All You Ever Think About Is Sparks (Christian Huey)

Here's Hilly! From starstruck Sparks fan, to fully-fledged member, Hilly was responsible for the Big Beat in Big Beat. He's had a hell of a career post-Sparks, and enjoyed an early MTV smash with Calling All Girls.

This interview is stupid long, but I ain't apologizing. Listen to it on a transatlantic flight or something. Have as many cuba libres as I probably did during the proceedings.

Next up is Introducing Sparks, part 1! I've already recorded some of it!

OH! Thanks to Tom Ferranti for arranging the interview and to Mark Gilbert for the new (personalized) theme song!

Email me at podcastparks@gmail.com or visit our FB page.

--Christian

Monte Mallin and I take the wayback machine to 1983, when Sparks were kings of the mountain - the Magic Mountain. In Outer Space was Sparks' 12th LP, and was released when the group was white-hot, at least in Los Angeles! This episode focuses mostly on the smash single "Cool Places," a duet with Go-Go Jane Wiedlin. So, sit back and let the soothing strains of the Linn Drum lull you to a state of bliss. This is "All You Ever Think About Is Sparks!"

Monte's Sparks-themed YouTube channel at: Monte Mallin - YouTube 

And Paul Barrett's MetaSparks at: MetaSparks - YouTube

Drop me a line at podcastsparks@gmail.com

I delve into side two of Propaganda in this one, including B-side Alabamy Right. Propaganda was a deliberate step forward from Kimono My House, in terms of musical ambition. The second and final album produced by Muff Winwood, Ron employs his "Jam-proof your composition" manifesto here to ensure no one does the same thing twice, and to ensure that Adrian Fisher never gets to play a single blues lick. How was Never Turn Your Back on Mother Earth misunderstood by Ray Davies? Exactly WHAT the hell is Russell singing on Something for the Girl with Everything? I break it all down here.

Check us out on Facebook, and drop me a line at podcastsparks@gmail.com if you're lonely and want to say hi. I like friends.

--Christian

In which I wrap up a discussion of Sparks' until-recently maligned 1977 album. Ron and Russell shared a studio with a revolving door of play-for-pay studio cats, and the end result was a record that sounded good, but didn't sell.

Oh, BTW, yes I know Ron Popeil was famous for saying "but wait, there's more," not "but that's not all."

You can write me at podcastsparks@gmail.com or visit the pod's page on Facebook at facebook.com/podcastsparks

--Christian

We're back! Happy 2020, Sparks fans. In episode 8, I take an obsessive gander at side one of Sparks' most famous album Kimono My House. Learn how Sparks catapulted from esoteric Los Angeles weirdos to British superstars in 1974 with the monumental "This Town Ain't Big Enough for Both of Us," and its stellar parent album. After the history lesson, I bend the ear of Monte Mallin again, this time asking him about what made the late Dinky Diamond the highest-regarded of all of Sparks' many drummers over the years. Check out Monte's frequently-astounding podcast So Important as well his Spotify playlist celebrating Sparks drumming. You can find info about THIS podcast here and here, and you can email me (Christian) at podcastsparks@gmail.com.

Record Store Day 2024 special! Monte Mallin is onboard with me again, and joining us is Sparks megafan - and sometimes DJ - Ad Rebirth. Ad joins us from Leeds, UK and arrives armed with thoughtful insights into the two Sparks vinyl re-releases for RSD '24: Number One in Heaven and Noël: Is There More to Life Than Dancing?, both originally released in 1979.

Lots of great Sparks-related fan material to cross-promote on this momentous day! Monte's Sparks: Entertainment and Art, Paul Barrett's MetaSparks, and Larry Graves' Canadian Studmuffin channel all have RSD-themed episodes out this week (Monte and I make appearances on the Larry Graves' one, too).

Drop me a line at podcastsparks@gmail.com

Ron and Russell ditch the whole notion of having a standing army - er, band, and rely on studio cats hired by the hour on Columbia Records' dime.

Introducing was out of print for over 30 years, until it finally got a new lease on life on CD format in 2009. A badly underexplored chapter in Sparks' history, find out more about that mysterious album that came and went in a flash in 1977.

Monte and Christian sit for a lengthy (and stimulating!) chat with Sparks superfan and author of the insightful blog One For the Ages (www.sparks-onefortheages.com)  Paul Barrett.

We discuss some of his fascinating meta-analyses of Sparks' lyrics, as well as geek out as all proud Sparks fans do, and (checks watch) *just in time* for the release of new LP The Girl Is Crying In Her Latte. Can't wait to have you back, Paul!

Don't forget Monte's excellent podcast So Important!

Drop me a line if you wanna!

He started out a middle class kid from Oregon who grumbled about taking his piano lessons. But by the time he was thirty, Jim Goodwin had worked with the likes of Sparks, John Cale, Simple Minds, Bono, Peter Gabriel and other luminaries.

Jim was exceedingly generous with his time when chatting with myself and Monte Mallin. He's had a hell of a career, and I, for one, enjoyed geeking out with him over vintage synths.

One-time keyboardist for Sparks, Gleaming Spires, The Call, and John Cale on tour, here's Jim Goodwin!

--Christian

sparkspodcast@podbean.com

(NOTE: I uploaded a new version of this episode with different sound levels 2/26)

I explore side 2 of Kimono My House in episode 9, and throw in random tidbits about OPEC-induced vinyl shortages and Japanese musical theatre troupes. Did Doris Day know she had a doppleganger? Is there a gorilla out there doing his best impression of Ron Mael? Do YOU know how to tie a kimono? I expect the answers on my desk by the end of the day.

As promised in my intro, here's the link to Andy Moore's podcast and the episode about Sparks: https://andystreasuretrove.com/podcast/19-sparks-an-homage-to-ron-russell-mael/

Also, drummer Stevie Nistor's Gofundme to help him with chronic Lyme disease treatments: https://www.gofundme.com/f/help-stevie-nistor-beat-chronic-lyme-disease

As always, feel free to drop me a line at podcastsparks@gmail.com or at my FB page.

Hasta Mañana, Monsieur! - Sincerely, Christian Huey

Monte Mallin and I continue our dive into the effervescent waters of Angst In My Pants and the E.T.-induced wonder of 1982. Here, we wrap up side one!

Email me if you want at podcastsparks@gmail.com

...and remember to check out Monte's podcast So Important, as well as his Sparks blog at: So Important: The Interview Podcast! | a podcast by Monte Mallin (podbean.com)

AND: Monte's One Stop Blog!: Revisiting Kimono My House! (Spoiler: It's Still Great) (montesnewblog.blogspot.com)

Sheltered-in-place so long you've got serious cabin fever? Perfect time to listen to Sparks' second hit LP for Island, Propaganda. Propaganda was recorded in just a few weeks, in the wake of the seismic smash of its predecessor. In this episode, I dig deep into the making of the record and explore side one.

As always, drop me a note at podcastsparks@gmail.com or check us out on Facebook. Stay safe, my friends! Wash your hands and eyeballs after reading this!

Much love, Christian 

Angst in my Pants is one of the greatest albums ever made!

Now that that's out of the way, on this, our 35th episode, Christian spends a conspicuous amount of time comparing classic TV comedy Taxi to Sparks and vice versa, by way of Danny DeVito (briefly) sharing a stage with the Mael Bros. and company on a 1982 episode of Saturday Night Live.

After that, Christian and Monte Mallin can barely contain their own angst over Sparks' 1982 release being just. that. good. It's a lot of great chatter, but alas, they only get to the first two songs on side one, after spending the lion's share of their time gushing like smitten schoolgirls, and in Monte's case, sharing some very cool personal Sparks stories.

But have no fear! There's a LOT more convo to share from that session, and it'll hit your eardrums soon enough!

Email me if you want at podcastsparks@gmail.com

and remember to check out Monte's podcast So Important, as well as his Sparks blog at: So Important: The Interview Podcast! | a podcast by Monte Mallin (podbean.com)

SOURCES FOR THIS EPISODE (in addition to the usual):

'Taxi's' Last Stand - The Washington Post

The Life of a Night Driver in the Dover Taxi Fleet -- New York Magazine - Nymag

SNL Transcripts: Danny DeVito: 05/15/82 - SNL Transcripts Tonight (jt.org)

Sparks | Concerts Wiki | Fandom

'TAXI,' DROPPED BY ABC, PICKED UP BY NBC - The New York Times (nytimes.com)

Ron and Russ were dying for some decent espresso and pastries. Voila, they found their newest muses at the Original Farmers Market in Los Angeles.

The Maels teamed up with a talented band by the name (at that time) of The Bates Motel, and with the assistance of uber-producer Reinhold Mack, they found a new lease on life. Here's the first half of Whomp That Sucker, as discussed by myself and Monte Mallin.

Stay tuned! We have a wonderful interview with keyboardist Jim Goodwin coming up!

podbean.com/sparkspodcast.com

podcastsparks@gmail.com

I wasn't sure if I was ever going to really delve into this one, but here you go! This will be another two-parter. Telex was a Belgian technopop group active from 1978 to 1988. They made the acquaintance of Ron and Russell Mael in 1979, through a mutual collaborator, the 18-year-old French pop singer Lio. Ron and Marc Moulin, in particular, struck up a lifelong friendship. But where the 1981 album Sex (hilariously neutered with the title Birds and Bees in the UK one year later) enters the Sparks canon is in that album's lyrics. Telex wanted to crack the Anglophone market with their third album, and enlisted Ron Mael to write the words. Songs like "Brainwashed," "Drama Drama," and "Haven't We Met Somewhere Before," sparkle with crystalline synth lines and disco grooves. And they really could pass for Sparks songs of the era.

I'm joined by John Ashdown, zooming in from London, on this one, and I can't thank him enough for his time and for sharing his insights. John himself produces electronic dance music under the name Christ on a Bike, and I strongly encourage you to check it out here: christonabike.net

You can always drop me a line at: podcastsparks@gmail.com

It's been a minute since I rapped at ya, Sparks fans. Hope all is well. At long last, here's the next chapter in the Sparks saga: the story of Big Beat. Recorded in NYC with an all-new, all-American band, and with Rupert Holmes at the helm (yes, THAT Rupert Holmes), Big Beat was released by Columbia Records in October 1976. Inspired in part by the emerging punk/new wave scene of the moment, Big Beat eschews the baroque pop stylings of the Island records, and opts for a bare bones rock and roll attack. This episode covers the making of the album and the first half of the songs found on modern CD rereleases of Big Beat.

You can always reach Christian (me) here, or via our Facebook page here.

UPDATE: Incredibly, I've already gotten word that my Mr. Bill song at the end suffered volume issues. No doubt that was thanks to Levelator. You can hear a better version here.

Back from extended hiatus. Finally, I take to the waters of Lake Sparks once more. I finish off the story of Big Beat and delve into the last several songs on side 2, as well as the bonus tracks. Next episode should be my long-anticipated interview with Big Beat drummer Hilly Michaels. It's so easy tearing the place apart, eh?

You can email the pod here, or check us out on our Facebook page of the same name.

Thanks! - Christian

(I updated a new version of the file March 25, with the final versions of Martin's songs "Will of the People" and "Idiots.")

What excuse did I have for waiting longer than this for uploading and sharing? None, that's what! While I'm more or less quarantined in my house here in SXSW-less Austin, TX, I've got time on my hands. Thank goodness cabin fever is the only fever in my household at the moment!

Here's that interview with Martin Gordon I promised! He couldn't have been more generous with his time. I've included clips of songs from Martin's long and varied career. Those include: Will of the People, Idiots, Cover Girl, Nervous Wreck, No Russians in Russia, Good Personality, and Modern Major General. Please check out Martin's own website at www.martingordon.de and buy his music!

Stay well and wash everything constantly always! I'll be back soon for part 2 of my exploration of 1974's Propaganda.

Cheers, Christian

More from Monte and Christian about Spark's 1982 party-starter Angst In My Pants! Plus, a short history lesson on the man behind Ron's original "Ronald" synth.

Monte Mallin has a brand-spankin' new YouTube series about Sparks! Check it out! Link below.

Feel free to drop me a line at podcastsparks@gmail.com or Facebook

Links:Ikutaro Kakehashi | NAMM.org

Sparks - Entertainment and Art! Episode One - YouTube

MetaSparks - YouTube

Sparks Talk (sparkstalkbypenny.blogspot.com)

Roland - JUPITER-8 | Software Synthesizer

It's been a while. What can I say? This is maybe *the best* if not just one of the best of the Mael brothers' albums.

I had a great conversation with Monte Mallin on the second half, and you'll be hearing more of Monte in the near future.

Giorgio Moroder helped Ron and Russ completely rethink their musical approach, and it shows here, in spades.

I do spend a good chunk of time near the beginning analyzing how modular synthesis works, so caveat auditor.

You can reach me (Christian) at podcastparks@gmail.com or follow me on Twitter (which I never use): @ChristianHuey

Monte Mallin's podcast is called "So Important!" Check it out!: https://soimportant.podbean.com/

Some sources for today's episode:

https://www.classicpopmag.com/2021/08/sparks-no-1-in-heaven/ https://www.vice.com/en/article/rz77j6/how-we-made-giorgio-moroder-on-i-feel-love

https://madelinex.com/2018/03/23/sparks-this-aint-no-disco/

https://cherryaudio.com/news/the-syndrum-saga

http://www.planetoftunes.com/synthesis/subtractive-synthesis.php

https://www.synthmuseum.com/moog/moomod.html

https://www.sparks-onefortheages.com

We're back! Finally I get down to the nitty gritty of Indiscreet side 2, plus a bevy of bonus tracks. That wraps it up for Sparks in England! Next we head to NYC for Big Beat.

Check us out on Facebook or drop me a line at podcastsparks@gmail.com.

I'm so lucky to have gotten to speak with both halves of Big Beat's rhythm section! As you'll hear from the interview, Sal's been everywhere, man. Sal's been everywhere. Another Sparks player who favors a Rick as his weapon of choice (see: Gordon, Martin), he and Hilly Michaels locked down that bone-crushing groove heard all throughout that aforementioned album.

He toured with Roxy Music, Cracker, played on at least one Runaways LP, and don't get me started on all of the 1960s-70s legends he rubbed elbows with (no spoilers).

Check out his 2017 autobiography/massive review compendium of classic 45s: Four Strings, Fake Proof, and 300 45s. And he's got a new book in the works.

He's the real deal, and I thank him for his time. Here's my time with Sal Maida.

You can contact me (Christian) via sparkspodcast@gmail.com or find this podcast's FB page. Next up it's Introducing Sparks, part 2.

Thom Chiki is SO DEVO. SO DEVO, that without Thom there would be no DEVOtional convention in Columbus, Ohio. Also a big Sparks fan, personal friend of DEVO and Sparks drummer David Kendrick, and an all-around awesome person. Check out Thom's videos here: Thom CD-ROM - YouTube

You can write to me (as always) at podcastsparks@gmail.com

At long last! Monte and Christian wrap up their inexhaustible discussion about Sparks' 1982 landmark LP. Plus, a doff of the cap to Los Angeles' KROQ, the radio station that helped introduce a whole new generation of punk and new wave fans to Ron and Russell's 80s incarnation.

I've been cleaning house, in terms of shoring up unused material for this podcast so that it might see the light of day. That means I have a couple of episodes I'm working to get out by year's end. Ready to start 2024 afresh, and really looking forward to delving into Sparks' self-produced era, starting with 1983's Linn-drummy Sparks in Outer Space.

Don't sleep on Monte's Sparks-themed YouTube channel at: Monte Mallin - YouTube 

And Paul Barrett's MetaSparks at: MetaSparks - YouTube

Wrapping up 2023 (belatedly) with two great interviews from Sparks fans. This one is from Timothy Hall in Cardiff, Wales. He runs Daytrip Records in the UK! Go check it out!

Write to us at podcastsparks@gmail.com

Hey, Sparkskateers. This episode is entirely about the Mael-produced album by Noel: Is There More to Life Than Dancing. I'm chatting with Monte Mallin on this one, and then another conversation with Jim Wellen.

This is an interesting, and fun(!) Sparks-adjacent album (Jim asserts it's a true Sparks album)!

Stick around for next time, when we get into Terminal Jive, from 1980!

https://postpunkmonk.com/2021/07/20/record-review-noel-dancing-is-dangerous-us-7/ http://discodelivery.blogspot.com/2006/10/disco-delivery-27-noel-is-there-more.html

https://cherryaudio.com/news/the-syndrum-saga

Howdy, Sparks fans! As promised, here's another episode all about New Haven's finest, the inimitable Hilly Michaels! Monte Mallin and I wax poetic for a bit about just what made Hilly's powerhouse work on the skins so special on 1976's Big Beat. After that, I clock out, and pass the baton over to Monte for his one-on-one interview with Hilly, recorded a few weeks before our three-way convo with the rhythm savant, which was featured on the previous episode.

Don't sleep on Hilly's non-Sparks work, in particular his solo career! Aside from that early MTV staple "Calling All Girls," his first LP from 1980 simply roars from beginning to end. The sadly-out-of-print Lumia from the following year shows Hilly exploring a more technology-forward sound a la DEVO or Wall of Voodoo, and should've made more of a splash. As I mention in the episode, Hilly has dozens of unreleased songs in the vault, and you can actually hear them right here, on Hilly's YouTube channel!

Monte's Sparks: Entertainment and Art series is here: https://www.youtube.com/@montemallin2024

And Paul Barrett's MetaSparks at: https://www.youtube.com/@MetaSparks

Drop me a line at podcastsparks@gmail.com

Coming up: We discuss that time in 1984 when Sparks showed Bad Manners!

He brought that crashy, nearly out of control funhouse sound to early 80s albums Whomp that Sucker and Angst in my Pants. Later he worked with two different sets of brothers when he joined DEVO as their first corporeal drummer in years. His own band, The Gleaming Spires is getting a long-deserved second look with brand new remasters out.

Of course, I'm talking about legendary drummer David Kendrick. He's one of the reasons I love new wave, and he's a great guy to boot.

David was super generous with his time, and I plan to have him back on again to talk Spires.

Drop me a line anytime at podcastsparks@gmail.com or check out the FB page.

--Christian

John Ashdown and I put a bow on the Telex album Sex. Well, sort of. Most of the world got the single disc version that was released in 1981, but the UK had a double album bestowed upon them when the record finally reached that country in 1982. We just didn't possess the ambition to tackle nearly 20 songs, but we did pay lip service two a couple of choice tracks from the expanded British version.

Check out John's own sparkling grooves with his electronic dance music outfit Christ on a Bike, right here: christonabike.net

You can always drop me a line at: podcastsparks@gmail.com

This one has been in the vault for a while now! Monte and I mix things up by occupying the same geocoordinates as each other for this episode. It's Sparks In Outer Space! Side B. Or 2, if that's your jam. This one was a ton of fun, y'all! We've got another one I'm sticking in the podcast oven to warm up, so that I can serve it up hot and fresh, reeeeeal soon now. Next stop: Pulling Rabits Out of a Hat!... Or... is it?

You can still reach me, most of the time, at podcastsparks@gmail.com

FOUR - count 'em - FOUR Sparks fans join me for a track-by-track look under the hood of Sparks' latest album The Girl Is Crying In Her Latte.

Monte Mallin returns, along with Paul Barrett, Penny Brown, and Jo Sieger! That's a lot of Sparks galaxy brain for a single sitting. So much, in fact, that we did what we often do: chop it in half and save the rest for later.

You won't hear the songs in their entireties here, so if you really want to "play along" at home, GO BUY THE ALBUM!

OUR LINKS:

So Important: The Interview Podcast! | a podcast by Monte Mallin (podbean.com)

Home | One for the ages (sparks-onefortheages.com)

MetaSparks - YouTube

sparkstalkbypenny.blogspot.com

Sparks' final album as a British band finds them at a whole new level of ambition. Hoping to make their own Sgt Pepper's, Ron and Russell find their personal George Martin in Tony Visconti, who helped Sparks arrange songs for swing bands, marching bands, string quartets, etc. I also tell the sad story of the Jacques Tati film that never was.

Check us out on FB here, or email Christian here.

Next episode will be an in-depth one-on-one with rock journalist Dave Thompson!

Christian interviews preeminent (he probably hates that term) rock journalist Dave Thompson in this free-wheeling interview that occasionally even has us discussing Sparks! Dave is the author of the 2009 biography about Sparks, No. 1 Songs in Heaven, a tome that practically stands as this podcast's bible in terms of getting the story of Sparks right.

You can check out his author homepage here, just in case you want to feel hopelessly underproductive and undistinguished.

Write me if you like at podcastsparks@gmail.com or check out our page on Facebook. Next episode (I promise) is Indiscreet, Part 2. It's gonna be a doozy.

One more thing: not that I have to tell you this, but Sparks' new album A Steady Drip, Drip, Drip is out! You can purchase a digital copy from Amazon, or other, less-evil online outlets. And yes, it's on Spotify, too. Enjoy! It's incredible.

PART TWO OF TWO!

FOUR - count 'em - FOUR Sparks fans join me for a track-by-track look under the hood of Sparks' latest album The Girl Is Crying In Her Latte.

Monte Mallin returns, along with Paul Barrett, Penny Brown, and Jo Sieger! That's a lot of Sparks galaxy brain for a single sitting. So much, in fact, that we did what we often do: chop it in half and save the rest for later. And later is now!

You won't hear the songs in their entireties here, so if you really want to "play along" at home, GO BUY THE ALBUM!

OUR LINKS:

So Important: The Interview Podcast! | a podcast by Monte Mallin (podbean.com)

Home | One for the ages (sparks-onefortheages.com)

MetaSparks - YouTube

sparkstalkbypenny.blogspot.com

No, it isn't Sparks-related, but I'm not a rich enough man for TWO podcast feeds!

Instead this is my side project "What We Do Is What We Do," where I basically publish stuff I've recorded that I felt was interesting enough to share with other humans.

This ep is my interview with playwright Peter Gordon from June 2020. He wrote (among other things) "Murdered by Death," a genuinely funny farce posing as an Agatha Christie murder mystery.

For me, it's the show that never was, because of some dumb ol' pandemic. I played a two-bit British thief playing a French art dealer, but I made him look a bit like Ron Mael.

Welp, enjoy!

--Christian

podcastsparks@gmail.com

christianchuey@gmail.com

Part 2 of our 3-parter on Sparks' 1983 LP In Outer Space! We get through the rest of side A! Plus, a brief history of the Linn Drum! Lucky me, lucky you!

Monte's Sparks-themed YouTube channel at: Monte Mallin - YouTube 

And Paul Barrett's MetaSparks at: MetaSparks - YouTube

Drop me a line at podcastsparks@gmail.com

Christian and Monte wax philosophical about talking hippos, gastric distress and getting kicked in the bonbons. Plus! What is this salt discharge in my latte?

We wrap up Whomp That Sucker, the first of the twin quasars of Reinhold Mack-produced Sparks rock albums, recorded yet again at Giorgio's Musicland Studios in Munich.

Check us out on Larry Graves' YouTube channel discussing (gasp) Sparks!

Don't forget Monte's podcast So Important!

Drop me a line if you wanna!

Hilly Boy is back! Monte Mallin and I have a nice, in-depth chat with one of Sparks' most celebrated drummers, Hilly Michaels! We cover lots of ground that was left unexplored from the last time we talked, back in 2021. For thousands - if not tens of thousands - of folks of their generation, Hilly's smash hit "Calling All Girls" was the very first video they saw on the fledgling MTV! Hearing Hilly talk about his career is like reading a SparkNotes (see what I did there?) version of The Entire History of Rock n Roll from 1969 to today. Some very auspicious figures get mentioned in the Hilly Boy saga, like: Ron Wood, Michael Bolton, Rupert Holmes, Liza Minelli, and of course, the late, great Marianne Faithfull. Shake It and Dance, Goddammit!

Be sure to check out Hilly's YouTube and Bandcamp pages!

Monte's Sparks-themed YouTube channel at: Monte Mallin - YouTube 

And Paul Barrett's MetaSparks at: https://www.youtube.com/@MetaSparks

Drop me a line at podcastsparks@gmail.com

I wrap up discussion of side 2 of Number One in Heaven, with the help of my friend Monte Mallin in this ep. We also discussed the Sparks side project for Noël, but I'm saving that for the next episode. To paraphrase DJ Steve Dahl, this one's gonna blow up reeeeeal good.

sources:

https://wgntv.com/news/wgn-news-now/disco-demolition-night-how-an-anti-disco-baseball-night-led-to-a-riot-in-comiskey-park/

https://www.wbur.org/onlyagame/2019/07/12/disco-demolition-dahl-veeck-chicago-white-sox

https://www.google.com/search?client=firefox-b-1-d&q=paul+barrett+one+for+the+ages

https://play.google.com/books/reader?id=7n515ucve20C&pg=GBS.PT214.w.2.0.0_205

https://www.amazon.com/No-1-Songs-Heaven-Sparks/dp/1901447464

https://www.fanmael.nl/

Also, check out Monte's podcast So Important!: https://soimportant.podbean.com/

CAVEAT DOWNLOAD-OR: NOT SPARKS-RELATED!

Doing some logrolling today. After months of idle threats, I have finally assembled the first episode of my new podcast What We Do Is What We Do. No, it's not about the DEVO song. It's about hobbies, pastimes, and passion projects! Starring maybe you one day! The new show will have its own feed, but it's going to play nice here with the Sparks feed for now.

Mr. Dario Western (an avid Sparks fan himself, natch) joins me on my maiden voyage, giving me the naked truth on naturism and how he's merged it with his music career. Check out the music of Dario's band Laissez-Fayre here.

What's YOUR passion project? What makes YOU tick? What kind of thing do you make time in your life to pursue even though it doesn't pay the bills? Let me know, and I'll interview you too!

christianchuey@gmail.com is my email, https://twitter.com/ChristianHuey is my Twitter, and you can reach me on Facebook as well (I'm Christian Exquisitely Huey).

I'm joined by Pini Schatz, director of the documentary about Sparks fandom Never Turn Your Back on Sparks. Listen to Pini's wild ride through the world of Sparks fans across continents, cultures, and income levels. As well as revealing how he nabbed some of those interviews with famous music icons, we get to find out who flaked out on him (hint: Lighten Up)!

See the trailer for yourself here and check out the film's Facebook page here.

Stay well, Sparks fans.

Love, Christian

Terminal Jive had the misfortune of following up No. 1 in Heaven, which enjoys legendary status today. It also had the misfortune of Ron and Russ's original slate of songs being defenestrated outright by Giorgio Moroder and Harold Faltermeyer.

What we have instead is seven-and-a-half songs (you'll figure out what I mean) written by committee - the lead single being a crucial exception.

Terminal Jive was written and recorded in a hurry, but it doesn't mean there isn't a lot to enjoy here. Faltermeyer, along with W. Snuffy Walden and a coterie of studio cats, work to fashion a sound that was new and vibrant and fresh. You know the gated drum sounds of the 80s? It's here already. The synths are a generation newer than the Moog on N1iH, and Walden's guitar is pure new wave angular punchiness. Oh - and several songs on here are actually damn good.

I begin the episode eulogizing Marc Moulin of Telex, whom Ron called his "best friend since 1979." Then Monte and I begin our Jive to see if it truly is Terminal.

You can email me (Christian) at podcastsparks@gmail.com

important links: Marc Moulin - Official Website

FanMael https://www.sparks-onefortheages.com

While my first episode on Introducing keeps cookin', I've had a couple of great opportunities to interview former Sparks players, including a chap who's been on the show before, and I'm thankful to have him back on again.

If you're not yet privy, Martin was the bassist on Kimono My House, and was part of that seminal, yet short-lived lineup (in more ways than one, sad to say). He has a new album out, the politically pointed song suite Another Words. He also had some thoughts about the new Edgar Wright documentary The Sparks Brothers, and the level of his involvement with the project.

Martin is always a pleasure to talk to, and I hope to do it again. Check out his website at Homepage (martingordon.de). You can find his music on Spotify as well as on CD. It's great stuff.

You can write me at: podcastsparks@gmail.com or follow All You Ever Think About Is Sparks on Facebook.

Mr. Ruud Swart, friend of the podcast and Sparksologist-cum-Fan-Club-President-Emeritus waxes nostalgic about his near lifelong quest to uncover the one-time holy grail of Sparks, the unreleased Halfnelson demo album. And that's just the very tip of the Sparksberg. Enjoy! Email us here.

The original interview with Monte Mallin was a victim of the interviewer being unfamiliar with his recording tech. So, Monte was nice enough to come back for a do-over, where we ended up covering more ground than before. (And eventually Christian will learn to get up closer on that mic himself.) Because so much of the interview rendered the original superfluous, welcome to the new official episode 3! Check out Monte's podcast So Important and his blog here. Email our show here!

(Amended re-release) Richard Martinez rejoins Christian for a Sparks listening party, as we examine the first Halfnelson/Sparks album on Bearsville Records. Christian reads Joseph Fleury's liner notes from a 1975 repackaging of the first two albums, and a rare interview (from another source) with Earle Mankey rounds out the episode. Email me here, and check us out on FB here!

Christian delves into the making of, the glory of, and the frustration with, Sparks' second album for Bearsville: "A Woofer In Tweeter's Clothing." It should have been a hit... But what a ride it was, and what would come next was legendary.

Ron and Russell recruit a new band in England, and sharpen their sound with new songs. Hear how Martin Gordon, Dinky Diamond and Adrian Fisher were discovered, and how Island Records had set Sparks up to be 1974's Next Big Thing. Stick around for an interview with James Lowe, producer of Sparks' previous album A Woofer In Tweeter's Clothing, and founding member of the Electric Prunes. Thanks for your support in 2019, dear listeners! Happy Holidays/Christmas/Hannukah/whatever and I'll see you in 2020!

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Hear Christian regale you about the band's early days and then join him as he takes the plunge, alongside Richard Martinez, into Sparks' unofficial first album. 'Halfnelson '69' is a wild, wooly record that points the way forward for Ron and Russell's skewed pop smarts. Email the show here.

In this episode, Sparks jet off to the UK for a three-month mini-tour of England and mainland Europe. Find out how Ron, Russ and company take advantage of the 1972 exchange rate of 10,000 US dollars = infinity pounds sterling. Witness the bittersweet end of Sparks Mark I that following spring, and (briefly) hear what became of Sparks' original players. After that, stick around for a fantastic interview with drummer Harley Feinstein! I can't thank him enough for his generosity. Email us here and visit us on the web here.

Ron and Russell get their first shot at the big time courtesy a "Runt" named Todd. Sparks crack the Deep South, and Russell cracks his head open. Big thanks to Monte Mallin and his podcast So Important, as well as his blog, which can be found here. Email us here!