Richard Parry (musician)

Infobox musical artist
Name = Richard Parry

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Img_capt = Richard Parry performs with Arcade Fire in 2007.
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Background = instrumentalist
Birth_name = Richard Reed Parry
Alias = Richie Parry
Born =
Origin = Ottawa, Ontario, Canada
Instrument = Upright bass, celesta, keyboards, electric guitar, accordion, Percussion
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Occupation =
Years_active = 2003–present
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Associated_acts = Arcade Fire, Bell Orchestre, Islands, The Unicorns
URL =
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Richard Reed Parry (born October 4, 1977) is a musician and member of the indie rock band Arcade Fire, where he plays upright bass, celesta, keyboards, electric guitar, and accordion. He is also a founding member of the Bell Orchestre, in which he primarily plays upright bass. He was formerly a member of the band the New International Standards, with Tim Kingsbury and Jeremy Gara.

A long-time contributor with the husband and wife songwriting duo of Win Butler and Régine Chassagne, he co-produced the debut EP, "Arcade Fire" and brought in New International Standards bandmate, Tim Kingsbury. He has also made musical contributions to albums by The Unicorns and Islands. On the latter's critically acclaimed 2006 album Return to the Sea, he played several instruments, sang background vocals and arranged strings. Parry is well known for his use of unusual vintage guitar effects, such as analog delay and spring reverb.

Background

Parry derives from a musical family. His late father was David Parry of the Toronto folk band Friends of Fiddler's Green. His mother, Caroline Balderston Parry, is a poet and musician and his sister, Evalyn Parry, is a singer, songwriter, and spoken word performer.

Parry attended Canterbury High School in Ottawa, Ontario, Canada and was one of a dozen members of the Literary Arts program (first generation). His classmates include "" writer Martin Gero and "The Holmes Show" comedian Kurt Smeaton.

In the mid 1990s, he worked summers at a vegetarian camp in near Chelsea, Ontario, called "Camp Au Grand Bois".

In the late 1990s and early 2000s, he studied electroacoustics and contemporary dance at Concordia University in Montreal.

On January 20, 2007 Parry returned to Canterbury High to perform a concert with Arcade Fire in the school's cafeteria. Only 400 students and staff were permitted to attend the show. Beforehand, those chosen had the opportunity to preview new, unreleased songs from the Arcade Fire's upcoming album. After the show, there was a brief autograph period and the students met with the band members.

External links

;Photos

;Articles
* [http://discorder.citr.ca/features/05febarcadefire.html Interview with Richard Reed Parry] by Duncan McHugh in "DiSCORDER"
* [http://www.theredalert.com/features/bellorchestre.htm Interview with Richard Reed Parry] by Adam McKibbin in "The Red Alert"
* [http://www.rollingstone.com/news/story/14558640/arcade_fire_meet_all_seven_members_of_indie_rocks_brightest_band/4 Profile of Richard Reed Parry] from an article by Elizabeth Goodman in "Rolling Stone

;Family
* [http://www.openconcept.ca/caroline/ Caroline Parry's Home Page] (mother)
* [http://www.openconcept.ca/caroline/david.phtml Memorial to David Parry] (father)
* [http://www.evalynparry.com/ Evalyn Parry: Music and Spoken Word] (sister)