Sparks

Sparks are an American pop-rock band, formed in Los Angeles in 1970 by brothers Ron Mael (keyboards) and Russell Mael (vocals). Known for their flamboyant approach to songwriting, Sparks pair their music with sharp, ironic lyrics, combining it all with a surreal stage presence, embodied by the contrast between frontman Russell's theatrical antics and Ron's deadpan, scowling gaze.

Their long career has seen them adopt many different styles, including glam, alt-pop, power pop, electronic dance music and mainstream pop. Despite this, they've forged a highly recognizable sound that won them a devoted cult following from their earliest releases. Sparks have been hugely influential on the development of popular music, particularly on the late-70s scene, when, in collaboration with Giorgio Moroder (and later with Telex), they reinvented themselves as an electronic pop duo and abandoned the traditional rock lineup. Highly esteemed by fellow artists such as Depeche Mode, New Order, Morrissey and They Might Be Giants, who often cite them among their main influences, Sparks have nevertheless always struggled to break through into the mainstream, often ending up hopelessly misunderstood.

Sparks were formed in 1970 in Los Angeles by brothers Ron (vocals and keyboards) and Russell Mael (vocals), initially under the name Halfnelson, together with another pair of brothers, Earle (guitar) and Jim (bass) Mankey, and drummer Harley Feinstein. The group caught the ear of Todd Rundgren, who got them signed to Bearsville, which released their debut LP, "Halfnelson" (1971), though it went almost completely unnoticed.

Renamed Sparks, the Mael brothers' band came close to the US Top 100 with the single "Wonder Girl". In 1972 came their second album, the eccentric "A Woofer In Tweeter's Clothing", still marked by cabaret-rock songs and Russell's falsetto voice. The following year, after a British tour, the Mael brothers settled in England and recruited new musicians: guitarist Adrian Fisher, bassist Martin Gordon and drummer Norman "Dinky" Diamond. This lineup recorded the album destined to remain their masterpiece, "Kimono My House", a bizarre glam manifesto that charted and spawned two hit singles: "This Town Ain't Big Enough For Both Of Us" and "Amateur Hour".

After a lineup change, Sparks released "Propaganda" (1974), followed by "Indiscreet" (1975), whose lack of success pushed the Mael brothers to return to the United States, where they released "Big Beat" (1976). The following year the duo made "Introducing Sparks". In 1979 Sparks brought in producer Giorgio Moroder to record "No. 1 In Heaven", an album that revived the Californian group's fortunes. "Terminal Jive" (1979) followed, then "Whomp That Sucker" in 1981. A year later came "Angst In My Pants", while "Sparks In Outer Space" was released in 1982. Three poorly received albums followed, along with a long silence, during which Sparks recorded the soundtrack for the film "Knock Off".

In 1994 Sparks returned to the spotlight with "Gratuitous Sax And Senseless Violins", followed five years later by "Plagiarism", on which the Maels re-recorded 19 of their songs, duetting on some of them with Faith No More, with Erasure and with Jimmy Somerville. In 2000 their new release was "Balls", while two years later Sparks' 19th official album, "Lil' Beethoven", came out, a surprising stylistic excursion between electronic music and symphonic orchestration. "Hello Young Lovers" (2006) and "Exotic Creatures Of The Deep" (2008) followed.

2009 was marked by the release of "The Seduction Of Ingmar Bergman", followed six years later by "FFS", an album made in collaboration with Franz Ferdinand. In 2017 the American band returned to the scene with "Hippopotamus". Their cult saga then continued with two more albums, "A Steady Drip, Drip, Drip" (2020) and "The Girl Is Crying In Her Latte", the 2023 record marking the twenty-fifth release under the Mael brothers' name.

The 2021 documentary film "The Sparks Brothers", directed by Edgar Wright, renewed interest in one of the most disorienting pop-rock acts of all time.