This section is reserved for anyone who has a nice (and true!) story about any obscure and unlikely place where he/she has heard Sparks' music. (after an original idea by Colin Black)

If you want to contribute your story, please email us.

Bobby Muir wrote us on 28 February 2000:

Here's one for ya !!

I was on holiday last May in Orlando, Florida and spent a day at Universal Studios Theme Park.

There's a bit of the park dedicated to horror films, Hitchcock etc and they have a big mock electric chair which usually attracts the tourists for photo opportunities. Being a regular kind of guy I decide I wanted one too.

While I was sitting there I became aware of the opening bars of a familiar tune and felt the hairs on the back of my neck stand on end as my brain kicked into gear. It was Armies of the Night and I can only presume that the Fright Night Soundtrack was being played.

I spent the rest of the day humming the tune as I hadn't heard it in ages.

So if you're in Florida and ......

Bobby Muir

Edinburgh, Scotland

Ype Kingma wrote us on 17 September 2000:

In June 1998 I joined a church-service in a town called Hoensbroek (The Netherlands. This was a kind of 'youth mass'. The theme of the gathering was: Heaven & Hell. And suddenly! There it was! The #1 Song in Heaven came blaring through the speakers. Later on they played tracks from the Heaven & Hell-album by Vangelis. You imagine my surprise and delight to hear SPARKS in a church. Moreover, the preacher in his sermon told that the the message of God's love spreads like a song troughout the world, just like the lyrics say. But he doubted that Gabriel would play guitar. It should be harp instead. Let us praise, the Lord for R&R, Hallelujah! Amen.

Sara Rossett wrote us on 16 November 1999:

I had a minor Sparks occurence in San Antonio, TX of all places. You see I was never really a Sparks fan but, Sparks are a bit of a cult favorite in this city right now. Actually, probably about 10 people I know love Sparks in this town and these are probably the only 10 people who have even heard of Sparks in this town. Anyway, Sparks grew on me throughout this year and I attend kickboxing class. Well, it was wierd because the other day we were working out to music in class: Orbital, and a lot of lame mainstream music and then, out of no where "Cool Places" comes on and just when I get momentum to work out the instructor blows the whistle for the end of class. So basically everyone in kickboxing class was showering or cooling off to Cool Places. Kind of funny, just thought you would like to know.

Hajo Spuunup wrote us on 02 November 1999:

Having read the other observations on your site, I've come to the conclusion that there must be some closet Sparks fans over at the BBC. While flipping channels back in August this year, I came across some kind of fashion show on BBC 2 in the evening. I was about to turn over when suddenly "Looks, looks looks" started playing! Sadly it only lasted for about 5 seconds...

John Matthews wrote on June 4th, 1998 to the Sparks Mailing List:

Subject: [mael-list]: Sparks Appear In Top BBC Soap

Sparks providing the soundtrack to "Eastenders"! A career-defining moment,
I'm sure you'll all agree.

About ten minutes into tonights episode, a suitably thrilling and tense moment in the Queen Vic (probably something to do with Frank Butcher's hat or somesuch nonsense) with the orchestral version of "This Town" sweeping from the jukebox in the background!

From "Observant" (I stole this from Larry's guestbook archives (also on the "Amateur Hour" Tribute CD multimedia track) - CvB):

I have the beginning of Achoo on my answering machine,only the music intro. A telemarketer called and left a message on the machine. "Sorry, that's "Achoo" by Sparks." All that was said. Just an interesting tidbit that Sparks fans can be and are everywhere.

Colin Black wrote:

I have one unusual instance, and a few other not so remarkable ones.

(1) In July 1975, in the Romanian Black Sea port of Constanza, I heard a bus driver playing (what I presumed to be) a tape (or was it on the radio?) of Kimono My House. I boarded the bus to the sound of "Talent is an Asset". The song almost ran its full course (that's parenthetical, spare the superlatives ...) but then, just like the song, my memory fades as to why the music stopped. Nicolai Ceacescu's socialist paradise was surely a very unlikely place to hear a Sparks' song.

(2) I have been informed that last month the BBC replaced its usual theme music to the weely Saturday sports program "Grandstand" with "This town ....", whilst displaying pictures of the soccer player Alan Shearer and the former Newcastle United manager Ruud Guilluit {please correct my spelling of this Dutch surname}. The music was supposed to indicate the stand-off that was taking place between these two figures.

(3) I once walked into a pub in Newcastle, and somebody (not me) had selected "When do I get to sing my way" on the juke box. Astonishment.