It is impossible to tell the story of The Parkinsons without tracing it back to the ashes of Tédio Boys. Following the end of the mythical band from Coimbra, the talent of its members branched out into one of the most fertile crops of Portuguese alternative rock, giving rise to highly successful projects such as d3o, WrayGunn, The Legendary Tigerman, Bunnyranch, and, of course, The Parkinsons themselves.
The new chapter began to take shape in the year 2000 when guitarist Victor Torpedo and bassist Pedro Chau decided to make London their new home base. Initially adopting the nickname Camden Boys, the band quickly conquered the British capital with a direct, chaotic, and purely wild punk-rock ‘n’ roll sound, channeling the raw, unvarnished energy of influences like Dead Boys.
The UK music press was quick to react to the frenzy generated by their early live shows. Reviews were glowing, with major music publications claiming that the Portuguese band’s stage attitude made acts like At The Drive-In ‘look like The Corrs,’ while Victor Torpedo was hailed by some critics as the finest guitarist in the genre since The Clash’s Mick Jones.
This media spotlight opened the door to a relentless touring schedule. In addition to traveling across several European countries and making periodic returns to Portugal, The Parkinsons became a staple of the UK live circuit, securing spots at world-renowned festivals such as T in the Park, Reading, Leeds, and Glastonbury.
Their international momentum peaked with an intense five-week tour in Japan, capped by a performance at the prestigious Fuji Rock Festival alongside acts like Foo Fighters, as well as shared bills with Dead Kennedys and Nickelback. Their impact at the iconic Brixton Academy even led a New Musical Express writer to declare the show ‘Gig of the Year,’ noting that ‘there’s been nothing this good since the early Manics.’
On the recording front, their path kicked off with the acclaimed debut album A Long Way To Nowhere, which was followed by the Streets of London EP. However, the group’s stability took a hit in the summer of 2003 when lead singer Afonso ‘Al Zheimer’ left the project, forcing Torpedo and Chau to take full charge of songwriting and vocal duties.
With a streamlined line-up, the band released Reason To Resist in the summer of 2004 via Curfew Records. Critics hailed the record as their finest work to date: a collection of 13 explosive tracks driven by Clash-esque guitars and the very best influences of 1980s British punk rock.
Despite the artistic acclaim, ongoing line-up shifts ultimately brought the band’s run to an end. In March 2005, the core members announced their official breakup with a brief three-date farewell tour in Portugal, closing the book on The Parkinsons with two final shows on British soil.
