Biography

From the very beginning Sparks was at odds with the conventional rock & roll archetype. Based around brothers Ron and Russell Mael, the band had an unusual sound and image, with Russell's freakishly high voice and Ron's glam-meets-cabaret keyboards and provocative Hitler moustache. After a few albums of quirky art rock that prefigured New Wave, Sparks hooked up with disco producer Giorgio Moroder in the late '70s for a danceable, synth-driven sound that proved well ahead of its time. Always more popular abroad than at home, the CA-born Maels were destined to remain beloved cult figures in America, but continued recording into the 21st century.

Top Tracks

• Click on the track to launch in Spotify

• (baby, Baby) Can I Invade Your Country

• (no More) Mr. Nice Guys

• A Fun Bunch Of Guys From Outer Space

• Alabamy Right

• All You Ever Think About Is Sex

• Amateur Hour

• Angst In My Pants

• As I Sit Down To Play The Organ At The Notre Dame Cathedral

• Balls

• Beat The Clock

• Cool Places

• Dick Around

• Do-re-mi

• Equator

• Girl From Germany

• Happy Hunting Ground

• Here In Heaven

• High C

• Hospitality On Parade

• I Can't Believe That You Would Fall For All The Crap In This Song

• I Like Girls

• I Married Myself

• I Predict

• I Want To Be Like Everybody Else

• Interview Of Sparks By Steve Jones Of Jonesey's Jukebox

• It's A Knockoff

• Just Because You Love Me

• Just Got Back From Heaven

• Kiss Me Quick

• La Dolce Vita

• Let's Get Funky

• Lighten Up, Morrissey

• Love Scenes

• Love-o-rama

• Moon Over Kentucky

• More Than A Sex Machine

• Moustache

• Music That You Can Dance To

• Never Turn Your Back On Mother Earth

• Perfume

• Pretending To Be Drunk

• Something For The Girl With Everything

• Stop Me If You've Heard This Before

• That's Not Nastassia

• The Number One Song In Heaven

• The Rhythm Thief

• This Town Ain't Big Enough For Both Of Us

• This Town Ain't Big Enough For The Both Of Us

• Tips For Teens

• Tryouts For The Human Race

• Ugly Guys With Beautiful Girls

• Under The Table With Her

• Upstairs

• Wacky Women

• When Do I Get To Sing "my Way"

• When I Kiss You (i Hear Charlie Parker Playing)

• When I'm With You

• White Women

• Wonder Girl

• Young Girls

Discography

• Click on the album to launch in Spotify

• Exotic Creatures of the Deep

  Lil Beethoven

  2008

• Lil' Beethoven

  Artful Balance / Artful Records

  2002

• Balls

  Oglio Records

  2000

• Plagiarism

  Oglio Records

  1997

• Gratuitous Sax & Senseless Violins

  Logic Records

  1994

• Interior Design

  Rhino

  1988

• Pulling Rabbits Out of a Hat

  Oglio Records

  1984

• Whomp That Sucker

  Oglio Records

  1981

• No. 1 in Heaven

  Repertoire

  1979

• Introducing Sparks

  Lil Beethoven

  1977

• Big Beat

  Island Masters

  1976

• A Woofer in Tweeter's Clothing

  Wounded Bird Records

  1972

• Sparks

  Wounded Bird Records

  1971