I recently got pretty addicted to Whomp That Sucker. Just a really stupid and fun album. "They call it the WIIIIILLLYYYYYS!!" *bwwooooomp*
― frogbs, Monday, 3 January 2011 14:16 (thirteen years ago) link
April 24 - Philadelphia, Trocadero TheatreApril 25 - New York City, Highline Ballroom
YES
― cwkiii, Wednesday, 13 March 2013 00:21 (eleven years ago) link
VERY exciting !Looks like Boston is maybe out of the question, but if I wait for them to come here, I'll never see em.
Can't wait.
― mr.raffles, Wednesday, 13 March 2013 00:32 (eleven years ago) link
just got tix for nyc. SO stoked.
― mr.raffles, Thursday, 14 March 2013 14:31 (eleven years ago) link
oh fuck
― My Sunn0))), My Sunn0))), What Have Ye Drone? (wins), Wednesday, 10 April 2013 02:20 (eleven years ago) link
this live album
They're just that good!
LA standalone show a week from tonight...
― Ned Raggett, Wednesday, 10 April 2013 02:44 (eleven years ago) link
...and Portland on the 21st
― sleeve, Wednesday, 10 April 2013 02:44 (eleven years ago) link
That is quite a tracklist.
Isn't it time we had an actual new Sparks album? Almost five years since Exotic Creatures now. I know they've done that soundtrack inbetween but I'm ready for a new album now.
― Kitchen Person, Wednesday, 10 April 2013 02:50 (eleven years ago) link
me too! on the live album russell says that theyre planning on developing the bergman thing yet further, and much as I love it I really wanna see where they go next
best fucking band
― My Sunn0))), My Sunn0))), What Have Ye Drone? (wins), Wednesday, 10 April 2013 03:02 (eleven years ago) link
http://blogs.sfweekly.com/shookdown/2013/04/sparks_interview_the_chapel_sa.php
next album to be "unorthodox musical"
only a couple weeks til nyc!
― mr.raffles, Wednesday, 10 April 2013 03:35 (eleven years ago) link
One of those "Gutted the BBC wiped the performance" was "Looks Looks Looks" on Top of the Pops.
I mean, as far as I can tell all the others survive.
― Mark G, Wednesday, 10 April 2013 06:49 (eleven years ago) link
Going to see them in Philly in a few weeks! Literally can't remember the last time I was this excited about anything.
― cwkiii, Wednesday, 10 April 2013 15:22 (eleven years ago) link
Yeah, can't wait for the LA shows next week! The live album is lovely -- I wonder if there'll be many changes to the setlist. Would be surprised if they didn't throw in an extra LA-era number or two.
There's an interview with Russell late in this Sparks special where he mentions that they're hard at work on the next project (not many additional details though):http://www.eastvillageradio.com/content/content.php?id=5923
― Vaguely Threatening CAPTCHAs, Wednesday, 10 April 2013 21:42 (eleven years ago) link
seeing them tonight! can't wait
― geeta, Wednesday, 10 April 2013 22:09 (eleven years ago) link
And if you can't make any of the shows, webcast from Coachella tonight! 7:35 Pacific Time, Mojave Stage
http://www.youtube.com/coachella
― Ned Raggett, Friday, 12 April 2013 15:41 (eleven years ago) link
Any reviews of the shows? They are in NY soon. I have never seen them, very curious.
― Badmotorfinger Debate Club (MFB), Friday, 12 April 2013 17:11 (eleven years ago) link
Coachella show OOOOOOOMMMMMMGGGGGGGG!!!!! That was so fun!
― New Authentic Everybootsy Collins (Dan Peterson), Saturday, 13 April 2013 04:09 (eleven years ago) link
I got the Halfnelson pressing of the first album today. haven't seen that one before.
― wk, Saturday, 13 April 2013 04:12 (eleven years ago) link
Loved Ron's "dance" but I think I prefer them w/ full band.
― naus, Saturday, 13 April 2013 04:13 (eleven years ago) link
I got the Halfnelson album somewhere back in the late 70s, there was actually a mini-glut of them in a cutout bin.
Yeah, while a full band show would be my preference too, in terms of doing something off-the-wall and unusual, I thought it was full of surprises. The overture! Russell's knickers! Ron looking like Burgess Meredith in the Twilight Zone "Time Enough At Last" episode! The Rhythm Thief! Sherlock Holmes! (of all the obscurities to pull out...) I actually got chills when they hit the intro to "Never Turn Your Back On Mother Earth."
― New Authentic Everybootsy Collins (Dan Peterson), Saturday, 13 April 2013 04:31 (eleven years ago) link
Sherlock Holmes! (of all the obscurities to pull out...)
oh man for REAL? I love that song, it's top of the mark on an album of classics. I wondered if running through their entire back catalog in concert those few years ago intrigued them to add a smattering of forgotten gems into rotation.
― today's tom soy yum, mean mean thai (Spectrist), Saturday, 13 April 2013 07:10 (eleven years ago) link
Yeah that's a great treasure of a song. If they had done "Nicotina," holy shit.
I actually held off on watching (similarly from picking up the live album) so I can be totally fresh for the standalone Tuesday show, which I can already tell will be INSANE.
― Ned Raggett, Saturday, 13 April 2013 14:06 (eleven years ago) link
https://sphotos-b.xx.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ash3/35027_10151500786466865_1682280846_n.jpg
― Ned Raggett, Saturday, 13 April 2013 15:55 (eleven years ago) link
Sweet! That's evidently the pic Ron snapped right at the end of the performance. The show seems to me to be more for longtime fans than to win over the young Coachella crowd, many of whom were probably just waiting for Modest Mouse.
― New Authentic Everybootsy Collins (Dan Peterson), Saturday, 13 April 2013 16:16 (eleven years ago) link
And as true professionals they did their thing!
Meantime:
http://trinikitti.deviantart.com/art/The-quot-Mael-quot-ection-157130321
― Ned Raggett, Saturday, 13 April 2013 20:31 (eleven years ago) link
"But the power of Mega man is on -my- side, Ron!" Russell shouted and jumped up and down
nailed russell
― ok let's all fuck our pants to something new (wins), Saturday, 13 April 2013 20:34 (eleven years ago) link
Chilling in the Masonic Hall and all well.
― Ned Raggett, Wednesday, 17 April 2013 03:38 (eleven years ago) link
great show in Portland tonight! them imitating each other was classic, and the duo lineup is really interesting - songs stripped down to the core.
― my mental killfile seems to be working (sleeve), Monday, 22 April 2013 08:24 (eleven years ago) link
"I've got the knobs on my side, Russell" Albert Steptoe Ron.
― Mark G, Monday, 22 April 2013 08:32 (eleven years ago) link
omfg did loads of sparks just disappear off spotify?!
less urgently: does anyone know if there are any plans to release the 21 london concerts from a few years back? They were recorded, right/
― what's the crime, mr rolf? (wins), Wednesday, 24 April 2013 00:40 (eleven years ago) link
Recorded, yes. Released...who knows. Thank goodness I saw the basic netstream of the whole thing.
― Ned Raggett, Wednesday, 24 April 2013 01:12 (eleven years ago) link
man can't we kickstart this
also does anyone know what's up with the spotify thing?
― what's the crime, mr rolf? (wins), Wednesday, 24 April 2013 01:15 (eleven years ago) link
oh actually nm, the stuff is disappeared unless you click on the album name
― what's the crime, mr rolf? (wins), Wednesday, 24 April 2013 01:17 (eleven years ago) link
Philly show was so great! A couple pleasant surprises in the setlist, and the duo lineup really works. Russell's voice has held up surprisingly well! They announced that they will be at Cannes this year attempting to procure backing to make The Seduction of Ingmar Bergman into a film!
― cwkiii, Thursday, 25 April 2013 15:28 (eleven years ago) link
The Portland show was incredible, but I think I walked in a little late. Does anybody have the setlist for that show? I see people talking about Sherlock Holmes being played and I'm really hoping I didn't miss that.
― Non-Stop Erotic Calculus (bmus), Thursday, 25 April 2013 15:49 (eleven years ago) link
http://www.setlist.fm/setlist/sparks/2013/aladdin-theater-portland-or-13d835b9.html
― cwkiii, Thursday, 25 April 2013 17:42 (eleven years ago) link
Linked this on the other thread
http://thequietus.com/articles/12088-sparks-masonic-hall-hollywood-forever-cemetery
― Ned Raggett, Thursday, 25 April 2013 17:44 (eleven years ago) link
thank you for that setlist! xp
― Flat Of NAGLs (sleeve), Thursday, 25 April 2013 22:22 (eleven years ago) link
I've been repeatedly playing the Two Hands One Mouth versions of Beat the Clock and No. 1 Song in Heaven very loudly...this is exactly the kind of thing I try to do on my synthesizer, but obviously like 100x better. Do these guys rule or what?
― frogbs, Friday, 26 April 2013 14:26 (eleven years ago) link
Yes, hearing those versions live last week was something else. Was so glad I'd held off on getting the album until I'd seen the show.
― Ned Raggett, Friday, 26 April 2013 14:28 (eleven years ago) link
Yeah, thanks for the setlist...but, crap, I missed too many songs that I love. xp
― Non-Stop Erotic Calculus (bmus), Friday, 26 April 2013 18:14 (eleven years ago) link
No problem! Yeah, when I saw where "Sherlock Holmes" fell in the set that night I felt bad. :(
― cwkiii, Friday, 26 April 2013 18:41 (eleven years ago) link
Also, on a side note: Ron's keyboard having "Ronald" instead of "Roland" stamped on it was a nice subtle touch of genius.
― cwkiii, Friday, 26 April 2013 18:44 (eleven years ago) link
Ha, he's been doing that since the 80s! Very much a stage trademark now.
― Ned Raggett, Friday, 26 April 2013 18:49 (eleven years ago) link
Proof. Also, one of the greatest moments in SNL history
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SOtvmlfxseE
― Ned Raggett, Friday, 26 April 2013 18:50 (eleven years ago) link
This is the other greatest moment, of course.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2Mq3F328Cc0
OMG, "Under The Table With Her" in the Portland setlist?! Looooooooooove! (way xposts)
― New Authentic Everybootsy Collins (Dan Peterson), Tuesday, 30 April 2013 02:22 (eleven years ago) link
More Ron/Russell only dates in fall:
As a thank you to Sparks fans for your overwhelming support of the Two Hands One Mouth tour and album, Ron and Russell announce THE REVENGE OF TWO HANDS ONE MOUTH TOUR.In FALL 2013 the tour will visit new cities in the USA and Europe (as well as some old favorites), and will feature a selection of previously unperformed songs given the THOM treatment. Dates will be announced shortly!As the guys bid adieu to the THOM format and get ready for their next album and new adventures in film and beyond, these tour dates will be the final ones of this era. So if you missed seeing them the first go-round or want to see new interpretations of more songs, catch them now before it becomes another memorable page in Sparks' history.
In FALL 2013 the tour will visit new cities in the USA and Europe (as well as some old favorites), and will feature a selection of previously unperformed songs given the THOM treatment. Dates will be announced shortly!
As the guys bid adieu to the THOM format and get ready for their next album and new adventures in film and beyond, these tour dates will be the final ones of this era. So if you missed seeing them the first go-round or want to see new interpretations of more songs, catch them now before it becomes another memorable page in Sparks' history.
― Ned Raggett, Wednesday, 5 June 2013 18:11 (eleven years ago) link
I've never looked at their website before now. Fun design!
Holy crap, they played The Neptune Theater in Seattle recently?!?! Never saw it used as a music venue.
― New Authentic Everybootsy Collins (Dan Peterson), Thursday, 6 June 2013 20:01 (eleven years ago) link
Still can't get over what a great Beatles cover this is.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MlRJn2YQN1o
In a way I think that lush, orchestrated sound feels like a direction they could(and maybe should) have pursued further, but they never did anything quite like it again. I guess the Maels have never exactly gone for the obvious.
― Pheeel, Thursday, 6 June 2013 20:51 (eleven years ago) link
They didn't go for it even then, the single got withdrawn as all the Beatles singles got reissued
― Mark G, Thursday, 6 June 2013 21:51 (eleven years ago) link
http://www.express.co.uk/entertainment/music/444355/Kanye-West-Velvet-Underground-and-Glenn-Gould-Sparks-Ron-Mael-on-his-six-best-albums
― Bailey (Collins) Lover (Eazy), Saturday, 23 November 2013 08:30 (ten years ago) link
Franz!
― Mark G, Saturday, 23 November 2013 10:03 (ten years ago) link
Had completely forgotten I'm seeing these guys tonight! On the train to London now, wishing I weren't so hungover.
― malapopism (wins), Sunday, 1 December 2013 17:20 (ten years ago) link
Apparently Thurston Moore joined them onstage at the last London show to play guitar on This Town!
― Vaguely Threatening CAPTCHAs, Sunday, 1 December 2013 17:45 (ten years ago) link
!
So jazzed for this. I'm listening to Real Extended, the comp of 12-inch mixes and holy fucking shit
the extended mixes of the moroder tunes
are
EVERYTHING
― malapopism (wins), Sunday, 1 December 2013 17:54 (ten years ago) link
This is happening20 mins You guys
― Rong Male (wins), Sunday, 1 December 2013 19:43 (ten years ago) link
SO FUCKIN GOOD
― Rong Male (wins), Sunday, 1 December 2013 22:28 (ten years ago) link
opened with "your call is v important to us" and I was p much hooked throughout. Popularity, tryouts, heaven, my way: I think the thing that will stick most from the 2h1m project is the reimagining of their fun ones as kinda drive soundtrack torch songs
― Rong Male (wins), Sunday, 1 December 2013 22:35 (ten years ago) link
And they are great for that! Glad you had a good time. Pity I had to miss the LA date for this version of the tour but it couldn't be helped!
― Ned Raggett, Sunday, 1 December 2013 23:01 (ten years ago) link
Really hoping for a sequel album, setlist was kinda perfect imo. I used "heaven" as shorthand above assuming ppl would know I meant #1 but it could also refer to "here in heaven", which they did along with falling in love with myself, bc, Carnegie, I mean this is about as precision-targeted winsbait as is possible without throwing in whomp & balls faves
― Rong Male (wins), Sunday, 1 December 2013 23:30 (ten years ago) link
i had never seen this thanks to dumb SNL music performance sharing/licensing/whatever but it's pretty great. Sparks playing "Mickey Mouse" on SNL, introduced by Danny DeVito and then Ron Mael giving a short speech about mice. https://my.mail.ru/mail/legych6621/video/3502/6358.html
― Immediate Follower (NA), Thursday, 21 July 2016 16:30 (seven years ago) link
http://allsparks.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/12/Cookie-for-website.jpg
― forgive me fader for I have sinned (wins), Thursday, 22 December 2016 18:47 (seven years ago) link
http://allsparks.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/12/Soup-for-Website.jpg
― forgive me fader for I have sinned (wins), Thursday, 22 December 2016 18:48 (seven years ago) link
&c
I'm listening to the reviled "Puling Rabbits Out of A Hat" while working, and it's...kind of going down easy? The songs are certainly peppier than the midtempo plod of some of their other lesser albums. Ned called me mad for finding "Angst in My Pants" tough to get through, and I guess I'm mad for kind of liking "Rabbits".
― Johnny Mathis der Maler (Boring, Maryland), Tuesday, 1 February 2022 15:56 (two years ago) link
Chaos reigns etc
― Ned Raggett, Tuesday, 1 February 2022 15:57 (two years ago) link