Sparks (band)
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| Sparks
<tr style="text-align: center;"><td colspan="3">Image:SparksHelloYoungLovers.jpg </td></tr> | ||
|---|---|---|
| Background information
<tr><td>Origin</td><td colspan="2">Los Angeles, California, USA</td></tr><tr><td>Genre(s)</td><td colspan="2">Rock, pop</td></tr><tr><td>Years active</td><td colspan="2">1970 - present</td></tr><tr><td>Website</td><td colspan="2">www.allsparks.com</td></tr><tr><th style="background: #b0c4de;" colspan="3">Members</th></tr><tr><td style="text-align: center;" colspan="3">Ron Mael |
Sparks is an American rock and pop music band formed in Los Angeles in 1970 by brothers Ron (keyboards) and Russell Mael (vocals). Best known for their quirky approach to song writing,<ref name="NPR">Dye, David (2006). "Sparks: Elegantly Whimsical". npr.org. Retrieved on 2006-09-24.</ref> Sparks' music is often accompanied by cutting and acerbic lyrics,<ref name="LAWeekly">Alfvegren, Skylaire. ""Shooting Off Sparks"", LA Weekly, 1998-11-04. Retrieved on 2006-04-13.</ref> and an idiosyncratic stage presence, typified in the contrast between Russell's wide-eyed hyperactive frontman antics and Ron's sedentary scowling.<ref name="Independent">McNair, James (2006). "Sparks: Creating mischief again with their latest album". Enjoyment. Retrieved on 2006-04-18. </ref>
The band's long career has seen them adopt successfully to many different musical genres; including glam pop, power pop, electronic dance music, heavy metal and mainstream pop. Despite these many styles, a recognizable "Sparks sound" remains throughout, and they have enjoyed a large cult following since their first releases.<ref name="Epitonic">Ashlock, Jesse (2003). "Sparks profile". Epitonic.com. Retrieved on 2006-09-24.</ref> Sparks have been highly influential on the development of popular music,<ref name="Independent"/> in particular on the late 1970s scene, when in collaboration with Giorgio Moroder, they reinvented themseleves as an electronic pop duo, and abandonded the traditional rock band line up.<ref name="RecordCollector">Easlea, Daryl (July 2003). "Sparks Interview". Record Collector Magazine Issue 287.</ref> In contrast to the esteem in which they are held by such peers as Depeche Mode, New Order and the Pet Shop Boys, who all cite the Sparks as a major influence,<ref name="LAWeekly"/><ref name="RecordCollector"/> their almost constantly changing styles and unique visual presentations have sometimes seen them dismissed as a novelty act.<ref name="NewYorkPress">J.R. Taylor. "Lively Sparks", New York Press. Retrieved on 2006-04-13.</ref>
Since the 2002 release of Lil' Beethoven, their self described "genre defining opus",<ref name="MusicOMH">Sparks Interview "Melting Down Beethoven" on musicohm.com. Retrieved on 2006-04-13.</ref> followed by 2006's Hello Young Lovers (their 20th studio album), Sparks have enjoyed renewed critical and commercial success, and seen them continue to "steer clear of pop conventions."<ref name="Billboard">"News", Billboard News. Retrieved on 2006-04-13.</ref>
Contents |
[edit] History
The history of Sparks spans five decades, from inception in the late 1960s LA club scene, through adoption by English fans in the middle 1970s, electronic experimentation in the late 1970s, and finally breaking through in the US of the early 1980s, a cinematic sojourn at the end of that decade with a return to form in the mid 1990s which continues to this day as they continue to push the boundaries of pop music.
[edit] Inception in Los Angeles
Brothers Ron and Russel Mael grew up in Culver City, in western Los Angeles County, California,<ref name="BBC">Encyclopedia of Popular Music. "Sparks". BBC.co.uk. Retrieved on 2006-04-13.</ref> during the “Golden Age” of the LA club scene, with The Doors, Love and The Standells regularly playing the Whisky-a-Go-Go on Sunset Strip and the Beach Boys playing the afternoon event Teenage Fair.<ref name="Guardian">Hodgkinson, Will. ""Sparks Interview"", Arts Guide, Guardian Newspaper, 2002-11-01. Retrieved on 2006-04-13.</ref> Both attended UCLA, Ron studying cinema and graphic art, Russell theatre arts and filmmaking. Detesting the folk music scene, which they considered "..cerebral and sedate and we had no time for that",<ref name="Guardian"/> they developed a particular taste in English bands of the time such as The Who, Syd Barrett's Pink Floyd, The Kinks and The Move, which led their description of themselves as "Anglophiles".<ref name="Guardian"/>
Forming Halfnelson in 1968, with rock critic John Mendelssohn on drums, they soon came to the attention of producer Todd Rundgren, at whose urging Albert Grossman signed the band to his Bearsville record label. Their self-titled debut - with the line-up consisting of college friend Earle Mankey on guitar, Mankey's brother Jim on bass, Harley Feinstein now on drums and Rundgren producing - sold poorly, but after switching labels to Warner Bros and renaming themselves Sparks, a play on the Marx Brothers,<ref name="AllSparks">Sparkography on allsparks.com. Retrieved on 2006-04-15.</ref> the re-issued debut spawned the minor regional hit "Wonder Girl".
Their follow up album, A Woofer In Tweeter's Clothing, led to a tour of the United Kingdom, including a residency at the Marquee in London,<ref name="RecordCollector"/> which, despite much heckling during performances, helped them to secure a significant cult following.<ref name="BBC"/> An appearance on the BBC Television's Old Grey Whistle Test led to wider interest regardless of a cold reception from the show's host Bob Harris.<ref name="AllSparks"/>
[edit] Anglophiles in Albion
- Sparks "This Town Ain't Big Enough for Both of Us" (1974) (file info) — play in browser (beta)
- 20 second clip of Sparks's "This Town Ain't Big Enough For the Both of Us".
- Problems listening to the file? See media help.
</div>Relocating to England in 1973 with a new manager, John Hewlett, founder of John's Children,<ref name="LoadOfOld">Welch, Chris (1974). "Bright Sparks". Melody Maker . Retrieved on 2006-04-13.</ref> and a deal from Island Records, thanks in part to the exposure garnered by their Whistle Test performance,<ref name=RecordCollector/> they placed an ad in music weekly Melody Maker and through this hired Adrian Fisher on guitar, Martin Gordon on bass and Dinky Diamond on drums. In the midst of power strikes and a threatened vinyl shortage,<ref name="Scotsman2">"Sparks of a revolution", Living Section, Scotsman Newspaper. Retrieved on 2006-04-18.</ref> with Muff Winwood producing, they recorded their breakthrough Kimono My House in 1974, scoring a number 2 hit with the single "This Town Ain't Big Enough for Both of Us", despite Elton John betting Winwood that the song wouldn't break into the charts.<ref name="Scotsman2"/> This hit led to an appearance on the BBC's flagship music show Top of the Pops. Russell's hyperactive movements were in sharp contrast to the keyboard-bound, soberly-dressed Ron's expressionless squint. Ron Mael's toothbrush moustache and neatly parted hair prompted John Lennon to exclaim "Christ, they've got Hitler on the telly!"<ref name="Scotsman2"/>
The follow up albums, Propaganda and Indiscreet, produced by Tony Visconti, were similarly successful and produced the hit singles "Looks, Looks, Looks", "Never Turn Your Back On Mother Earth" and "Something For The Girl With Everything".<ref name="BBC"/>
[edit] Return home
- Sparks "Big Boy" (1976) (file info) — play in browser (beta)
- 14 second clip of Sparks's "Big Boy".
- Problems listening to the file? See media help.
1976 saw the Maels return home to LA. Concerned that their music may have become stale, they changed to a more "American" sound and recorded Big Beat with Rupert Holmes on production, followed by Introducing Sparks; both were mostly recorded with session musicians. This new "West Coast" sound was deemed a failure as they felt the results were "bereft of personality".<ref name="RecordCollector"/> In 1976, Sparks made one of their first forays into the movie business, making a cameo appearance in the disaster film Rollercoaster, after Kiss turned down the role.<ref name="Mojo">Black, Johnny (September 2006). ""Sparks Interview"". Mojo Magazine Issue 154.</ref>
After the disappointment of the last two albums, the brothers found themselves at "a 'what do we do now?' moment". By 1979 they had tired of the rock band format and determined to take their music in a more electronic direction. They had expressed admiration for Giorgio Moroder, creator of the iconic disco anthem I Feel Love performed by Donna Summer, to a German journalist who turned out to be a friend of his. As a result, they teamed up with Moroder and created No. 1 In Heaven, an album which would not only redefine the Sparks sound but would challenge the concept of what is meant by a band<ref name="RecordCollector"/> and would be a major influence on emerging electro pop artists.<ref name="LAWeekly"/> The follow-up in 1980, Terminal Jive, scored a massive hit single in France, "When I'm With You", which led to them staying in the country for a year promoting the album.<ref name="RecordCollector"/><ref name="BBC"/>
Finding the electronic equipment they had adopted for their new sound too cumbersome to tour with, they returned to the more traditional band format for their next three releases, Whomp That Sucker, Angst In My Pants and Sparks in Outer Space. They finally broke into the US singles charts with "Cool Places" from 1983's ..Outer Space. The track was a collaboration with Go-Go Jane Wiedlin, who, at one time, ran her own Sparks fanclub,<ref name="Mojo"/> and its success was in part thanks to LA's KROQ radio station, which hailed them as local heroes.<ref name="LAWeekly"/>
The late 1980s and early 1990s saw the brothers concentrate on filmmaking, particularly an attempt to make a Japanese comic strip, Mai, The Psychic Girl, into a movie. Despite interest from Tim Burton and six years' work on the project, it came to nothing.<ref name="BBC"/><ref name="Scotsman">Thirty chord wonders. Living Section. Scotsman Newspaper. Retrieved on 2006-04-13.</ref>
[edit] Return to music
- Sparks "When Do I Get To Sing My Way?" (1994) (file info) — play in browser (beta)
- 15 second clip of Sparks's "When Do I Get To Sing My Way".
- Problems listening to the file? See media help.
</div> 1994 saw the Maels return with the release of Gratuitous Sax and Senseless Violins, providing the hit singles "When Do I Get To Sing My Way?" and "When I Kiss You (I Hear Charlie Parker Playing)". 1997 saw the release of Plagiarism, an album of cover versions of their own songs featuring collaborations with Faith No More, Erasure and Jimmy Somerville. Half of the album was recorded by Toni Visconti in London with the other half recorded by the brothers in their own purpose-built studio in LA, surrounded by busts of Elvis.<ref name="BBC"/><ref name="LAWeekly"/> In 1998 they recorded the soundtrack for the movie Knock Off, starring Jean Claude Van Damme, directed by the acclaimed Hong Kong based producer/director Tsui Hark<ref name="NewYorkPress"/> (who had appeared on his own tribute song by the band on the album Gratuitous Sax and Senseless Violins). Balls, released in 2000, was generally perceived as Sparks treading water.<ref name="BBC"/>
[edit] Current revival
If Balls was greeted with apathy, 2002 saw the release of the album which the band themselves described as “their genre defining opus”. Lil' Beethoven, featuring quasi-classical arrangements of strings and choirs,<ref name="BBC"/> led to renewed interest in the band, for instance Record Collector magazine named the album as one of its "Best New Albums of 2002" describing it as "..Possibly the most exciting and interesting release ever from such a long established act"<ref name="RecordCollector2">Various Staff Writers (January 2003). "Best New Albums of 2002". Record Collector Magazine Issue 281.</ref> and later in 2003 saying "..it really does feel like one of the best albums ever made."<ref name="RecordCollector"/> A UK and European tour had the band playing the entire album each night in the first half of the show, with fan favourites making up the second. The line-up now included Tammy Glover on drums and former Faith No More guitarist Dean Menta. Long time fan Morrissey invited Sparks to perform at the 2004 Meltdown Festival, of which he was curator. They choose to perform their breakthrough Kimono My House album followed by Lil Beethoven, both in their entirety.<ref name="MusicOMH"/>
- Sparks "Perfume" (2006) (file info) — play in browser (beta)
- 23 second clip of Sparks's "Perfume".
- Problems listening to the file? See media help.
</div>February 2006 saw the release of Hello Young Lovers, their twentieth studio album,<ref name="Scotsman"/> While the album is regarded as carrying on where Lil Beethoven left off, being described as "..cynical, intelligent and very, very funny",<ref name="BBC2">Hello Young Lovers review on bbc.co.uk. Retrieved on 2006-04-25.</ref> it has not met with universal acclaim as some reviewers regard the constant use of wit, satire, and lyrical repetition as becoming wearisome or annoying.<ref name="Times">Cairns, Dan. ""Hello Young Lovers Review"", Sunday Times (Ireland), 2006-02-05. Retrieved on 2006-04-25.</ref><ref name="Stylus">Hello Young Lovers review on StylusMagazine.com. Retrieved on 2006-04-25.</ref>
The brothers tend to be dismissive of the latest trends in popular music, seeing most current bands as lacking musical ambition and experimental drive.<ref name="MusicOMH"/><ref name="Independent"/><ref name="Billboard"/> Indeed the predictable trends in much of modern rock, as they see it, served as inspiration for their latest album.<ref name="Billboard"/> However, they have expressed admiration for Eminem, Outkast, Franz Ferdinand and Morrissey.<ref name="MusicOMH"/><ref name="Guardian"/>
[edit] Style
Sparks' musical style has changed dramatically over their almost forty year career. In the beginning they attempted to emulate the sound of their English heroes, such as The Who, Syd Barrett-era Pink Floyd and The Kinks, sometimes even pretending to be an English band while on the LA club circuit. They relocated to England during the Glam rock era where, despite cutting an odd figure on this scene, they found success with their polished brand of intricate pop tunes and convoluted lyrics. By the second half of the decade, they were concerned that the sound they had developed while based in England was in danger of becoming stale; they returned to LA, determined to adopt a more "West Coast" sound. This they achieved with producer Rupert Holmes on Big Beat and Introducing Sparks.
However the band were not satisfied with the results, which they felt lacked personality, perhaps due to the reliance on session musicians. This led to the most dramatic change of style the band would attempt, when they teamed up with Giorgio Moroder, dropped the band format altogether and produced Number One in Heaven. This album is regarded as a landmark in the development of electronic music and greatly influenced bands which would emerge in the following years.<ref name="RecordCollector"/><ref name="LAWeekly"/> They soon returned to a more traditional line-up, which remained until 1988's Interior Design. There then followed a long hiatus until 1994's Gratuitous Sax & Senseless Violins, which was a foray into the techno dance world, which they had helped to spawn back in the late 1970s.<ref name="MusicCom">Sparks Profile on music.com. Retrieved on 2006-04-18.</ref> While their style has remained on the same path since Gratuitous Sax..., they have nonetheless continued to push the boundaries of conventional pop music and songwriting, remaining both innovative and highly influential.<ref name="Independent"/>
Lyrically, the band's style has been described as coming from "the school of Cole Porter, favouring caustic wit over trivial personal problems, …achingly clever lyrics seesaw between superficial gloss, profound sentiment and the incomprehensibly bizarre."<ref name="LAWeekly"/> Repeated lyrical motifs have become a distinct feature on recent albums. On "My Baby’s Taking Me Home" off Lil' Beethoven (2002), the song title is repeated 104 times, with no other words being used, other than a spoken interlude.<ref name="RecordCollector"/> Similarly, on the same album, "Your Call Is Very Important To Us", uses a corporation style call-hold message: "Your call is very important to us. Please hold" which is then sung with some additional words: "At first she said your call is very important to us, then she said please, please hold." The only other lyrics in the song are "Red light" and "Green light". These elements are layered with a simple piano line to create a highly textured effect.<ref name="Stylus"/>
[edit] Discography
[edit] Albums
| Year | Title | Label |
| 1971 | Sparks/Halfnelson | Bearsville |
| 1972 | A Woofer in Tweeters Clothing | Warner Bros |
| 1974 | Kimono My House | Island |
| 1974 | Propaganda | Island |
| 1975 | Indiscreet | Island |
| 1976 | Big Beat | Island |
| 1977 | Introducing Sparks | Columbia |
| 1979 | No. 1 In Heaven | Virgin |
| 1980 | Terminal Jive | Virgin |
| 1981 | Whomp That Sucker | Why-Fi |
| 1982 | Angst in My Pants | Atlantic Records |
| 1983 | In Outer Space | Atlantic Records |
| 1984 | Pulling Rabbits Out of a Hat | Atlantic Records |
| 1986 | Music That You Can Dance To | Curb |
| 1988 | Interior Design | Underdog |
| 1994 | Gratuitous Sax and Senseless Violins | Logic |
| 1998 | Plagiarism | Roadrunner |
| 2000 | Balls | Recognition |
| 2002 | Lil' Beethoven | Artful |
| 2006 | Hello Young Lovers | Gut Records |
[edit] Singles (incomplete)
| Year | Title | Label | UK Chart# | German Chart# | French Chart# | |
| 1974 | "This Town Ain't Big Enough for Both of Us" | Island Records | 2 | |||
| 1974 | "Amateur Hour" | Island Records | 7 | |||
| 1974 | "Something For The Girl With Everything" | Island Records | 17 | |||
| 1974 | "Never Turn Your Back On Mother Earth" | Island Records | 13 | |||
| 1975 | "Get In The Swing" | Island Records | 27 | |||
| 1975 | "Looks, Looks, Looks" | Island Records | 26 | |||
| 1976 | "Big Boy" | Island Records | ||||
| 1979 | "The Number One Song In Heaven" | Virgin Records | 14 | |||
| 1979 | "Beat The Clock" | Virgin Records | 10 | |||
| 1979 | "Tryouts For The Human Race" | Virgin Records | 45 | |||
| 1980 | "When I'm With You" | Virgin Records | 1 | |||
| 1980 | "Young Girls" | Virgin Records | ||||
| 1981 | "Tips For Teens" | Why-Fi Records | ||||
| 1981 | "Funny Face" | Why-Fi Records | ||||
| 1993 | "National Crime Awareness Week" | Finelex Records | ||||
| 1994 | "When Do I Get To Sing 'My Way'" | Logic records | 38 | 7 | ||
| 1995 | "When I kiss you (I Hear Charlie Parker Playing)" | Logic Records | 36 | |||
| 1995 | "When do i get to sing 'my way' (re-issue)" | Logic Records | 32 | |||
| 1996 | "Now That I Own The BBC" | Logic Records | 60 | |||
| 1997 | "The number one song in heaven (re-recording)" | Roadrunner | 70 | |||
| 1997 | "This town ain't big enough for both of us (re-recording)" | Roadrunner | 40 | |||
| 2001 | "The Calm Before The Storm" | Universal Records | ||||
| 2003 | "Suburban Homeboy" | Artful Records | ||||
| 2006 | "Perfume" | Gut Records | 80 | |||
| 2006 | "Dick Around"/"Waterproof" | Gut Records |
[edit] References and notes
<references/>
[edit] External links
Official
Biographical or discographical
- Sparks at All Music Guide
- Sparks at Discogs
- Sparks at MusicBrainz
Fansites
- http://www.sparksfan.info
- SPARKS (fansite)
- Sparks Discography
- HALFNELSON SPARKS
- (French) Sparks - French-language site
- Sparks - Hello Young Lovers
Other
