In 1980, when I was still in junior high, “Saturday Night Live” did a cold opening via satellite from England. Father Guido Sarducci (Don Novello) interviewed Paul McCartney in front of his home. Dressed in pajamas and bathrobe, the former Beatle feigned annoyance over being interviewed at 5:30am Greenwich Mean Time but was quite obliging in talking about his new album, “McCartney II” and his clever video for the single, “Coming Up.”
The video itself then aired. Using trick photography, Paul and Linda McCartney played all of the members of his large band. Some of them were recognizable rock stars, like Shadows’ guitarist Hank Marvin, Roxy Music saxophonist Andy MacKay, and even a younger version of Sir Paul himself. Most curious was the keyboard player. A cold and stern figure in white shirt and tie, slicked-back hair, and Charlie Chaplin moustache, he resembled a certain reviled European dictator. McCartney explained that this was Sparks’ keyboardist Ron Mael. I had never heard of Sparks before and was curious. Who was Sparks and why did a Beatle pay tribute to them? Surely, that meant Sparks were of some significance. That question is answered in the new documentary film The Sparks Brothers.
Sparks has been the brainchild of brothers Russell and Ron Mael for over 50 years. Starting out as a psychedelic-prog rock band called Halfnelson, they evolved into the gender-bending glam-rock group we know today as Sparks. Although never superstars in the United States, the band remains massively popular in Europe and incredibly influential on much that followed in the wake of punk, especially synth-pop and electronic dance music.
Speaking to the camera, the elderly siblings tell their tale. They grew up in Pacific Palisades, California, the sons of an upper middle-class entertainment mogul. The family connections ensured that the boys would have plenty of exposure to popular films, which they passionately embraced. Key was the 1954 production “Blackboard Jungle,” which cemented the Maels’ love for Rock ‘n’ Roll. Older brother Ron began piano lessons, which he secretly loved, but was afraid to admit. Both young men were athletic, playing high school and college football. This is a surprise revelation, considering Sparks’ reputation for a campy image that constantly questions gender and masculinity.
The film follows Sparks’ career through performance footage and interviews with key figures in their story. They include former band members like Earle Mankey and Hilly Michaels, alongside producers Todd Rundgren and Giorgio Moroder. Also interviewed are influential followers, including Sex Pistol Steve Jones, members of Duran Duran, Weird Al Yankovic, and comic Mike Myers. The mix paints a colorful and dynamic picture of a unique band who survived poor record sales, bad business deals, critical derision, and changing tastes, yet managed to creatively prosper and change with the times by being uniquely themselves.
We see the evolution of Sparks. They began as a foppish glam band who fused hard rock, multi-layered vocals, and classical elements, predating Queen. Unlike the ultra-serious demeanor of prog-rock contemporaries, Sparks displayed a whimsical and self-deprecating sense of humor, courtesy of Ron Mael’s quirky lyrics. They have written songs with snarky titles like “Dance, Goddamnit,” “Lighten Up, Morrissey,” and “Dick Around.” That very irreverence remained through phases of disco, electronic dance music, synth-pop, alternative rock, and back to foppish glam. The brothers Mael came full circle with a Twenty-First Century sound that recalls their earliest efforts. You can go home again.
As a viewer, I took away a certain wisdom from the elder Mael brothers. Because they were never megastars, the duo missed the stresses of burning brightly and then flaming out early. They claim to have avoided the excesses of drugs and alcohol. Even past age 70, Ron and Russell Mael follow a very disciplined regimen. They start their day with a gym workout and then compose and record together at Russell’s home. The discipline has paid off. Russell still sings in a flawless falsetto that shows no hint of age. Perhaps the brothers will, as Russell joked on film, actually live to make 400 albums. At their current rate, they would need to live eight centuries. We could only be so blessed.
The Sparks Brothers is a tale of innocence and purity in a business not necessarily known for those values. Throughout five decades, Ron and Russell Mael have remained dedicated to their art with little concession to fads or commerciality. The duo have taken care of themselves so that they may continue blessing us with their talent well into old age. I am glad that their story has been captured on film to inform and inspire future generations of likeminded musicians.
TRAILER FOR THE SPARKS BROTHERS
SPARKS’ BEST SONG (in Ricki C.’s humble opinion)