The Lady's Comprehensive Guide to Sparks
 

"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.)

http://41.media.tumblr.com/3494aa0c1...g6p8o1_400.jpg

This is Ron today.

http://33.media.tumblr.com/tumblr_lt...thhuo1_500.gif

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.

http://40.media.tumblr.com/0d62413a4...g6p8o1_400.jpg

And this is Russell today.

http://36.media.tumblr.com/72cb336a4...opnko1_500.png

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.

Hooray for Sparks! Can't wait 'til you get to "Kimono My House". Anyway, good luck with the new journal, it should be a lot of fun!

I've been working through their discography (up to Kimono My House now), so this is perfect. I look forward to reading.

Awesome! You're the perfect example of someone who can really understand and appreciate Sparks.

"Kimono" was a groundbreaking album, even with its similarity to the theatrical, glam stuff that was going on at the time.

Great intro LIL and you'll be reviewing albums that I mostly still have on vinyl, I played this band to death back in the 80s and so know most of these albums song by song and in some cases lyric for lyric, I used to play my favourite bands to death back then until scratches appeared on the vinyl.

I would add though to your great intro, that Sparks were an extremely accessible band by the time of Kimono My House despite all their weirdness, as by that time they knew what their gimmick was and quickly exploited it. They also finally made their breakthrough which like with a lot of American bands was actually here in the UK and were really big here in 1974 and 1975 before they kind of disappeared.

Also when I got into them in the 1980s they were already regarded as an old band and also it was really easy to pick up all their earlier albums (mostly)

It was a semi-difficult feat for me when I started collecting their albums on vinyl in 2008. Some are incredibly difficult to find. I still haven't scored a copy of Gratuitous Sax & Senseless Violins but my first two were Angst in My Pants and Whomp That Sucker.

Sparks were originally called Halfnelson in their home of Pacific Palisades, CA. It was Todd Rundgren that thought they'd someday be something really special, thus willing to give them a chance - as long as they changed their name. They were signed to the Bearsville record label for their debut.

http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedi...ks_reissue.jpg

That's the most common album art you'll come across, but there's one other (that I've only seen one copy of in my entire life - and couldn't afford at the time).



Sparks' lineup in 1972:

Ron Mael (keyboards)
Russell Mael (vocals)
Earle Mankey (guitar)
Jim Mankey (bass)
Harley Feinstein (drums)

Insider tip: Harley's a really nice, down to earth kind of guy. He's enjoying life in southern CA and updates his social media just like anyone else - of course, he's still highly supportive of the Maels' career and is kind enough to talk openly of his experiences with Sparks in the right situation.

Sparks (debut album) track listing:

Side A

Wonder Girl
Fa La Fa Lee
Roger
High C
Fletcher Honorama
Simple Ballet

Side B

Slowboat
Biology 2
Saccharin and the War
Big Bands
(No More) Mr. Nice Guys

The album begins with "Wonder Girl", of course. It's a cutesy little pop song. Wait, no, it's not. It's just best that you listen and not question what you're listening to until you've heard it. Just know that this track is hardly indicative of what you'll hear on the rest of the album.



Can you guess why this girl was a "wonder girl"?

The same concept is touched on in a later track in the catalogue, "Amateur Hour".



If you thought the concept of a seemingly innocent girl knowing her way around a man was a little cheeky (or perhaps slightly inappropriate) but cleverly delivered, you're gonna love what's coming up next.

I'll be keeping an eye on this thread. I love Kimono My House but have never heard anything else by them. That song above is great, gonna have to check out the albums as you go.

"Kimono" was part of what's commonly referred to as the Island Era, as the following albums were recorded under that label with a traditional 5-piece band before the bros switched it up once more in 1977 (but we'll get to that later) - Kimono My House (1974), Propaganda (1975), and Indiscreet (1976). I think you'll enjoy that series. :)

I hope you'll talk about the live show we saw. They certainly know how to put on a good show.

I was going to hold off on posting this video until we got to the next album, but I can't help myself.

This is the original Sparks line-up on German television (c. 1973). The quality isn't great but it's an incredibly rare capture. It isn't "live" footage, as Russell is miming. "Do Re Mi" appears on the next album, Woofer in Tweeter's Clothing.

Wonder Girl/Do Re Mi (Germany, 1973)



Our next track is one of highly questionable content. Strangely, it's not uncommon for a Sparks song to be rather suggestive. Take a listen first:

"Fa La Fa Lee"



Has it set in yet? Follow along with some lyrics, just in case.



To this day I'm not exactly sure whether the title is a clever joke in itself, or whether the matter is about a sister or a step-sister, but after a couple listens, it becomes apparent that this is, indeed, a song about incest.

Weird? Yes.
Creepy? Definitely.
But that's just Sparks.

Note: at about 2:09 you'll hear a similar sort of baseball-esque melody. Perhaps the protagonist has hit his home run? :laughing:

Until then, here's the review I wrote the night or two after the event.

Taken from my original post on tumblr:



tl;dr version:

• Front row - we were touching the stage.
• The show was amazing.
• Russell's mic came undone because he doesn't know how to chill.
• Ron looked at Ki & I.
• Backstage passes.
• Russell touched my hair.
• I briefly held the glorious hands of Ron Mael.
• I cried.
• I swooned for days in remembrance.

There's a few copies of the original pressing for sale on Discogs, but they're really expensive... :(

It's such a rare find that I think my heart almost stopped cold when I found it at the record shop.

I still sort of resent myself for not picking it up, despite the fact that it would have drained my food intake for a couple weeks at the time :laughing:

(I'm so glad I have a better job now.)

I didn't mean to leave this thread hanging for three days - stuff just came up; close friends needed my care and consolation more than I needed to write. However, there's some good news - this post is a three-in-one, so brace yourselves.

Last time you indulged yourself in the gloriously bizarre welcoming of a song about incest. It's my personal opinion that this next track is about being slightly dissatisfied with your sexual partner. Treat yourself to a clumsy, whimsical melody.

"Roger"



Here are the lyrics so you can follow along.



"High C" is one of my favorite tracks from Sparks' debut album. The lyrics suggest that the protagonist is a dedicated fanboy who's come to put his favorite opera singer back into the spotlight. Harley's drumming is top-notch on this track.





"Fletcher Honorama" is another one of my personal favorites. It's remarkably different from the other tracks on the record, echoing Pink Floyd in terms of atmosphere, with the psychedelic feel of The Doors and the hypnotic vocal stylings of ours truly, Russell Mael.



Perhaps a song about a man who's last dying wish is to be famous?



Until next time.

One of many special treats that come with being a Sparks fan: demos for pretty much every era of their career.

They're tricky to find, but they're out there (and usually not as loved as they should be). Here's the "Halfnelson demos" - all recorded between 1969 -1972, conveniently harnessed by the undercut.



Back to our regular programming:

"Simple Ballet" is a lovely track. Russell's vocals are crisp and pretty - heavy percussion, solid piano, and grand lyrics. In my opinion, this would have done very well as a single.

I suppose it's time to bring up a couple special stories from Sparks' history.

One involves a sledgehammer and Russell Mael's skull.

From a fansite:

Here's a clipping I spotted via tumblr:

https://41.media.tumblr.com/0d8155ba...nn8xo1_540.png

The other involves a papier-mache boat for our next track: Slowboat.

"Slowboat" is sort of a special song for me, personally, as it had a soothing quality when I was coming out of a deep addiction to sedatives (which eventually led to a long bout of alcoholism) and trying to deal with several losses that occurred in my life at the time when I bought this LP (about 2009/10ish). It's a very pretty, somewhat emotional song that still brings tears to my eyes just because of what it means to me.

No matter how many substances I was about to throw into my body, none of them would bring me any closer to someone I'd most recently lost.





"Biology 2" is perhaps the most peculiar track on the album. It's the only track that does not feature Russell on vocals - instead we're met with the strange (and slightly unsettling) vocal stylings of Earle Mankey. It's one of the more Zappa-esque Sparks tracks with a typical Maelian lyrical structure: another song about bangin'.

Bass-heavy.





Enjoy.

I won't even try to decode the lyrics to this next track. It just sounds as if Russell Mael was just trying to write a psychedelic song in his youth with some nonsense words and this happened. A similar lyrical structure is to be found in a later song - "Instant Weight Loss". We'll get there.

"Saccharin and the War"





I've always adored this next track. I've always heard it to be a song written from the point of view of a man trying to impress his peers with his appreciation for a finer style of music. Ron's keyboard is, as always, at the forefront - though the heavy bass is not to be ignored. Russell's vocal form is wondrous here as well.

I actually have a friend/fellow Sparks fan who has a tattoo that reads "I smile like Herbert Hoover when they play".

"Big Bands"





"(No More) Mr. Nice Guys" wraps up this album perfectly. It's a hard-rocking track, lyrics spat out at breakneck speeds. This would have been an excellent single. (In fact, I think it was the B-side to "Wonder Girl".) We're treated to an unusually nasty edge in Russell's vocals.





To wrap this chapter up, I've got a couple terrific photos of producer Todd Rundgren and Russell Mael.

http://41.media.tumblr.com/437c1633d...z7mzo1_500.jpg

http://41.media.tumblr.com/9d8e9bd3e...z7mzo1_500.jpg

Russell Mael is the man! :bowdown:

Young Russell was often in a whole lot of trouble on stage throughout the 70s. Later in our adventure I'll be posting some videos that show some overexcited fans essentially trying to tear his clothes off and/or kidnap him. :laughing:

1973 brought us "A Woofer in Tweeter's Clothing", and there's an excellent fact that make this album dear to my icy little heart.

Todd Rundgren also produced this gem - alongside the Electric Prunes' (a psychedelic rock group that's got a hold on my soul) Thaddeus James Lowe.

Let's have some Prunes in the undercut, because everyone should be familiar with them if they're familiar with 1960s psychedelic rock. The Electric Prunes were weavers of delicate doilies of tunes dressed with gorgeous lyrical imagery.




Larry DuPont took the boys down to the basement of the UCLA Ethnic Arts Museum for the album cover. Drummer and hooligan Harley Feinstein tipped Ron Mael's chair the second this shot was taken. In true Sparks style, it remained.

http://eil.com/images/main/Sparks-A-...eet-541607.jpg

Track listing!

Side A

Girl From Germany
Beaver O'Lindy
Nothing is Sacred
Here Comes Bob
Moon Over Kentucky

Side B

Do Re Mi
Angus Desire
Underground
The Louvre
Batteries Not Included
Whippings and Apologies

Sparks' delightful second album opens with a real head-ripper ... well, actually, it'll just make you shake your head with a dumb smile on your face, all the while thinking "oh my god, did you really go there with this song?"

"Girl From Germany" is precisely what it sounds like - on the surface. Our protagonist is about to take his German girlfriend to meet his Jewish parents, who are still quite sore at Germany some 30 years after the war.



I feel as if I should mention, in good faith, that this might actually offend some people - and if you're one of those people, maybe Sparks aren't the right band for you to wrap your head around. Maybe you should listen to Air Supply instead. Or Barry Manilow.

I'm gonna come right out and say it: who doesn't like a cleverly-worded, hand-clapping, chanting song about masturbation and dark, filthy thoughts?


At this point you ought to be used to the peculiar quiver in Russell's voice, but just in case you're not, now's as good of a time as any to acquaint yourself with it.

"Beaver O'Lindy"





"Beaver O'Lindy" is almost like a warm-up to prepare you for the falsetto in "Nothing is Sacred" - both tunes are of similar tempo, but of slightly different lyrical matter, almost as if the next song is an afterthought.





I adore the next track. It's one of those songs that make Weird Al's allegiance to Sparks highly understandable because it's just that clever. I also used this song to gently tease my significant other (who could very well be a "Bob" if it suited him) when he was learning to drive.

This isn't the first time you've heard strings in a Sparks song and it certainly won't be the last.

"Here Comes Bob"

Ahahaha! I love it! :laughing:

I'm always cracking up when I'm listening to Sparks. Loads of high-brow humor packed into just a few minutes of utter ridiculousness.

"Moon Over Kentucky" took me a while to get my head around, personally, but I had adored the biting edge of Russell's vocals on the track, as well as the haunting organ throughout (particularly at the end). Highly bass-heavy; a great rocker of a song.



With gorgeous lyrics, written by Ron after having seen the film "Death in Venice".



I absolutely love the intro to side B of this album. You won't see an awful lot of covers in Sparks' catalogue, but they always get it right.

Here's their rendition of the Sound of Music's "Do Re Mi".



I don't think it's necessary to post the lyrics to this song, as most living humans already know this song by heart as it is.

Our next selection is a song about seeing nude models or figures in art class at school and being rather conflicted about the feelings that ultimately erupt from such an experience. A nice, cool jam.

"Angus Desire"





For some reason I couldn't find an actual video of the next song, "Underground", but here's a full version of "Woofer", fast-forwarded to the track in question, for your absolute pleasure:

Hey Lil, I think I may have been a bit over the top in plug last night. Sorry if I offended in any way. (I seriously don't remember any details)

Or maybe I wasn't. Damn, haven't had a blackout like that in ages.

Loving Sparks BTW. Can definitely see why you dig them with their T-Rex, Sweet, early Bowie-ish kinda vibe.

^Yeah, Sparks are great. It took me a little while to get used to Russell's use of the higher vocals, but once you get used to it, you realize how talented they truly are.

I don't actually remember. :laughing: I've been so drunk, day and night, for the past few days that I can hardly remember how my week went, let alone a plug session. :laughing: You're ok.

When Sparks moved overseas, they were actually compared to Bowie and Roxy Music quite often (I think Ron and Russell actually brushed shoulders with the boys of Roxy in an airport during that time and nobody said a word to one another - but I could be mistaken) for their theatrical, quirky value alone.

One of my favorite things about Sparks is that the Mael brothers didn't actually set out to be musicians in their youth. It was just something they thought they'd try (I think both of them were actually set for art school after they finished high school but I'd have to refresh my memory yet again to be absolutely certain) and it turned into a lifetime career. They'd had no special training whatsoever before they started their journey.

Speaking of which, at the time "The Louvre" was recorded, Russell Mael didn't know how to speak French (later in his life this would improve substantially - Russell is now fluent in the language) and the song had been originally written in English. Being the Anglophiles they were, they felt it necessary to have Josée Becker (whose musical career began and ended just there) translate the lyrics into French.

It's just a song about a statue that's bored with being a statue and would very much like to leave the museum. :laughing:

Nice journal, will be following. Hopefully you stick with it long enough to get to Lil Beethoven - that's pretty solidly their best IMO.

It'll come. :)

L'il Beethoven was a bizarre, incredible album - yet another sharp turn for Sparks' musical style, but they managed to pull it all together as if it wasn't anything new to them. We'll get there, man.

I think we'll wrap up Woofer tonight.

Here's a sweet bundle deal:

"Batteries Not Included/Whippings and Apologies"



"Batteries Not Included" is a brief reflection of childhood rage.



Then follows "Whippings and Apologies" - a blunt nod to nutso Christian parents and child abuse, daughter in question perhaps pursuing a boy her parents didn't think was holy enough.



Both Halfnelson/Sparks and A Woofer in Tweeter's Clothing were, to put it gently, unsuccessful in the united states. Ron and Russell would soon part ways with the Mankey brothers and Harley Feinstein in order to relocate to London - their mother's homeland. Having grown up especially amorous of the English way, it seemed the perfect plan.

By the way, Ron and Russell actually did visit the Louvre a couple years later.

Interesting, I had the same experience with Russell's voice, even as a huge Beach Boys/Brian Wilson fan. It just shows that no two falsettos sound quite the same.

Russell's speaking voice is a bit higher pitched than you'd imagine. He speaks so gently, it'll kill you.

This is my favorite interview because Russell seems really cranky the whole time. (He tells Ron to shut up at some point, doesn't sound like he's joking.) Circa 1986.



Here's a recent capture.



Ron's voice is a lot deeper than Russell's, and his shyness shines through with every nuance. He really is a gentle, anxious, beautiful person - don't ever let the glare of doom throw you off from understanding this.

It's really weird hearing them talk! I loved it when they picked up the fake television screen, and the upbeat music started playing and everyone was laughing and having a good time, while Ron just angrily glared at the camera like he was trying to make it explode with his mind. :laughing:

Is that downtown Julie Brown?

Ron has this way about him that makes one think that his central focus in life is homicide. :laughing: But he's really the sweetest man in the world. Really.

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v2...9/RONMAEL1.gif

http://pictures.picasion.com/pic43/3...dc717342ec.gif

http://38.media.tumblr.com/3fe2fb519...mmclo1_500.gif

http://31.media.tumblr.com/8c5ca031b...9me6o1_400.gif

https://bjdwsm.files.wordpress.com/2.../sparks1_7.jpg

That's correct.

This is the album that everyone gets really excited about when talking about Sparks. Even if it's not your absolute favorite, you'll always be delighted to mention "Kimono My House".

Ron and Russell relocated to London in 1973, hoping to get on the glam scene. Besides, their mother and stepfather were already there. They hired some major beauties for their new band:

Martin Gordon (bass guitar), who would later form the band Jet with John's Children's Andy Ellison (who previously worked with Marc Bolan, who was kind enough to invite Jet's latest incarnation, Radio Stars, to his television show in 1977) and remain one of glam rock's most bitter (yet brilliant) dudes.

Adrian Fisher (guitar), who was discovered after answering Sparks' ad in Melody Maker. Adrian passed away (to my memory he had lung cancer, but I could be mistaken) in 2000.

Dinky Diamond (drums), who I don't have much information on at the moment, I'll get back to you - his name was Norman. He passed away in 2003 from an apparent suicide.


John Hewlett, former producer of John's Children, became Sparks' new manager. He introduced them to Island producer Muff Winwood. Ron and Russell stayed with Mr. Hewlett for some time while they were getting the hang of London life. Sparks were considered a huge leap of faith, and what a leap it was. Sparks practically exploded overnight.

"Kimono My House" is a nod to Rosemary Clooney's "Come On'a My House". The album was released in May of 1974 and climbed all the way to #4 on the UK's album chart for the year.

http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedi...e_-_Sparks.jpg

Track listing:

Side A

This Town Ain't Big Enough for Both of Us
Amateur Hour
Falling in Love With Myself Again
Here in Heaven
Thank God it's Not Christmas

Side B


Hasta Mañana, Monsieur
Talent is An Asset
Complaints
In My Family
Equator

lesser-known bonus tracks we're gonna touch on:

Barbecutie
Lost and Found


"Kimono" opens with Sparks' best known song. Seriously, like ever. This is what everyone thinks of when someone mentions Sparks.

"This Town Ain't Big Enough for Both of Us" (often shortened to "This Town" by fans) reached #2 on the UK singles chart, beaten out (somehow, and tragically) by the Rubettes' "Sugar Baby Love". I know, I don't know how that happened either.

I've heard from many people who were young and aware in 1974 that Ron scared the shit out of them when they saw him on Top of the Pops:



And here's a live version from 1975ish, with the "new" band (we'll get into that later, though).



"This Town" was also covered by Justin Hawkins' (of the Darkness) band British Whale. Ron and Russell appear in the promo video.



...and it's also been loved up by Siouxsie Sioux.



Shit, even the Maels covered "This Town", in 1997. With Faith No More.



This song is kind of a big fuckin' deal. It's not the only hit on the album, but it's (almost) been loved to death by everyone who's been touched by the wonder of Sparks.

"Amateur Hour" is, naturally, an ode to the young and (sexually) inexperienced, cleverly described by the masterful lyrical genius of Ron Mael.

You'll notice that the vibrant energy you heard in "This Town" carries through to the next track (and throughout the entire album, really).





"Amateur Hour" shot all the way up to #7 on the UK singles chart for the year of 1974.

While we're at it, the B-side of "Amateur Hour" ...

"Lost and Found", a song about a man who's just found a wallet belonging to Mr. Jones, who could be anybody!

Too bad, too bad, too bad!





Speaking of B-sides, I just realized that I'd forgotten to mention the B-side of "This Town" - a fabulously bizarre track called "Barbecutie". I haven't yet figured out what I think the lyrics might mean, but it's either a song about cannibalism or a man who's very skilled with a grill and it turns all the neighborhood ladies into mush.

You can decide for yourself. Also, check Martin Gordon's heavy bass in the intro.







And here's an adorable bonus. Russell asks for "a little restraint in the hall, ok?" as the girls were absolutely insane during the Fairfield Hall performance in 1975 (with the "new band").

Poor Russell, how miserable it must have been to be attacked by hordes of rabid fangirls. :laughing:

"Falling in Love With Myself Again" is the ultimate tune for anyone who has come to enjoy their own company to a state of complete self-reliance.

In the words of Ron Mael (regarding this song): "The song is about the tendency of people to fall in love with people to whom they look like a lot themselves. An idealistic form of what they would have wanted to have been themselves. How many times have I fallen in love with myself ? Quite honestly, I never liked myself. I'm not my type."

You'll find this one to have a waltz-like quality and a peculiar delivery of the lyrics. (As you've probably already come to expect.)





Our next delight is possibly my favorite song on "Kimono My House". I remember singing this one in the car with my sister, just because the falsetto is incredibly fun.

What would have happened if Romeo would have killed himself and Juliet said "fuck that shit"?





Here's a couple of photos from '74.

http://40.media.tumblr.com/bdc5aa238...wekeo1_500.jpg

http://40.media.tumblr.com/19672a397...z7mzo1_500.jpg

From left to right: Adrian Fisher, Russell Mael, Dinky Diamond, Martin Gordon, and Ron Mael.

Sorry for my long absence; stuff's been crazy, I'm crazy, so on and so forth.

I think we can all agree on one thing, though.

Check Martin's killer bassline in this track.

"Thank God It's Not Christmas"





"Christmas" wraps up side 1 of "Kimono My House"; flip that pretty bitch over and uncover this little gem about communicational errors:

"Hasta Mañana, Monsieur"



The lyrics are especially clever in this rollicking hit delivered by a doomed romantic, unable to speak with the object of his affection.

"You mentioned Kant and I was shocked, so shocked - where I come from, none of the girls have such foul tongues!"



However, Russell, being a bit of a francophile, is fluent in French:



As a further apology (with extended affections) for my absence, have this: