SPARKS

Janice

Although most of us really like most Sparks music, we all have our favourite period. Thought it might be fun to see a breakdown.

BabyLeroya · Fan-in-Training Joined: 12 Jan 2002 Posts: 31

My first time I listened to SPARKS was at the end of the 80s when I bought the Black Rain soundtrack. I loved the movie and the music, so I bought that album and listened again and again to my favorite 2 songs on it: Sparks/LRM and Iggy Pop. I really don`t like Russell`s hair cut from that period [...] 8O , but the music! My vote for the period 1989- ... (?)

dubiousdave · Groupie Joined: 12 Jan 2002 Posts: 134 Location: Earth

well i shave and so dont have periods, i dont believe i listen to Sparks more at the end of the month :lol:

Fidel Christos · Guest

The "Blue" period.

Loes Martens · Groupie Joined: 13 Jan 2002 Posts: 139 Location: Heerlen

The first year I became fan because that time I did not have any idea how many albums they already made, so every time I went to the recordstores I had a surprise, yes another one!
Plus the periode since August 2000, when I saw them on television (Fernsehgarten) with the same surprise affect, they have a new CD! Since then I am a member of the fanclub and know the internetsite!
2000 was also the year that I visited my first Sparksconcert.
Loes Martens
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Hope does live

Karin Woywod · Posted: Fri Jan 25, 2002 5:51 pm Post subject:

I can´t decide - One year ago, I´d have written : "The Gratuitous Sax" period, but since then, you all "initiated" me and treated me to / made me check out lots of their earlier works - and it turned out I found something I liked in every period ! ! !

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- Karin.

Janina · Guest

It's really hard to decide for one special period.
As Karin already mentioned I could pick out some songs out of each period which I like a lot.
So my vote was for the earlier years, but "GSASV" as well as "Balls" or the 80'ies have their highlights, too.
So my vote for all periods! :D

jill · Sub-Deity Joined: 18 Jun 2008 Posts: 1281

It's interesting to see such a poll in retrospect. And I wonder how the answers would look now.

I know that there are people who loved Sparks in the '70s or in the '80s, but now declare themselves fed up by the "repetitions" or "lack of danceable melodies" from the latest three albums. Having listened to "Exotic Creatures", a guy said: "Enough is enough, give me back something like 'Calm Before The Storm'!"

But hehe, precisely what the Maels were predicting in "Calm Before The Storm" came true. The period starting with "Lil' Beethoven" is the best so far imho, with maybe the most refined music and lyrics (and visuals too).

I discovered Sparks in the great period of "Gratuitous Sax" - so I also wonder if there are people who enjoyed Sparks in the '90 and now dislike somehow the period since "Lil' Beethoven".
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Entertainment or art - one should know from the start

Engine Joe · Posted: Thu Jun 19, 2008 2:18 pm Post subject:

Not sure how to respond to the poll - I would put "The Angels" era (i.e. Balls) together with the "My Way" (GS&SV) stuff - I definitely think that there is more in common between Balls and GSSV than between Balls and the last three albums. I think the LB to present era is their best, but don't really see the way to vote for it.

I think I'm lucky to be a relatively recent convert to Sparks (2003 or so), even though the first material I got into was from the 70s. If I had gotten into their early stuff and heard what they were doing in the 90s, without knowing that the LB renaissance was upon us, I'd be pretty displeased with their output and consider writing them off as washed up.

But getting into the group when it was clear that there was ambition still in them (witness LB and subsequents), I can listen to what the Maels were doing in the latter 1980s and the 1990s and enjoy it for what it is: pretty decent -- knowing that while the material may be "lesser Sparks" (IMO), there was better stuff to come.

Girl With Everything · Posted: Thu Jun 19, 2008 6:56 pm Post subject:

How strange to go back in time! I believe it was me who posted the poll in a previous guise. In retrospect, Balls and GSASV probably do belong together in one category. It didn't feel like it at the time though. It felt like a long gap between 1994 and 2000 (soothed a little by Plagiarism in 1997 admittedly). I don't think Sparks played any gigs between the two albums either, certainly not in the UK, so fans were gasping for something new from them. Balls has its highlights but I don't think it's anybody's favourite album. It was just enough to sustain the fans at the time though.

As for the next phase, on the message boards we had very little inkling of what Lil' Beethoven was going to be like only that it was going to be different. I have to say, regardless of personal prefences, the change in direction was just what Ron and Russell needed to get their creative juices going. If Lil' Beethoven had turned out to be another Balls (no pun intended), I'm not sure they would still be making records and performing today.
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Sparks do it in the dark!

rainbow · Posted: Fri Jun 20, 2008 9:16 am Post subject:

I voted for the early '70s, because then I heard Sparks for the first time, it was my imprinting period. I still love those songs. But the latest 3 are at least as good, though different.
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Stop, there's gotta be a million girls like her, though
I can't think of one

Lady Is Lingering · Posted: Fri Jun 20, 2008 1:49 pm Post subject:

Physicality · Posted: Fri Jun 20, 2008 2:11 pm Post subject:

Engine Joe · Posted: Fri Jun 20, 2008 2:15 pm Post subject:

Lady Is Lingering · Posted: Fri Jun 20, 2008 2:15 pm Post subject:

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Alex Robertson · Posted: Fri Jun 20, 2008 2:19 pm Post subject:

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The Librarian · Posted: Fri Jun 20, 2008 5:11 pm Post subject:

E-Clect-Eddy · Posted: Sat Jun 21, 2008 8:03 am Post subject: