 |
Click on a Sparks album below to read the review:-
Halfnelson
A Woofer In Tweeter's Clothing
Kimono My House
Propaganda
Indiscreet
Big Beat
Introducing Sparks
No. One In Heaven
Terminal Jive
Whomp That Sucker
Angst In My Pants
Sparks In Outer Space
Pulling Rabbits Out Of A Hat
Music That You Can Dance To
Interior Design
Gratuitous Sax & Senseless Violins
Balls
Lil' Beethoven
Hello Young Lovers
Exotic Creatures Of The Deep
SPARKS BIOGRAPHY
The core of rock-group Sparks consists of brothers Ron Mael and Russell Mael. Their Todd Rundgren-produced debut album was called 'Halfnelson' (1971) and this was followed in 1973 by 'A Woofer In Tweeters Clothing', produced by Jim Lowe of The Electric Prunes. In 1974 the brothers relocated to London, reformed with a new backing band, and released 'Kimono My House' (1974) and 'Propaganda' (1974). They experienced Sparksmania with this breakthrough Muff Winwood-produced set. In 1975 came 'Indiscreet' (produced by legendary record producer Tony Visconti). The 1976 album 'Big Beat' was produced by Rupert Holmes. It featured big, lush arrangements, emphasising guitars in the mix and de-emphasising the keyboards. 'Introducing Sparks' (1977) was recorded using expensive, top-flight session musicians and was Sparks' bid for mainstream US radio acceptance. Disco producer Giorgio Moroder gave the band a new life with 'No. One In Heaven' (1979) and 'Terminal Jive' (1980). The latter album was produced by Harold Faltermeyer and single 'When I'm With You' became a massive hit in France. Sparks returned to guitar-driven rock on 'Whomp That Sucker' (1981) and found the brothers working with a band again and with traditional song frameworks. 'Angst In My Pants' (1982) was really popular in the brothers' native Los Angeles and tracks from the album were played extensively on underground station K-Rock . A number of synth-pop albums followed. 'Sparks In Outer Space' (1983) was their most successful album in the States due to modest hit 'Cool Places', a duet with Jane Wiedlin of the Go-Gos. Love-song heavy 'Pulling Rabbits Out Of A Hat' (1984) was the last album that Sparks had a formal producer for and subsequently the brothers produced themselves. 'Music That You Can Dance To' (1986) included a cover version of Stevie Wonder's 'Fingertips' and the album's title track was popular in underground gay clubs. After a six-year absence, Sparks released 'Interior Design' (1992) which is arguably the duo's obscurest album. In 1994 came 'Gratuitous Sax And Senseless Violins' and some classic singles, including 'When Do I Get To Sing My Way', their biggest single to date in Germany. Four years later (1998), Erasure, Faith No More and Jimmy Sommerville played tribute to Ron and Russell on the Maels' 'greatest hits' album 'Plagiarism'. Prodigy inspired 'Balls' was released in year 2000. The highly acclaimed 'Lil Beethoven' followed in 2002. Disenchanted with the idea of doing more pop songs with the same song structures and same instrumentations, Ron Mael discarded the twelve songs that he had written and the band started from scratch. Sparks 20th album, 'Hello Young Lovers', was released in 2006 and featured a lot of orchestrated stuff but also a lot more singing. Sparks' new album, 'Exotic Creatures Of The Deep' (2008) is a breathtakingly imaginative assault on the vacuousness of much contemporary pop music. With twelve songs of lethal grandeur, it's another Sparks opus!
SPARKS DID YOU KNOW ?
Sparks, brothers Ron Mael & Russell Mael, were originally called Urban Renewal Project and changed their name to Halfnelson in 1969 (and then to Sparks in the early 1970s).
Sparks first two albums, Halfnelson and A Woofer In Tweeter's Clothing, were produced American musician, singer, songwriter and record producer Todd Rundgren.
Sparks first five Island singles all featured non-album tracks as B-sides (i.e. out-takes from the Kimono My House and Propaganda recording sessions). The parent albums reached numbers 4 and 9 in the UK charts respectively.
Indiscreet also produced several out-takes, including Gone With The Wind and Tearing The Place Apart. These tracks later surfaced on a Best Of Sparks compilation put together by the late Dinky Diamond. Indiscreet was produced by Tony Visconti.
The song I Like Girls was written for Sparks second album in 1972 but wasn't deemed good enough for inclusion. It later appeared on Big Beat, Sparks sixth album. Big Beat was produced by Rupert Holmes.
Introducing Sparks was, until recently, the only Sparks album not to have been released on CD. However the album was finally officially released on CD in 2007 on the bands' own Lil' Beethoven label.
Sparks rubbed shoulders with M (Pop Muzik) and Mike Oldfield when they performed Beat The Clock (from album No. One In Heaven) on Top Of The Pops.
The single When I'm With You, taken from album Terminal Jive, spent 6 weeks at number one in France.
The single I Predict from Angst In My Pants gave Sparks a long overdue top 100 hit in their native USA. Cool Places from Sparks In Outer Space (a duet with Jane Wiedlin of the Go-Gos) also made inroads into the American charts.
Sparks recorded Whomp That Sucker in Giorgio Moroder's Musicland studios.
Pulling Rabbits Out Of A Hat was produced by Duran Duran producer Ian Little.
The 12 inch vinyl version of Change (from Music That You Can Dance To) is coupled with an acoustic guitar version of This Town Ain't Big Enough For The Both Of Us. Change was performed on Terry Wogan's prime-time BBC chat show.
Gratuitous Sax & Senseless Violins is the first re-release in the new Sparks CD Collection series (re-released May 2005 and presented in a digi pack with sleeve notes by Daryl Easlea). Gratuitous Sax was originally released in 1994.
Plagiarism consists of a reworking of the 'Best of Sparks' back catalogue, with the help of guest artists such as Erasure, Jimmy Somerville and Faith No More.
After releasing Balls, Sparks recorded a whole album of new songs which were a natural evolution from Balls. But these songs were never released.
The song My Baby's Taking Me Home from Lil Beethoven consists of the title repeated over 100 times, interspersed only by a brief monologue by Russell.
Sparks released a double A side single in 2006, Dick Around / Waterproof, from their 20th album, Hello Young Lovers. The single was banned by the BBC.
38 years into their career, the Mael brothers' new album, Exotic Creatures Of The Deep, and new single, Good Morning, were released in 2008. A special edition pressing of the album came housed in a Japanese-style wallet with poster. A Morrissey referencing limited edition vinyl single, Lighten Up, Morrissey was released early in 2009. The vinyl single was backed by brand new song Brenda's Always In The Way.
Franz Ferdinand's new album will feature collaborations with Sparks. The bands will work together on covers as well as new songs.
Pop brothers Russ and Ronald Mael - good morning!
