ladyislingering

"So, what are some of your favorite artists?"

For the past 7 years, Sparks have been at the top of the list whenever I'm asked this question, and some of the most popular responses have been ...

"I've never heard of them."

Sparks are the weird duo you didn't know you needed to know. They're the cerebral, yet hilariously offbeat thoughts that run through your head when you see a film or watch people on the street. They're the respectably filthy things that roam your mind when you see an attractive person of your chosen gender(s). They're the lyrical equivalent of all the times you've accidentally dribbled on yourself or dropped toast buttered-side down, but never thought to share that it happened to you 'cause it's weird.

"What are some of their songs? Maybe I've heard them..."

Well, you've got 23 albums of varying genres to choose from, spanning a magnificent, ongoing career that began in 1972, two bizarre brothers at its core ... I don't even know where to begin, so I guess we'll have to do this one at a time.

Let's get the basics out of the way.

Sparks are essentially brothers Ron and Russell Mael, who have recruited several skilled musicians for each incarnation of their insanity. There hasn't been a constant line-up apart from the brothers.

This is Ron in his youth. (Earle Mankey to his left.)



This is Ron today.



Part of his whole shtick is just standing there looking bored or menacing. He just does it because it's just the Ron Mael thing to do.

This is Russell in his youth.



And this is Russell today.



Russell has essentially made a career out of looking like an innocent fawn that just gently walked himself out of the woods and now he's looking for a tasty snack.

Ron and Russell have most recently teamed up with Franz Ferdinand to form FFS (I really hope that was deliberate, for fuck's sake!) but if you're a newcomer to the Mael way, you've gotta know your Sparks catalogue.

Sparks is something best experienced by strange minds. If you're into DEVO, Frank Zappa (and anything he was ever involved with), or Weird Al, for instance, you'll be more receptive to Sparks than most people.

This journal will serve as an album-by-album, song-by-song (including demos, as long as I can find them) catalogue for inquiring minds.

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