Sparks The Biggest Band I Had Never Heard Of

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  • Опубликовано: 11 дек 2024

Комментарии • 102

  • @eidetecker
    @eidetecker 2 года назад +30

    Not only are Sparks still going, their recent music is just *the best* stuff they've ever done.

  • @tomklenskjr.2491
    @tomklenskjr.2491 3 года назад +41

    My vote, for most necessary Sparks album listen would be for their fourth “Propaganda” released in 1974

    • @bandcouver
      @bandcouver 2 года назад +1

      The first one I heard.

    • @paddymitchell4995
      @paddymitchell4995 2 года назад +5

      My favourite album of all time.

    • @snpok524
      @snpok524 Год назад +4

      I would say it's one of the best albums of all time.

    • @aaronzook9540
      @aaronzook9540 Год назад

      That is one hell of an album. I've listened to "Never Turn Your Back On Mother Earth" about a thousand times. My absolute favorites, under duress, are Kimono My House and A Steady Drip, Drip, Drip.

    • @pennyscottwarner
      @pennyscottwarner Год назад

      Agreed

  • @LucasMacdonald
    @LucasMacdonald Год назад +6

    Sparks has been my favorite band since 1981. I was 14, and I still love them today. Sparks for the WIN!!

  • @keithkoenig5320
    @keithkoenig5320 Год назад +5

    I am so glad that the excellent Sparks documentary turned new fans onto the band and for a longtime fan like me, it made me find the older albums I have and fall in love with them all over again.
    I am finally seeing them live for the first time next month in Kansas City. Better latent than never...

  • @canadianstudmuffin
    @canadianstudmuffin 3 года назад +19

    I've been a fan since 1974! 😁 Songs to check out (with lyrics): This Town Ain't Big Enough For Both Of Us, Missionary Position and Dick Around.

    • @Tunz909
      @Tunz909 3 года назад +1

      hey stud!! Love your channel ...why not do a video on this group? or duo? you have most of their LP's? This is my first hearing about them!!...but then of course I recall Paul's Coming's Up video and always wondered what keyboard player he was imitating! Lo and behold I know now!!:-)

    • @canadianstudmuffin
      @canadianstudmuffin 3 года назад +7

      @@Tunz909 Thank you. I've done almost 50 videos on them on my channel, including ranking and reviewing all of their albums and I even got a nice Tweet from Edgar Wright for them.

    • @tyronerodgers
      @tyronerodgers 3 года назад +2

      Yeh Larry!!!! All I do now, is dick around, dick around!!! Every night!!! Every day!!! Haha! Gonna play it out loud now!

    • @Tunz909
      @Tunz909 3 года назад +1

      @@canadianstudmuffin great I will be checking them out!! THANKS!!!

    • @pastakrydda
      @pastakrydda Год назад +1

      I've been a fan since -74 too!! In fact "Kimono" was the first LP i ever bought. Went to see them in -75 when they played here in Sweden. I was only 11 so mom had to go with me, but she liked them as well. And by the way, I'm a big fan of your channel too!!!

  • @annabackman3028
    @annabackman3028 2 года назад +7

    'Halfnelson' was released 1971, rereleased 1972.
    'A Woofer In a Tweeter's Clothing' came out 1972 as well.
    It was a couple of songs from 'A Woofer' that opened the door to England.
    Ron and Russell moved there 1973, wrote new songs, put together a new band and recorded 'Kimono My House' which was released in the spring 1974.
    The rest is history, as they say 😃

  • @edwardthorne9875
    @edwardthorne9875 2 года назад +6

    Yes, take a deeper dive. Even their weaker albums have some tremendous songs on them. I have grown up with these gentlemen, and think everything from the lyrics, the performances, the production, the humor are second to none. They tackle subjects even the Beatles would never touch. Like, say, the pride of having a moustache where 'One hundred hairs make the man'. Except, 'The only time that I feel bad, is when they guess the lunch I've had...'. That's good songwriting!

  • @forceofnature1662
    @forceofnature1662 Год назад +1

    I've been a fan since 1974, when I first saw them live.

  • @KlipsenTube
    @KlipsenTube 9 месяцев назад +1

    My big sister introduced me to them around 1973 - and i hated them! Then they grew on me, and I love many of their songs, mostly from the first two albums, but also later ones.
    To me, they're essentially 1970's, because I knew them when they were huge ... and saw them fade in popularity through the early 80's, if not earlier.

  • @bigguys45s29
    @bigguys45s29 2 года назад +4

    Truly an incredible music documentary

  • @tedparkinson6892
    @tedparkinson6892 4 месяца назад

    I saw them on Don Kirshner's Rock Concert back in the 70's. They were performing "Get in the Swing" which is still one of my favourite songs. But Russel was jumping around in 'rock star' mode and Ron was rolling his eyes, and I thought "who are these guys"?? Loved them and bought Indiscreet and Propaganda and Kimono My House. All brilliant! I was -so- excited to finally see them live in 2022 and 2023!! I'm very happy they are still "doing it" and I really love A Steady Drip, Drip, Drip, one of their later albums. Check out the video for Lawnmower!

  • @DanHintz
    @DanHintz Год назад +5

    for the record, devo started in 1973, not the late 70s. but yeah, sparks go way back to the early 70s glam era. i have always thought sparks to be much akin to godley and creme and/or 10cc. brilliant songcraft and excellent live shows and videos for 50 years. i have found that nearly all smart people know of and love sparks.

  • @dailowe
    @dailowe Год назад +2

    Saw them at York University in 1975, and on my 50th birthday in 2002, touring Li'l Beethoven. Amazing variety and consistency down the years. Number One Song in Heaven sort of kickstarted techno (working with Moroder)

  • @bandcouver
    @bandcouver 3 года назад +4

    I like every song on their latest album 'A Steady Drip Drip Drip'. I have a long running radio show ,( 25 years this May), on Co-op Radio in Vancouver. I aired every single song from their latest which is unheard of with any album on my show. Also check out the 'Hippopotamus' album, the 'Propaganda' album ,(which introduced me to the band, as well as BBC 6 for their latest 3 albums and more), the full version of 'Dick Around' gets repeated play on my virtual DJ program on my laptop at work ,(which is a live music venue/restaurant called LanaLou's), been getting a chuckle out of 'Goofing Off', and some songs from their collaboration with Franz Ferdinand: 'Collaborations Don't Work', 'Police Encounters', 'Johnny Delusional'.....Also: 'I Can't Believe That You Would Fall For All The Crap In This Song', 'Eaten By The Monster Of Love', 'I Predict', 'My Baby's Taking Me Home', 'Lighten Up, Morrissey', 'What the Hell Is It This Time' and one that I was playing the s**t out of for a while: "Edith Piaf (Said It Better Than Me)". Happy Listening. ruclips.net/video/v5jtqCo43WM/видео.html ruclips.net/video/oC0rzv1j8Zc/видео.html and ruclips.net/video/m18BXOZ05mM/видео.html

  • @Tunz909
    @Tunz909 3 года назад +6

    Macca did a video called "Coming Up"where he is pictured playing all the instruments, he's even playing an organ and he is dressed up like the keyboard player in this group!!! so maybe McCartney liked this band way back when!!??

  • @davidm1675
    @davidm1675 3 года назад +4

    Two of my favorite Sparks albums are:
    Angst In My Pants (1982)
    In Outer Space (1983)

    • @zanyzander
      @zanyzander 2 года назад +1

      These 2 albums are in my top 10 sparks albums.

    • @aaronzook9540
      @aaronzook9540 Год назад +1

      I adore Angst In My Pants. A terribly overlooked, brilliant album. The title track is one of my very favorites from the band.

  • @liveitup67
    @liveitup67 Год назад +1

    My older sister (two years older than me) first picked up on Sparks with ''This Town Aint Big Enough'', which was a moderate hit in Australia in '74. I became aware of them in 1979 when I saw the video for ''Beat The Clock''.
    It was the 1980 single ''When I'm With You'' that got to be a real hit in Australia the following year (# 17). And that's about all I got to share...

  • @cwjackowitz
    @cwjackowitz Год назад +1

    Listen to Sparks, and read all the lyrics, and you might fall in love with them. Pick up their Best of... Past Tense.

  • @nortenorancio4884
    @nortenorancio4884 Год назад

    Saw their video "I Married Myself" on my feed and from the title alone I knew I had to give it a listen, I was not disapointed

  • @MultiPetercool
    @MultiPetercool Год назад

    I spent the summer of ‘75 living with my Aunt in Germany. Sparks was everywhere on German TV and radio.

  • @girpo
    @girpo Год назад +2

    💥💥💥SPARKS FOREVER!! 💥💥💥

  • @AnthonyKiyola
    @AnthonyKiyola 3 года назад +4

    I had never heard of them until I discovered the Canadian Studmuffin channel five years ago. I have tried listening to them but I can't get into them. I think I heard that one of the Japanese women on the Kimono My House cover sang the Japanese lyrics on the Badfinger song Nobody Knows..... I think that's the song. I might check out the documentary but I still have to see Get Back first.

  • @333wheeler
    @333wheeler 3 года назад +5

    Most old die hard UK fans first heard them on Top of the pops with the debut single This Town which went to Number 2 . Then purchased Kimono and Propaganda albums.. working back to the 1st two American albums which started to hit the shelves as the interest peaked , Indiscreet followed .. . The real hardcore UK fans remained to follow the rest of the out put from Big Beat onwards to this very day...

  • @safersects4633
    @safersects4633 Год назад

    “Cool Places” was a satirical jab at the vacuousness of the lyrics accompanying most dance music at the time. Ironically (or, perhaps not) it was their biggest U.S. hit. Would recommend 1975’s ‘Indiscreet’ & 2020’s ‘A Steady Drip, Drip, Drip.’

  • @mickshrimpton6494
    @mickshrimpton6494 3 года назад +5

    ya nobody talks about them, which is weird considering their longevity and catalogue. my intro to them was from the movie rollercoaster lol

  • @Tunz909
    @Tunz909 3 года назад +2

    going to check it out now on Netflix, thanks for the heads up

    • @Tunz909
      @Tunz909 3 года назад

      @@Flowerbranche oh my sorry , it 's a great full length movie 2 and half hours...details almost their whole catalog!!

  • @gurgisjones1120
    @gurgisjones1120 Год назад

    I especially like albums "Big Beat", "Introducing Sparks", and "Terminal Jive". Have known about them since about 1982.

  • @Tunz909
    @Tunz909 3 года назад +3

    At 8:53 "Coming Up" video..always wondered who Paul was portraying on the organ!!! really at 8:54

  • @ramonpedroza6
    @ramonpedroza6 Год назад +1

    I recommend Kimono My House there is great songs there. And they way the evolved in to the 2000 you must hear Lil’ Beethoven is to me their masterpiece but all albums have many interesting brilliance musically, that will show how underrated they being and how they influence many many Artist from Depeche Mode to Siouxsie And the Banshees who have covered their songs

  • @prime_time_youtube
    @prime_time_youtube Год назад

    Great review! My fave song is "This town ain't big enough.

  • @wipeout2098
    @wipeout2098 3 года назад +2

    Bjork, Morrissey, and Faith No More are also all big Sparks fans, which shows Sparks influence on wildly different musicians. Morrissey even played the Sparks song "Lighten Up Morrissey" before concerts!

  • @ollebergstrom4310
    @ollebergstrom4310 3 года назад +7

    Hi TJR, Try Lil´ Beethoven. One of the best albums from these magnificent brothers.

  • @snpok524
    @snpok524 Год назад +4

    What is it with Americans they have never heard of Sparks, it's unbelievable.

    • @TJRtheOriginal
      @TJRtheOriginal  Год назад

      It’s just one of those “lost in the pond” kind of things.
      Like Kate Bush.
      It would be great if Sparks got a “Stranger Things” kind’ve boost here in the US.

    • @broederbond60
      @broederbond60 Год назад

      So true, even ones who should.

  • @forbiddenyoungones
    @forbiddenyoungones 3 года назад +3

    I have always thought of them as a very quirky British band.
    We have produced many quirky bands in the UK.
    I am not surprised you had not heard of them.
    I am sure there are many niche American bands you could name which I never heard of in the UK.
    It’s always nice to discover something new.

  • @michaelepstein5447
    @michaelepstein5447 Год назад +1

    I'm a Sparks fan since 1975. Saw them in 1977 in Berkeley. Playing from Kimono, Propaganda, and Indiscreet, they had excellent musicians on top of the fact that Russell and Ron were an incredible show just by themselves. Personally, I like the weird early two albums more than pretty much anything after Big Beat (6th).

  • @erikahlander3489
    @erikahlander3489 Год назад

    On way to approach information is through comparing Wikipedia in different languages. Here is a paragraph from Swedish Wiki translated to English: "During their years as students at UCLA, the Mael brothers had worked on the side styling models for clothing catalogs. This would greatly influence the creation of their now legendary music, their crazy stage performances, their innovative but old fashioned outfits (see Ron Mael's mustache) and album covers that are all absolutely bursting with energy, winks to the world of fashion and to other genres of music."
    This information is lacking (or was?) in English Wiki...
    Like Jimi Hendrix it seems they have to move to UK to break through. I think they were quit big here in Sweden during the 70s. I saw them in Swedish TV at least once back then. "Indiscreet" is my favourite album - but I probably bought it many years later. Music was expensive.

  • @johnde2754
    @johnde2754 Год назад +1

    Danny DeVito was hosting Saturday Night Live in the eighties and introduced this band as the musical guest. DeVito looked at the older brother after he made some strange statement as if he had a few loose screws. They then proceeded to play their "Mickey Mouse" song. Unfortunately can not find that video anywhere on the internet. Searched everywhere because it was a hilarious exchange between these two. 🤔. 🔚

  • @Tunz909
    @Tunz909 3 года назад +3

    okay there we go, Paul's "Coming Up" video is used wow!!!

  • @1rwjwith
    @1rwjwith 3 года назад +4

    Great band

  • @Love_Street
    @Love_Street 3 года назад +3

    I agree with Tom , start out on propaganda then work your way back to the first album. Basically 1971- 1977 then take it from there.

  • @jameswilson7084
    @jameswilson7084 3 года назад +2

    I only know them from the song they did with Jane Wiedlin (from The Go-Go's). I have it on a Jane Wiedlin Best Of CD. I hear about them all the time from other RUclipsrs I follow, but never check them out. Maybe when that documentary airs in my neck of the woods, I'll finally be swayed to give them a proper shot.

    • @johnwalsh128
      @johnwalsh128 2 года назад

      They did 2 songs with Jane wiedlin, cool places, and lucky me, lucky you on the album 'in outer space'

  • @robinsmith7436
    @robinsmith7436 Год назад +1

    Concerning SPARKS: Out of hundreds of songs that I really like, try these four which I find either brilliant, hilarious or trend setting (probably all three). Find the lyrics online and listen to the songs a couple of times, you'll enjoy them much more: CHANGE, SUBURBAN HOMEBOY, WHEN I'M WITH YOU, and MY BABY'S TAKING ME HOME.

  • @PhyllisJay
    @PhyllisJay 2 года назад +3

    I find it quite bizarre how so many haven’t even heard of them. Particularly Americans! 🤷🏼‍♀️

  • @cutthr0atjake
    @cutthr0atjake Год назад

    26 albums now!
    Also in the early 70's they toured with Queen as their support band.

  • @briannewell6064
    @briannewell6064 3 года назад +5

    "I Predict" is one of their more accessible tunes. Seen it, loved it and am digging out all my Sparks albums for a long overdue listen.

    • @Tunz909
      @Tunz909 3 года назад +1

      thanks going to check it out if its on RUclips?

    • @danbergstrom6058
      @danbergstrom6058 3 года назад

      I remember seeing them play this song on TV, when I was a kid. It might have been on SNL, or Fridays.

  • @Chad_Lawrence
    @Chad_Lawrence 2 года назад +1

    Albums Profile: the Ultimate Sparks Collection and Hello Young Lovers

  • @jupitermadcat
    @jupitermadcat 3 года назад +3

    Great band!

  • @Videolandexpress
    @Videolandexpress 3 года назад +3

    They had all these videos ready for any platform before the creation of MTV but instead we got Bon Jovi shoved down our throats 24/7. No wonder why that channel crashed.

  • @broederbond60
    @broederbond60 Год назад

    Great presentation, why don't you buy all 26?

  • @iconicshrubbery
    @iconicshrubbery 2 года назад +1

    1971 - 77 guitars, rock-pop 1980-90 synths, pop, 1994- 2000 techno pop 2002-2022 repetitious motive orchestral sound. 2009 radio opera, spoken and sung in English/Swedish. Trying to classify the unclassifiable.

  • @randyping6036
    @randyping6036 Год назад

    Monster of Love ❤❤❤

  • @stevejohnson9234
    @stevejohnson9234 2 месяца назад

    Loved this band

  • @acsoccerlunch
    @acsoccerlunch 3 года назад +2

    Canadian studmuffin brought me here!

  • @gerardfletcher1203
    @gerardfletcher1203 3 года назад +3

    KIMINO MY HOUSE. AND PREOPAGANDA AND NO I IN HEAVEN. BEAT THE CLOCK

  • @mikeperez4819
    @mikeperez4819 Год назад

    Props to Todd Rundgren for producing the 1st album

  • @GrampaGrizzle
    @GrampaGrizzle Год назад +1

    Thank God it's not Christmas

  • @MichaelNoland-TheBottomLine
    @MichaelNoland-TheBottomLine 2 года назад

    What about a band you have heard of, but maybe (?) haven’t listened to?
    Jo-Jo Gunne anyone?

  • @tyronerodgers
    @tyronerodgers 3 года назад +3

    Surprised you haven’t heard of them! Aren’t they from California?!

  • @psytrance9449
    @psytrance9449 Год назад

    I've been a sparks fan since the early 80's & the first rwo albums i heard of theirs is big beat & propaganda & i used to have the single of this town isn't big enough & amature hour & beat the clock which i had on single & the 12 inch record of which was a blue colour,yet i don't like all their songs & yet they have did a lot i do like too.

  • @Tunz909
    @Tunz909 3 года назад

    what label are they on?? Why didn't the label promote them then??

  • @stephanegosselin2861
    @stephanegosselin2861 3 года назад +3

    They have been around forever... watch Rollercoaster 🤔

    • @babettesfeast6347
      @babettesfeast6347 Год назад

      Do we have to? The film’s terrible apart from Sparks

  • @garysanderson3997
    @garysanderson3997 2 года назад

    Superfan gets it...

  • @Tunz909
    @Tunz909 3 года назад

    Is this showing on Netflix now??

    • @Tunz909
      @Tunz909 3 года назад

      @Evan Warren Very informative, have to give these brothers credit, they persevere!!! Great movie!! I'm just amazed and bewildered of their record company's promotion people. I'm a musician and have followed popular music all my life, I'm 70..and this is the first time I'm even hearing their name. Although I'm McCartney following geek, was able to recall Paul's imitation of a keyboard player in "Coming Up"...just had no idea who he was imitating!!:-)..thanks!

    • @gaskellr44
      @gaskellr44 Год назад

      @@Tunz909 If you've followed pop music for this long, how could you have missed a quality band like this, especially as they have had quite a few big hits? Maybe, too much Stock A & Waterman on the radio with your breakfast.

    • @brucetowell3432
      @brucetowell3432 Год назад

      @@gaskellr44 Have no idea, maybe their songs were played on FM? "Stock A and Waterman"?? thanks and God Bless Bruce

    • @gaskellr44
      @gaskellr44 Год назад

      @@brucetowell3432 Ah, if you are in the US as I suspect due to not knowing S A & W but that's no big loss, but I thought going by your age and also as you declared, knowing a lot about Pop music would be hard to never have heard of them or heard any of their songs...especially big hits like No 1 song in heaven or This town aint big enough......Anyway, sounds like you have a lot of catching up to do of their mostly great catalog.

    • @brucetowell3432
      @brucetowell3432 Год назад

      @@gaskellr44 How old are you? Ray, I've been listening to pop music since I was around 6 years of age. Crucify me, I'm an American. Where were you brought up that allowed you to immerse yourself in so much more great music than my ears ever listened to? I'm very jealous!!! God Bless!!:-)

  • @paddymitchell4995
    @paddymitchell4995 Год назад

    Don't believe for one minute that you had never heard of Sparks.

  • @gaskellr44
    @gaskellr44 Год назад

    Were they that open? I'm not so sure really, they may have let you in on some basic, everyday stuff, but nothing really about their personal life. They also throw you at the end with a run of Qs and ans that could easily be fallacies.

  • @tonyfrancesco3701
    @tonyfrancesco3701 2 года назад +1

    I think Queen learned a lot From Sparks !
    Not a big stones fan , but Sparks , they thought out of the box , incredibly innovative.
    Jagger was a cheap imitation of Mr James Brown and then the copy of a copy was Steven Tyler.
    Two great innovators, James Brown, and Sparks

  • @johnwalsh128
    @johnwalsh128 2 года назад +2

    Some great song titles are, so tell me Mrs. Lincoln, aside from that how was the play. Your call is very important to us, please hold. How to get your ass kicked. I can't believe that you would fall for all the crap in this song. Suburban homeboy. And throw her away and get a new one. To name a few.

  • @ANTHONYBADESSA-v9f
    @ANTHONYBADESSA-v9f Год назад

    Start with Propaganda then Kimons My House. Later lps Hello Young Lovers and Lil’ Beethoven

  • @227716689
    @227716689 2 года назад +1

    I admit that I have never heard of them.

  • @vambo13257
    @vambo13257 Год назад

    Sparks 1st 3 albums are great, after that, ehh. Roxy Music invented the 80's