SPARKS

[Kermit!]

I can't believe it's going to be the 10th anniversary of Sparks playing the entire 'Introducing Sparks' album at the Islington Academy on the 7th night of the 21 nights Spectacular on 24th May 2008.
10 years later and on 24th May 2018 at the Forum Kentish Town London gig Sparks are back in town! I think the guys were really surprised how well this album was received that night so maybe we'll have 'A Big Surprise' tonight. 'Goofing Off' was the definite highlight of that wonderful concert.
Has anyone still got their Hawaiian shirts that were very kindly brought to wear tonight, all the way from Hawaii, by a certain lovely lady? (You know who you are smiler!).
It's sure to be a great Sparks Show as always anyway and I hope to see some old(er) friends at tonight's gig!!
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The fan formally known as kermit

The Future! The Future!

[Spyke]

Crikey! Surely it can't be a whole decade since the Introducing gig? Now I feel very old...
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"but we can hear what others can't hear..."

[Deano]

That Introducing night was brilliant-not a full crowd as far as i can remember.Definately one that I'm glad we caught.

[allydodd]

Ten years ago today was when the Spectacular begun with "Halfnelson / Sparks" in Islington.

The atmosphere was electric with anticipation. People were arriving in Islington from many corners of the world, some exhausted from a long journey, all fired with nervous excitement. Now we were cramming into that inconspicuous hall above the concrete shopping parade. People were saying, "I never thought they'd ever play this", "I never thought they'd do this", "I love the first album", "I've been waiting all my life to hear this".

I don't quite remember exactly how in frenzied seconds what order the band came on stage, but the volume from the crowd was immense. If there had ever been any doubt that Ron Mael was pop's most amazing wizard, then the noise from beneath shattered it. Glimpses of a white shirt of Ron smartly emerging triggered deafening acclaim. Familiar favourites from previous gigs were recognised. Steve McDonald and Steven Nistor from the last Hello Young Lovers tour, joined by the Mother Superior boys on guitars. Bounding through the cheers was radiant Russell, a voice high enough to be almost female, announcing, "SONG NUMBER ONE"....

[lemonjellydude]

how lucky you were, unfortunate timing on my part as I became a fan a year later so missed all this!

[allydodd]

A very nice article by Madeline Bocaro, bound to be familiar to some of you, containing some wonderful recollections -

https://madelinex.com/2018/05/08/sparks-spectacular-21-albums-in-21-nights-may-2008/

[bryan_davey]

i really hope with bmg backing , a live dvd will be following !!!!

[admiralhalfnelson]

[allydodd]

In the aftermath of the first 21x21 gig, we were welcomed into the Edward VI public house by a lovely Islington resident, who is especially active on this forum. We took siege on the pub, and soon Sparks was blaring out from the sound system. Thankfully the staff and regulars were accommodating to this international assortment of merry music obsessives. Amazed we were that Sparks had the painstaking discipline to have played the first night using the sort of kit available in the early 70s, eschewing the kind of shortcuts possible from the modern technology they are so adept to using. It was a great show. Talk extended to the misty time before the first official album, including the so-called Halfnelson demo album which Sparks Official barely acknowledges. Agreed tracks on it were quite fascinating, worthy.

I woke up on the Saturday somewhere between knackered and vibrating with nervous excitement. It was good to be living with fellow fans who had just shared such an unbelievable experience. As the day progressed we arranged to meet other fans, and bumped into others. Everyone was now enlivened about "A Woofer in Tweeters Clothing". People, in the wake of praising the wonderful first album, were now declaring how that Woofers was a really fantastic album. Truly it is. "Moon Over Kentucky" was awesome, a real show stopper.

The venue was even more packed than the previous night. Such an momentous gig the night previous has inspired my new mate to invest in a new camera, whose legacy remains delightfully on youtube. I therefore don't need to describe further how brilliant the band was. A great memory is of the audience barking out B E A V E R O L I N Dee Y to Steven Nistor's thumping rhythm, in between Russell's youth rendition of the quiet parts to Ron's soft organ chords. Was that night dedicated to James Thaddeus Lowe who, in producing this marvellously outstanding album, staked his pop career on a on its success? Compliments of an inspired Morrissey, that aforementioned almost forgotten era was given a rare nod in the encore "Arts and Crafts Spectacular".

Party again in the Eddie afterward. Again astounded fans. I remember everyone taken with a handsome young couple from Fife sporting furry headwear as "Woofers"!

[allydodd]

To mark the album launch of "Exotic Creatures of the Deep", a special signing took place in Borders Bookshop. According to google earth, the store is no longer there. Nor is the HMV which many of us spent time in too. It couldn't be closer to the Carling Academy, now renamed the O2 Academy. The Eddie VI public house lay just at the edge of the shopping centre, almost opposite the venue.

The signing would be done by Ron and Russell in person - I think at midday. Overwhelming demand meant that tickets had to be booked in advance. Fortunately, my super organised flatmate for the event had sorted one for me. The interior of the shop was welcoming but with a sense of order and safety, no doubt thanks to another super organised lady, Sue Harris. It was all top security, but merry, as we were lined up to meet the boys. In an unprecedented and ambitious act of kindness, they even would entertain writing messages, if we had them jotted down. When R&R were ushered in, we were stunned with their handsomeness and immaculate attire and composure. You couldn't believe that the spruce pair were fresh from an energetic gig and months of rehearsals. Suddenly, nerves were taking hold of everyone. Fans, who had impressed me as confident people, were beginning to look wide-eyed. Up close, Ron and Russell really did have great looks looks looks. They couldn't have been nicer as they signed my CD with a naturalness of grace, and indulged in my attempts at Sparksonian wit. I burbled out something about "Hello Young Lovers" being the best album of time and offered thanks feebly for a mere fraction of a lifetime of marvellous musical achievements. It was over in a memorable minute as I joined a mass of flustered fans reeling from the excitement peering from behind the barricading bookshelves. As time wore on, the queue was directed to move faster and faster. Certainly the ladies were lingering, and most of the blokes, until dapper R&R were finally led away through the back exit to an appreciative round of applause.

[allydodd]

A sell-out "Kimono My House" was staged exactly ten years ago, as the third Spectacular gig. In fact, the tickets had sold out as soon as the sale begun, the year previous.

The venue was packed. At the time I understood its capacity was 500 approx. Present information on the venue states it is 800, but I don't know if the hall has been extended. Anyway, the hall was packed.

By now, we were visiting the Eddie pre-show as well as afterward. In fact, its upstairs function room had become our meeting point. Generously, the landlady was laying on a light buffet for fans travelling in. Perhaps spending too long there had led to me being separated from my friends in the hall. Indeed, lack of camera footage in my archive indicates that I must have been really far back.

Speculation at the start had been on whether Ron might have turned up in 70s flares sporting Zappa facial hair for Sparks and Woofers. Over the last two nights, it was his present day uniform of bespectacled 1930s creepy accountant or undertaker, (as variously described by the media). But tonight, we were glared back from beady eyes and a Hitler moustache as he sat down at the keyboard to start those familiar chord introductions of one of rock's greatest and most bizarre chart stormers. Wolf whistles. The wizard hadn't aged a weekend, it was as if he drank embalming fluid.

The band were great. It was the second outing for the fantastic Steve McDonald and Jim Wilson, who having did the album so much justice at the Royal Festival Hall show, seemed to really be relishing this hot performance. I later read Morrissey was gutted to be inextricable on tour elsewhere during his command performance. One celebrity in attendance was Johnathon Ross, in the upstairs gallery.

And the crowd went crazy, singing word perfect right to the high notes at the end of Equator. What could go wrong? Just as the encore was about to begin, Steve dropped his bass. No, the song had to be the stomping Barbecutie, with its rousing bass rift introduction. A quick retuning and the hall was rocking through to Nistor's closing drum flourish.

[allydodd]

Was rather tired while typing up my hazy recollection of the Kimono gig. My memory is like a colander used as a makeshift helmet in the trenches.

A highlight was the guest of honour - Michi Hirota was one of the models in Kimonos on the iconic LP cover. It felt a very special night.

[admiralhalfnelson]

[allydodd]

"Sparks Show - A Visual Retrospective of Sparks" was the title of an exhibition marking 21x21, which begun exactly ten years ago ... yesterday (sorry - I got the dates mixed up). Unlike most aspects of 21x21, which were focused in the centre of Islington, this was held a mile or two away in the famous Brick Lane. The street is nowadays known as London's curry mile, but actually is a multi-cultural mosaic. Sadly, this significant chapter is often excluded from written accounts of 21x21. It was the main exhibition by the Bodhi Gallery, which was known mostly for contemporary Japanese and European art.

Although the aforementioned long lost check suit was not one of the clothing items on display, there were plenty interesting garments. Included was Ron's black jacket with the Mr Tickle arms for performing "How Do I Get to Carnegie Hall". Russell's garish green sparkly jacket, as seen in the shows with the Bates Hotel line-up , did indeed spark a campaign among fans for it to have one last outing for an 80s album. For "Angst in My Pants", Russell duly obliged and looked absolutely great!

Walls were lined with album artwork and posters. A special childhood memory came alive encountering the metronome with Ron's bobbing head from the "Beat the Clock" video. An inflatable beach ball advertising "Balls" had escaped my notice years later. Storyboards sketched by the mightiest hand of Ron himself, showed the development of the wonderful stage interpretations of the magnificent songs from "L'il Beethoven" and "Hello Young Lovers". However, those for third of this ambitious groundbreaking trilogy, "Exotic Creature of the Deep" were being kept strictly under wraps for the big surprise of the Spectacular finale.

Fans gravitated there each day to be repeatedly enthralled in this museum. Other people wandering in to explore it were impressed at the extent of Sparks body of work and creativity. They appeared perplexed at all us fixated fans, how diverse we were, yet universally passionate. Projected onto a screen was a loop showing scores of videos made over a 36 year old career, which we watched endlessly, often giggling at Ron's antics.

Run of the exhibition was scheduled to terminate on 27th, Terminal Jive night. It concluded with a ceremonial cutting of the pineapple.

Three remarkable fans worked hard on curating, and if they are reading it, thanks are now conveyed for such magical memories.

[allydodd]

Propaganda was one of the most awesome nights of my life. Every minute of it. The album is a classic, and was a top ten hit in the 70s. It spawned hits like "Something for the Girl with Everything" and the beautiful "Never Turn Your Back on Mother Earth". In fact, every song on it is amazing. Is as if every song is better than the previous. And, when the band performed it, that's exactly how it sounded. The band looked like they were savouring it.

Among my better informed friends there had been excitement that one of the band that created this brilliant recording, Ian Hampton had appeared in Islington, (though was keeping a low profile). Over at the side of the hall, I spotted a friend approach a mature version of a familiar handsome face, whose benevolent eyes were discreetly surveying the kit, as if recognising long lost friends from afar. Marching up I too introduced myself. "What about Dinky?" was his first words. And, as you all know, there is no way to stem my gush of praise for the late, great drummer who excites on three of my most cherished albums. During 21x21 I was thrilled to meet all the present impressive, indefatigable line-up. And these guys seemed just as thrilled as me to meet Ian too!

And yes, much of the slickness of the album was delivered with brio live. Any pauses were carried off with equal slickness, deliberate on Russell to whip the crowd into a humorous frenzy. However, the real hilarity happened during "Who Don't Like Kids". With undue spontaneity, the grim faced keyboardist sprang up put on the wide grin and broke into the Ron Shuffle. Jim Wilson's face bursting into a fit of laughter was a picture. Yes ... your laughter is infectious! The audience were still trying to recover when another fit of laughter attacked, when Ron returned to character, slumping shamefaced back to keyboard apologetically.

Encore was the dramatic Lost and Found, a B-side, which in true Sparks style, sounds like an A-side.

Another good night was enjoyed at the Eddie afterwards toasting the greatest band ever, while R&R (though probably not completely unaware) were a few roofs away perhaps perfecting plans for the next day over some sparsely buttered toast.

[Kermit!]

Allydodd, you should really write a book about your experiences over the 21 nights. You do it so well. Your memories of it all are a real delight to read & would be a real delight to read to all those that didn't make it at the time. If I hadn't have managed to arrange the meet ups at the Eddie during the Spectacular what a lot of fun would have been lost. But I did & it was the best month of my life. The love & friendships that blossomed from that crazy month is something I pride myself still to this day even though it took weeks to recover from sheer exhaustion after it all.
Hope to see you next week at the Forum & we can discuss book covers.....lol...
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The fan formally known as kermit

The Future! The Future!

[allydodd]

[allydodd]

The "Indiscreet" show cannot be described, without first introducing the support act. My Skinny Wonderland is Belgian composer, Phillipe Tasquin's band of classical musicians with a quirky repertoire. Phillipe is delightfully funny and a huge Sparks fan. In a nutshell, that inspiration manifests throughout their work. During the well received support slot, he even knocked off "This Town Aint Big Enough For the Both of Us". I bought the CD.

With Sparks, every single album is different. I guess that realisation was one of the findings of 21x21, which Russell described as "an experiment". And, I'm sure it was the very producer of Indiscreet, Tony Visconti, who humorously praised R&R as being like "little professors" in their approach to music.

Indiscreet is a leap forward from Propaganda in its experimentation in reinvigorating past genres with pop, albeit with session players for the additional instruments on the record. Who would dare to include a traditional jazz number, a tea dance and a marching band on a LP for a fanbase which included a high proportion of teenyboppers? In the UK although a chart hit, sales fell short of the mammoth success of the glam rock classics, Propaganda and Kimono My House. Yet by 2008, fans had grown to love it as among their very best albums. In fact some fans now regard it as their no1, for example https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1DJ91aqVfh8

Many of these pop oddities were augmented by Phillipe's musicians, who had just arrived in London. Also there was a horn section from a local music school. Consequently there was a lot of clunking about setting up, grateful introductions, appreciative exits. Thus it had the feel of a long night, especially after such a fulsome support act. It felt rather different to Propaganda, the perfect culmination of months of rehearsals by a small tight unit, slickly changing from one song after song automatically at breakneck speed. But, that didn't matter - we couldn't be enjoying ourselves more.

Happy faces ventured out into the darkening night, many to extend the merriment in comparing notes with new found friends in the suddenly bustling Eddie.

[Kermit!]

Awww, that's lovely to hear thanks Ally. I guess in one way it's kind of nice to just acknowledge that month actually happened. The Eddy meet ups were a totally unexpected, unusual, unique & wonderful occasion. All Sparks fans that came from every corner of the planet & joined in know who they are & will all have their own personal experiences & stories to tell. It's probably better to just leave it that way. What a fine bunch of guys & girls we all were & if anyone couldn't be there at the time then it makes us realise even more how lucky we all were to be a slice of Sparks fans history that will never be repeated. A lot of it is still in the live section of the forum of that month anyway. My favourite moment of it all was the night we were allowed to play the Sparks tracks through all the pub speakers & then hear a whole pub full of rowdy, wordperfect, drunken fans spectacularly all sing along together in harmony. 'Equator' & 'Get in the swing' were my notable top numbers & yes, they were all sang in tune too!! The bar staff, who we'd all got to know as well by that time, just looked on in utter amazement, totally loving it & feeling the joy in the place. Sheer magic.
Like a vast number of UK pubs now unfortunately the Eddy has gone sadly & are bland flats now. I expect most of the neighbours are still catching up on their lost sleep. The lovely landlady, Lorinda, moved back to South Africa eventually. After the Spectacular she was constantly asking me "When are Sparks coming back again"? (It was a very good month for them too...lol). She did, however, let me have the two big box plants from the pub garden as a thank you present which was so very kind of her. They are still healthy & growing strong on my terrace & are a lovely special memory of all that fun. (No guesses to what their names are)...LOL.
Time flies but this decade definitely seems to have zapped by, zooming at the speed of light !.....10 years gone, amazing!!!
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The fan formally known as kermit

The Future! The Future!

[allydodd]

Big Beat was the perhaps the first album that many fans evinced mixed feeling about. Although their fourth on the Island label, it represented a change of direction, a change of location and change of band, from a trio of successes in London. How would the sixth album be played out during 21x21?

By the eve of the sixth show, Islington seemed to have formed a collective consciousness between the band and fans. Every album was being given its own identity. Somehow we knew the band were going to rock this one. Somehow the band knew we wanted them to rock this one.

Jim Wilson laid it on heavy with the introductory guitar rift for "Big Boy". Soon, the audience were chanting out "Big Boi! Big Boi!", punching the air. After Indiscreet's brass and strings, the band had returned to the well rehearsed, close knit unit of six. And, it was like they'd never been so tight.

A thrashing twelve bar blues introduction to "I Want to be Just Like Everyone Else" by Jim Wilson was worthy of Rick Parfitt. Throughout, the audience sung along bouncing.

"Nothing to Do" sets out what the Maels hoped to achieve. Russell's vocals are more attitude than style, and it captures the unrefined cynicism of punk. The Ramones had considered covering it. As a single inclusion from the album to the Hello Young Lovers Tour two years previous, it had proved popular with the fans. I could feel excitement building with the build up of chords at the beginning. And, boy, the Spectacular band really stormed it.

Politically incorrect lyrics startle in Big Beat, are cruder, without being encased in that distinct turn of phrase from the earlier albums that so tickled the likes of this charming man himself, Morrissey. Ron in an awkwardness even more pronounced than his normal awkward self, rose to his shuffling feet to apologise a couple of times. My own memory failing, the contenders must be "Everyone's Stupid", "Throw Her Away and Get a New One" and "White Women". Don't take the words literally I remember Ron warning. Audience hysterics. What had he been thinking of all these years ago. Two evenings previously, I was drinking with a new found Scandinavian friend who was advising me to see the layers in Sparks' lyrics and music.

The less controversial but still bambozling, "I Bought the Mississippi" was recalled going down well with fans.

"Confusion" was an unbefitting inclusion to an album offering solidarity with the fledgling flea pit punk rockers in New York. Russell told us the wonderful story of the embryonic collaboration between the late, legendary Gallic film comic Jacques Tati and the Maels.

"Screwed Up" benefited from the powerful line up of lead, rhythm and bass guitars, while Steve Nistor was octopus like on the drums. Again, Russell had backing vocals from the crowd.

An encore with "Tearing the Place Apart", with its sedate 40s plodding sounds in contrast to the incendiary title, was a fitting finish to an album which promised excitement yet was tinged with confusion.

21 x 21 was an experiment, according to Russell. And the outcome of this sixth, spectacular performance was unanimously agreed in the Eddie. Big Beat had finally lived up to its name!