Sparks (band)
Sparks | |
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Sparks during a performance at the Royal Albert Hall in London, England, May 29, 2023. From left to right: Russell Mael (vocals) and Ron Mael (keyboards). | |
| Background information | |
| Also known as | Halfnelson |
| Origin | Pacific Palisades, California, U.S. |
| Genres |
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| Works | Discography |
| Years active | 1971–present |
| Labels |
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| Spinoffs | FFS |
| Members |
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| Past members |
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| Website | allsparks |
Sparks is an American pop and rock duo formed by brothers Ron (keyboards) and Russell Mael (vocals) in Pacific Palisades, Los Angeles in 1971. The duo is noted for their quirky approach to songwriting;[1] their music is often accompanied by sophisticated and acerbic lyrics—sometimes containing literary or cinematic references[2]—and an idiosyncratic, theatrical stage presence, typified by the contrast between Russell's animated, hyperactive frontman antics and Ron's deadpan scowling. Russell Mael has a distinctive wide-ranging voice, while Ron Mael plays keyboards in an intricate and rhythmic style. Their frequently changing styles and visual presentations have kept the band at the forefront of modern, artful pop music.[3][4]
Career highlights include the glam rock song "This Town Ain't Big Enough for Both of Us", which reached No. 2 on the UK singles chart in 1974; the disco hits "The Number One Song in Heaven" and "Beat the Clock" in 1979, resulting from a collaboration with Giorgio Moroder and marking a stylistic shift towards new wave and synth-pop; "When I'm with You", which made the Australian and French Singles Charts in 1980; the single "I Predict", which provided Sparks' first appearance on the Billboard Hot 100, reaching No. 60 in May 1982; the 1983 single "Cool Places" with the Go-Go's rhythm guitarist and backing vocalist Jane Wiedlin, and the Eurodisco song "When Do I Get to Sing 'My Way'", which was the top airplay record in Germany for 1994.[5]
The release of their nineteenth studio album Lil' Beethoven (2002), the duo's self-proclaimed "genre-defining opus", fused repetitive song structures with orchestral arrangements, and brought them renewed critical success. In 2015, the band released their sole album with Scottish indie rock band Franz Ferdinand, as the supergroup FFS, titled FFS. In 2017, returning to a rock-group format, Sparks released Hippopotamus, which entered the UK Albums Chart at no. 7,[6] as did their next album, A Steady Drip, Drip, Drip, released in 2020, bringing their tally of UK Top 10 albums to four. In 2021, Sparks were involved in two films: the Leos Carax musical film Annette for which they wrote all songs (winning the César Award for Best Original Music), and the Edgar Wright documentary The Sparks Brothers recounting the history of the band.[7][8] The band's 25th studio album The Girl Is Crying in Her Latte was released on May 26, 2023, via Island Records, and again entered the UK Albums Chart at no. 7.[9][10] Mad! was released in May 2025 and entered the UK album chart at no. 2, the duo's highest ever chart position.
- ^ Dye, David (July 13, 2006). "Sparks: Elegantly Whimsical". NPR. Retrieved September 24, 2006.
- ^ Alfvegren, Skylaire (November 4, 1998). "Shooting Off Sparks". LA Weekly. Archived from the original on December 7, 2006. Retrieved April 13, 2006.
- ^ Taylor, J.R. (July 2003). "Lively Sparks". New York Press. Vol. 16, no. 30. Archived from the original on May 27, 2006. Retrieved April 13, 2006.
- ^ Easlea, Daryl (July 2003). "Record Collector Interview: Sparks". Record Collector. No. 287. pp. 60–72. ISSN 0261-250X.
- ^ Ashlock, Jesse (August 6, 2003). "Sparks". Epitonic. Archived from the original on September 27, 2007. Retrieved September 24, 2006.
- ^ Copsey, Rob (September 15, 2017). "The National secure their first Number 1 on the Official Albums Chart with Sleep Well Beast: 'It means a lot'". Official Charts Company. Retrieved September 16, 2017.
- ^ Chiu, David (May 25, 2020). "Sparks' Ron Mael On The Duo's New Album, Upcoming Movie, And 50 Years Of Idiosyncratic Music". Forbes. Retrieved August 8, 2020.
- ^ Roxborough, Scott (February 25, 2022). "'Lost Illusions' Wins Best Film at France's Cesar Awards". The Hollywood Reporter. Retrieved February 25, 2022.
- ^ "S P A R K S on Instagram: "BREAKING NEWS! Sparks signs with #IslandRecords! New album coming May 2023! #TheGirlIsCryingInHerLatte ☕️"". Instagram. Retrieved January 24, 2023.
- ^ "Sparks | Artist | Official Charts". Official Charts Company. Retrieved May 13, 2025.