Vocalist Russell Mael (b. 5 October 1953, Santa Monica, California, USA) and his elder brother Ron (b. Ronald David Mael, 12 August 1947, Culver City, California, USA; keyboards) formed Halfnelson in 1968, with renowned rock critic John Mendelsohn on drums. By 1971, the Maels had been joined by Earle Mankey (b. 8 March 1947, Washington, USA; guitar), Jim Mankey (b. James Mankey, 23 May 1952, Pennsylvania, USA; bass) and Harley Feinstein (drums). At the urging of Todd Rundgren - their eventual producer - Albert Grossman signed them to Bearsville Records. Halfnelson's debut album sold poorly, and at their manager's behest the band changed their name to Sparks and re-released their debut. The regional US hit "Wonder Girl" attracted some notice, as did the subsequent A Woofer In Tweeter's Clothing (1972).
A stressful club tour of Europe - during which they were often heckled - amassed, nonetheless, a cult following in glam-rock England where the Maels emigrated in 1973 to gain an Island Records recording contract and enlist a new Sparks from native players. Drummer Norman "Dinky' Diamond from Aldershot's Sound Of Time was a mainstay during this period but among many others passing through the ranks were guitarists Adrian Fisher and Trevor White, and bass players Martin Gordon and Ian Hampton. Overseen by Muff Winwood, the Anglo-American edition of Sparks notched up several UK chart entries, starting with 1974"s unprecedented and startling number 2 hit "This Town Ain't Big Enough For Both Of Us" from the superb Kimono My House. With eccentric arrangements in the Roxy Music vein, "Amateur Hour" and later singles were notable for Ron's lyrical idiosyncrasies as well as wide stereo separation between the bass guitar section and Russell's twittering falsetto. Their appeal hinged visually on the disparity between creepy Ron's conservative garb and "Hitler" moustache, and Russell's bubbly androgyny.
The follow-up Propaganda (also 1974) was a stylistic departure but the basic formula was unaltered. Sparks' over-dependence on this combined with an unsteady stage act to provoke fading interest in further merchandise, despite strategies like hiring Tony Visconti to supervise 1975's Indiscreet, and the Maels' return to California to make Big Beat with expensive LA session musicians. The duo engineered a transient comeback to the UK Top 20 in 1979 with two singles ("Number One Song In Heaven" and "Beat The Clock") from No. 1 In Heaven, an electronic disco album produced by Giorgio Moroder. "When I'm With You', from Terminal Jive, also sold well in France. The brothers finally succeeded in the US Hot 100 with 1983"s Top 50 hit "Cool Places," a tie-up with the Go-Go's' guitarist Jane Wiedlin.
Following some more experimental albums in the late 80s the Maels made an abortive foray into the world of cinema. They returned to music in the 90s on the back of a Sparks revival orchestrated by several UK dance music acts. The duo rose to the occasion in 1994 by releasing one of their finest albums, Gratuitous Sax & Senseless Violins. For their next project, 1997's Plagiarism, they reworked the best of their back catalogue with the help of guest artists such as Faith No More, Erasure and Jimmy Somerville. Balls (2000) saw the Maels treading water, an accusation that could not be levelled at 2002's Lil' Beethoven, a dense, quasi-classical collection that largely eschewed the duo's trademark synths in favour of strings and choirs. The 2006 follow-up Hello Young Lovers repeated the formula to lesser effect, although the album was still greeted with warm reviews.
Sparks continue, against all odds, to produce new music that refuses to sound dated.
