News last updated on: 07 March 2005

Sparks Convention 2005

Sparks Convention 2004

Dinky Diamond R.I.P.

Dinky Diamond (real name: Norman Diamond) was recruited as part of Sparks' British band in 1973, after the Maels had arrived in England. He played drums on three albums and was fired with the rest of the band (Trevor White and Ian Hampton) in 1976, when the Maels returned to Los Angeles to form a new band to record "Big Beat".

Out of the three original members recruited by Sparks in 1973, Dinky Diamond was the only one who was not fired preliminary.

With John Hewlett, Trevor White and (then ex-Dickie) Chuck Wagon he took part in the 1981 Four Squares project.

New DVD out now: Lil'B live in Stockholm - available from the 9th of August 2004

Contents are:

Sparks played at Meltdown Festival London - 12th June 2004

They played the whole Kimono My House (and Lil' Beethoven) albums, including B-sides as "Barbecutie" and "Lost and Found".

To coincide with the live show at The Ocean in Hackney, Sparks released a the Deluxe Edition of Lil' Beethoven

The release date was March 22, 2004

This is an enhanced CD and, in addition to the 9 original Lil Beethoven songs, will include:

The Legend Of Lil' Beethoven
Wunderbar
The Rhythm Thief Instrumental

plus

The Rhythm Thief video
Fear Of A Blank Page (short film)
Lil' Beethoven Screensaver

The album will be in a special black package and will be released on Lil Beethoven Records catalogue number LBRCD101

(Thanks to The Official website and David Anderson-Steel)

Mojo Magazine will be running a 4-5 page feature in the issue out on March 15th 2004

Sparks have appeared in BBC6 radio program "Dream Ticket" (the best live music), monday 9 February 2004, from 22:00 to 00:00, along with Roxy Music, Human Leage and Japan.

Still some stuff to download at http://www.bbc.co.uk/6music/music/dream_ticket.shtml

(Thanks to David Anderson-Steel)

The december 2004 issue of Uncut Magazine has a CD attached with a new Sparks track "We Are The Clash" !!
Beware: there are 2 different CDs (there is even one without Sparks), so pick up the right one!

Ron and Russell have contributed to Telex' Marc Moulin's album (2CD's) "Top Secret". Ron contributed his vocals on the "What?" track, Russell engineered.

More info here.

(info from Magnus Kaukerat)

Currently, "The Rhythm Thief" has been released as the first US single, and it's video has already been aired in the US.
The single will also be released in the UK in January 2004.

Fans of Sparks may be interested in an online radio show at http://www.wfmu.org/playlists/shows/6684

This was broadcasted on February 20, 2003 but is also archived. This is a 3-hr show on WFMU listener-supported radio in New Jersey USA. with Sparks music, and brief discussion about why no one in US knows about Sparks! It also contains some rare audio-snippets from early demos and other rare material (even a track from the "Amateur Hour" Tribute!!!)!!!

Direct link: High Quality MP3 version (but be aware: 125 MB!!!) - use your right-mouse-button and select "Save Target As..."
You can also use the RealAudio link on the website itself, but quality is pretty poor...

Available right now!!!

Released by Artful (Fulfill) records, distributed by Universal. Two different versions are available, the normal version and a limited edition with a big booklet. The announced 2CD-set was just a rumour...
The album will be re-released in the UK by Palm Records in January 2004.

Tracklist:
1. The Rhythm Thief
2. How Do I Get To Carnegie Hall ?
3. What Are All These Bands So Angry About ?
4. I Married Myself
5. Ride em Cowboy
6. My Babys Taking Me Home
7. Your Call Is Very Important To Us Please Hold
8. Ugly Guys With Beautiful Girls
9. Suburban Homeboy

Warning: the album contains GUITARS!...
This is a MUST BUY, the best Sparks album since Indiscreet (IMHO)

For the promotion of this album, Sparks have done some interviews for the radio.

In order to listen to them:
Chris Hawkins BBC interview
Chris Hawkins BBC interview part I (alternate link)
Chris Hawkins BBC interview part 2 (alternate link)
Danny Baker Radio London interview
Thanks Steve Murray and Ian Beach

Sparks played the London Royal Festival Hall, 19 October 2002, and it was terrific !

First part before the break they played the new album Lil' Beethoven in its entirety, second part was a golden oldies series, with Dean Menta (Faith No More) in a dominant role playing guitars.... (are these guitars now back forever?)
Read all about this gig here.

Pictures of this gig can be found here:
http://www.vcdbtournai.com - thanks jean-paul dussart
http://www.austrohungaro.com/hidrogenesse/sparks - thanks carlos y genis

Sparks have collaborated with Japanese band "Pizzicato 5" on a track called "Kimono" (originally recorded by another Japanese band "TV Jesus"). The track can be found on Pizzicato 5's CD "Ça et là du Japon" (2001).
Also on this album is a hidden track, immediately after track two, which has Ron introduce himself and go into a brief, verbal thirty second tourist introduction to the geography of Japan, in English, after which the members of Pizzicato Five applaud. It is the longest that Ron has ever been known to say anything on record, although he does noticeably stuggle with pronouncing some of the Japanese placenames !

Thanks to Chris Devonshire-Ellis.

Ron Mael contributed a jacket blurb to Dr. Eckhard Nickel's latest book "Vas Ich Davon Holte" (2000). Dr. Eckhard Nickel seems to be a popular(?) German writer who interviewed Sparks on a number of occasions, and greatly impressed the guys.

Two new (co-written) SPARKS songs can be heard on "Shampoo Victims", the first album of Grand Popo Football Club, composed of frenchmen Ariel Wizman and Nicolas Errèra
- YO QUIERO MAS DINERO (RealAudio sample)
- LA NUIT EST LA (RealAudio sample)

As one can hear, Russell sings on both songs, also Tammy added vocals.
You can order the CD (out NOW!) at www.fnac.com

It seems Ariel or Nicolas once used to play bass for Sparks during a TV playback years ago.

Full interview of Grand Popo Football Club in the weekly LES INROCKUPTIBLES

They talk about their collaboration with Sparks:
http://real3.isdnet.net/ramgen/inrocks/Musique/0800/grand_popo_3.rm
Direct link :
http://www.lesinrocks.com/lesinrocks/product.asp?dept_id=30&sku=21525

(Info from Benoit de Fleurac and Steve Boyce)

Available on DVD (and VHS) now: Sparks live in London 1999!!!
Read all about this gig here.
The track order on video is slightly different.

There is a DVD out with two Sparks videos on it. The first video is: #1 Song In Heaven / Oglio Records, the second is: All You Ever Think About Is Sex / Atlanta Records-Warner Music Canada.

This DVD is distributed by ETV Net (www.etvnet.com), however: they do not sell to the public (they are only a licensing agency).
(Info from Mark A. Silver)

Also the Rollercoaster movie is now available on DVD
(Info from Sparks58)

"Angst"-era producer Mack is currently working on a full DVD of SPARKS!!!
"....he will be remastering the songs into fab surround sound: and the DVD will contain 8 channels of audio to give masses of information about the visuals included. ...Better yet, this is finally a realistic chance to gather Sparks' video work in one presentation. Ron & Russell hint to expect plenty of surprises, such as the original promo film for 'This Town...' and the little seen, intriguing clip for 'National Crime Awareness Week', as well as other oddities & rarities".
(info from the Official Fanclub Newsletter - and thanks RM for letting me know before the postal services in this country...)

For the english translation of Serge Gainsbourg's one and only book "Evguenie Sokolov" (1980), Russell Mael was kind enough to write an afterword.
The book is published in 1998 by TamTam Books, Los Angeles, California.
ISBN 0966234618 (also available from amazon.com)
(info from Tosh Berman)

Also the authorized biography "A Song That Sings Itself", written by Amelia Cone will be published by TamTam Books. This authorized biography (announced in 1997) is still scheduled for 2000.
(info from Amelia herself)