Ron and Russell Mael Day *

* (restored)

Official

‘Originally formed in 1970 by Los Angeles brothers Ron and Russell Mael, Sparks’ music is often accompanied by intelligent, sophisticated, and acerbic lyrics, and an idiosyncratic, theatrical stage presence, typified in the contrast between Russell’s wide-eyed hyperactive frontman antics and Ron’s sedentary scowling. Starting with their masterwork, Lil’ Beethoven in 2001, the band began performing their albums in their entirety. 2008 saw the band perform all 21 of their albums in successive nights at the Islington Academy and Shepherd’s Bush Empire in London.

‘Though the band’s long career has seen them successfully pioneer many different musical genres; including glam pop, power pop, electronic dance music, mainstream pop and most recently chamber pop, Sparks have created their own unique musical universe. While achieving chart success in various countries around the world including United Kingdom, Germany, France, and the United States, they have enjoyed a cult following since their first releases. Sparks have been highly influential on the development of popular music, in particular on the late 1970s scene, when in collaboration with Giorgio Moroder (and Telex subsequently), they reinvented themselves as an electronic pop duo, and abandoned the traditional rock band line up.

‘Their frequently changing styles and visual presentations have kept the band at the forefront of modern, artful pop music. They are held in esteem by such peers as Morrissey, Kurt Cobain, Franz Ferdinand, Arcade Fire, MGMT, Sonic Youth, Ramones, Bjork, Depeche Mode, New Order, The Pixies, Ween, Suede, New Pornographers, Morrissey, and Radiohead, who all cite Sparks as a major influence.

‘On August 14, 2009, the band premièred the radio musical The Seduction of Ingmar Bergman, commissioned by the Swedish public radio (SR) and featuring the Mael brothers themselves and Swedish actors Elin Klinga and Jonas Malmsjö, both of whom worked with Bergman in his lifetime. The musical, partly in English, partly in Swedish, tells the story of Bergman’s supposed relocation to Hollywood after his breakthrough with Smiles of a Summer Night (1956), and the surreal and discomforting encounter with the movie capital. The Seduction of Ingmar Bergman is currently being adapted as a feature film by Canadian avant-garde director Guy Maddin.’

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Personal

‘Early on we thought that what we were doing was something unique, and that the term rock wasn’t essential to what we were doing. It was just we had a special way or viewpoint of pop music and music in general. So we always had the kind of aspiration not to be going down the straight and narrow path of pop music. We’re concerned with creating something that is less specific and maybe harder to figure out where it’s coming from. It’s something we are proud of, the fact of being able to create music that doesn’t really fit neatly into any specific genre.’ — Russell Mael

Sparks is indisputably one of my two or three favorite bands and makers of music in general of all time. They have an excellent official website, including streamed chunks of all of their videos, mp3s, games, galleries, shops, a members only fan club, and a worthy recounting of their 35 plus years of existence.

Five favorites

‘The Rhythm Thief’ (2002)

‘At Home At Work At Play’ (1974; performed live in 2009)

‘Music That You Can Dance To’ (1986)

‘Happy Hunting Ground’ (1975)

‘Mickey Mouse’ (1982)

 

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There are certain countries in the world where Sparks are appropriately considered to be major artists. One of these countries is France, where they’ve had a number of huge hit songs and albums, and one of its many cultishly loved pop stars who owe Sparks a huge debt is Lio. Ron and Russell Mael rewarded her devotion by writing the lyrics for the English language version of her first album.

Les Rita Mitsouko & Sparks ‘Singing in the Shower’ (1987)

Lio ‘Le Banana Split’ (1984; lyrics & music Sparks)

Gran Popo Football Club ‘La Poesie cést fini’ (2000; music & lyrics Sparks)

 

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Sparks w/ fan Desi Arnaz

‘Igor Stravinsky was always such a big fan of Sparks and our use of tonality. Especially in the later albums.’ — Russell Mael

Hardcore Sparks fans tend to have high IQs, poor or overly developed social skills, and suffer from bouts of bitterness and agony that the band has never been sufficiently appreciated by mainstream audiences and critics. Typical in some way of these fans is this guy.

‘The Story of Little Russ’

THE ALMABOOBIES – This Town’s Not Big Enough For The Both Of Us

Sparks – Russell Mael Interview (Generation 80)

 

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Jacques Tati w/ Sparks

‘We were supposed to be in Tati’s film Confusion, a story of two American TV studio employees brought to a rural French TV company to help them out with some American technical expertise and input into how TV really is done. Unfortunately due to Tati’s declining health and ultimate death, the film didn’t get made. If we had to pick the greatest disappointment of our entire career, all thirty-seven years, with all its ups and downs, it would be not doing the film with Jacques Tati.’ — Ron Mael

Just before he died, the incredibly great French film director Jacques Tati was in talks to collaborate on a film with Sparks tentatively entitled Confusion, a project so theoretically perfect and mouthwatering that its demise is still painful. Tati may be dead, but he has a wonderful website.

Reconstruction of Tati’s ‘Villa Arpel’

 

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‘Sometimes people tell us we could have a career in litigation. We could sue Queen for copying my vocal style on Bohemian Rhapsody and The Pet Shop Boys for, oh … almost everything. They say that so we don’t get the law-suit against us, but I have to agree. We once thought about pursuing a class action against the entire New Wave movement. It would be: ‘Sparks versus The New Wave your honour’. All of the bands would have to answer the charges. I josh.’ — Russell Mael

In their early years, Sparks were contextualized within the Glam Rock genre where, at least in the eyes of the public and some rock critics of the day, they functioned as a kind of thinking person’s Queen. But they were much more.

Sparks in Concert 1974, part 1

Sparks in Concert 1974, part 2

Sparks in Concert 1976

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‘In retrospect, Ron’s moustache was probably another mistake. He probably regrets it. When he did it, he was quite naive – he thought he was copying Charlie Chaplin. We went to France to do a TV show and the presenter refused to go on with us so we had to pull out. At that point he changed it to a pencil-style one. We like controversy and provocation but not in that way.’ — Russell Mael

Sparks’ work and publicity have always made much of Ron Mael’s Hitler-esque moustache, including this slight, somewhat diverting, amusing, flash-requiring little visual puzzle.

Ron Mael shaves his moustache

Ron Mael tap dance

Ron Mael’s snowglobe collection

 

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‘Working with Giorgio opened up new ideas for us. For one thing it showed we weren’t tied to the guitar, bass and drum format and it showed you could work in other ways in a non band context. Although it was commercially fulfilling and we really liked the album, it was critically tough at the time cos people thought it was puzzling for Sparks to be doing what they perceived to be Disco. We saw it as an electronic album where the synths had replaced the aggression of guitars, and really that album was about the songs.’ — Russell Mael

In the mid-70s, Sparks coopted Euro Disco for a short time, producing the excellent and groundbreaking albums No. 1 Song in Heaven and Beat the Clock with the cooperation of disco schlockmeister Giorgio Moroder.

‘The Number 1 Song in Heaven’ (1979)

‘Beat the Clock’ (1980)

‘Modesty Plays’ (1982)

 

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‘We were always more accepted in Europe than the US. Maybe, maybe it was because of the art rock side of our work, but also things are transmitted around Europe in a more centralised kind of way and things get disseminated in Europe much easier. In America it’s more fragmented, there’s no centralised radio to cover the whole country so it has different things.’ — Russell Mael

Sparks has never had the popular success and critical acclaim in the US that they have achieved in Europe and Asia, but they got the closest with a string of albums in the early 1980s including the great Whomp That Sucker and Angst in My Pants, and the less great Sparks in Outer Space, the last of which, thanks to guest vocals by a member the then-hugely popular Go-Gos, launched their biggest American hit, the subpar (for Sparks) song and music video ‘Cool Places’.

‘Tips for Teens’ (1981)

‘Upstairs’ (1981)

‘I Predict’ (1982)

 

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‘Our recent music has been a reaction to everyone else’s lack of adventure. Everyone else is very safe and very reflective. It’s all too tame. We wanted to do an album that is for the people who like Sparks and new fans that would be jarring and genre-defying. We hope it elicits a reaction from people – even if they don’t like it. We’re tired of people following pop conventions and clichés. You listen to songs and after two bars you know where the song is going because it follows so many conventions.’ — Ron Mael

I defy anyone to name another musical artist or band who have been putting out records since 1970 and are doing their best work now as evidenced by 2002’s brilliant Lil Beethoven and the superb more recent albums Hello Young Lovers and Exotic Creatures of the Deep (2008).

‘My Baby’s Taking Me Home’ (2002)

‘Sherlock Holmes’ (1982)

‘Waterproof’ (2006)

‘Perfume’ (2006)

‘Lighten Up, Morrissey’ (2008)

‘Photoshop’ (2008)

Sparks’ 10 favorite songs
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p.s. Hey. ** David Ehrenstein, Hi. Thanks. Well, Robbe-Grillet wasn’t included because he wasn’t a visual artist, and, yeah, I’ve done a few posts about him and his work. The hysteria gripping far and wide in the USA is well known to me, yes, and I do not miss being there right now one tiny bit. ** Ferdinand, Hi. Quite a start for your porn viewing ‘career’ there. Mine would have been a magazine as that was the only home porn back then, although you could buy super8 films sometimes, it’s that long ago. Hope you got something out of that Dumont. I do know and like Eric Random, but I’m much more familiar with his early stuff from the 80s — even that track you linked to, which I have somewhere — than his more recent things, which I should/will investigate. Thank you, man. ** Misanthrope, I’m sure there must be books written about the psychology of online ‘over-sharers’ and ‘selfie’ addicts by now, no? I will titilatedly await those old theme park + you pix. All eyes on the hellhole aka FB. I used to go camping a fair amount as a teen weirdly. It was a thing amongst the sub-hippie set. Mostly to do psychedelics in peace. Great news about your mom. Giant relief! Whew! ** Tosh Berman, Thanks, Tosh, I’ll go find that book. It’s probably gettable here, at Shakespeare & Co. if nothing else. I suspect today’s post is up your alley. Well, a lot more than suspect. As I was saying to George, there must be academic books about the selfie addiction thing by now. Many, no? I’ll go have a hunt. I like looking at people too, but there’s something about needing to own everything they do by stamping their faces and bodies on it that has the opposite effect than intended. I eat almost the exact same thing every day. Which might be interesting in a kind of structuralist way or something. It’s true that I would be most interested to see pix of what you eat, and I don’t even know why. Have you ever thought about doing ‘Tosh Talks and Eats’? ** elle nash, Hi, elle! How nice and cool of you to come in here. Yeah, I know/follow you on Facebook with great pleasure. I still haven’t seen ‘Shirley’, but I’ll pass on my thoughts when I do. Thank you for the really kind words about my books. Advice … sure. This isn’t a good place to give it ‘cos I have to keep moving through the p.,s, but, to start, I never thought about a career, for one thing. Naive of me maybe. I was and still am very romantic about writing and being an author. And I guess I have some kind of deep self-confidence that survives the blows and confusion that comes along with the immediate reaction stuff — reviews, publishers, sales, etc. It’s impossible not to get anxious about those things, but I always think long term. I always try to think about how long books live, basically forever, and how they really gradually find their way to people. I mean, like you. ‘Closer’ is from really a long time ago, but you discovered it just recently. It tends to go that way with my books, and it probably will with yours too. I never thought about the literary establishment and being recognised by it. Just the word establishment is enough to make not take such an idea seriously. The establishment is largely occupied by people who write conventional literary novels or whatever, and it’s a lot about preserving their own reputations by making sure to support new writers/books that will keep their books at the center of contemporary literature. The establishment is not interested in originality and innovation and daring because an actually exciting book becoming a success risks upending the apple cart, as it were. And unless a writer wants official acclaim and success and so on, why even care? But I never thought about my books needing to earn me a living, and they never have. I have to do other things to get by. And basically every writer I respect does that too whether it’s having a non-writing job or teaching or whatever. Blah blah, basically I’m saying that if you really want to write and you really enjoy it and believe in doing that and get positive feedback from people you respect, that’s all that matters. Kind of general advice there, but I think it’s true. Take care. Come back any time obviously. ** Bill, Hi. Thanks, B. Yeah, the Clough is cool. I thought it would make a good closer. Oh, it’s on Roxie streaming? I’ll try to see it today. I still haven’t been sent a copy of ‘Wrong’ even though people seem to be having it. Irked. ** cal, Hi, Cal. Always great to see you! Thanks, man. I’m doing just fine. What about you? Oh, yes, I saw your email this morning. Thank you a billion about the post. I’ll go open the email and get back to you! Awesome! And very interested to read your post, and I’m happy you’re back in the blogging fold. Everyone, The very fine writer Cal Graves has newly returned to the world blogging, and he starts it off with a short bit of writing called ‘a short piece, topiccal’. Cal is always very worth reading, to say the least, and I prompt you to have that pleasure via here. ** _Black_Acrylic, Hi. I did know that about ‘A Clockwork Orange’. I don’t know, but I would think Allen Jones must kick himself a bit for saying no to that. ** Dominik, Hi, D!!! Really glad you liked the post and found new things. Ultimately it was great to move to Amsterdam and stay there. I wouldn’t change a thing. Well, maybe I would do a wee bit less drugs, ha ha. Fingers very crossed that Anita can land a job there. What kind of job is she looking for? My weekend was fine, low key, working on stuff, getting out. Zac and I decided to celebrate the reopening of amusement parks next weekend by buying tickets to Futuroscope, which is about an hour+ train from Paris. Very excited for that. Otherwise, mm, it was okay. Was Monday fun? Whoa, CatDog is a cool weirdo. I didn’t know it/them before. Here’s a love dance for you from Sigmund and the Sea Monsters, xo me. ** Thomas Moronic, Thanks, T! Happy it pleasured you. Yes, we’ve been in touch via email, so we’re on the money, whatever the hell that means. Great news! Excited! ** Steve Erickson, Good news about the pleasantness upgrade. I saw that the curfew got murdered. Oh, cool, yeah, interesting, yeah? ‘Filmworker’. Vitali’s dedication is unbelievable. And I hope that doc made his heavy contribution more present to the Kubrick lionising set. ** Okay. This post is quite old and out of date re: Sparks’ newer things, but it seems like it has some hutzpah, so I decided to bring it back anyway. All hail the greatness that are the Maels! See you tomorrow.