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Post by Sheriff John Stone on Dec 5, 2021 1:59:31 GMT
I (finally) watched the Sparks documentary. It was interesting, and I did find myself enjoying some of the music. Sometime I need to investigate this band. I feel like I'm always saying that about bands. So many bands, so little time.
As for the doc itself, I have to say the little text under the interviewees (I think it's called the chyron? I just googled...if that's it, funny. I don't know that word.) was very funny, which is fitting for the group. For example, when they were interviewing two guys from Duran Duran, under the one's name, it said "Duran" and under the other's, it also said "Duran." As if each were a Duran. When Weird Al popped up, his said "accordion player." There were quite a few things like that.
I'm very happy that you took the time to watch the documentary and happier that you found it interesting - and enjoyed some of the music along the way. I know that you dipped your toes into some of Sparks' music (including listening to the entire Kimono My House), but I never felt that you found it particularly entertaining. I hope going forward that you do explore more of Sparks' catalogue and I look forward to reading your opinions on it.
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Sparks
Dec 5, 2021 2:09:25 GMT
Post by Kapitan on Dec 5, 2021 2:09:25 GMT
You're right, I did listen to just that one album--I think only once through, though I'm not so sure. Even though it didn't strike me, I do recall thinking they were unquestionably talented, and I did like parts of it. (It was some of Russell's singing that I believe grated on me.) But I think they warrant another listen. At some point I am going to try the earliest albums. After that, we'll see.
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Post by jk on Dec 7, 2021 12:05:39 GMT
I remember often hearing "This Town..." on the radio at the time but had to wait decades before seeing them onscreen. Initially I found the sight of Ron immensely off-putting but now he's one of my heroes. I saw the cover of Kimono... at the time but have yet to listen to the album!
My big entry into their world was Lil' Beethoven in 2012. And apart from videos linked by the Sheriff, I've left it at that (my one-album-per-act strategy).
Lil' Beethoven works for me with or without the visuals. Sparks' videos are in a field of their own, with a perfect balance between music and visuals that doesn't detract from (or indeed shore up) the music. But that album is quite simply a magnificent listen!
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Sparks
Mar 3, 2023 21:40:57 GMT
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Post by Sheriff John Stone on Mar 3, 2023 21:40:57 GMT
Sparks returns to Island Records for the release of their 26th studio album, The Girl Is Crying In Her Latte.
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Sparks
Mar 26, 2023 1:55:09 GMT
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Post by Sheriff John Stone on Mar 26, 2023 1:55:09 GMT
Sparks and Faith No More - "This Town Ain't Big Enough For Both Of Us" - 12/01/10
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Sparks
May 30, 2023 11:49:16 GMT
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Post by Kapitan on May 30, 2023 11:49:16 GMT
Sparks' new album came out last week, and it seems Pitchfork is a fan. I'm not sure whether to be surprised by that. But I will note that I don't recall them ever mentioning the group before the documentary. I checked, and they did: but the scores weren't especially good. They'd reviewed four albums dating back to 2006, with a 4-something, a 6-something, a 7.1, and then in 2021, a 9.4 for No. 1 in Heaven. This one isn't rated THAT high, but it's a very positive 7.9. pitchfork.com/reviews/albums/sparks-the-girl-is-crying-in-her-latte/
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Sparks
May 30, 2023 12:26:10 GMT
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Post by Sheriff John Stone on May 30, 2023 12:26:10 GMT
Sparks' new album came out last week, and it seems Pitchfork is a fan. I'm not sure whether to be surprised by that. But I will note that I don't recall them ever mentioning the group before the documentary. I checked, and they did: but the scores weren't especially good. They'd reviewed four albums dating back to 2006, with a 4-something, a 6-something, a 7.1, and then in 2021, a 9.4 for No. 1 in Heaven. This one isn't rated THAT high, but it's a very positive 7.9. pitchfork.com/reviews/albums/sparks-the-girl-is-crying-in-her-latte/Thanks for the link. Wow, that it is a very positive article! I actually heard the title track, "The Girl Is Crying In Her Latte" (see the video a few posts above), on WXPN 88.7 FM Philadelphia coming home from work the other night - and almost drove off the road. It's not every day you hear Sparks on the radio, or anywhere actually.
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Sparks
Jun 12, 2023 17:46:55 GMT
Post by Kapitan on Jun 12, 2023 17:46:55 GMT
Just posted the other day on The Midnight Special's YouTube account, Sparks from late 1974 with "This Town Ain't Big Enough For Both Of Us."
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Post by Sheriff John Stone on Jun 12, 2023 23:11:58 GMT
Thanks for that ^, Kapitan! That might be the best sound and video quality I've seen of Sparks' footage from that period. It was that exact performance, along with Don Kirshner's Rock Concert from roughly the same time, that hooked me on Sparks almost 50 years ago. My older sister and I were staying up late watching it, and the next day she went to the record store and bought a Sparks' album.
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Sparks
Jul 16, 2023 0:38:08 GMT
Post by Kapitan on Jul 16, 2023 0:38:08 GMT
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Sparks
Jul 16, 2023 13:16:08 GMT
Post by Sheriff John Stone on Jul 16, 2023 13:16:08 GMT
Ah, "Here In Heaven"...another great one from Kimono My House. This live version rocks more than the studio version! And, again, this was my favorite configuration of Sparks - guitar, bass, drums, and Ron Mael on electric piano.
Some of Ron's best lyrics, too. Romeo commits suicide but Julia, as promised...did not:
Here there are lots of things to do And a panoramic view Of the universe completely surrounding you And here you cannot buy souvenirs For you're never going back, never,never!
Basically, I guess it could be worse, Yes I do suppose it could be worse
Here there are many many sheep And the people only sleep And awake to tell how gory and gruesome was their end And I don't have many friends And it's really very clean And I'm thinking...
Juliet you broke our little pact Juliet, I'm never coming back
Up here in Heaven without you I'm here in heaven without you Up here in heaven without you It is hell knowing that your health Will keep you out of here For many many years
Dear do you often think of me As you overlook the sea? Do I qualify as dearly departed or am I That sucker in the sky, The fall guy for the first and the last time?
Juliet, I thought we had agreed Now I know why you let me take the lead
Up here in Heaven without you I'm here in heaven without you Up here in heaven without you It is hell knowing that your health Will keep you out of here For many many years
Second thoughts, is that what you had? Second thoughts, first I broke my back Second thoughts, as I hit the sea Second thoughts, for eternity, for eternity, for eternity
Up here in Heaven without you I'm here in heaven without you Up here in heaven without you It is hell knowing that your health Will keep you out of here For many many years
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Sparks
Aug 12, 2023 11:42:49 GMT
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Post by Sheriff John Stone on Aug 12, 2023 11:42:49 GMT
Happy 78th Birthday to Ron Mael!
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Sparks
Feb 28, 2024 12:12:43 GMT
Post by Kapitan on Feb 28, 2024 12:12:43 GMT
This is something I wasn't expecting to read this morning: former Motley Crue guitarist Mick Mars recently said he at least had some level of discussions about joining Sparks prior to the forming of Motley Crue (seemingly in Sparks's earliest days). www.loudersound.com/news/mick-mars-motley-crue-prog-rock
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Post by Sheriff John Stone on Feb 28, 2024 13:03:14 GMT
This is something I wasn't expecting to read this morning: former Motley Crue guitarist Mick Mars recently said he at least had some level of discussions about joining Sparks prior to the forming of Motley Crue (seemingly in Sparks's earliest days). Wow! Thank you for that. I never read or heard Mick Mars' name mentioned in Sparks' history. Yes, with Mick Mars on lead guitar it might've been a train wreck, but what a fascinating train wreck it would've been. The early Sparks' albums were somewhat guitar-oriented, or at least more guitar-oriented than their subsequent eras. Now I'm getting these mental pictures, er, sounds of Mick playing certain guitar parts circa 1972-1975. BTW, Sparks' guitar player on their first two albums was Earle Mankey, who later was an engineer at Brother Studios and worked with both Dennis Wilson and The Beach Boys in the mid-late 1970s.
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