorporating elements of blues, rockabilly and garage rock. The album's singles were "Primitive" and "Nothing to Lose". In 2005, the band announced its end, due to artistic and personal differences between the members. The band played one last concert at Scala, in London, which was recorded and released on DVD with the title "The Last Night on Earth". In 2012, the band got together again for some sporadic concerts in Portugal and the United Kingdom. The band also released a new EP, "Back to Life", which included four new songs. The band continued to play occasional concerts in the following years. In 2017, the documentary "A Long Way to Nowhere", directed by Caroline Richards, premiered in London, which tells the story of the band from its beginnings in Coimbra to its return to the stage. The documentary includes archival footage of the band's concerts and interviews with band members and other personalities from the music world. In 2019, the band released their third album, "The Shape of Nothing to Come", which was recorded in Coimbra with producer Nick Nicotine. The album marked a return to the band's punk rock origins, having been praised by critics and fans. The Parkinsons are one of the most emblematic and influential Portuguese punk rock bands, having left an indelible mark on the London and international music scene.