SPARKS

[dinky]

2024 marks the golden anniversary of the release of 'This Town'. Sparks have now achieved almost everything apart from a number 1 single in the UK.

We know they're a band who look forward and never back but surely they would get behind a co-ordinated campaign to achieve this. They've got the backing of influential people all over the music, film and media world. They're even back with the record label that released and promoted in the first place

Let's make this happen !

[highersynth]

In principle I'm in. I'd love to see Sparks at number one!

Most number-one campaigns these days seem to have some kind of "cause" or campaign that they are supporting - which would need official endorsement from the band.

How are you proposing we orchestrate this Dinky?
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Tomorrow I'll find out all I should know...

[dinky]

First port of call would have to be the brothers themselves to get their approval.

Contact the record label, ask if they'd support it.

Draft up a brief history of the song and the band, then think up a pithy slogan. Put in on a twitter,facebook, tic toc link.

Make contact with as many of the celebs as possible who appeared in the film. Just choosing one for example, Patton Oswalt has 4.5 million on twitter. Ask them to retweet the link drafted above, get it trending and hope the momentum then builds itself. I'd like to think Edgar Wright would be all in

Everyone here put it on all their socials obviously

TV and radio interviews follow and we achieve the goal. More exposure, more success and more Sparks !

[Kermit!]

This is great idea & it would be a fantastic accomplishment.

Ron & Russell would have to give it the OK first of course. Like you say Dinky, they don't like to look back but this could be a real good reason for them to think otherwise. It's played at every gig they've ever performed so I can't see them not wanting to acknowledge what a major hit it was for them 50 years ago this May.

Of course Island Records would really have to take it on board & give it a full promotion including releasing it on Vinyl, CD & Cassette.
A 7" with Barbecutie on the b-side like the original, and maybe a 12" picture disc including all the versions they've made since it was first released (the extended version with the extra verse, the Plagiarism version, the Cute Candidate version plus a blinding live version for example). There are so many fans that would definately buy all of fhe above which would make it a chart certainty anyway.
Sparks profile has risen so much in the last few years, their Glastonbury headlining performance was just the icing on the cake last summer.

Ideally, it would be great if a hit Netflix series included it in the soundtrack of one of their younger audience aimed shows. Kate Bush resurrected Running Up That Hill to finally be a well deserved no1 after it being used in Stranger Things so nothing's impossible.
It may all be just a pipe dream but I think every Sparks fan will want this to be a reality & not just a dream.

I don't do social media myself but I will be e-mailing Island Records with my request & if I get a response I'll post their reply. Fingers, legs & toes crosssed!!!
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The fan formally known as kermit

The Future! The Future!

[dinky]

Good luck Kermit

I've tried a few contacts, I'm going to keep going. The more who pester the merrier, even if it's only a no in the end !

[Andy M]

At least there's someone out there who recognises the importance of this anniversary - the excellent Rosalie Cunningham is doing a Kimono My House 50th tribute in Stockton on Tees on 4 May. Tempting . . .

[allydodd]

[Andy M]

I decided against going in the end for a number of reasons - primarily inertia but also because I didn't fancy standing for the whole event. Bet it'll be a really good gig from the headliner though. I realised recently that I'd seen RC on stage years back when she was part of Ipso Facto, who were supporting the reformed Magazine.