They gave us the 1980s in 1974. Freddie Mercury was a huge fan by all accounts and songs like this one, influenced their more epic tracks on "A Night at the Opera".
America did get Sparks, I can attest.... but the country is much larger and the music dissemination systems were not quite as enthusiastic as in Britain. (Which is also why, despite having tons of great bands, the UK also put out a disproportionate amount of crap music!).
THANK YOU SO MUCH! I have waited 49 long years to see footage of Sparks on this show! It was the first time I saw Sparks and I was in shock at what I heard and saw, but I've been a fan ever since. Hopefully more clips in the future, as they performed 3 other songs from Kimono My House!
When "This town ain't big enough for both of us" was launched in 1974 I really freaked out, I was 11 years back then and even now at the age of 60 I think, wow, what a masterpiece and what a good taste I had when I still was a kid...!
@@Racoldgin Sounds like you're making a good point as there is no complex melodies, riffs or even solo, nor weird chord progressions there (from a guitarist point of view). A lot about keeping in time indeed. Now velvitjonze also has a point when he suggests the hardest aprt would be capturing the spirit of the original studio track. For instance the lack of those eerie background vocals during what I call the "riding part"at 02:34 could have revealed disastrous but it wasn't really. I also want to add that the singing is excellent. This was obviously a very tight band.
I love how pouty and manic Russell could be without the aid of alcohol or drugs. In 1974 I found it so sexy. Still do today! Thank you so much for uploading this.
I was a teenager in the 70s when I first heard Sparks. They were nuts then and nuts now, but it's impossible to put into words their profound influence.
Fuckin' 'eck! What a fantastic performance! What a drummer Dinky was, and the bassist and guitarist were no slouches either! This is the sound of a band on top form! So glad this has finally been made available...
Love this song since I first heard in 1974. Interesting to hear it with a couple of extra verses thrown in and one verse repeated. This song still holds up in their concerts today. They have been referred to as, "The best British band to come out of the U.S."
Looks to me like the cameraman that night didn't know what to do with Ron Mael's appearance! You hardly even see him here! Whereas on the footage for the ABC-TV show In Concert around the same time, you get plenty of shots of him! Which was how I became a fan at 10 years old in 1974. Thanks so much for posting! It's great to see footage of Sparks in this era. I tape this show on my cassette recorder. It's great to see it again.
He has some falsetto! I have to admit I have never heard of the "Sparks." Never too old to learn something new! Happy Friday 🥳 Thank you for sharing! See you night and don't be late! 😄
See you tonight for the Episode! We have had a fellow TH-cam creator begging for Sparks to be played since we launched so it was a good "Fan Friday" choice.
@themidnightspecialtvshow "Fan Friday" is super fantastic... no matter what clip it is! We'll take it! Don't forget your favorite adult beverage tonight! 🍹🍺🍷🍸🥂🥃👌
@JaggsyJaggs Truthfully, I don't want to sound mean. I'm not an English major in school or college here, and I'm not handing in my paper to be corrected. This is TH-cam... I would be last to correct anyone. I could care less if all their i's are dotted and their t's are crossed, as long as their heart is in the right place. ❤️ That's all that matters to me. 👍🏻 Have a sensational day! 🌞💖
And yet this did not take off in the US at the time. Note Dinky Diamond on drums. Their British band was superb. I'm sure they were 'delighted' to suddenly find the brothers had returned to the US and that they were effectively out of work without a word said. For me, aged 5 in the UK, I STILL remember seeing them play this on Top Of The Pops and my mother's reaction to Ron, as well as Russel's falsetto singing. No-one had seen or heard anything like this before. And this was their third album.
Love me some SPARKS! I used to work with Earle Mankey's son (Earle was Halfnelson's guitarist -- the second incarnation of this magnificent band. Give their elpee Li'L BEETHOVEN a spin. "I married myself...I'm very happy together..."
I saw this show and it was my introduction to Sparks... I went out and bought a couple of their albums. All my friend thought I was nuts when I played them the albums. I still think they had an incredible creativity. Very original
Truly weird, but very talented, and way before their time to be appreciated for what they offered to pop music. One of the most underrated groups of all time.
Yep, this was the night I came home late, turned on the t.v. and there they were. I couldn't look away! They were fascinating to watch. And now it's friggin 50 years later and I still can't look away. Love these guys.
@@trondrew Indeed, but they appeared frequently on British TV, and many of those clips are on TH-cam. This post helps fulfil the mighty triumvirate of their appearances on Midnight Special, Don Kirshner's Rock Concert, and ABC's In Concert. Kind of the Full Nelson, if you get my drift.
I forgot until recently that they are American. An underrated band. The original broadcast of this segment was my introduction to Sparks. They are still going strong today. Thanks for this clip and your channel in general. It's been great so far.
@@canadianstudmuffin I was there. They were outstanding, even better than last year. Russell's voice was perfection. It was clear Russell was loving it as much as us.
It was that day in 1974 that my older brother said, "You gotta see these guys" and immediately started singing in falsetto. I was gobsmacked! Thank you then and thank you now Midnight Special.
Simply F'ing brilliant!!! I watched a clip of them playing a spanish festival that was recorded just last week. Still together and still playing strong .. in all these years, the brothers have lost nothing., Thank you, this was the song that switched me on to them back in the 70's. ♥
The Midnight Special was absolutely phenomenal. From those of us who tuned in back then when the world was a different place..... A sincere THANK YOU for posting this and releasing it how you do. It is good of you to do so
I remember the first time hearing this unique song on Canadian AM radio in 1974. I thought, “What the hell is this??” Anyway, I loved it, and became an instant fan.
Although I'm actually mostly a Rolling Stones fan (then The Clash, then Sparks), for me this is the greatest rock song of all time, ahead of "Jumpin' Jack Flash" and "Safe European Home".
Wow! I think I was more excited to see this totally unexpected and unseen before footage of Sparks than the Genesis ones 😍 Kimono and Propaganda where their best albums and they release both in the same year. Thanks for the upload 👍
I was 16 years old when i saw them with this Song on German TV. It was "DISCO" with Ilja Richter. Since them i love them. And this was 50 Years ago. Now with66 i already love he Sparks. 😍😎
They had a killer band and today they have also assembled a killer band. Their rock sound is still strong and that's part of their greatness (I have a remarkable grasp of the obvious}
You're welcome. 🙂 I had been searching for them on this show forever, as it was the first time I saw Sparks and been a fan ever since. The channel was very nice to take my request so quickly.
The same thing happened to Jimi Hendrix and the New York Dolls. Even Lou Reed and VU. The United States prefers the conventional. While the British love to make a difference and break the mold.
@@omegajrz1269 And there's a reason people prefer American music to British. What's your point? I do love British music, but by and large it doesn't have the roots and soul of American music, even when it's affected like Clapton or the Stones. I'll put up Little Feat and Allman Brothers against all comers from the UK. And let's not even start with Soul/R&B. Motown, TSOP?.. TKO.
@@Hexon66 Let's see. I admit that there are American bands like VU, Suicide, Sparks, Silver Apples, Mission of Burma, Yo La Tengo, Red Krayola, LCD Soundsystem, Television or New York Dolls, who have nothing to envy the British. But I consider that British rock is more unconventional, risky and sophisticated than American rock. What we do agree on is that it sins of not feeling as authentic due to their influence of American music.
Lennon was shocked and phoned Ringo - “You won’t believe what’s on television, Marc Bolan is playing a song with Adolf Hitler.”
😂😂😂
🤣😂
😂😂😂😂
😁👍👍👍👍👍
@@BoggWeasel 🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣
Sparks is the best band you've never heard of, but they influenced EVERYBODY. Totally underrated.
They gave us the 1980s in 1974. Freddie Mercury was a huge fan by all accounts and songs like this one, influenced their more epic tracks on "A Night at the Opera".
Underrated. 😂😂
@@matthewcoombs3282Queen already had that epic sound on their first two albums (tracks like My Fairy King and March of the Black Queen).
@@zachjohnson637Sparks first album came out in 1971, when the group was called Halfnelson, two years earlier than the first Queen album.
@@lisajanebrooklyn Demos for the first Queen album were recorded in 1971. Nothing on the first two Sparks albums sounds much like Queen.
America didn't get Sparks quirky genius but the British did thank God!
😊👍👍
And this Norwegian, who coincidentally was of the erroneous impression (for several years) that they were British.
Eu também quando vi eles pela primeira vez tive a impressão de que os mesmos eram britânicos!
America did get Sparks, I can attest.... but the country is much larger and the music dissemination systems were not quite as enthusiastic as in Britain. (Which is also why, despite having tons of great bands, the UK also put out a disproportionate amount of crap music!).
Russell's defiantly expressive face is so cute when he sings "and it ain't me who's going to leave!"
I still find it hard to believe this is from 1974, this masterpiece has aged brilliantly.
THANK YOU SO MUCH! I have waited 49 long years to see footage of Sparks on this show! It was the first time I saw Sparks and I was in shock at what I heard and saw, but I've been a fan ever since. Hopefully more clips in the future, as they performed 3 other songs from Kimono My House!
Our pleasure!
I was thinking of you when I saw this. My thoughts were "I bet Larry's loving this right now." Enjoy, my friend.
Enjoy CSM!
I'm waiting since many years 2 have the Prince performance...😅
You and me both.
Rest in peace Dinky.
best drummer ive ever seen
Him and Mick Tucker of Sweet, awesome Drummers !
@@mattcoppen9676you haven’t seen many drummers then? What makes you think he’s the best out of interest?
When "This town ain't big enough for both of us" was launched in 1974 I really freaked out, I was 11 years back then and even now at the age of 60 I think, wow, what a masterpiece and what a good taste I had when I still was a kid...!
The Mael Brothers remain the brightest of "Sparks"!!!
Such a difficult song to pull off live. Legendary
And they still do and it still sounds amazing!
Its not that difficult, as long as everyone knows their time signatures and remembers them live.
@@Racoldgin its a masterpiece of studio production from a great sounding album. its more the capturing that...
@@Racoldgin Sounds like you're making a good point as there is no complex melodies, riffs or even solo, nor weird chord progressions there (from a guitarist point of view). A lot about keeping in time indeed. Now velvitjonze also has a point when he suggests the hardest aprt would be capturing the spirit of the original studio track. For instance the lack of those eerie background vocals during what I call the "riding part"at 02:34 could have revealed disastrous but it wasn't really. I also want to add that the singing is excellent. This was obviously a very tight band.
@@Racoldgin That applies to every piece of music.
I love how pouty and manic Russell could be without the aid of alcohol or drugs. In 1974 I found it so sexy. Still do today! Thank you so much for uploading this.
Kimono My House is one of the most perfect albums ever.
I think Hippopotamus is up there with KMH, Propaganda and #1 In Heaven.
А вот тут я минусую. Самый скучный. Лучшие 1,2,4,5.
big fan as a teenager, i love sparks, roxy music
I was a teenager in the 70s when I first heard Sparks. They were nuts then and nuts now, but it's impossible to put into words their profound influence.
Once seen, never forgotten. Thanks boys.
This was a true find in the early 70s! Sparks on the Midnight Special
Fuckin' 'eck! What a fantastic performance! What a drummer Dinky was, and the bassist and guitarist were no slouches either! This is the sound of a band on top form! So glad this has finally been made available...
...and playing with platforms to boot (pun intended)!
I love Sparks! They were so different from other 70s bands. This was an incredible live performance of this song!
This is one of the absolute pinnacles of 70s music! Sheer genius!
Ron Mael stage presence is incredible !
forced to change his Chaplinesque mustache ‘cause people associated it with Hitler, and then sporting a pencil mustache a’ la John Waters.
FAAAAAAAAAAAAAAANTASTIC !
Now that's SINGING 😁👍🏻
I'd like to see these weenies of today trying falsetto without any technological help 😎🤟
He got even higher with "Equator"!
One does Russell...falsetto. .like Russell 😊brilliant footage... .still wonderful now...been a major fan since this town..classic..Gazzz
@@AtiqZabinski - Yes, that is a Performance! Love that song.
How about Justin Hawkins?
Great!! Ron Mael is just so cool...
Probably haven't seen this video, band in well 49yrs. I saw the keyboardist and remembered! Inventive and there actually playing instruments
They are still touring too!
@@themidnightspecialtvshow - Yep, just saw them in Toronto!
Love this song since I first heard in 1974. Interesting to hear it with a couple of extra verses thrown in and one verse repeated. This song still holds up in their concerts today. They have been referred to as, "The best British band to come out of the U.S."
No matter what way you look at it....Sparks are genius.
Looks to me like the cameraman that night didn't know what to do with Ron Mael's appearance! You hardly even see him here! Whereas on the footage for the ABC-TV show In Concert around the same time, you get plenty of shots of him! Which was how I became a fan at 10 years old in 1974.
Thanks so much for posting! It's great to see footage of Sparks in this era. I tape this show on my cassette recorder. It's great to see it again.
He has some falsetto! I have to admit I have never heard of the "Sparks." Never too old to learn something new!
Happy Friday 🥳 Thank you for sharing!
See you night and don't be late! 😄
See you tonight for the Episode! We have had a fellow TH-cam creator begging for Sparks to be played since we launched so it was a good "Fan Friday" choice.
@themidnightspecialtvshow
"Fan Friday" is super fantastic... no matter what clip it is! We'll take it!
Don't forget your favorite adult beverage tonight! 🍹🍺🍷🍸🥂🥃👌
@@that70sgirl90 just Sparks. No ‘the’ necessary. 👍🏻
@JaggsyJaggs Truthfully, I don't want to sound mean. I'm not an English major in school or college here, and I'm not handing in my paper to be corrected. This is TH-cam... I would be last to correct anyone. I could care less if all their i's are dotted and their t's are crossed, as long as their heart is in the right place. ❤️ That's all that matters to me. 👍🏻 Have a sensational day! 🌞💖
@@that70sgirl90 no need to be snarky! It was meant in kindness. You do you then.🤣
And yet this did not take off in the US at the time. Note Dinky Diamond on drums. Their British band was superb. I'm sure they were 'delighted' to suddenly find the brothers had returned to the US and that they were effectively out of work without a word said. For me, aged 5 in the UK, I STILL remember seeing them play this on Top Of The Pops and my mother's reaction to Ron, as well as Russel's falsetto singing. No-one had seen or heard anything like this before. And this was their third album.
3:23 - Russell gesturing at Ron, Ron pretending to pretend to ignore. Pure Gold from the beginning, these guys!
Love me some SPARKS! I used to work with Earle Mankey's son (Earle was Halfnelson's guitarist -- the second incarnation of this magnificent band. Give their elpee Li'L BEETHOVEN a spin. "I married myself...I'm very happy together..."
I saw this show and it was my introduction to Sparks... I went out and bought a couple of their albums. All my friend thought I was nuts when I played them the albums. I still think they had an incredible creativity. Very original
Absolutely peerless and phenomenal
Oh what a good one
Truly weird, but very talented, and way before their time to be appreciated for what they offered to pop music. One of the most underrated groups of all time.
They were hugely popular and had quite a number of hits, not to mention influencing all sorts of other bands.
@@M_C79 Russell's expressions and deadpan looks are hilarious!
Not in Britain, we loved & appreciated them.
They’re never underrated if someone appreciates them.
Underrated lol. Why do people feel the need to write that stupid comment about most world famous artists?!!
Oh my. What a tight performance. Stunning.
Yep, this was the night I came home late, turned on the t.v. and there they were. I couldn't look away! They were fascinating to watch. And now it's friggin 50 years later and I still can't look away. Love these guys.
Saw them in Brussels last year 78 and 75 yrs old)…. Still amazing !
Sparks were legendary.they still are .
Thanks for posting music form this vastly under appreciated band!!
So good! Aired on my birthday in 1974.
I was 3 months old, with a dirty nappy at the time.
I think you make one Canadian Muffin really happy with this one.
Yes! 😃
The guitarist is playing a Alpine White Guild S-100... freaking beautiful! Probably made in 1974.
@Corey Joseph yes it does! I have a 1973 cherry version and it's an amazing guitar.
and his name is Trevor White. 😃
Ahhh, the offset horns. Good eye.
@@larrybethune3909 that and where the strings go to the bridge is offset as well.
Original guitarists wos Adrien fisher who died long ago...
Sounds amazing live, i was frightened of Ron when i seen him on Top of the Pops as a kid 😂😂😂🎶🎵🎶🎵❤️
One of the best glam rock act ever!!!
Sparks the band that keeps on giving.
Always ahead of the curve. And on tour now!
Really great, a far superior clip than many of the British ones of this era! Thank you Midnight Special! Please post the full appearance!
They're American 😊
@@trondrew Indeed, but they appeared frequently on British TV, and many of those clips are on TH-cam. This post helps fulfil the mighty triumvirate of their appearances on Midnight Special, Don Kirshner's Rock Concert, and ABC's In Concert. Kind of the Full Nelson, if you get my drift.
I forgot until recently that they are American. An underrated band. The original broadcast of this segment was my introduction to Sparks. They are still going strong today. Thanks for this clip and your channel in general. It's been great so far.
Yes, they just played two sold out shows at the Royal Albert Hall and playing at the Hollywood Bowl later this month. Not bad for a "cult" band. 😃
@@canadianstudmuffin I was there. They were outstanding, even better than last year. Russell's voice was perfection. It was clear Russell was loving it as much as us.
It was that day in 1974 that my older brother said, "You gotta see these guys" and immediately started singing in falsetto. I was gobsmacked! Thank you then and thank you now Midnight Special.
I remember watching this.
Different lyrics!!! Thanks for finally uploading this!
Our pleasure!
Incredible performance
Simply F'ing brilliant!!! I watched a clip of them playing a spanish festival that was recorded just last week. Still together and still playing strong .. in all these years, the brothers have lost nothing., Thank you, this was the song that switched me on to them back in the 70's. ♥
Ron Mael just kills me!🤣
The Midnight Special was absolutely phenomenal.
From those of us who tuned in back then when the world was a different place.....
A sincere THANK YOU for posting this and releasing it how you do.
It is good of you to do so
Brilliant. I saw them live a couple of weeks ago, still so much energy... Everyone in the audience on their feet dancing. Great film.
I love it! Truly love the live version in The Midnight Special!
brilliant performance of this song at Glastonbury 49 years later!
Weren’t they in the George Segal 1977 movie Rollercoaster?
Yes! I remember them in that movie! Performing at the amusement park, where a bomb was planted. Such a long time ago.😳
I remember the first time hearing this unique song on Canadian AM radio in 1974. I thought, “What the hell is this??” Anyway, I loved it, and became an instant fan.
I have been a Canadian fan for fifty years and I honestly cannot remember how I discovered them.
This is brilliant! Saw them in the U.K. round about this time, never to be forgotten.
This must be the most exhausting song to sing - and he can still do it!!
Oh hell yes. I love it when this channel posts gold that wasn't included on the old DVD set release. This is crucial.
Although I'm actually mostly a Rolling Stones fan (then The Clash, then Sparks), for me this is the greatest rock song of all time, ahead of "Jumpin' Jack Flash" and "Safe European Home".
FINALLY, LOVE THIS PERFORMANCE FROM THE BOTTOM OF MY HEART
WOW..That was incredible
be still, my 16 year old heart! I remember this so well - wonderful that they played live! love you, Sparks - 19 days 'til DC!
Wow! I think I was more excited to see this totally unexpected and unseen before footage of Sparks than the Genesis ones 😍 Kimono and Propaganda where their best albums and they release both in the same year. Thanks for the upload 👍
Sparks are flying.
I dunno mate, everyone is standing on ground, not in the air
Such an amazing performance by one of
The all
Time greatest and most unique bands!
Thanks for the upload!
I had that album. Remember seeing them on TV.. So original .. kind of Bowie like..for the time...👀
It's incredible how they sound even better live now! Great capture of Sparks on this show.
More epic live... this was released yesterday but will be relevant tomorrow!!! Bravo
Russell using the mike as if he were dispensing holy water. So funny.
Glorious!
10 year old me was fascinated 🎉
Not seen this before. Cool.
I was 16 years old when i saw them with this Song on German TV. It was "DISCO" with Ilja Richter. Since them i love them. And this was 50 Years ago. Now with66 i already love he Sparks. 😍😎
It was seeing Dinky Diamond that made me want to a drummer,he is on top form here
wasnt he fantastic
@@mattcoppen9676 He is so underrated
They had a killer band and today they have also assembled a killer band.
Their rock sound is still strong and that's part of their greatness (I have a remarkable grasp of the obvious}
Super, thank you!!!💥
Omg, I remember being freaked out by this on its original broadcast! Thanks so much for posting ❤❤️❤️❤️
THANK YOU SO MUCH! I can’t believe I FINALLY get to see this! Hope we get the rest of the Sparks songs very soon
Fantastic !! 👁💜
Used to watch this show all the time. I remember seeing this. My buddy at the time was a huge Sparks fan.
I forget who requested this, but THANK YOU for doing so, and thank you The Midnight Special folks for uploading this!
You're welcome. 🙂 I had been searching for them on this show forever, as it was the first time I saw Sparks and been a fan ever since. The channel was very nice to take my request so quickly.
i don't think the average human being can realize how amazing this
Very tight.
Brilliant!
Congrats on Sparks recently playing two sold out shows at the Royal Albert Hall, and also the Hollywood Bowl in July!
Now that’s how you put across a good song from a great group.
Love the first albums, what a great live performance!!
This is genius level pop music. Amazing that they had to go to England to make it. America didn't understand or appreciate what it had.
The same thing happened to Jimi Hendrix and the New York Dolls. Even Lou Reed and VU.
The United States prefers the conventional. While the British love to make a difference and break the mold.
@@omegajrz1269 Good point.
@@stuartfishman1044 There's a reason people prefer British rock to American rock.
@@omegajrz1269 And there's a reason people prefer American music to British. What's your point? I do love British music, but by and large it doesn't have the roots and soul of American music, even when it's affected like Clapton or the Stones. I'll put up Little Feat and Allman Brothers against all comers from the UK. And let's not even start with Soul/R&B. Motown, TSOP?.. TKO.
@@Hexon66 Let's see. I admit that there are American bands like VU, Suicide, Sparks, Silver Apples, Mission of Burma, Yo La Tengo, Red Krayola, LCD Soundsystem, Television or New York Dolls, who have nothing to envy the British. But I consider that British rock is more unconventional, risky and sophisticated than American rock. What we do agree on is that it sins of not feeling as authentic due to their influence of American music.
I’ve been waiting for this! Thank you. ❤
Great to see this! Shame the cameramen didn't get the memo about close-ups for Ron.
It's just great ! ❤❤❤❤
Just great ! A piece of genius ! ❤
super tight tricky song to sing and play....
ron scared me as a kid....
Pretty damn sure that these guys were a huge influence on the cardiacs
Love these, always have.
Still worth watching and hearing.