I probably prefer this live version to the studio one. It has a little added "oomph" which helps the song bare its teeth. And Ron is on fantastic form.
@222toons I would see SPARKS at The Whiskey and play pool parties in LA in 70/71, just before they made their way to England....the rest is history. Are you familiar with Martin Gordan's band JET (not the Aussie band), that first album they put out is worth hunting down if you like the English era SPARKS.
Not sure how similar Mael/FM are. Light/mock opera are common influence, barely. by 11/'74 of Spark's Propaganda, Queen II was released 3/'74 - had nothing of this manic gilbert & sullivan-art rock/proto-new wave. Queen II era had burlesque blues (see what a fool), wall of sound pop, baroque queenish rock-pop, bo rhap-ish epic, bizzare metal. Sheer heart attack 11/'74 even more varied, had nothing Mael-like except 1% falsetto. FM solo was bipolar: MOR/torch disco; opera+pop-rock of Barcelona.
This band seems to be quite Queen-ish. I'm honestly surprised that I've never heard of them. You'd think that two bands with similar sounds being active in the same era would draw comparisons to each other and more attention to themselves as a result of it.
Considering how much the press hated Queen back then, I'm shocked that they never accused them of ripping off The Sparks. Had those two been around today, then the ripoff accusations are all we'd ever hear.
@IAmPlaysWithSquirrel Going thru 70s Queen song by song, it's hard to pinpoint any Mael/Sparks influence due to the sheer diversity of genres, vocal styles attempted. But go by impression of their most (overplayed) song & its (overhyped) mock-opera section, it's tempting to call it rip-off of Sparks' light opera. Bo Rhap's predecessors are not Spark-like at all: My fairy king, March of black queen, Lap of Gods Revisited. Nor is Millionaire Waltz probable in Sparks catalog.
Has anyone seen the video version of "This town..." as collaborated with Faith No More please? Have searched and can't find it. I did see it once on TV in 1998, so someone must have a copy...
RON"S stage antics led some people to dismiss SPARKS as a gimmick, but he is a genuine TALENT, totally UNIQUE and completely ORIGINAL, they were WAY AHEAD of their time, even now over 30 years on their music still sounds NEW, when they first appeared on the music scene they were like nothing I had ever heard before, OR SINCE, !! BRILLIANT !!
Tout à fait d'accord avec ton commentaire: un très grand groupe injustement desservi par je ne sais trop quoi, au fil du temps, mais c'était original, percutant, plein d'émotions fortes et impeccable d'un point de vue musical.
who can really express the genius of Sparks? Way , way ahead of their time! Absolute brilliant in every way. Plus the brothers are absolutely entertaining and professional! Put them in the HOF in America in my book!
this band could be the missing link between Queen and late 70's New Wave!!! : ) a bit ahead of it's time as far as i can tell (i wasn't there back then but i've studied the punk rock origins pretty well).
Hi Janet... If you like this and this town aint big enough I recommend you explore all of Sparks work. There are probably quite a few tracks you'd enjoy ;-)
Dinky Diamond - what a drummer he was. CLASS ACT form Sparks - still sadly overlooked in terms of bridging glam to the (then) new wave. Importnat part of English pop culture late 70s/early 80s.
@Forestamtul Norman Diamond was his real name ,he died in 2004 after being plagued by a noisy neighbour for a good while,after attempts to get the noise stopped ,he couldnt stand it anymore and hung himself-god bless him .R.I.P Dinky XXXX
Glad you agree with me with regards the similarities though, as oddly enough in all the years I'd listened to Queen and Sparks, I never compared the two (Mercury and Mael) ... it's quite a striking similarity yet I only thought about it at the time I posted the comment
Would it be fair to say, do you think, if Freddie were still alive, that he'd have gone even more into a electronic dance direction (like sparks) in present years, like he did with his first solo album?
Certainly food for thought! Not sure, tayloreh... interesting question, tho!
Perhaps he'd have taken a different direction and concentrated more on the operatic themes. I think he fancied himself as an opera singer originally but as fate would have it,took the rock music route.
More likely shades of Russell Mael in Freddie Mercury's voice. Not to slag off Queen but Sparks predates them quite handsomely. I don't think it's an outrageous claim to say that Mercury saw the Mael's and took some very intent notes.
Glad you agree with me with regards the similarities in their voice/style, tho! since I'd never compared the two before (Mercury and Mael) ... only thought about it at the time I posted the comment.
Fair enough! To be honest - and as mentioned in an earlier post - I'd never associated/ compared the two in any way until just recently. In fact, after being reminded of this song on youtube! Therefore chances are your observation/comment that there are only minor similarities between the two(& also that they're simply coincidental) may be accurate. Not sure I agree wholeheartedly with ur comment that Mercury "was never this eccentric!" but I don't think I could add anything more to it.
Superb mimicry courtesy of Ron Mael, superb vocals by Russell - pity Dinky Diamond morphed into Roger Meddows-Taylor with Queen laughing all the way to their Montreux bank...
One of their best! I wish i had been around in the 70's to see sparks throughout their career! They are AMAZING live and their most recent three albums have been the best yet!
Sigh, that's sad news. I didn't even know. He was a kick-ass drummer. 'Propaganda' was one of the first albums I ever bought - I instantly fell in love and still love it...it might be my #1 desert-island disc.
crazy song...the first songs of sparks I heard was "when do I get to sing my way" and "now that I own the BBC" (which are faaar from their best i see now), but even then I thought they have something scary in their melodies... they really have!
I had known about Sparks for years but it was You Tube that introduced me face to face with them! I saw "This Town..." from this same Musikladen show in 1974 and was blown back in my chair! THIS song completely sealed the deal for me (or was it "B.C."). Sparks were so far ahead of their time it's not even funny. Unfortunately when new wave caught up with them (really?) they started producing CRAP! "Kimono My House" and "Propaganda" are complete MASTERPIECES!!!!
You got that right lakeviewviking! Gag me with a rusted pitchfork! The music they're doing now is total garbage too if you ask me! It's all this avant-garde spoken word accapella stuff that bears NO resembelance to what we see here. Ron and Russell need to get a band like this back together and record a new album, maybe even bring Muff Winwood back to produce it. However in concert they rock out on the old stuff.
the stuff they're doing now is the best stuff they've ever done. it'd be majorly disappointing if they just kept rewriting their 70s stuff to please old men.
not becoming in a stagnant musical rut helps to an extent. and that isn't having a go at you at all, by the way. give their last few albums a go though. even if you don't like them, you can probably agree that they're pretty unique. very rare for a band their age.
Ron's hands are ENORMOUS!
luckyboots125 4 weeks ago
Sounds like a Queen ripoff
Jspsych 1 month ago
@Jspsych Hmmmm, Sparks has been around since '68 and Queen formed in '71 and well,... I think you get the picture.
captaincaustic 1 month ago 4
Totally unique!
garygomesg 2 months ago
I just heard this band the other day. I was born in the wrong time music nowadays sux
DylnFarnmSyndm 2 months ago
Ron is so sexy 0:18 when he does the one eyebrow thing ;)
DylnFarnmSyndm 2 months ago 2
It's was his upbeat singing style you love it or hate it
kevthegerbil1958 3 months ago
I probably prefer this live version to the studio one. It has a little added "oomph" which helps the song bare its teeth. And Ron is on fantastic form.
45zettel 4 months ago
I love you Ron, you son-of-a-bitch God from another galaxy!
aldiakaroofus 5 months ago 3
i bet the assholes who call Ron Hitler think there so original.His moustache is a tribute to charlie Chaplin a hero of Rons.brilliant song btw
hardtoesxplain 5 months ago 9
My dad turned me on the Sparks. The album was Propaganda....blew me away. Well structured, well performed. Unsung heroes. Legends.
jwmisfit1 5 months ago 3
best song ever
MOSTechnology 6 months ago
This comment has received too many negative votes show
HItler guy :)
WestSideLad 6 months ago
I Saw SPARKS in 1976 opening for PATTI SMITH! What a GREAT GIG! I was the ONLY guy at my high school who got them! ian.
222toons 8 months ago
@222toons I would see SPARKS at The Whiskey and play pool parties in LA in 70/71, just before they made their way to England....the rest is history. Are you familiar with Martin Gordan's band JET (not the Aussie band), that first album they put out is worth hunting down if you like the English era SPARKS.
robodoll 6 months ago
Not sure how similar Mael/FM are. Light/mock opera are common influence, barely. by 11/'74 of Spark's Propaganda, Queen II was released 3/'74 - had nothing of this manic gilbert & sullivan-art rock/proto-new wave. Queen II era had burlesque blues (see what a fool), wall of sound pop, baroque queenish rock-pop, bo rhap-ish epic, bizzare metal. Sheer heart attack 11/'74 even more varied, had nothing Mael-like except 1% falsetto. FM solo was bipolar: MOR/torch disco; opera+pop-rock of Barcelona.
edmame 8 months ago
This band seems to be quite Queen-ish. I'm honestly surprised that I've never heard of them. You'd think that two bands with similar sounds being active in the same era would draw comparisons to each other and more attention to themselves as a result of it.
Considering how much the press hated Queen back then, I'm shocked that they never accused them of ripping off The Sparks. Had those two been around today, then the ripoff accusations are all we'd ever hear.
IAmPlaysWithSquirrel 1 year ago
@IAmPlaysWithSquirrel Going thru 70s Queen song by song, it's hard to pinpoint any Mael/Sparks influence due to the sheer diversity of genres, vocal styles attempted. But go by impression of their most (overplayed) song & its (overhyped) mock-opera section, it's tempting to call it rip-off of Sparks' light opera. Bo Rhap's predecessors are not Spark-like at all: My fairy king, March of black queen, Lap of Gods Revisited. Nor is Millionaire Waltz probable in Sparks catalog.
edmame 8 months ago
Has anyone seen the video version of "This town..." as collaborated with Faith No More please? Have searched and can't find it. I did see it once on TV in 1998, so someone must have a copy...
mediacopycatkillers 1 year ago
JUST A COUPLE OF CALIFORNINA BOYS SKATING ALONG BY THE SEAT OF THEIR PANTS, JUST LIKE MY BROTHER & I....
17SPIKE17 1 year ago
Dinky Diamond approached Keith Moon in his imagination and ability.
And that's really saying something.
Jaynekullen 1 year ago
F**king brilliant!
markjf47 1 year ago 2
RON"S stage antics led some people to dismiss SPARKS as a gimmick, but he is a genuine TALENT, totally UNIQUE and completely ORIGINAL, they were WAY AHEAD of their time, even now over 30 years on their music still sounds NEW, when they first appeared on the music scene they were like nothing I had ever heard before, OR SINCE, !! BRILLIANT !!
spiritoveradversity1 1 year ago 29
@spiritoveradversity1
Tout à fait d'accord avec ton commentaire: un très grand groupe injustement desservi par je ne sais trop quoi, au fil du temps, mais c'était original, percutant, plein d'émotions fortes et impeccable d'un point de vue musical.
amburgacker 2 months ago
I really enjoy the fact that sparks is under rated. Its kinda cool.
alexkiddforlife 1 year ago
That's a really cool clip. Love Ron's role play. Thanks for sharing.
And an awesome song, obviously ;)
Cheers !
TWD66 1 year ago
the keyboardist can see into the future, and he knows where we all live :o
semioticwish 1 year ago 5
@semioticwish oh i wish darling i wish ......!!
iloveyouhunny 1 year ago
who can really express the genius of Sparks? Way , way ahead of their time! Absolute brilliant in every way. Plus the brothers are absolutely entertaining and professional! Put them in the HOF in America in my book!
2468oldschooltimes 1 year ago
This has been flagged as spam show
Can't believe I missed such a great show...DVR malfunction! Panic over, watched it online at lastnightstvshows (.) com
tiresome79 1 year ago
God, I love, love, love, LOVE Sparks! Such an under rated band but SO brilliant!!! :D <3
lukaluei 1 year ago
this band could be the missing link between Queen and late 70's New Wave!!! : ) a bit ahead of it's time as far as i can tell (i wasn't there back then but i've studied the punk rock origins pretty well).
caseyforever 1 year ago
How many people do you think the keyboardist has killed?
vladimersh 1 year ago 6
about 6 million, give or take
ragozhin 1 year ago
These guys were just so damned wonderful in their prime (and are still pretty darn cool)
popomatic1970 2 years ago 4
Sparks were and still are a really original group!
Trawman 2 years ago 5
if you like this, then check out Martin Gordon's band JET, which he formed just after leaving SPARKS...circa 73-74.
robodoll 2 years ago
poor dinky took his own life, first band i ever saw liverpool empire 1975
shaftsbury94 2 years ago
Sparks should be bigger than u2 and the rolling stones combined! However we all know there is NO JUSTICE in the world!
jms6959 2 years ago 8
speechless. had only heard 'this town ain't...' before this
irishjanet 2 years ago
Hi Janet... If you like this and this town aint big enough I recommend you explore all of Sparks work. There are probably quite a few tracks you'd enjoy ;-)
heyrodders 2 years ago 3
God I love Sparks! Love 'em!!
cushlinkes 2 years ago 5
Me encanta!!
♥
thaichita 2 years ago 5
These guys should have made it HUGE but I suppose they were just a little too subtle........and smart.
normy999 2 years ago 37
I saw Sparks in 1977 opening for Patti Smith! What a GREAT GIG! My fellow high school friends never understood...!Too bad for them!
222toons 8 months ago
........ummmm yeah.
Phillschic 2 years ago
queen sparks two fave bands of all time
shaftsbury94 2 years ago 6
Dinky Diamond - what a drummer he was. CLASS ACT form Sparks - still sadly overlooked in terms of bridging glam to the (then) new wave. Importnat part of English pop culture late 70s/early 80s.
flashtheoriginal 2 years ago 3
What was Dinkys real name and has he passed away thats what I heard before thanks.
Forestamtul 2 years ago
@Forestamtul Norman Diamond was his real name ,he died in 2004 after being plagued by a noisy neighbour for a good while,after attempts to get the noise stopped ,he couldnt stand it anymore and hung himself-god bless him .R.I.P Dinky XXXX
iloveyouhunny 1 year ago 3
GREAT!!!
LOVE EVERY SONG FROM THEM!
Nenushenka 2 years ago 3
they're perfect :D
CircusOfHeaven 2 years ago 5
I wouldn't compare them at all to queen, either. However, I think David Byrne took some cues from Ron, most definitely.
p717 2 years ago
Don't know how any one can compare queen to these Kings. yours, disgusted!
domski26 2 years ago 3
great song r.i.p dinky.
hardtoesxplain 2 years ago
I stand corrected !! :) :)
....just kidding :p)
Glad you agree with me with regards the similarities though, as oddly enough in all the years I'd listened to Queen and Sparks, I never compared the two (Mercury and Mael) ... it's quite a striking similarity yet I only thought about it at the time I posted the comment
scotsburd63 2 years ago
oops! double posting alert!! It mysteriously disappeared the first time and I had to retype it... with some minor changes. lol
scotsburd63 2 years ago
Would it be fair to say, do you think, if Freddie were still alive, that he'd have gone even more into a electronic dance direction (like sparks) in present years, like he did with his first solo album?
tayloreh 2 years ago
Certainly food for thought! Not sure, tayloreh... interesting question, tho!
Perhaps he'd have taken a different direction and concentrated more on the operatic themes. I think he fancied himself as an opera singer originally but as fate would have it,took the rock music route.
scotsburd63 2 years ago
More likely shades of Russell Mael in Freddie Mercury's voice. Not to slag off Queen but Sparks predates them quite handsomely. I don't think it's an outrageous claim to say that Mercury saw the Mael's and took some very intent notes.
syd450 2 years ago 3
I stand corrected !! :) :) just kidding....:p)
Glad you agree with me with regards the similarities in their voice/style, tho! since I'd never compared the two before (Mercury and Mael) ... only thought about it at the time I posted the comment.
scotsburd63 2 years ago
I'm not convinced - it seems that anyone with a slightly camp on-stage persona and falsetto gets compared to Mercury (c.f. Mika, etc..)
There are some minor similarities though, however Mercury was never this eccentric really.
TheMarlinspike 2 years ago
Fair enough! To be honest - and as mentioned in an earlier post - I'd never associated/ compared the two in any way until just recently. In fact, after being reminded of this song on youtube! Therefore chances are your observation/comment that there are only minor similarities between the two(& also that they're simply coincidental) may be accurate. Not sure I agree wholeheartedly with ur comment that Mercury "was never this eccentric!" but I don't think I could add anything more to it.
scotsburd63 2 years ago
One of my all time favourite bands of the 70s! Shades of Freddie Mercury in this... the operatic voice meets modern music fusion!! Excellent!!!
scotsburd63 2 years ago
A legendary band, one of my all time favourite acts. This song, simply wonderful.
whitecity515 2 years ago 19
brilliant brilliant brilliant
thank you so much for posting
makes me so happy
LoisD16 2 years ago 5
sparks!
einfach immer gut!!!
restonva69 2 years ago
class!
RevStaplehurst 2 years ago 3
brill!!!
lalealynn 2 years ago
i want to have the piano player over for thanksgiving. I'd let him drive my go-cart while the football game wraps up and dinner is served.
snugssnugs 2 years ago 2
It is easy to forget how good these guys were. Thanks for posting this. Amazing stuff!
fletzy44 2 years ago
Spectacular.
fancellu2 2 years ago 3
Propaganda !!!!!
lestubes80 2 years ago
ron`s such a showman in his own way, just brilliant.
hardtoesxplain 2 years ago 5
Ich weiß noch, wie ich versucht habe, ohne Textbuch den Text mitzusingen - ich glaube, es stimmten keine 5 % des Textes...
hajoundco 3 years ago
Superb mimicry courtesy of Ron Mael, superb vocals by Russell - pity Dinky Diamond morphed into Roger Meddows-Taylor with Queen laughing all the way to their Montreux bank...
bigenough4bothofus 3 years ago
Genius.
rockfreebase 3 years ago 3
what enjoyable talent to behold! Ron and Russell are the duo of delight!
2468oldschooltimes 3 years ago 4
Such a complicated song to sing along with ... try it.
lilestower 3 years ago 2
What's with that thing Ron does at the end? It's funny >_> Anyway, fabulous video. :) Russell is such a fox, hah.
beatlebijou 3 years ago
Ron is scary!
kiralykitty 3 years ago
so many memories, god bless you sparks.
hardtoesxplain 3 years ago
I Love You!
Piratesebastian 3 years ago
Brilliant! Sparks totally own all today's wannabe bands!
JAYROX1969 3 years ago 2
Norman puts so much expression into his drumming in this performance
heyrodders 3 years ago 2
he did,rip dinky.
hardtoesxplain 3 years ago
Utterly, utterly brilliant.
0ldfinger 3 years ago 5
i agree amazing performance by Sparks... love it forever ;-) xXx .. thanks for posting.
heyrodders 3 years ago 2
One of their best! I wish i had been around in the 70's to see sparks throughout their career! They are AMAZING live and their most recent three albums have been the best yet!
no1sparksfaninheaven 3 years ago 2
so much fun great song....great post
studz123 3 years ago 2
rip norman "dinky" diamond.
hardtoesxplain 3 years ago 3
Sigh, that's sad news. I didn't even know. He was a kick-ass drummer. 'Propaganda' was one of the first albums I ever bought - I instantly fell in love and still love it...it might be my #1 desert-island disc.
Mondo22perryvikings 3 years ago
crazy song...the first songs of sparks I heard was "when do I get to sing my way" and "now that I own the BBC" (which are faaar from their best i see now), but even then I thought they have something scary in their melodies... they really have!
justejust 3 years ago
1975 maybe.
bluesbrother37 3 years ago
thanks for this its going right on my faves.
hardtoesxplain 3 years ago 3
Amazing! i have never seen before Ron Performing So Mouch... :D
drTadux 3 years ago 3
"Mein leib! Dat ist mein fuhrer on der 88's!!"
lakeviewviking 3 years ago
I had known about Sparks for years but it was You Tube that introduced me face to face with them! I saw "This Town..." from this same Musikladen show in 1974 and was blown back in my chair! THIS song completely sealed the deal for me (or was it "B.C."). Sparks were so far ahead of their time it's not even funny. Unfortunately when new wave caught up with them (really?) they started producing CRAP! "Kimono My House" and "Propaganda" are complete MASTERPIECES!!!!
MattHatter 3 years ago
I always dismissed Sparks in the 80s, because I only knew their 'new' stuff...did you ever see that video they did with Jane Weidlin? Pee-yew!!!!
lakeviewviking 3 years ago
You got that right lakeviewviking! Gag me with a rusted pitchfork! The music they're doing now is total garbage too if you ask me! It's all this avant-garde spoken word accapella stuff that bears NO resembelance to what we see here. Ron and Russell need to get a band like this back together and record a new album, maybe even bring Muff Winwood back to produce it. However in concert they rock out on the old stuff.
MattHatter 3 years ago
the stuff they're doing now is the best stuff they've ever done. it'd be majorly disappointing if they just kept rewriting their 70s stuff to please old men.
joanofmarc 3 years ago 6
...they aint exactly spring chickens themselves; and if you've figured out a way to stop aging, please inform us.
lakeviewviking 3 years ago
not becoming in a stagnant musical rut helps to an extent. and that isn't having a go at you at all, by the way. give their last few albums a go though. even if you don't like them, you can probably agree that they're pretty unique. very rare for a band their age.
joanofmarc 3 years ago 2
Ah, the little girl is shy.
Aw, i really love this song. Russell - raaaw!
freakbeat9 3 years ago
Such a great band. They used to play live on Musik Laden yes? This is as good as the recording if not better!
ZincBoss 3 years ago
Russell looks like his mum dressed him before he went out to play in the snow. God what a great song!
Tikilizzy 3 years ago
oh take me back to those beautiful days of sweaters and hand gloves, Sparks!
vacantmoon 3 years ago
Ron just rules...I'd love to know what goes on in his head and what he's thinking when he's playing live :) ...also..Russ's sweater omg lol
fovea29 3 years ago
The keyboardist is amazing i wish i could play like him.
Rorek5 3 years ago 3
That keyboardist is my husband. Haha
MoonBarrett 3 years ago
In your dreams ;)
Tikilizzy 3 years ago
Certainly! :)
MoonBarrett 3 years ago
And Russell is my husband :)
freakbeat9 3 years ago