Both Freddie Mercury and Russell Mael are great singers, although I’ve always preferred Sparks to Queen. Saw Sparks in March of this year and it was a fantastic show. The band and Russell’s voice were in fine form.
@@oenthusiast Yes. He is amazing and age has not affected his voice. Plus, he sings very wordy songs thanks to his big brother and never needed the long guitar and drum solos built into Queen concerts just to give Freddie a rest.
A song named achoo, this band is really exptional... Ron music composition is very unique... I believe that Ron Mel is Beethoven or Bach of the modern times
Ron and Russel are americans, although the rest of the band were English here. (But if you are american, you probably don't even know most non american bands. A few english ones perhaps.)
@@RIPdixiecarter Haven't they been a duo since the 70s, in many ways? (So you are not american? Pardon me for using my life experience, but US centric comments usually come from americans, especially regarding music.)
Listening to Sparks in these 70’s years always brought me pleasure and how not to be happy and Smile!! Very good And Talented duo, with a killer band !!! ❤ 🫶 Thank you for posting this historic document!!!
This took place in 1975. The same year that another legendary band delivered a classic. The classic's name was "Bohemian Rhapsody". 10 years later, that same legendary band would perform at Live Aid. And blow everyone away. Sparks is unbelievably original. Bless the Mael brothers.
▶Hippopotamus... 😉 THAT is hm, unusual. At the least. And many more: ▶Moustache ▶Instant weight loss ▶Dance Godammit ▶Stop me if you heard this before ▶National crime awareness week ▶ I thought I told you to wait in the car ▶Tsui Hark ▶When I kiss you (I hear Charlie Parker playing) ▶Now that I own the BBC ▶What are all these bands so angry about ▶Your call's very important to us. Please hold ▶(Baby, baby) Can I invade your country? ▶As I sit down to play the organ at the Notre Dame Cathedral ▶I can't believe you would fall for all the crap in this song ▶So tell me Mrs. Lincoln, aside from that, how was your day? Also ▶"Pineapple" seams just outside the common range. Sparks is different from others. Said in greatest respect. 💖
Untrained, unbelievable! 😍 Heard about Klaus Nomi? Countertenor. Trained in opera, sang pop, vaudeville, new age etc in New York in the seventies until his death (aids) 1983. He worked with Kristian Hoffman, with whom Russell made the song 'Devil May Card's and Ann Magnusson, who was in the cast for 'The Seduction Of Ingmar Bergman' on the Los Angeles Film Festival. Hoffman wrote a couple of great songs for Nomi, 'The Nomi Song', 'Simple Man' and 'Lightning Strikes' are a couple of them. Nomi had an amazing voice too, and I wonder how Russell could have developed his voice with just enough training. Not to sing opera-like, but to have even better technic.
I have kept wondering whether Russell was coked, especially during the early '80s. But I know they're some clean-ass motherfuckers now, and he performs with at least as much energy in his 60s as he did in his 20s and 30s. So I've given up trying to guess.
"Everyone" did coke in the eighties. I doubt that they "Never Been High" as the song goes, but I also doubt that they had problems, such as addiction. They were youngsters during the sixties, do you, honestly, believe they never tried pot?! Today is a different story. They mentioned in an interview that they use soy milk in coffee. Anyway, I don't think they could keep up the tempo that they have had the last years if they didn't live rather healthy.
Halfnelson was formed -69/-70. If you say it's not the same band Sparks wasn't until 1972, when they changed name. They also stole their own album and put their name on it. Please.... 😫🙄 The group changed name, due to their manager. They were called 'Halfnelson', the manager said "The Sparks Brothers" as a parallel to 'The Marx Brothers', when they had such humor. The band refused and 'Sparks' was a compromise. It was the exactly same guys, Ron and Russell Meal, Jim and Earle Mankey and Harley Feinstein, when they recorded their first album 'Halfnelson' 1971 as when they re-issued it as 'Sparks' 1972, and recorded 'A Woofer In A Tweeter's Clothing' the same year. Ron and Russell is obviously still there, it's their band, or since the last 47 or so years they ARE the band. When they moved to England 1973 their new management didn't want the other guys, on the other hand, the other guys weren't into the idea of shifting continent, and Norman "Dinky" Diamond, Adrian Fisher, Martin Gordon and Trevor White was hired. 'Kimono My House', 'Propaganda' and 'Indescreet' were the latter boys. Then Ron and Russell moved back to LA and put another band together for 'Big Beat'. Two years later they heard Donna Summer, who was produced by Giorgio Moroder. The rest is history ('No. 1 Song In Heaven') and there has never been a question about "who" is the band. (2020)
Sparks was halfnelson before they renamed as Sparks. Before that, they were the Urban Renewal Project in the mid-60s. All the music and the bands have always had Ron and Rusty!
Absolutely bizarre. It’s unfortunate that people likely paid actual money to listen to this. There was an era when anyone could just be on a stage and be at least somewhat admired. This was that era.
@@zdiggitydawg : nothing wrong with Sparks. Or other music from the 70's. Queen. Led Zeppelin. The Who. The list goes on. What talent do we have today ?
And 46 years later people all over the US and Europe are already buying tickets to hear these same two guys perform live next year. You had some bad luck to be posting this in the middle of the Year of Sparks. Critical and popular appreciation, and they're still creating new things.
Sparks have spent over 50 years being brilliant. I don't see the point on posting on vids you obviously hate. If I posted on every band/"musician" I hate I would soon run out of pixels.
![Sparks - In Concert (1974) [Live At Rainbow Theatre]](http://i.ytimg.com/vi/RBKPdITN3mg/mqdefault.jpg)
![Sparks - In Concert (1974) [Live At Rainbow Theatre]](/img/tr.png)
I still listening, June 2023. Sparks Fan since early days.
Я тоже
Ron and Russel. This is my time. Thank you for your all music in all the time.
2023. The Girl Is Crying in Her Latte.
I thought "the late great" Freddie Mercury was a great singer until I heard this guy!
And this guy at 73 is still an exceptional singer.
Both Freddie Mercury and Russell Mael are great singers, although I’ve always preferred Sparks to Queen. Saw Sparks in March of this year and it was a fantastic show. The band and Russell’s voice were in fine form.
@@oenthusiast Yes. He is amazing and age has not affected his voice. Plus, he sings very wordy songs thanks to his big brother and never needed the long guitar and drum solos built into Queen concerts just to give Freddie a rest.
Russell is the true Queen
Ron Mael with his signature distant distain ... gotta love it!
Amazing. Im 53 and still love this.
A song named achoo, this band is really exptional... Ron music composition is very unique... I believe that Ron Mel is Beethoven or Bach of the modern times
He totally is!!
some sort of Lil´ Beethoven ;)
Greatest non American American band ever.
Ron and Russel are americans, although the rest of the band were English here. (But if you are american, you probably don't even know most non american bands. A few english ones perhaps.)
@@herrbonk3635 The band is just the duo now
Also making assumptions about a semi anonymous name based on a 7 year old comment is fun I guess
@@RIPdixiecarter Haven't they been a duo since the 70s, in many ways? (So you are not american? Pardon me for using my life experience, but US centric comments usually come from americans, especially regarding music.)
@@herrbonk3635 No, they had a backing band in some format until a decade ago.,
Queen schemeen, these guys are the real deal
До сих пор слушаю*-*
Listening to Sparks in these 70’s years always brought me pleasure and how not to be happy and Smile!! Very good And Talented duo, with a killer band !!! ❤ 🫶 Thank you for posting this historic document!!!
Talent and unique ness. Not to be sneezed at
Talent is an asset, indeed.
Russell is just sublime
Isn't he just.
Quand j’écoute cette musique je crois en DIEU
yep, and furthermore, queen was an opening act for sparks when they played the uk in support of 'a woofer in tweeter's clothing'
Freakin fantastic performance!!! Russell's last atchoo at the end is perfect!
Yes, Sparks was first before Queen.
Interesting comment, I started obsessing over Queen only after I had finished obsessing over Sparks.
@thechaos44 It's the other way around. Freddie Mercury is a bit like Russell Mael. Sparks was together years before Queen.
I have been trying to tell people this and I get trolled. You are right sir.
frihnrehnrnhowejrwoiöwa Russell is so CUTE i could just squeeze the life outta him!!
If you had, how much wonderful things we all missed!! But NOW I see what you mean, then I thought HE had the weird eyes, not Ron 😂
Before Cheap Trick, there was Sparks. ;)
GOLDEN era of SPARKS for me.
Their newest, 'A Steady Drip Drip Drip' ain't bad 💖💗💓❤💖
@@annabackman3028 Very true, Anna.
It's all a golden era, when you really think about it! 😊
They are so stylish! Mainly Russell,look at his clothes,so amazing!
2019 СЛУШАЮ!!! а ведь мне 28 лет
he is still the greatest
all due to dinky, ian and trevor....the band. met them in1970´s at Sheraton bar in Stockholm :-) memory forever
A great memory. The band are really good - I love the live performances.
Fantastic🤗
Brill band
When I listé to that music. I believe in GOD
omg how did I miss this one!!!!
Very listenable, thanks for posting this and I see there are many other Sparks songs here. Fan$$oody Fantastic!
This took place in 1975. The same year that another legendary band delivered a classic. The classic's name was "Bohemian Rhapsody". 10 years later, that same legendary band would perform at Live Aid. And blow everyone away. Sparks is unbelievably original. Bless the Mael brothers.
Love the way Parks use the power full, deep bass guitar Rickenbacker
Gesundheit.
Great watching this footage!
I can see some early Split Enz here, maybe they got their inspiration from these guys. You have to love Ron and Russell
Yes, in a Creem review of True Colors the guy called it "a Sparks-type rollercoaster ride"
great!!!
❤️ Sparks
Only Sparks could come up with a track called "Achoo!" Very unique..
▶Hippopotamus... 😉 THAT is hm, unusual. At the least. And many more:
▶Moustache
▶Instant weight loss
▶Dance Godammit
▶Stop me if you heard this before
▶National crime awareness week
▶ I thought I told you to wait in the car
▶Tsui Hark
▶When I kiss you (I hear Charlie Parker playing)
▶Now that I own the BBC
▶What are all these bands so angry about
▶Your call's very important to us. Please hold
▶(Baby, baby) Can I invade your country?
▶As I sit down to play the organ at the Notre Dame Cathedral
▶I can't believe you would fall for all the crap in this song
▶So tell me Mrs. Lincoln, aside from that, how was your day?
Also ▶"Pineapple" seams just outside the common range.
Sparks is different from others. Said in greatest respect. 💖
Sparks the both brothers were born in palisades California they parents were Jews austrian and Russian
Шо?)Это не тот Спаркс?)Всем,кто ,в теме и не в теме:посвящаеться)Спасибо,за творчество.
Yes. Very much so.
The beginning sounds like the beginning of Black to Comm by the MC5
О да.
I suspect he is counted as a counter tenor...
Untrained, unbelievable! 😍
Heard about Klaus Nomi? Countertenor. Trained in opera, sang pop, vaudeville, new age etc in New York in the seventies until his death (aids) 1983. He worked with Kristian Hoffman, with whom Russell made the song 'Devil May Card's and Ann Magnusson, who was in the cast for 'The Seduction Of Ingmar Bergman' on the Los Angeles Film Festival.
Hoffman wrote a couple of great songs for Nomi, 'The Nomi Song', 'Simple Man' and 'Lightning Strikes' are a couple of them.
Nomi had an amazing voice too, and I wonder how Russell could have developed his voice with just enough training. Not to sing opera-like, but to have even better technic.
!!!!!!!
british were so good for hysterical reaction !
Halfnelson is Sparks. :-)
Duh
I love how your comment underneath has, "translate to English"!
is there no studio version of this song on youtube?
Not as great live, but the studio version IS my favorite Sparks track.
SERGEY LOLOVICH do you have more Sparks?
Unfortunately i has only this one
Do you think Freddie copped any ideas from Russell?
I have kept wondering whether Russell was coked, especially during the early '80s. But I know they're some clean-ass motherfuckers now, and he performs with at least as much energy in his 60s as he did in his 20s and 30s. So I've given up trying to guess.
Simone Menier uhhhh....no he doesn’t. He performs brilliantly chaotic, these days
"Everyone" did coke in the eighties. I doubt that they "Never Been High" as the song goes, but I also doubt that they had problems, such as addiction.
They were youngsters during the sixties, do you, honestly, believe they never tried pot?!
Today is a different story. They mentioned in an interview that they use soy milk in coffee. Anyway, I don't think they could keep up the tempo that they have had the last years if they didn't live rather healthy.
Lol, he forgot lyrics of their song
He's a bit like Freddy Mercury. You can't raelly imitate his voice!
Vice versa indeed
I still think I might be being pranked by The Sparks - how do I know this isn’t just a Spinal Tap type of fake but real band?
If they were a different name then they were not Sparks until 1971 Doh!
Halfnelson was formed -69/-70.
If you say it's not the same band Sparks wasn't until 1972, when they changed name. They also stole their own album and put their name on it.
Please.... 😫🙄
The group changed name, due to their manager. They were called 'Halfnelson', the manager said "The Sparks Brothers" as a parallel to 'The Marx Brothers', when they had such humor. The band refused and 'Sparks' was a compromise.
It was the exactly same guys, Ron and Russell Meal, Jim and Earle Mankey and Harley Feinstein, when they recorded their first album 'Halfnelson' 1971 as when they re-issued it as 'Sparks' 1972, and recorded 'A Woofer In A Tweeter's Clothing' the same year.
Ron and Russell is obviously still there, it's their band, or since the last 47 or so years they ARE the band.
When they moved to England 1973 their new management didn't want the other guys, on the other hand, the other guys weren't into the idea of shifting continent, and Norman "Dinky" Diamond, Adrian Fisher, Martin Gordon and Trevor White was hired.
'Kimono My House', 'Propaganda' and 'Indescreet' were the latter boys. Then Ron and Russell moved back to LA and put another band together for 'Big Beat'.
Two years later they heard Donna Summer, who was produced by Giorgio Moroder. The rest is history ('No. 1 Song In Heaven') and there has never been a question about "who" is the band.
(2020)
wrong i bought both bands music in 1971
wrong sunshine, both bands were formed in 1971.
Sparks was halfnelson before they renamed as Sparks. Before that, they were the Urban Renewal Project in the mid-60s. All the music and the bands have always had Ron and Rusty!
Absolutely bizarre. It’s unfortunate that people likely paid actual money to listen to this. There was an era when anyone could just be on a stage and be at least somewhat admired. This was that era.
Well aren’t you a bummer. This song slaps bro
@@zdiggitydawg : nothing wrong with Sparks. Or other music from the 70's. Queen. Led Zeppelin. The Who. The list goes on. What talent do we have today ?
@@Orion3741 There’s plenty of good musicians today. You just have to go out and find them.
And 46 years later people all over the US and Europe are already buying tickets to hear these same two guys perform live next year. You had some bad luck to be posting this in the middle of the Year of Sparks. Critical and popular appreciation, and they're still creating new things.
Sparks have spent over 50 years being brilliant. I don't see the point on posting on vids you obviously hate. If I posted on every band/"musician" I hate I would soon run out of pixels.