"This Town" is somehow simultaneously The Skids and Queen
But when New Wave actually happened, instead of claiming their geeky-shrieky stiff-rhythmed prize alongside XTC et al, Sparks went full blown Eurodisco / synthpop with Giorgio at the electronic helm.
Shot themselves in the foot a bit by putting "number one" in the title, but only getting to #14 or something like that. Incredible song, though, with a breakdown that anticipates acid house.
Marvelous video - and I love the breakdown when it drops down to drums + pulse and the song seems to whoosh.
I didn't know this was even a single off the Number One in Heaven album
After a couple more, less impressive efforts with the Moroder camp...
... Sparks did actually go Noo Wave - in the early 80s, but a bit too late to benefit.
Russell + Ron even collaborated with ultra-Noo Waver Jane Wieldlin ex-Go Go
On this single off Angst in My Pants, the sound is almost Joan Jett but the imagery is glammy with some saucy cross-dressing
Rewind to the start - briefly glimpsed in the "This Town Ain't Big Enough" video was the bassist on Kimono, Martin Gordon - whose services were dispensed with swiftly because he wanted to contribute songs and I suspect because he was a photogenic rival to the Mael Bros. Shame cos his plunging prominent B-lines add muscle and melody to the Sparks sound.
Gordon would then form the late glam groop Jet (too late, alas, for success) with someone from Jook and some ex-John's Children personnel (J's C = protoglam AND protopunk if you think about it)
Love the very Mael-like Gilbert & Sullivan-ish delivery on that tune, sung by Andy Ellison
Jet would nosedive after just one album - but then swiftly re-ascend in reinvented form as the New Wave / pop punk outfit Radio Stars
And actually got on Top of the Pops finally - third time lucky for the ex-John's Childreners.
Gordon reminds me a little of Graham Lewis from Wire.
Musically and image-wise, it's sort of a bit like the Vibrators. Clean punk. The hair well-washed.
Bob Harris has trimmed his hair, but he won't be holding onto the Whistle Test seat for much longer.
A great little interview with the Mael bros that I drew from in the book - with Sally James of Saturday Scene (and later Tiswas)
Maels not pictured, but just everybody else is...
$25 ! But i had to have it...
I think Yello were the true heirs of Sparks - that same intersection between sophisticated and wacky.
ReplyDeleteGood point. They both also had a fascination for the aristocracy and old money. Well Dieter came from the later. He was a gentleman Dadaist.
ReplyDeleteAssociates were big Sparks fans too. And Billy Mackenzie guested on a later Yello album.
Yello were Sparks with two Rons and no Russells. The Associates were Sparks with two Russells and no Rons.
ReplyDeletehahaha. classic!
DeleteI don't mind a bit of a plunge now and again.
ReplyDeleteMartin Gordon.