I've been relistening to No. 1 a lot this year and I think it may be a top 3 album for them, next to Kimono and Hello Young Lovers. So much unbridled joy in these songs and doggdamn do I love that little descending bass synth part in the chorus of "La Dolce Vita"
― frogbs, Thursday, 25 April 2013 15:33 (eleven years ago) link
Anyway, me on the band from last week in the Quietus
http://thequietus.com/articles/12088-sparks-masonic-hall-hollywood-forever-cemetery
― Ned Raggett, Thursday, 25 April 2013 15:59 (eleven years ago) link
At long last!
http://store.universal-music.co.uk/restofworld/exclusives/sparks-new-music-for-amnesiacs-the-ultimate-collection-box-set/invt/5037300783451
Disc 101. Wonder Girl02. Roger03. High C04. Girl From Germany05. Batteries Not Included06. Whippings and Apologies07. This Town Ain't Big Enough For Both of Us08. Amateur Hour09. Equator10. Talent Is An Asset11. Barbecutie12. Propaganda13. At Home At Work At Play14. Never Turn Your Back On Mother Earth15. Something For The Girl With Everything16. Alabamy Right17. Hospitality On Parade18. Happy Hunting Ground19. Looks, Looks, Looks20. Get In The Swing21. Miss the Start, Miss the End22. Big Boy23. Nothing To Do24. Looks Aren't Everything25. Tearing The Place ApartDisc 201. Goofing Off02. Over The Summer03. The Number One Song In Heaven04. Beat The Clock04. Tryouts For The Human Race (Unreleased Version)05. When I'm With You (LP Single Version)06. Young Girls (LP Single Version)07. Tips For Teens08. Funny Face09. I Married A Martian10. Angst In My Pants11. I Predict12. Mickey Mouse13. Eaten By The Monster Of Love14. Cool Places15. Popularity16. I Wish I Looked A Little Better17. Pretending to Be Drunk18. A Song That Sings ItselfDisc 301. Music That You Can Dance To02. Change03. Let's Get Funky04. Singing in The Shower (with Les Rita Mitsouko)05. So Important06. A Walk Down Memory Lane07. Madonna08. National Crime Awareness Week (Psycho Cut)09. Gratuitous Sax & Senseless Violins10. When Do I Get To Sing "My Way"11. (When I Kiss You) I Hear Charlie Parker Playing (Radio Edit)12. Tsui Hark (Feat. Tsui Hark & Bill Kong)13. Let's Go Surfing14. Propaganda15. Pulling Rabbits Out of A Hat16. This Town Ain't Big Enough for Both Of Us (with Faith No More)17. Bullet Train18. It's A Knockoff19. Calm Before The StormDisc 401. Concerto In Koch Minor (Wunderbar)02. The Rhythm Thief03. How Do I Get To Carnegie Hall?04. My Baby's Taking Me Home05. Suburban Homeboy06. I Married Myself07. Dick Around08. Perfume09. The Very Next Fight10. Metaphor11. As I Sit Down To Play The Organ At The Notre Dame Cathedral12. Good Morning13. Lighten Up, Morrissey14. Strange Animal15. Photoshop16. I've Never Been High17. I Am A BookwormBonus CD:Islington N1Two Hands One Mouth
01. Wonder Girl02. Roger03. High C04. Girl From Germany05. Batteries Not Included06. Whippings and Apologies07. This Town Ain't Big Enough For Both of Us08. Amateur Hour09. Equator10. Talent Is An Asset11. Barbecutie12. Propaganda13. At Home At Work At Play14. Never Turn Your Back On Mother Earth15. Something For The Girl With Everything16. Alabamy Right17. Hospitality On Parade18. Happy Hunting Ground19. Looks, Looks, Looks20. Get In The Swing21. Miss the Start, Miss the End22. Big Boy23. Nothing To Do24. Looks Aren't Everything25. Tearing The Place Apart
Disc 2
01. Goofing Off02. Over The Summer03. The Number One Song In Heaven04. Beat The Clock04. Tryouts For The Human Race (Unreleased Version)05. When I'm With You (LP Single Version)06. Young Girls (LP Single Version)07. Tips For Teens08. Funny Face09. I Married A Martian10. Angst In My Pants11. I Predict12. Mickey Mouse13. Eaten By The Monster Of Love14. Cool Places15. Popularity16. I Wish I Looked A Little Better17. Pretending to Be Drunk18. A Song That Sings Itself
Disc 3
01. Music That You Can Dance To02. Change03. Let's Get Funky04. Singing in The Shower (with Les Rita Mitsouko)05. So Important06. A Walk Down Memory Lane07. Madonna08. National Crime Awareness Week (Psycho Cut)09. Gratuitous Sax & Senseless Violins10. When Do I Get To Sing "My Way"11. (When I Kiss You) I Hear Charlie Parker Playing (Radio Edit)12. Tsui Hark (Feat. Tsui Hark & Bill Kong)13. Let's Go Surfing14. Propaganda15. Pulling Rabbits Out of A Hat16. This Town Ain't Big Enough for Both Of Us (with Faith No More)17. Bullet Train18. It's A Knockoff19. Calm Before The Storm
Disc 4
01. Concerto In Koch Minor (Wunderbar)02. The Rhythm Thief03. How Do I Get To Carnegie Hall?04. My Baby's Taking Me Home05. Suburban Homeboy06. I Married Myself07. Dick Around08. Perfume09. The Very Next Fight10. Metaphor11. As I Sit Down To Play The Organ At The Notre Dame Cathedral12. Good Morning13. Lighten Up, Morrissey14. Strange Animal15. Photoshop16. I've Never Been High17. I Am A Bookworm
Bonus CD:
Islington N1Two Hands One Mouth
― Ned Raggett, Wednesday, 14 August 2013 12:05 (ten years ago) link
12. Tsui Hark (Feat. Tsui Hark & Bill Kong)
an odd inclusion
― sleepingsignal, Wednesday, 14 August 2013 14:09 (ten years ago) link
Really wish they'd included "The Japanese Have Come and They've Bought My Number One" instead
still, lots of stuff I haven't heard yet here
― frogbs, Wednesday, 14 August 2013 14:31 (ten years ago) link
They could just as easily do a full 4 CD set like this of rarities. There is something to be said for having some kind of a proper honest to god career overview, though.
― Ned Raggett, Wednesday, 14 August 2013 14:36 (ten years ago) link
yeah, and unlike many box sets the fourth disc is just as strong as the first.
― sleepingsignal, Wednesday, 14 August 2013 14:47 (ten years ago) link
Amen, sleeping signal. That's a rarity in itself!
― mr.raffles, Wednesday, 14 August 2013 14:50 (ten years ago) link
Meantime, something interesting to note...
REVENGE TOUR UPDATE: Completely new show with 15 SONGS not previously played!!Whoa, that's right--- if you saw the Two Hands One Mouth tour, you ain't seen the Revenge of Two Hands One Mouth. Ron and Russell have announced that they have been rehearsing 'approximately 15 new songs taken from their 23 albums that were not played on the previous tour.' The new songs have been given the special Revenge of Two Hands One Mouth touch.So grab your tickets now and see what's new in Two Hands land. Below are the tour dates thus far.A few more shows are planned.NORTH AMERICA 2013OCTOBER23 Atlanta, GA (Variety Playhouse)25 Asheville, NC (Mountain Oasis Festival)27 Washington, DC (9:30 Club)28 New York, NY (Webster Hall)30 Boston, MA (Brighton Music Hall)NOVEMBER01 Montreal, QC (Le National)02 Toronto, ON (Lee's Palace)03 Hamilton, ON (This Ain't Hollywood)04 Detroit/Pontiac, MI (Crofoot Ballroom)06 Chicago, IL (Lincoln Hall)07 Chicago, IL (Lincoln Hall)09 Austin, TX (Fun Fun Fun Fest)11 Los Angeles, CA (Fonda Theatre)EUROPE 2013NOVEMBER24 London, UK (Union Chapel)25 Glasgow, UK (Arches)27 Bristol, UK (Bristol Academy) DECEMBER 01 London, UK (Union Chapel)02 London, UK (Union Chapel)04 Paris, France (Alhambra)06 Barcelona, Spain (Sala Copernico)07 Madrid, Spain (Sala Razzmatazz)
Whoa, that's right--- if you saw the Two Hands One Mouth tour, you ain't seen the Revenge of Two Hands One Mouth. Ron and Russell have announced that they have been rehearsing 'approximately 15 new songs taken from their 23 albums that were not played on the previous tour.' The new songs have been given the special Revenge of Two Hands One Mouth touch.
So grab your tickets now and see what's new in Two Hands land. Below are the tour dates thus far.A few more shows are planned.
NORTH AMERICA 2013
OCTOBER23 Atlanta, GA (Variety Playhouse)25 Asheville, NC (Mountain Oasis Festival)27 Washington, DC (9:30 Club)28 New York, NY (Webster Hall)30 Boston, MA (Brighton Music Hall)
NOVEMBER01 Montreal, QC (Le National)02 Toronto, ON (Lee's Palace)03 Hamilton, ON (This Ain't Hollywood)04 Detroit/Pontiac, MI (Crofoot Ballroom)06 Chicago, IL (Lincoln Hall)07 Chicago, IL (Lincoln Hall)09 Austin, TX (Fun Fun Fun Fest)11 Los Angeles, CA (Fonda Theatre)
EUROPE 2013
NOVEMBER24 London, UK (Union Chapel)25 Glasgow, UK (Arches)27 Bristol, UK (Bristol Academy)
DECEMBER 01 London, UK (Union Chapel)02 London, UK (Union Chapel)04 Paris, France (Alhambra)06 Barcelona, Spain (Sala Copernico)07 Madrid, Spain (Sala Razzmatazz)
Would love to catch the LA show but I am previously booked.
― Ned Raggett, Friday, 6 September 2013 05:48 (ten years ago) link
h8 myself for not listening to these guys before now
― Tip from Tae Kwon Do: (crüt), Monday, 28 October 2013 16:05 (ten years ago) link
Later is better than never.
― Ned Raggett, Monday, 28 October 2013 16:54 (ten years ago) link
Except Never isn't hosted by Jools Holland.
― Mark G, Monday, 28 October 2013 17:13 (ten years ago) link
http://www.nme.com/news/franz-ferdinand/75354#9
Franz Ferdinand and Sparks working on joint album
― Johnny Fever, Friday, 7 February 2014 19:10 (ten years ago) link
Great news, this. Like I've muttered elsewhere, it's very unsurprising; they've had a huge mutual admiration society going for years now, and it's just another great 'who knew?' twist in Maeldom, beyond the occasional collaborations they've done with others. A tour would be interesting after the Two Hands/One Mouth setup.
― Ned Raggett, Friday, 7 February 2014 19:35 (ten years ago) link
Anyway, here's the Stuart Maconie radio special on the band from earlier today:
http://downloads.bbc.co.uk/podcasts/radio4/r4choice/r4choice_20140311-1134a.mp3
― Ned Raggett, Tuesday, 11 March 2014 21:00 (ten years ago) link
OH HELLO YOU.
Because I had to stop posting Sparks links on twitter, I'll post this here instead. Motiv8 remix of "Now That I Own The BBC"
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=o-yKXQMYHp8
― Britain's Obtusest Shepherd (Alan), Tuesday, 11 March 2014 21:57 (ten years ago) link
Whole lotta Sparks threads, but I cannot see that anyone's mentioned "The Final Derriere" yet, so here it is.
'The Final Derriere’ is excerpted from the Guy Maddin and Evan Johnson film The Forbidden Room, screened at the IMAX London, on October 9th 2015 as part of the BFI London Film Festival and in select cinemas from December 2015.Ron Mael and Russell Mael of Sparks were commissioned to write a song for a segment of the film that concerns a gentleman (Udo Kier) who is “plagued by bottoms” and seeks out a doctor (André Wilms) to surgically eliminate the desire, a desire fanned by “Master Passion” (Geraldine Chaplin). Special appearance by Charlotte Rampling.
Ron Mael and Russell Mael of Sparks were commissioned to write a song for a segment of the film that concerns a gentleman (Udo Kier) who is “plagued by bottoms” and seeks out a doctor (André Wilms) to surgically eliminate the desire, a desire fanned by “Master Passion” (Geraldine Chaplin). Special appearance by Charlotte Rampling.
― Enter nothing in the dialog and click 'OK' (Øystein), Monday, 26 October 2015 22:40 (eight years ago) link
And here's their Christmas single. Really.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FdQ4pLaPuYw
― Ned Raggett, Friday, 20 November 2015 21:59 (eight years ago) link
new single "you've every right to be a dick" is wonderful. Sparks write the best satirical tunes. "baby can i invade your country?" from a few years back was great too.
― well bissogled trotters (Michael B), Thursday, 17 May 2018 13:01 (six years ago) link
I know it's miming to payback but they're just so great to watch.
https://www.sonuma.be/archive/sparks-thanks-but-no-thanks
― MaresNest, Saturday, 5 January 2019 13:09 (five years ago) link
I love that song.
― Never Turn Your Back On Virginia Woolf (Tom D.), Saturday, 5 January 2019 13:50 (five years ago) link
V nice
― Mark G, Saturday, 5 January 2019 14:12 (five years ago) link
Hah I loved that song for years before finally realizing what it was really about
― frogbs, Saturday, 5 January 2019 16:44 (five years ago) link
Uh, what's it about?
― Mark G, Saturday, 5 January 2019 18:11 (five years ago) link
... Really?
― Mark G, Saturday, 5 January 2019 18:12 (five years ago) link
Predatory paedophiles, surely?
― Never Turn Your Back On Virginia Woolf (Tom D.), Saturday, 5 January 2019 18:24 (five years ago) link
It’s about avoiding child molesters on the way home from school isn’t it?
― frogbs, Saturday, 5 January 2019 18:24 (five years ago) link
... real or imagined.
Mmmmmmm
Nah
― Mark G, Saturday, 5 January 2019 18:25 (five years ago) link
I can see what you mean, but...
I always had it as being in the army, posted to his hometown etc.
― Mark G, Saturday, 5 January 2019 18:27 (five years ago) link
Army always tell you to go straight home to your parents at 3pm
― sans lep (sic), Saturday, 5 January 2019 18:34 (five years ago) link
Where does it say that?
― Mark G, Saturday, 5 January 2019 18:36 (five years ago) link
I'm surprised this thread doesn't have my "I got this album from Ron and Russ" story, but I'm sure its somewhere on ilx so hey.
― Mark G, Saturday, 5 January 2019 18:39 (five years ago) link
Army officers are promoted based on height, that's why they are 2 feet taller (I should know of course)
― Colonel Poo, Saturday, 5 January 2019 18:40 (five years ago) link
Where does it say that?The first line is:Don't dilly-dally, come right homeand the first verse further contextualises:It’s 3 o’clock and here they come...But I've been ordered not to stall...My orders come from high above meAbout a foot or two above meThe first line having already established that these orders come from people at the singer’s home, those people (a foot or two above him) are specified in the second verse:I hate to hurt their feelings soBut I'm supposed to tell them noMy parents say the world is cruelI think that they prefer it cruel
― sans lep (sic), Saturday, 5 January 2019 18:51 (five years ago) link
Sorry, Mark, that is just bizarre! I've never been in any doubt what it's about.
― Never Turn Your Back On Virginia Woolf (Tom D.), Saturday, 5 January 2019 18:56 (five years ago) link
OK, you guys win
― Mark G, Saturday, 5 January 2019 21:35 (five years ago) link
I suppose that's what happens when you decide what it means at age 14.
So, does anyone want to disavow from me what "BC" is about?
― Mark G, Saturday, 5 January 2019 21:39 (five years ago) link
Recently uploaded in its entirety, unedited and in great quality, this is peak.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_BJMzW77u9I
― MaresNest, Friday, 25 January 2019 17:48 (five years ago) link
Ta very schön
― Mark G, Friday, 25 January 2019 18:20 (five years ago) link
Ausgezeichnet!
Wonder how well Ron's mid-70s look went down with the German audiences of the time...
― a passing spacecadet, Friday, 25 January 2019 23:12 (five years ago) link
He probably didn't look that much like Hitler to them.
― Mark G, Saturday, 26 January 2019 16:44 (five years ago) link
tbf Hitler never had a perm
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=H62a5TkohK0
― The Corbynite Maneuver (Tom D.), Friday, 17 April 2020 13:41 (four years ago) link
Those kids are really determined to dance.
― The Corbynite Maneuver (Tom D.), Friday, 17 April 2020 13:44 (four years ago) link
https://pbs.twimg.com/media/EVzQVZNX0AA3IU4.jpg
― mookieproof, Friday, 17 April 2020 14:16 (four years ago) link
You have what in your pants!
― frogbs, Friday, 17 April 2020 14:16 (four years ago) link
From memory, German journalists have always described Ron's moustache as Chaplinesque, rather than being modelled on Hitler. As the German magazine Spex put it in 2008:
»Hitler's playing piano on Top Of The Pops!« This is what many Brits felt when they saw Sparks on the popular BBC music show in 1974. Ron Mael played his keyboard with a stoical Buster Keaton gaze above his Chaplin moustache.
I seem to remember that the moustache once got them banned by a French TV station though.
― Portsmouth Bubblejet, Friday, 17 April 2020 14:23 (four years ago) link
why don't you PLEEEEEEEEEASEgo with me underground
― budo jeru, Monday, 15 June 2020 15:45 (three years ago) link
relistening to all my Sparks stuff. I'm kind of amused how they wound up aping Devo as Devo themselves were sliding into irrelevancy. you can definitely draw a line between Pulling Rabbits Out of a Hat and Shout & Interior Design and Total Devo
surprised to find there are actually a few tunes on those albums I do like. "The Toughest Girl in Town" from Interior Design is actually quite good. and "Madonna" does make me laugh, I kinda love Sparks in "trying to be boring" mode
― frogbs, Wednesday, 5 August 2020 21:46 (three years ago) link
Other than the singles, I've never heard anything in between Pulling Rabbits Out of a Hat and Balls. I've owned a copy of Interior Design for probably at least 10 years by now, but that little picture of Ron without a mustache on the back cover scares me too much to play it.
― cwkiii, Wednesday, 5 August 2020 22:24 (three years ago) link