REVIEW BY MARTIN TRUKSA
Sparks : Kimono My House (Island Records) 1974 :-
Well, what can I say that hasn't already been said? 'Kimono My House' - the SPARKS BIBLE ! The benchmark by which all other Sparks albums are judged. The album that catapulted Sparks to fame and fortune. The LP that transformed Ron and Russell Mael from obscure oddballs into pin-up sensations.
The 'Kimono My House' band was pieced together from the pages of 'Melody Maker'. Bassist 'Martin Gordon', guitarist 'Adrian Fisher' and drummer 'Dinky Diamond' conspired to assist the Maels in creating a hugely successful and revered album. 'Kimono My House' shot to number four in the UK charts and was also a source of inspiration for many future rock acts.
SPARKS 7 INCH 'AMATEUR HOUR'
Much of the success of 'Kimono My House' can be put down to the quality of the backing band. To quote 'John Hewlett', manager of Sparks from 1973 to 1978,
"All the group members were as strong as Ron & Russell. I think if the group had stayed together, there is no question that they'd be millionaires. To be honest, if they reformed now, they'd be huge".
'Kimono My House' consists of tumbling guitars, reverberating bass and wild drumming, complimented by Russell's high pitched operatic vocals and Ron's wry, witty lyrics. ‘This Town Ain't Big Enough For Both Of Us’ is the opening track and was the lead single from the album, reaching number two in the UK singles chart.
But does 'Kimono My House' really live up to all the hype? In a nutshell, yes! The album is not a personal favourite of mine, but there is no denying that this one of the most influential rock albums of the 1970s.
*** SPARKS 'KIMONO MY HOUSE' LYRICS HERE ***
KIMONO MY HOUSE BY SPARKS : This Town Ain't Big Enough, Amateur Hour, Falling In Love With Myself Again, Here In Heaven, Thank God It's Not Christmas, Hasta Manana Monsieur, Talent Is An Asset, Complaints, In My Family, EquatorSparks : Kimono My House (HOME)