R2OK!

becky sharp · Joined: 01 Dec 2008 Posts: 6814

Seeing these two on Top Of The Pops for the first time was a bit like a Boy George,Buster Bloodvessel moment ...you couldn't quite believe what you were seeing. Shocked

Was it really 40 years ago?

In spring 1974, alongside the established kiddie-pop of Mud, Slade and the Wombles, a new act sidled onto Top Of The Pops who generated more playground chatter the following morning than any of the above. Brothers Ron and Russell Mael had formed Sparks three years earlier, but their breakthrough came with the hit song 'This Town Ain't Big Enough For Both Of Us' - three minutes of staccato glam-pop that was over almost as soon as it began, with near-indecipherable lyrics and gunshot sound effects throughout.

Even more intriguing than the song was the brothers' appearance - corkscrew-haired Russell bouncing around the stage singing falsetto, while Ron stood virtually motionless at a piano in the background with a Hitler moustache and pursed lips, his eyes moving from side to side.
No one would even have guessed that they were brothers, but the Maels' chalk-and-cheese stage personae created a visual image which won them many more Top Of The Pops appearances and many more hits.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b03xf0g1

Enjoyed this!

essexlady · Joined: 10 Dec 2006 Posts: 348 Location: Essex

Did you listen to Stuart Maconie's programme on Radio 4 about Sparks on Tuesday at 11.30a.m. Becky? I knew almost nothing about them and found it very interesting.

becky sharp · Joined: 01 Dec 2008 Posts: 6814

Sorry if I didn't make that clear,essexlady Embarassed

...my post was about that programme you mentioned.. Smile

ruddlescat · Joined: 16 Sep 2010 Posts: 18010 Location: Near Chester

Sparks were a concept far ahead of their time and a truly underrated band even to this day

Didn't hear the programme but saw them many times live in the 70's and loved them so much to the point that when I used to play keyboards in a covers band at that time we put several Sparks tracks on our set list - we had a female singer so she didn't have any problem hitting Russell's high notes - she used to wear a pretty awful black wig and I used to get lumbered for wearing this truly dreadful stick on black moustache Laughing

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becky sharp · Joined: 01 Dec 2008 Posts: 6814

ruddlescat · Joined: 16 Sep 2010 Posts: 18010 Location: Near Chester

It was Becky - and quite apart from that it used to be an enjoyable way of supplementing our student grants - no loans in those days - and certainly no massive debts like our unfortunate students have today Sad

At the risk of sounding old before my time 'those were the days' - and before anyone asks - no we didn't use to do Mary Hopkin covers Smile

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Colin · Joined: 26 Sep 2013 Posts: 916

Student grants. Those were indeed the days, my friend. We thought they'd never end.

But they did.

oldraver · Joined: 18 Dec 2006 Posts: 1175 Location: London

I assume your band didn't feature Leaving On A Jet Plane in their repetoire, Rudders... Smile

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oldraver · Joined: 18 Dec 2006 Posts: 1175 Location: London

I listened to this yesterday. What a great pair the Mael Brothers are. When I heard the snippet from Lil Beethoven, I had to check Amazon...their albums sell for fortunes! I wish I'd gone to one of their gigs a couple of years ago now, when they played a different album live, every night.

I was heavily into early Roxy at the time Sparks came out, so apart from Kimono My House and the singles, I was blissfully ignorant of all the great music they made.

And there used to be a poster called Gigantic Lawrence, on the old R2 boards, who played bass with them, on two or three albums. I've forgotten his real name, but he did play on them.
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ruddlescat · Joined: 16 Sep 2010 Posts: 18010 Location: Near Chester

Certainly not raver Laughing

- in actual fact I was quite a semi detached member of the band as most of the covers we played were glam rock guitar based stuff with few keyboards parts - but I did have my moments with tracks like 'Son Of My Father' and 'Fox On The Run' where they used to let me loose on a highly prized - and probably highly priced - synthesiser - luckily I never managed to break it Shocked

The Sparks stuff obviously involved a great deal of keyboards and I recall our lead singer almost always choose tracks which were extremely difficult - things like Amateur Hour and Something For The Girl With Everything where the sheer tempo made me struggle considerably - I had to practise for hours where we used to rehearse in a cold disused farm outbuilding just outside Leicester
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oldraver · Joined: 18 Dec 2006 Posts: 1175 Location: London

I can imagine you did have to put in a fair bit of practice, Rudders. Those Ron Mael keyboard parts are devilish, to my ears.

I never did get the lyrics from Son Of My Father..."mouling I was bouling I was"...and other gobbledegook. I still hear records today from 40/50 years ago and hear the proper lyric for the first time. For instance, I've always thought, in Summertime Blues, that Eddie Cochran's "Dad" said "You can't take the car, cause you didn't work a late.." but heard it a week or so ago and realised it said "You can't take the car, cause you didn't work a lick"

You learn something every day.....
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becky sharp · Joined: 01 Dec 2008 Posts: 6814

ruddlescat · Joined: 16 Sep 2010 Posts: 18010 Location: Near Chester

That reminds me of a thing I used to do to entertain punters when I presented live music gigs a few years ago - I still do present gigs but have pretty much exhausted the particular feature in question

I did a thing called the 'Twisted Lyrics' slot where I used to invite members of the audience to interpret some dodgy lyrics in certain specified tracks

Regular tracks involved were things like 'Secret Lovers' by Atlantic Starr in which they appear to be singing about peeing on the lawn

Then there was Paul Young's track 'Every Time You Go Away' in which he appears to sing about 'taking a piece of meat with you'

And there's the slightly less well known track by John Fox - former singer with Ultravox - in which he appears to be singing about underpants rather than the real title 'Underpass'

Of course members of the audience always used to go on about the 'Police' track 'So Lonely' telling me that it sounded like 'Sue Lawley' but I always told them they were wrong and the track was actually about a severely understocked fishmonger - come on folks put your brains in gear Laughing

It is quite strange how we all listen to music many times over being under a complete misapprehension over what is actually being sung about Smile

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Schizoidman · Joined: 20 Sep 2010 Posts: 1140 Location: Rural West Sussex

Sole Only, ha ha!

Raver, I always thought it was work a late as well!

becky sharp · Joined: 01 Dec 2008 Posts: 6814

oldraver · Joined: 18 Dec 2006 Posts: 1175 Location: London

Blimey...I gave up on that one years ago, Becky. I always sang "moan"!

Looks like the "work a late" people, are in the majority...

Oh, and what about the well known Creedence one - "There's a bathroom on the right"...or the Shania Twain, where the real lyric is "I can't believe you kiss your car goodnight" ? I'm too much of a gentleman to type the misunderstood one. Razz

...and just for you, Becky.

http://www.ldoceonline.com/dictionary/lick_2
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oldraver · Joined: 18 Dec 2006 Posts: 1175 Location: London

Schizoidman · Joined: 20 Sep 2010 Posts: 1140 Location: Rural West Sussex

Apparently The Verve's Bitter Sweet Symphony was plagiarised from an obscure instrumental version of The Stones' 1965 hit The Last Time. Hence the song writing credits to Jagger/Richard.

However, I remember someone on the old Radio 2 message boards saying that Jagger/Richard did not write 'The Last Time'. One of the comments on the clip above confirms that. The Staples Singers had a gospel song of the same title in 1955 which the Stones ripped off.

becky sharp · Joined: 01 Dec 2008 Posts: 6814

oldraver · Joined: 18 Dec 2006 Posts: 1175 Location: London

Here's the song in question...but you won't recognise it as The Last Time. I have that Staple Singers track somewhere. And..I have touched the hand of Mavis Staples!!

The Andrew Oldham Orchestra - The Last Time

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MKC5cdGBY04
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becky sharp · Joined: 01 Dec 2008 Posts: 6814

Schizoidman · Joined: 20 Sep 2010 Posts: 1140 Location: Rural West Sussex

Yes, definitely a resemblance between Andrew Oldham's orchestral and The Verve's, but no similarity to The Stones.