1 00:00:02,000 --> 00:00:07,000 Downloaded from YTS.MX 2 00:00:08,000 --> 00:00:13,000 Official YIFY movies site: YTS.MX 3 00:00:27,418 --> 00:00:29,507 [ambient synth music playing] 4 00:00:43,608 --> 00:00:46,568 ♪ Fanfare 5 00:00:50,267 --> 00:00:52,487 [throat clears] 6 00:00:52,530 --> 00:00:56,273 ♪ The opening film fanfare 7 00:01:00,886 --> 00:01:04,629 ♪ Documentary film fanfare 8 00:01:11,071 --> 00:01:14,509 ♪ Edgar Wright film fanfare. 9 00:01:14,552 --> 00:01:16,467 -And look right in the camera? -Yeah. Yeah, yeah. 10 00:01:16,511 --> 00:01:17,903 -Okay. Okay, great. -Just talk to me through the camera. 11 00:01:17,947 --> 00:01:20,689 -Speeding. -Beck. Take one. Mark. 12 00:01:22,343 --> 00:01:24,867 BECK: Throughout all the years that I've been making music, 13 00:01:24,910 --> 00:01:26,695 if you get on a tour bus 14 00:01:26,738 --> 00:01:30,002 and you sit on a long drive with a bunch of musicians, 15 00:01:30,046 --> 00:01:33,049 eventually, the conversation will go to Sparks. 16 00:01:33,093 --> 00:01:35,095 My good friends, Sparks. 17 00:01:35,138 --> 00:01:37,619 -Sparks. -Sparks. -Sparks. -Sparks. 18 00:01:37,662 --> 00:01:39,621 FLEA: I remember just seeing them all the time 19 00:01:39,664 --> 00:01:41,144 and like, "Who are those guys?" 20 00:01:41,188 --> 00:01:43,799 They are an anomaly. 21 00:01:43,842 --> 00:01:45,583 JASON SCHWARTZMAN: I don't feel like they purposely 22 00:01:45,627 --> 00:01:46,758 have been 23 00:01:46,802 --> 00:01:48,543 trying to be mysterious, right? 24 00:01:48,586 --> 00:01:50,153 They don't really look like a band. 25 00:01:50,197 --> 00:01:52,024 They do just look like people who've been sort of 26 00:01:52,068 --> 00:01:53,809 let out for a day. 27 00:01:53,852 --> 00:01:55,898 ♪ And it ain't me who's gonna leave... ♪ 28 00:01:55,941 --> 00:01:57,291 CREW: Look into camera. 29 00:01:57,334 --> 00:01:59,031 -You want to look in the lens. -Yeah. 30 00:01:59,075 --> 00:02:00,990 Damn you and your three-quarterness. 31 00:02:01,033 --> 00:02:03,340 -[laughter] -It's a damn mole! 32 00:02:03,384 --> 00:02:05,386 Two members of like mind, 33 00:02:05,429 --> 00:02:07,388 and they're conspirators. 34 00:02:07,431 --> 00:02:11,261 It's a very clever thing they've got going on. 35 00:02:11,305 --> 00:02:15,352 KATIE PUCKRIK: They really tiptoe through the tulips 36 00:02:15,396 --> 00:02:17,354 between beauty 37 00:02:17,398 --> 00:02:20,052 and revulsion. 38 00:02:20,096 --> 00:02:21,489 What's going on? Oh, my God. 39 00:02:21,532 --> 00:02:23,404 It's insane, but it's fantastic. 40 00:02:23,447 --> 00:02:24,970 [crowd cheering] 41 00:02:25,014 --> 00:02:26,233 They would make really good Muppets. 42 00:02:27,321 --> 00:02:29,018 ♪ Daily, except for Sunday... 43 00:02:29,061 --> 00:02:30,541 PATTON OSWALT: You have this snaky lead singer-- 44 00:02:30,585 --> 00:02:32,239 you know, something for the ladies. 45 00:02:32,282 --> 00:02:35,894 And then you got Adolf Hitler on-on the keyboards. 46 00:02:35,938 --> 00:02:36,895 It is a little strange. 47 00:02:38,114 --> 00:02:40,029 Why has that bloke got a Hitler mustache? 48 00:02:40,769 --> 00:02:42,597 That's a good look. 49 00:02:42,640 --> 00:02:43,728 DAVID KENDRICK: Dean Martin was hanging out, 50 00:02:43,772 --> 00:02:45,208 and he would always, like, 51 00:02:45,252 --> 00:02:47,341 look at Ron like, "What the...?" 52 00:02:47,384 --> 00:02:49,430 ♪ 53 00:02:52,781 --> 00:02:54,696 [vocalizing] 54 00:02:54,739 --> 00:02:56,437 CHRIS DIFFORD: When I first discovered Sparks, 55 00:02:56,480 --> 00:02:58,569 I never thought of them as being American at all. 56 00:02:58,613 --> 00:02:59,614 I thought of them 57 00:02:59,657 --> 00:03:01,746 just being this, like... Sparks. 58 00:03:01,790 --> 00:03:03,618 They're otherworldly. 59 00:03:03,661 --> 00:03:07,535 ALEX KAPRANOS: I always thought Sparks were a... a British band. 60 00:03:07,578 --> 00:03:09,276 PAUL MORLEY: They're the best, uh, British group 61 00:03:09,319 --> 00:03:10,668 ever to come out of America. 62 00:03:10,712 --> 00:03:12,366 Je suis américain. 63 00:03:12,409 --> 00:03:14,977 ♪ Everywhere, heartbeat, increasing heartbeat... ♪ 64 00:03:15,020 --> 00:03:17,240 They are a total enigma to me. 65 00:03:17,284 --> 00:03:19,677 They are a band who you can look up on Wikipedia 66 00:03:19,721 --> 00:03:21,766 and know nothing. 67 00:03:21,810 --> 00:03:24,204 Who the fuck are these guys? 68 00:03:24,247 --> 00:03:27,424 Ron has a huge snow globe collection. 69 00:03:27,468 --> 00:03:29,600 Like... [gasps] Really? 70 00:03:29,644 --> 00:03:32,690 LES BOHEM: It's quite special and, um... 71 00:03:32,734 --> 00:03:34,649 odd. 72 00:03:34,692 --> 00:03:36,346 APRIL RICHARDSON: If you try to describe them to people, 73 00:03:36,390 --> 00:03:38,435 it's like, what do they sound like? Sparks. 74 00:03:38,479 --> 00:03:41,003 The work speaks for itself, so I don't have to know them. 75 00:03:41,046 --> 00:03:42,787 JACK ANTONOFF: All pop music is rearranged Vince Clarke 76 00:03:42,831 --> 00:03:44,267 and rearranged Sparks. 77 00:03:44,311 --> 00:03:45,355 That's the truth. 78 00:03:45,399 --> 00:03:47,139 So we have influenced everyone. 79 00:03:47,183 --> 00:03:49,751 SCHWARTZMAN: Honestly, I don't want to see this movie. 80 00:03:49,794 --> 00:03:52,362 I don't want to learn too much about 'em. 81 00:03:52,406 --> 00:03:56,061 Um, I'll watch it because I'm in it. 82 00:03:56,105 --> 00:03:57,585 EDGAR WRIGHT: What do you think about me 83 00:03:57,628 --> 00:03:59,500 calling the documentary The Sparks Brothers? 84 00:03:59,543 --> 00:04:01,502 [laughter] 85 00:04:02,764 --> 00:04:06,724 -Um, in lieu of anything better... -Yeah, yeah. 86 00:04:09,379 --> 00:04:11,599 RUSSELL MAEL: We hate that name. 87 00:04:16,995 --> 00:04:18,823 We are Sparks. 88 00:04:20,303 --> 00:04:21,870 Sparks are a band. 89 00:04:23,175 --> 00:04:24,481 Next question. 90 00:04:25,874 --> 00:04:28,659 -We are not an English band. -Dude. 91 00:04:30,095 --> 00:04:31,314 I'm the singer. 92 00:04:31,358 --> 00:04:32,881 I'm not the singer. 93 00:04:34,317 --> 00:04:36,537 BOTH: We are not identical twins. 94 00:04:37,755 --> 00:04:38,974 We are brothers. 95 00:04:40,410 --> 00:04:42,586 We are brothers. 96 00:04:44,066 --> 00:04:45,415 We do not live together. 97 00:04:46,851 --> 00:04:49,767 We are from a middle-class background. 98 00:04:51,856 --> 00:04:55,251 My sexual persuasion is slightly horny. 99 00:04:57,384 --> 00:05:00,604 There are 25 Sparks albums. 100 00:05:03,215 --> 00:05:05,783 With advances in medical technology, 101 00:05:05,827 --> 00:05:09,265 hopefully there will be 200 to 300 more Sparks albums. 102 00:05:09,309 --> 00:05:10,875 [crew laughing] 103 00:05:10,919 --> 00:05:13,530 WRIGHT: Sparks-- how did this glam rock anomaly 104 00:05:13,574 --> 00:05:17,317 become a band with a career spanning five decades? 105 00:05:17,360 --> 00:05:21,321 How can Ron and Russell Mael be successful, underrated, 106 00:05:21,364 --> 00:05:23,888 hugely influential and overlooked 107 00:05:23,932 --> 00:05:25,673 all at the same time? 108 00:05:25,716 --> 00:05:28,371 How do two brothers survive in a rock and roll world 109 00:05:28,415 --> 00:05:30,460 without killing each other? 110 00:05:30,504 --> 00:05:32,114 And where does one even start 111 00:05:32,157 --> 00:05:36,118 with 25 studio albums and nearly 500 songs? 112 00:05:37,206 --> 00:05:41,471 Join us as we pull back the curtain 113 00:05:41,515 --> 00:05:45,606 to shine a light on the brothers Mael 114 00:05:45,649 --> 00:05:48,783 and crucially offer a window into the psyche 115 00:05:48,826 --> 00:05:51,351 of these extraordinary musicians 116 00:05:51,394 --> 00:05:55,093 and, through their music, paint a long overdue portrait 117 00:05:55,137 --> 00:05:57,835 of them as real artists. 118 00:05:57,879 --> 00:06:02,362 Our story begins not in gloomy old England 119 00:06:02,405 --> 00:06:04,407 but in sunny California. 120 00:06:04,451 --> 00:06:07,410 ♪ Gonna tell Aunt Mary 'bout Uncle John ♪ 121 00:06:07,454 --> 00:06:10,282 ♪ He claim he has the misery, but he has a lot of fun ♪ 122 00:06:10,326 --> 00:06:13,851 ♪ Oh, baby, yeah, baby 123 00:06:13,895 --> 00:06:15,940 ♪ Whoo, baby... 124 00:06:15,984 --> 00:06:17,420 To a kid seeing them on TV, 125 00:06:17,464 --> 00:06:19,814 they just came from another world. 126 00:06:19,857 --> 00:06:21,642 ♪ Well, long tall Sally... 127 00:06:21,685 --> 00:06:23,644 They weren't supposed to come from anywhere. 128 00:06:23,687 --> 00:06:26,603 I think, originally, I did think they were a British band. 129 00:06:26,647 --> 00:06:28,344 I'm still not convinced that they're American. 130 00:06:28,388 --> 00:06:29,954 JOHN CONGLETON: I always sort of thought of them as like 131 00:06:29,998 --> 00:06:32,000 Cheap Trick in a way, like, oh, they're probably 132 00:06:32,043 --> 00:06:33,349 from the Midwest somewhere. 133 00:06:33,393 --> 00:06:35,264 RON: We're kind of the rare breed 134 00:06:35,307 --> 00:06:37,571 of native-born Californians. 135 00:06:37,614 --> 00:06:40,704 RUSSELL: I was born in Santa Monica, California. 136 00:06:40,748 --> 00:06:43,533 He was born in Culver City, California. 137 00:06:43,577 --> 00:06:46,710 Our father was an artist, a painter 138 00:06:46,754 --> 00:06:48,669 and was also a commercial artist 139 00:06:48,712 --> 00:06:50,671 for theHollywood Citizen-News. 140 00:06:50,714 --> 00:06:52,281 ♪ Well, I saw Uncle John... 141 00:06:52,324 --> 00:06:54,283 RON: Some of the images that he painted were 142 00:06:54,326 --> 00:06:56,894 places that we would go to quite a bit. 143 00:06:56,938 --> 00:06:59,157 One of them was the Santa Monica Pier. 144 00:06:59,201 --> 00:07:02,857 We would spend days fishing for perch. 145 00:07:02,900 --> 00:07:04,728 And kind of-- the pier, to me, 146 00:07:04,772 --> 00:07:08,079 looks like that painting, not like the real thing is. 147 00:07:08,123 --> 00:07:09,777 ♪ Have some fun tonight... 148 00:07:09,820 --> 00:07:12,432 RUSSELL: He always had these records from Elvis 149 00:07:12,475 --> 00:07:15,304 and Jerry Lee Lewis and Little Richard. 150 00:07:15,347 --> 00:07:18,568 Him introducing us to cool music 151 00:07:18,612 --> 00:07:21,484 was something that we kind of retained. 152 00:07:21,528 --> 00:07:24,574 ♪ One, two, three o'clock, four o'clock rock... ♪ 153 00:07:24,618 --> 00:07:26,663 RON: It really was an amazing time 154 00:07:26,707 --> 00:07:30,928 because we were exposed to the first seismic shift in music. 155 00:07:30,972 --> 00:07:33,714 I remember the first time I went to see 156 00:07:33,757 --> 00:07:36,107 Blackboard Jungle. 157 00:07:36,151 --> 00:07:38,196 One instance of hearing the title music 158 00:07:38,240 --> 00:07:40,634 changed my whole DNA. 159 00:07:40,677 --> 00:07:44,028 This kind of music was really overturning 160 00:07:44,072 --> 00:07:47,205 that staid Eisenhower-era lifestyle. 161 00:07:47,249 --> 00:07:51,079 This was wrong but in all the kind of right ways. 162 00:07:53,560 --> 00:07:54,822 KAPRANOS: If you want to understand 163 00:07:54,865 --> 00:07:56,476 Ron and Russell, you need to see them 164 00:07:56,519 --> 00:07:58,521 through one prism, and that-that prism is 165 00:07:58,565 --> 00:08:02,003 cinema but specifically Hollywood. 166 00:08:03,874 --> 00:08:06,790 RON: I remember spending a lot of time at the movies 167 00:08:06,834 --> 00:08:08,923 with Russell and our father. 168 00:08:08,966 --> 00:08:12,927 We would go see a lot of Westerns and war films. 169 00:08:15,582 --> 00:08:17,235 I really cherished those 170 00:08:17,279 --> 00:08:18,889 Saturday matinees. 171 00:08:18,933 --> 00:08:20,630 It was a rich experience. 172 00:08:20,674 --> 00:08:22,327 It was more than just a movie. 173 00:08:22,371 --> 00:08:24,547 It was a... a total afternoon 174 00:08:24,591 --> 00:08:28,986 with popcorn and cartoons and newsreels. 175 00:08:29,030 --> 00:08:31,946 Why don't you try a juicy, good hot dog? 176 00:08:31,989 --> 00:08:34,557 Our parents didn't care if a movie had started, 177 00:08:34,601 --> 00:08:36,298 so we would just come in the middle of the movie 178 00:08:36,341 --> 00:08:40,650 and try to imagine what the beginning of it was. 179 00:08:40,694 --> 00:08:42,347 And I think part of our, uh, 180 00:08:42,391 --> 00:08:44,698 jagged sense of narrative in the songs 181 00:08:44,741 --> 00:08:48,440 might have been, uh, initiated in some way by that. 182 00:08:52,314 --> 00:08:54,403 ♪ 183 00:09:01,758 --> 00:09:07,242 RUSSELL: Um, when our father died, uh, 184 00:09:07,285 --> 00:09:11,638 obviously, it was a really traumatic experience. 185 00:09:13,335 --> 00:09:17,600 You don't even understand, really, how that's possible 186 00:09:17,644 --> 00:09:20,647 or that he's not gonna ever be there again. 187 00:09:20,690 --> 00:09:24,389 And-and, uh, it's something that's so abstract, 188 00:09:24,433 --> 00:09:26,609 just the concept of death. 189 00:09:26,653 --> 00:09:29,569 And, uh... and it's when... when it's your father, 190 00:09:29,612 --> 00:09:31,832 and then especially at that age, too, 191 00:09:31,875 --> 00:09:35,705 that you're so young that you never 192 00:09:35,749 --> 00:09:37,707 got to ask the questions 193 00:09:37,751 --> 00:09:41,363 that you would now like to have asked to him 194 00:09:41,406 --> 00:09:43,539 and to have known more about him. 195 00:09:43,583 --> 00:09:46,237 And I think that's kind of part of the sad thing, too, 196 00:09:46,281 --> 00:09:49,893 is that, uh, so much you'll never find out 197 00:09:49,937 --> 00:09:52,200 about, uh, your own father. 198 00:09:58,293 --> 00:10:00,774 RON: We were both very, very young. 199 00:10:00,817 --> 00:10:04,038 I was... I was 11, and Russell was eight, and... 200 00:10:04,081 --> 00:10:07,955 kind of everything changed at that moment for us, 201 00:10:07,998 --> 00:10:11,001 and I think it did bring us closer together. 202 00:10:14,004 --> 00:10:16,267 RUSSELL: 'Cause it was all very unexpected, 203 00:10:16,311 --> 00:10:18,922 the three of us were then kind of 204 00:10:18,966 --> 00:10:21,577 forced to be stronger as a unit. 205 00:10:21,621 --> 00:10:23,144 Um, Ron and I would, 206 00:10:23,187 --> 00:10:25,625 you know, do everything that we could 207 00:10:25,668 --> 00:10:27,627 to help out our mom. 208 00:10:29,280 --> 00:10:31,805 RON: Our mother decided that I should have piano lessons. 209 00:10:31,848 --> 00:10:33,545 I didn't want to admit that I enjoyed 210 00:10:33,589 --> 00:10:35,286 taking the piano lessons 211 00:10:35,330 --> 00:10:36,679 because, you know, there... 212 00:10:36,723 --> 00:10:38,638 always a rebellious streak in me, 213 00:10:38,681 --> 00:10:41,858 but piano lessons were actually something I really enjoyed. 214 00:10:41,902 --> 00:10:45,166 And they would have talent shows at elementary school, 215 00:10:45,209 --> 00:10:47,908 and I would get up there in a pink sport jacket 216 00:10:47,951 --> 00:10:50,780 and a... a tie, and my hair 217 00:10:50,824 --> 00:10:53,391 really kind of greased and everything, 218 00:10:53,435 --> 00:10:56,394 and performing those talent shows was an addictive thing. 219 00:10:56,438 --> 00:10:59,180 You really saw the audience reaction, 220 00:10:59,223 --> 00:11:00,616 and you thought, "This is kind of cool." 221 00:11:00,660 --> 00:11:02,139 And it-it also 222 00:11:02,183 --> 00:11:04,054 blended in with our interest in sports. 223 00:11:04,098 --> 00:11:08,189 Both music and sports were things that garnered attention. 224 00:11:08,232 --> 00:11:11,018 ♪ Going out when the rest are coming home ♪ 225 00:11:11,061 --> 00:11:14,238 ♪ Coming home when the rest are going out ♪ 226 00:11:14,282 --> 00:11:17,372 ♪ And when I'm broke and really down, I'm down... ♪ 227 00:11:17,415 --> 00:11:19,809 RUSSELL: It's an odd thing that our huge passion 228 00:11:19,853 --> 00:11:23,813 when we were growing up in school was-was athletics. 229 00:11:25,380 --> 00:11:28,818 Hard to believe that, uh, this scrawny body 230 00:11:28,862 --> 00:11:33,997 once played against, uh, 250-pound guys. 231 00:11:34,041 --> 00:11:36,870 I sometimes equate the experience 232 00:11:36,913 --> 00:11:39,611 of going out onto the field on Friday night 233 00:11:39,655 --> 00:11:43,050 as the same sensation as when you go onstage. 234 00:11:43,093 --> 00:11:45,400 There's the same adrenaline rush. 235 00:11:47,881 --> 00:11:51,580 ♪ I want to be, I want to be 236 00:11:51,623 --> 00:11:55,018 ♪ I want to be, I want to be ♪ 237 00:11:55,062 --> 00:11:58,630 ♪ I want to be like everybody else. ♪ 238 00:12:02,330 --> 00:12:04,288 [song ends] 239 00:12:04,332 --> 00:12:07,552 -♪ Ooh, ooh -♪ Over the summer 240 00:12:07,596 --> 00:12:09,946 -♪ Over the summer -♪ Ooh 241 00:12:09,990 --> 00:12:11,295 ♪ Over the summer 242 00:12:11,339 --> 00:12:12,775 ♪ Ooh... 243 00:12:12,819 --> 00:12:14,690 We lived always near 244 00:12:14,734 --> 00:12:17,301 the ocean, so both in Venice and then Pacific Palisades. 245 00:12:17,345 --> 00:12:21,044 ♪ You've got to trust in summer ♪ 246 00:12:21,088 --> 00:12:24,091 ♪ Miracles can happen if you do... ♪ 247 00:12:24,134 --> 00:12:25,832 In the summer, we would walk down. 248 00:12:25,875 --> 00:12:27,747 There's a little bluff that you have to walk 249 00:12:27,790 --> 00:12:29,226 from our house in the Palisades, 250 00:12:29,270 --> 00:12:31,054 and it led down to the ocean. 251 00:12:31,098 --> 00:12:33,535 It took maybe a half an hour. 252 00:12:33,578 --> 00:12:35,276 We'd do that routine every day. 253 00:12:35,319 --> 00:12:37,800 We'd stay from like 9:00 in the morning 254 00:12:37,844 --> 00:12:39,628 to maybe, you know, 7:00 at night. 255 00:12:39,671 --> 00:12:42,413 So that was our life for three months every year. 256 00:12:42,457 --> 00:12:45,808 ♪ July, you were the plainest of Janes... ♪ 257 00:12:45,852 --> 00:12:49,116 RON: People say that they don't see any Los Angeles 258 00:12:49,159 --> 00:12:52,815 in what we're doing, and I think that, actually, 259 00:12:52,859 --> 00:12:55,862 they're missing a lot of what the influence was on us. 260 00:12:58,603 --> 00:13:00,692 We had our transistor radio, 261 00:13:00,736 --> 00:13:03,260 and, uh, AM music at that time in Los Angeles 262 00:13:03,304 --> 00:13:04,784 was really incredible. 263 00:13:04,827 --> 00:13:08,178 It was just one big mass of pop music. 264 00:13:09,571 --> 00:13:11,312 RADIO ANNOUNCER: Ladies and gentlemen, the beat goes on. 265 00:13:11,355 --> 00:13:13,444 ♪ More music. 266 00:13:13,488 --> 00:13:16,143 The Real Don Steele. 267 00:13:16,186 --> 00:13:17,753 ♪ 93 KHJ. 268 00:13:17,797 --> 00:13:20,800 ♪ Please, please, please... 269 00:13:20,843 --> 00:13:23,541 RUSSELL: There was no distinction between 270 00:13:23,585 --> 00:13:27,067 British bands or soul groups, Black groups, white groups. 271 00:13:27,110 --> 00:13:28,895 It-it didn't really matter. 272 00:13:28,938 --> 00:13:33,682 Like, no one cared or questioned the genres of music. 273 00:13:33,725 --> 00:13:37,425 You would always want to go see any British band 274 00:13:37,468 --> 00:13:39,383 that would come to Los Angeles. 275 00:13:39,427 --> 00:13:42,212 The high point of our lives-- uh, we can actually say 276 00:13:42,256 --> 00:13:46,173 we've seen The Beatles twice because we had a cool mom. 277 00:13:46,216 --> 00:13:47,696 ANNOUNCER: The Beatles, 278 00:13:47,739 --> 00:13:49,741 on their way to the Hollywood Bowl. 279 00:13:49,785 --> 00:13:52,092 Some of the youngsters don't give up easily. 280 00:13:52,135 --> 00:13:53,876 RUSSELL: For whatever reason, 281 00:13:53,920 --> 00:13:56,661 she agreed to drive us to Las Vegas, 282 00:13:56,705 --> 00:13:59,055 where they were playing a concert. 283 00:13:59,099 --> 00:14:03,059 So there we were in our little Fiat Multipla that our mom had 284 00:14:03,103 --> 00:14:07,368 and had this sort of bad futuristic shape to it. 285 00:14:07,411 --> 00:14:10,066 And, uh, we're putting along the highway to Las Vegas 286 00:14:10,110 --> 00:14:12,199 just to see The Beatles. 287 00:14:12,242 --> 00:14:13,983 That's a mom. 288 00:14:14,027 --> 00:14:16,116 ["Happenings Ten Years Time Ago" by The Yardbirds playing] 289 00:14:21,686 --> 00:14:25,386 RON: While we were at UCLA, everything coalesced for us 290 00:14:25,429 --> 00:14:29,520 as far as soaking in all of these things from the outside. 291 00:14:29,564 --> 00:14:32,915 RUSSELL: We played in bands early on with ridiculous names. 292 00:14:32,959 --> 00:14:35,875 I don't know, we were in Moonbaker Abbey, 293 00:14:35,918 --> 00:14:38,486 and we were in The Urban Renewal Project. 294 00:14:38,529 --> 00:14:41,532 I mean, how successful could a band ever get 295 00:14:41,576 --> 00:14:44,231 calling themselves Urban Renewal Project? 296 00:14:45,580 --> 00:14:47,669 RON: The first two songs that we ever recorded 297 00:14:47,712 --> 00:14:51,194 were "Computer Girl" and, uh, the other one-- what was this? 298 00:14:51,238 --> 00:14:52,804 -What was the second one? -RUSSELL: "Windmill." 299 00:14:52,848 --> 00:14:55,024 I'm ashamed that I forgot that, but "W-Windmill." 300 00:14:55,068 --> 00:14:57,418 -So classic that he forgot it. -Yeah. 301 00:14:57,461 --> 00:15:01,291 RON: It's really strange to have a song in 1966 302 00:15:01,335 --> 00:15:03,685 called "Computer Girl," because we didn't even 303 00:15:03,728 --> 00:15:06,427 really know what a computer was at that time. 304 00:15:06,470 --> 00:15:10,866 ♪ Computer girl 305 00:15:10,910 --> 00:15:14,783 ♪ My computer girl 306 00:15:14,826 --> 00:15:16,567 ♪ This is a recording 307 00:15:16,611 --> 00:15:20,049 ♪ She's got no arms 308 00:15:20,093 --> 00:15:26,534 ♪ She's got no legs 309 00:15:26,577 --> 00:15:31,756 ♪ For computers 310 00:15:31,800 --> 00:15:35,151 ♪ Have no limbs... 311 00:15:35,195 --> 00:15:37,240 -WRIGHT: Pre-Kraftwerk? -RON: Pre-Kraftwerk. Yes. 312 00:15:37,284 --> 00:15:38,720 RUSSELL: Yeah, we predate Kraftwerk 313 00:15:38,763 --> 00:15:41,853 when it comes to computer songs. 314 00:15:41,897 --> 00:15:43,681 RON: The first time that we really got 315 00:15:43,725 --> 00:15:47,250 serious about music was when we met Earle Mankey 316 00:15:47,294 --> 00:15:49,296 and the three of us got together 317 00:15:49,339 --> 00:15:52,255 and had similar musical taste. 318 00:15:52,299 --> 00:15:54,083 EARLE MANKEY: They seemed pretty much 319 00:15:54,127 --> 00:15:56,651 just like normal college students. 320 00:15:56,694 --> 00:15:58,653 But once we got into the recording process, 321 00:15:58,696 --> 00:16:01,438 they-they turned out to be different. 322 00:16:01,482 --> 00:16:04,528 You have three people in a room and a two-track tape recorder, 323 00:16:04,572 --> 00:16:07,662 and you want to emulate, let's say The Beatles. 324 00:16:07,705 --> 00:16:10,230 Well, uh, first, you might think you need drums. 325 00:16:10,273 --> 00:16:11,971 Well, we didn't have any drums. 326 00:16:12,014 --> 00:16:13,059 So, uh, 327 00:16:13,102 --> 00:16:14,712 bang on some boxes 328 00:16:14,756 --> 00:16:17,672 and find a table that had a nice tone, 329 00:16:17,715 --> 00:16:19,674 and if you needed a cymbal, that was harder. 330 00:16:19,717 --> 00:16:20,718 But as I recall, 331 00:16:20,762 --> 00:16:22,982 there was a brass lampshade 332 00:16:23,025 --> 00:16:25,462 that, uh, didn't really ring like a cymbal, 333 00:16:25,506 --> 00:16:27,421 but it would give us a nice clank. 334 00:16:28,857 --> 00:16:30,685 HARLEY FEINSTEIN: When I joined the band, 335 00:16:30,728 --> 00:16:32,469 it was called Halfnelson. 336 00:16:32,513 --> 00:16:35,298 I was contacted by Russell, and he explained to me, 337 00:16:35,342 --> 00:16:37,561 "Well, we're not just getting together 338 00:16:37,605 --> 00:16:40,477 "to drink beer, meet girls and play music. 339 00:16:40,521 --> 00:16:43,567 We're actually gonna become big." 340 00:16:43,611 --> 00:16:46,005 That sounds like the scene from our biopic 341 00:16:46,048 --> 00:16:47,832 that's, uh, upcoming soon. 342 00:16:49,486 --> 00:16:51,053 ♪ Whoo! 343 00:16:51,097 --> 00:16:54,056 ♪ Fa-fa-fa, fa-fa, fa-fa-fa... ♪ 344 00:16:54,100 --> 00:16:56,885 RUSSELL: I think, at the beginning, I was trying to be 345 00:16:56,928 --> 00:17:01,324 as much like Mick Jagger or Roger Daltrey 346 00:17:01,368 --> 00:17:03,283 as I could possibly be. 347 00:17:03,326 --> 00:17:07,069 I kind of missed the mark by a few thousand miles, 348 00:17:07,113 --> 00:17:09,593 but something else emerged. 349 00:17:09,637 --> 00:17:11,334 ♪ From champagne 350 00:17:11,378 --> 00:17:14,729 ♪ And I have never met the queen ♪ 351 00:17:14,772 --> 00:17:17,558 ♪ And I wish I could have all he has got ♪ 352 00:17:17,601 --> 00:17:20,735 ♪ And I wish I could be like David Watts... ♪ 353 00:17:20,778 --> 00:17:22,084 RUSSELL: I think there was 354 00:17:22,128 --> 00:17:23,433 sometimes a conscious 355 00:17:23,477 --> 00:17:25,870 and sometimes an unconscious attempt 356 00:17:25,914 --> 00:17:28,873 at trying to emulate the early Who songs 357 00:17:28,917 --> 00:17:31,572 and the early Kinks songs that really felt 358 00:17:31,615 --> 00:17:33,748 in tune with what we really wanted to be doing. 359 00:17:33,791 --> 00:17:36,055 ♪ I'd lead the school team to victory... ♪ 360 00:17:36,098 --> 00:17:38,579 FEINSTEIN: I remember I liked bands that they didn't like. 361 00:17:38,622 --> 00:17:40,668 And I remember one time I made the comment that, 362 00:17:40,711 --> 00:17:43,236 "Hey, Blood Sweat & Tears, they're great, huh?" 363 00:17:43,279 --> 00:17:46,456 All the eyes rolled back simultaneously. 364 00:17:46,500 --> 00:17:47,892 It could've been worse. He could have mentioned 365 00:17:47,936 --> 00:17:50,504 Chicago or somebody like that, and... 366 00:17:50,547 --> 00:17:54,421 then he would have been out of the band immediately. 367 00:17:54,464 --> 00:17:57,641 ["When You're a French Director" by Sparks playing] 368 00:17:58,860 --> 00:18:02,733 ♪ When you're a French director... ♪ 369 00:18:02,777 --> 00:18:04,561 RON: There was a sense at the time 370 00:18:04,605 --> 00:18:07,260 that if you were kind of a hip person 371 00:18:07,303 --> 00:18:10,263 that you would also automatically be interested 372 00:18:10,306 --> 00:18:13,004 in French New Wave films and Bergman. 373 00:18:13,048 --> 00:18:16,921 It kind of went hand in hand with liking the British bands. 374 00:18:16,965 --> 00:18:19,185 It was just kind of a badge of honor, 375 00:18:19,228 --> 00:18:23,276 liking nonmainstream things. 376 00:18:25,278 --> 00:18:28,281 LARRY DUPONT: When I first met Ron, 377 00:18:28,324 --> 00:18:33,155 we were all deeply, deeply rooted in film. 378 00:18:33,199 --> 00:18:36,202 As far as Russ was concerned, uh, 379 00:18:36,245 --> 00:18:38,595 he wanted to be a filmmaker. 380 00:18:38,639 --> 00:18:39,857 Early on, I was dabbling 381 00:18:39,901 --> 00:18:42,425 in French New Wave cinema 382 00:18:42,469 --> 00:18:46,603 and, uh, made a film when I was at UCLA. 383 00:18:46,647 --> 00:18:48,344 Um, and I don't know if it's... 384 00:18:48,388 --> 00:18:50,651 I-I wouldn't call it a great film, 385 00:18:50,694 --> 00:18:53,393 -but it wasn't... -Oh, don't be so modest. 386 00:18:53,436 --> 00:18:57,136 MANKEY: I starred in Russell's student film, 387 00:18:57,179 --> 00:18:59,442 Très Sérieux, which means, I guess, 388 00:18:59,486 --> 00:19:01,923 Very Serious or something like that. 389 00:19:01,966 --> 00:19:05,753 My name in the movie was Jean-Paul Mankey. 390 00:19:05,796 --> 00:19:10,149 You know, it was poking fun at, uh, French art films. 391 00:19:11,367 --> 00:19:13,064 That's the cool thing about them. 392 00:19:13,108 --> 00:19:14,631 You know, they take something that seems to be 393 00:19:14,675 --> 00:19:16,720 really great and arty, 394 00:19:16,764 --> 00:19:18,722 and then they shoot it in the pants. 395 00:19:18,766 --> 00:19:21,769 Other times, people think they're making fun of something 396 00:19:21,812 --> 00:19:23,510 when they're deadly serious. 397 00:19:23,553 --> 00:19:25,294 [laughing]: They're kind of inscrutable, those guys. 398 00:19:28,254 --> 00:19:30,647 MIKE BERNS: Well, I had a chance to meet Ron and Russell 399 00:19:30,691 --> 00:19:32,823 when I worked at, uh, Universal Records. 400 00:19:32,867 --> 00:19:34,825 They brought their demo tape in, 401 00:19:34,869 --> 00:19:39,308 and I was taken by the creativity, 402 00:19:39,352 --> 00:19:42,311 the artistry, uh, the individuality. 403 00:19:42,355 --> 00:19:44,183 And it was something 404 00:19:44,226 --> 00:19:46,315 that you just knew was something. 405 00:19:46,359 --> 00:19:51,146 And I lobbied my brains out to have them get signed. 406 00:19:52,974 --> 00:19:55,933 MANKEY: Every office we'd go into was all excited. 407 00:19:57,196 --> 00:19:59,241 They'd call their friends in and say, "Listen to this stuff. 408 00:19:59,285 --> 00:20:01,025 Isn't this weird? Isn't this great?" 409 00:20:01,069 --> 00:20:03,114 Uh, and then they wouldn't sign us. 410 00:20:04,551 --> 00:20:06,466 DUPONT: The thing that marked them 411 00:20:06,509 --> 00:20:09,817 was their unwillingness to give up on rejection. 412 00:20:09,860 --> 00:20:12,254 They just wouldn't give up. 413 00:20:12,298 --> 00:20:14,038 RUSSELL: There's always just been 414 00:20:14,082 --> 00:20:17,172 one person throughout our whole career 415 00:20:17,216 --> 00:20:20,088 that would kind of get what it was 416 00:20:20,131 --> 00:20:22,351 that we were doing at any one particular time-- 417 00:20:22,395 --> 00:20:25,006 and the first one was Todd Rundgren-- 418 00:20:25,049 --> 00:20:28,879 when everybody else at every record label rejected us. 419 00:20:30,838 --> 00:20:32,274 If it hadn't been for him, 420 00:20:32,318 --> 00:20:35,146 there wouldn't have been a Sparks now. 421 00:20:35,190 --> 00:20:38,149 RUNDGREN: Well, without me, there would be no Halfnelson. 422 00:20:38,193 --> 00:20:41,457 Sparks was something that happened a little later. 423 00:20:41,501 --> 00:20:43,894 ANNOUNCER: Todd Rundgren first discovered Sparks 424 00:20:43,938 --> 00:20:45,853 and produced their debut album. 425 00:20:46,897 --> 00:20:48,551 BERNS: We sent the demo album 426 00:20:48,595 --> 00:20:50,597 to Todd Rundgren. I had some notoriety 427 00:20:50,640 --> 00:20:52,599 in the business, so he took my call. 428 00:20:52,642 --> 00:20:58,257 My memory was that, uh, Russell's, uh, girlfriend, 429 00:20:58,300 --> 00:21:01,477 part-time girlfriend, girlfriend on and off, uh, 430 00:21:01,521 --> 00:21:04,437 was Miss Christine from the GTO's. 431 00:21:04,480 --> 00:21:07,222 Miss Christine was like my girlfriend for a while, 432 00:21:07,266 --> 00:21:09,964 and then she became Russell's girlfriend for a while. 433 00:21:10,007 --> 00:21:11,444 RUSSELL: We became friends 434 00:21:11,487 --> 00:21:14,621 with-with, uh, Miss Christine as well. 435 00:21:14,664 --> 00:21:18,799 And so, um, at that time, I, uh... 436 00:21:18,842 --> 00:21:20,844 -We did? -[laughing]: We did. We did. 437 00:21:20,888 --> 00:21:22,933 -[crew laughing] -[Russell clears throat] 438 00:21:22,977 --> 00:21:24,848 Let me... let me, uh... yeah, we were... 439 00:21:24,892 --> 00:21:27,764 So I became... I became friends with Miss Christine. 440 00:21:29,549 --> 00:21:32,203 I think Russell thought it was weird, 441 00:21:32,247 --> 00:21:34,162 but I didn't consider it any sort of affront, 442 00:21:34,205 --> 00:21:35,946 but I think I knew Miss Christine 443 00:21:35,990 --> 00:21:37,992 better than he did. 444 00:21:38,035 --> 00:21:39,559 PAMELA DES BARRES: Yeah, I'm sure Miss Christine 445 00:21:39,602 --> 00:21:41,343 played Todd the demo. 446 00:21:41,387 --> 00:21:43,867 She was... she and Todd were together quite a while, 447 00:21:43,911 --> 00:21:46,435 um, and she loved Sparks. 448 00:21:46,479 --> 00:21:47,958 MANKEY: Christine said, "Oh, Todd, 449 00:21:48,002 --> 00:21:49,482 "you've got to hear these guys. 450 00:21:49,525 --> 00:21:52,615 It's so great. You're gonna want to sign 'em." 451 00:21:54,182 --> 00:21:56,358 RUNDGREN: I was struck by the fact that it wasn't like 452 00:21:56,402 --> 00:21:59,753 anything else that I was normally getting. 453 00:21:59,796 --> 00:22:03,017 It is sometimes like butterfly hunting. 454 00:22:03,060 --> 00:22:05,149 You're looking for some species 455 00:22:05,193 --> 00:22:08,370 that nobody has ever discovered before. 456 00:22:11,286 --> 00:22:13,636 So they set up a demo 457 00:22:13,680 --> 00:22:15,682 as if it was like a whole venue. 458 00:22:15,725 --> 00:22:19,468 They had this rehearsal space out in the Valley. 459 00:22:19,512 --> 00:22:21,470 They called it the Doggy Factory, 460 00:22:21,514 --> 00:22:23,603 which implied that doggies were made there, 461 00:22:23,646 --> 00:22:26,257 but it was actually doggy beds. [chuckles] 462 00:22:26,301 --> 00:22:28,347 JAMES LOWE: Yeah, that's... it was all left-handed. 463 00:22:28,390 --> 00:22:30,610 It was... I mean, this band, you're gonna go see 'em 464 00:22:30,653 --> 00:22:32,394 at a doggy bed factory. 465 00:22:32,438 --> 00:22:35,310 I thought they were joking. I thought it was a club. 466 00:22:35,354 --> 00:22:37,312 RUNDGREN: We all sat down in some folding chairs, 467 00:22:37,356 --> 00:22:39,445 and they put on a whole show. 468 00:22:39,488 --> 00:22:41,925 MANKEY: The biggest number, uh, 469 00:22:41,969 --> 00:22:43,536 I guess it would have to be the song 470 00:22:43,579 --> 00:22:45,451 "Slowboat." 471 00:22:45,494 --> 00:22:48,149 There was a papier-mâché boat. 472 00:22:48,192 --> 00:22:50,412 Russell would sit in this boat 473 00:22:50,456 --> 00:22:53,110 and be towed across the floor by the roadie. 474 00:22:53,154 --> 00:22:56,157 RUSSELL: I got in it as if it was like a Rose Parade float, 475 00:22:56,200 --> 00:22:58,246 and I was waving to the audience 476 00:22:58,289 --> 00:23:00,379 as the captain of this slow boat. 477 00:23:00,422 --> 00:23:02,729 MANKEY: And about three feet later, he'd have to stop 478 00:23:02,772 --> 00:23:05,558 because it would be the end of the stage. 479 00:23:05,601 --> 00:23:06,646 LOWE: My wife thought 480 00:23:06,689 --> 00:23:08,735 Russ was, uh, very cute, 481 00:23:08,778 --> 00:23:10,998 and I kept asking her about the music, 482 00:23:11,041 --> 00:23:13,000 but she kept telling me how cute Russ was. 483 00:23:13,043 --> 00:23:15,959 Russ was really cute. [laughs] 484 00:23:18,658 --> 00:23:20,399 RUNDGREN: I was 485 00:23:20,442 --> 00:23:22,705 well proud of the effort that they put out 486 00:23:22,749 --> 00:23:25,491 and said, "We'll make a record." 487 00:23:25,534 --> 00:23:30,539 ♪ Slow boat, bring me back another day... ♪ 488 00:23:30,583 --> 00:23:33,803 Of course, everything that happened after that was... 489 00:23:33,847 --> 00:23:35,631 was evolutionary. 490 00:23:35,675 --> 00:23:38,025 ♪ 491 00:23:49,950 --> 00:23:51,734 -[song ends] -[crowd cheering] 492 00:23:51,778 --> 00:23:54,084 [indistinct radio chatter] 493 00:23:56,652 --> 00:23:58,785 MAN: Sorry, Sam, can we take that back a little ways? 494 00:23:58,828 --> 00:24:00,700 We'll pick it up. 495 00:24:00,743 --> 00:24:03,442 RUSSELL: We really were elated that now things 496 00:24:03,485 --> 00:24:05,226 seemed real for once. 497 00:24:05,269 --> 00:24:07,271 FEINSTEIN: It was really amazing. 498 00:24:07,315 --> 00:24:08,708 It was really surreal. 499 00:24:08,751 --> 00:24:10,187 It was like, "My God, this is... 500 00:24:10,231 --> 00:24:11,406 How did I get here? This is incredible." 501 00:24:11,450 --> 00:24:14,191 RUSSELL: It just, uh, seemed like 502 00:24:14,235 --> 00:24:18,152 we were soon gonna be at the Hollywood Bowl ourselves. 503 00:24:21,242 --> 00:24:23,505 FEINSTEIN: The making of the album was so much fun. 504 00:24:23,549 --> 00:24:26,247 It was great. Uh, we had what seemed like 505 00:24:26,290 --> 00:24:28,510 an unlimited amount of time in a good studio. 506 00:24:28,554 --> 00:24:29,772 ♪ All will join in 507 00:24:29,816 --> 00:24:31,687 ♪ In the big scene... ♪ 508 00:24:31,731 --> 00:24:34,342 RON: To Todd's credit, he really made us feel at home 509 00:24:34,385 --> 00:24:37,954 and more importantly made us feel at home musically 510 00:24:37,998 --> 00:24:40,957 because he really wanted us to keep to the essence 511 00:24:41,001 --> 00:24:43,133 of what the demos were. 512 00:24:43,177 --> 00:24:45,788 ♪ Take a tall one, take a small one... ♪ 513 00:24:45,832 --> 00:24:47,747 RUNDGREN: I didn't want to mess with 514 00:24:47,790 --> 00:24:50,619 this latent outsider genius. 515 00:24:50,663 --> 00:24:52,665 I'm just gonna figure out 516 00:24:52,708 --> 00:24:54,667 how to make it a little bit more high-fidelity, 517 00:24:54,710 --> 00:24:56,886 and that... [laughs] and that will be fine, 518 00:24:56,930 --> 00:24:59,585 I think. 519 00:24:59,628 --> 00:25:01,369 FEINSTEIN: This album was gonna be 520 00:25:01,412 --> 00:25:03,937 just phenomenal, 521 00:25:03,980 --> 00:25:05,242 just really good. 522 00:25:07,593 --> 00:25:10,204 RUSSELL: We released the Halfnelson album, 523 00:25:10,247 --> 00:25:13,512 and it didn't really get the commercial success 524 00:25:13,555 --> 00:25:17,472 that I think Todd was hoping for. 525 00:25:18,604 --> 00:25:20,562 KAPRANOS: With Sparks, you have this 526 00:25:20,606 --> 00:25:22,869 strange combination of... 527 00:25:22,912 --> 00:25:24,871 almost creative recklessness 528 00:25:24,914 --> 00:25:27,047 because they don't follow the conventional path, 529 00:25:27,090 --> 00:25:29,049 which is what makes them great as a fan. 530 00:25:31,181 --> 00:25:33,183 There's this force of creativity 531 00:25:33,227 --> 00:25:35,359 that goes into that experimentation, 532 00:25:35,403 --> 00:25:37,579 but the culture isn't there yet. 533 00:25:37,623 --> 00:25:39,799 And then you find yourself in the real world 534 00:25:39,842 --> 00:25:41,757 where you have to sell records. 535 00:25:41,801 --> 00:25:43,672 Well, you did it again. 536 00:25:43,716 --> 00:25:45,195 JACK ANTONOFF: You look at Sparks, 537 00:25:45,239 --> 00:25:47,110 they're-they're just blazing this trail, um, 538 00:25:47,154 --> 00:25:48,677 because there's just no... 539 00:25:48,721 --> 00:25:50,331 It-It's the ultimate experience 540 00:25:50,374 --> 00:25:52,115 of what you want from your artists. 541 00:25:52,159 --> 00:25:55,989 There's just no connection to what is actually going on 542 00:25:56,032 --> 00:25:58,295 in the world. 543 00:25:58,339 --> 00:26:00,950 FEINSTEIN: The album didn't sell very well, 544 00:26:00,994 --> 00:26:05,215 so the, uh, marketing geniuses at the record company said, 545 00:26:05,259 --> 00:26:07,130 "Well, maybe a different name 546 00:26:07,174 --> 00:26:09,480 and a different album cover would make the difference." 547 00:26:09,524 --> 00:26:11,265 And he goes, 548 00:26:11,308 --> 00:26:13,267 "You guys like comedy. You like the Marx Brothers. 549 00:26:13,310 --> 00:26:16,052 You're brothers. So the Sparks Brothers." 550 00:26:16,096 --> 00:26:19,752 And that met with one of those pregnant pauses from us 551 00:26:19,795 --> 00:26:23,277 where we both stare at-at him, uh, kind of aghast. 552 00:26:23,320 --> 00:26:25,279 FEINSTEIN: I think we negotiated out 553 00:26:25,322 --> 00:26:28,587 the word "brothers" and ended up with just Sparks. 554 00:26:29,631 --> 00:26:32,112 ["Wonder Girl" by Sparks playing] 555 00:26:32,155 --> 00:26:33,722 ♪ She was a wonder girl ♪ 556 00:26:33,766 --> 00:26:35,855 ♪ Some girl, that girl 557 00:26:35,898 --> 00:26:37,900 ♪ She was a wonder girl 558 00:26:37,944 --> 00:26:40,860 ♪ Some girl, that girl 559 00:26:40,903 --> 00:26:46,039 ♪ It was a grand old time we had ♪ 560 00:26:46,082 --> 00:26:47,910 ♪ She was there 561 00:26:47,954 --> 00:26:50,739 ♪ And I was pretty glad... 562 00:26:50,783 --> 00:26:52,872 HILLY MICHAELS: We're driving around, 563 00:26:52,915 --> 00:26:55,004 and the radio is kind of on, 564 00:26:55,048 --> 00:26:57,528 and I hear this voice, and I yell, 565 00:26:57,572 --> 00:26:59,835 "Yo, turn that up! 566 00:26:59,879 --> 00:27:02,969 "What is that? Turn that up. 567 00:27:03,012 --> 00:27:05,188 "Who is that? 568 00:27:05,232 --> 00:27:07,495 "Turn it up louder. 569 00:27:07,538 --> 00:27:09,584 That's amazing." 570 00:27:09,628 --> 00:27:11,194 ♪ To her friends 571 00:27:11,238 --> 00:27:13,675 ♪ It's a wonder that 572 00:27:13,719 --> 00:27:16,417 ♪ She always started trends... ♪ 573 00:27:16,460 --> 00:27:20,029 MICHAELS: All the bells and whistles went off in my head. 574 00:27:20,073 --> 00:27:21,770 The radio announcer 575 00:27:21,814 --> 00:27:24,599 never got back on and said who that was, 576 00:27:24,643 --> 00:27:26,340 and it haunted me for years. 577 00:27:27,994 --> 00:27:32,302 ♪ Ooh, wonder girl... 578 00:27:32,346 --> 00:27:34,435 RON: We had made our first appearance 579 00:27:34,478 --> 00:27:36,611 onAmerican Bandstand, which was pretty much 580 00:27:36,655 --> 00:27:39,788 the equivalent of being, like, onTop of the Pops in the UK, 581 00:27:39,832 --> 00:27:42,356 but we still had no... no money 582 00:27:42,399 --> 00:27:45,533 and we were on food assistance plans, food stamps. 583 00:27:45,576 --> 00:27:48,884 And so we went into a supermarket the next week, 584 00:27:48,928 --> 00:27:51,147 and the checker said, 585 00:27:51,191 --> 00:27:53,715 "Hey, I saw you on television last week. 586 00:27:53,759 --> 00:27:55,499 You guys were great." 587 00:27:55,543 --> 00:27:58,415 RUSSELL: And then we have to pull out our food stamps 588 00:27:58,459 --> 00:28:00,548 to the nice lady, and then she's going, 589 00:28:00,591 --> 00:28:02,768 "Can we get approval for these poor guys 590 00:28:02,811 --> 00:28:04,900 "on aisle six, please? 591 00:28:04,944 --> 00:28:08,034 Poor people over here who are on a television show." 592 00:28:08,077 --> 00:28:10,036 ♪ Ooh, wonder girl... 593 00:28:10,079 --> 00:28:12,081 -Being humiliated in public. -RON: Yeah. Yeah. 594 00:28:12,125 --> 00:28:14,344 -Good training. -Yeah. 595 00:28:14,388 --> 00:28:18,348 I'm immune to humiliation after that. 596 00:28:18,392 --> 00:28:20,220 ♪ Hey, Lisa, they're having a big party ♪ 597 00:28:20,263 --> 00:28:22,439 ♪ Down at the Allele Pool tonight ♪ 598 00:28:22,483 --> 00:28:25,181 ♪ Ooh, let's do it 599 00:28:25,225 --> 00:28:27,401 ["Biology 2" by Sparks playing] 600 00:28:27,444 --> 00:28:29,664 DUPONT: It was a struggle finding gigs for the band. 601 00:28:29,708 --> 00:28:30,709 So the thing that happened is 602 00:28:30,752 --> 00:28:32,580 the band went far afield. 603 00:28:32,623 --> 00:28:34,060 MANKEY: It's just ridiculous. 604 00:28:34,103 --> 00:28:36,366 We played some just terrible places 605 00:28:36,410 --> 00:28:38,804 where they all hated us. [laughs] 606 00:28:38,847 --> 00:28:40,457 DUPONT: They went to Redding, California. 607 00:28:40,501 --> 00:28:42,459 It's like, why the hell Redding? 608 00:28:42,503 --> 00:28:47,116 But Houston got off to a bad start and went downhill. 609 00:28:48,074 --> 00:28:50,076 FEINSTEIN: So, there we are 610 00:28:50,119 --> 00:28:52,382 playing for this redneck audience 611 00:28:52,426 --> 00:28:56,256 that had been there to come see a band called Cold Blood. 612 00:28:56,299 --> 00:28:59,607 Needless to say, uh, they did not like us very much. 613 00:29:00,956 --> 00:29:03,132 RUSSELL: I used to, as part of the stage act, 614 00:29:03,176 --> 00:29:05,395 have this giant wooden sledgehammer, 615 00:29:05,439 --> 00:29:08,616 with this, like, really heavy mallet on it. 616 00:29:08,659 --> 00:29:10,879 MANKEY: He'd throw the sledgehammer up in the air 617 00:29:10,923 --> 00:29:13,012 and catch it, but this time, he didn't catch it. 618 00:29:15,623 --> 00:29:18,278 Came down-- slam!-- on his head. 619 00:29:18,321 --> 00:29:20,019 And I won't say it knocked him out, 620 00:29:20,062 --> 00:29:21,847 but he was extremely bloody. 621 00:29:21,890 --> 00:29:24,588 RUSSELL: And I had this giant gash on my head, 622 00:29:24,632 --> 00:29:26,939 and I'm bleeding and blood's flowing down. 623 00:29:26,982 --> 00:29:28,810 But the audience seemed to think it was 624 00:29:28,854 --> 00:29:30,464 part of our show, like it was... you know, 625 00:29:30,507 --> 00:29:31,813 it was Alice Cooper with a blood capsule, 626 00:29:31,857 --> 00:29:33,772 but this was no blood capsule. 627 00:29:33,815 --> 00:29:38,472 This was my kind of brain, uh, oozing out onto the stage. 628 00:29:38,515 --> 00:29:41,997 We're all laughing up until we see Ron's reaction. 629 00:29:42,041 --> 00:29:44,913 And Ron's reaction is a combination of, 630 00:29:44,957 --> 00:29:48,047 "How dare you laugh?" 631 00:29:48,090 --> 00:29:51,050 and, "Oh, my God, Russ is gonna die." 632 00:29:51,093 --> 00:29:52,747 FEINSTEIN: I didn't even know 633 00:29:52,791 --> 00:29:54,444 he hit himself in the head until after it was over. 634 00:29:54,488 --> 00:29:56,142 Then we went backstage, 635 00:29:56,185 --> 00:29:59,275 and I saw he was bleeding, and big brother Ron, 636 00:29:59,319 --> 00:30:00,886 of course, was very concerned. 637 00:30:00,929 --> 00:30:02,757 -Was I? -WRIGHT: Yeah. 638 00:30:02,801 --> 00:30:05,455 -Oh, times change. -[laughter] 639 00:30:09,895 --> 00:30:11,331 RUSSELL: The next album 640 00:30:11,374 --> 00:30:12,898 that we would come up with, 641 00:30:12,941 --> 00:30:14,725 which was called Woofer in Tweeter's Clothing, 642 00:30:14,769 --> 00:30:16,684 was produced by Jim Lowe. 643 00:30:16,727 --> 00:30:18,120 LOWE: They were what I thought 644 00:30:18,164 --> 00:30:20,383 rock and roll was supposed to be. 645 00:30:20,427 --> 00:30:21,863 And I thought, "If this doesn't happen, 646 00:30:21,907 --> 00:30:23,517 what am I gonna go do next?" 647 00:30:23,560 --> 00:30:25,998 What would you produce after you did Sparks? 648 00:30:27,173 --> 00:30:29,044 MANKEY: The fact that the second album 649 00:30:29,088 --> 00:30:31,307 was more experimental than the first album, 650 00:30:31,351 --> 00:30:33,179 I think, was just a natural progression. 651 00:30:33,222 --> 00:30:34,876 It might have been better. 652 00:30:34,920 --> 00:30:37,879 It was certainly more complex, more artistic. 653 00:30:37,923 --> 00:30:41,361 I thought that made for a more interesting album. 654 00:30:41,404 --> 00:30:44,668 RON: In a way, that album is even more eccentric, 655 00:30:44,712 --> 00:30:46,888 I think, than... than the first album. 656 00:30:46,932 --> 00:30:50,152 And so, you know, it was really inspiring to us to know 657 00:30:50,196 --> 00:30:51,719 that they were giving us this permission 658 00:30:51,762 --> 00:30:55,027 to kind of commit self-destruction. 659 00:30:55,070 --> 00:30:57,420 [tires squealing] 660 00:31:00,946 --> 00:31:02,991 ♪ Whippings and apologies... 661 00:31:04,688 --> 00:31:07,822 LOWE: Those two records are my two favorite records 662 00:31:07,866 --> 00:31:09,824 that I've been involved with. 663 00:31:09,868 --> 00:31:10,912 And I told my wife 664 00:31:10,956 --> 00:31:12,958 after the Wooferalbum, 665 00:31:13,001 --> 00:31:15,090 I said, "If this album doesn't... 666 00:31:15,134 --> 00:31:16,787 "doesn't make some noise or do something, 667 00:31:16,831 --> 00:31:18,702 I'm gonna go into another business." 668 00:31:18,746 --> 00:31:21,053 It was just, "I-I don't know anything about music. 669 00:31:21,096 --> 00:31:22,968 If people don't like this stuff, it's crazy." 670 00:31:23,011 --> 00:31:25,666 And so I started, uh, 671 00:31:25,709 --> 00:31:27,755 directing television commercials. 672 00:31:27,798 --> 00:31:29,539 [laughter] 673 00:31:29,583 --> 00:31:30,540 RUNDGREN: It didn't create the spark 674 00:31:30,584 --> 00:31:31,846 that they... [laughs] 675 00:31:31,890 --> 00:31:33,804 that they had hoped for. 676 00:31:35,415 --> 00:31:37,243 RUSSELL: They said, "Well, it's not really 677 00:31:37,286 --> 00:31:39,288 "clicking here in the States, but the sensibility 678 00:31:39,332 --> 00:31:41,508 "seems to be something that we think 679 00:31:41,551 --> 00:31:43,597 would go over better in the UK." 680 00:31:43,640 --> 00:31:45,773 And all of a sudden, one day, 681 00:31:45,816 --> 00:31:48,210 we're on a frigging airplane to London. 682 00:31:50,343 --> 00:31:52,606 ["Girl from Germany" by Sparks playing] 683 00:31:56,697 --> 00:32:00,005 ♪ How I wished my folks were gracious hosts... ♪ 684 00:32:00,048 --> 00:32:02,790 RUSSELL: Getting to see, you know, Buckingham Palace 685 00:32:02,833 --> 00:32:05,184 and riding on the tube, and we were 686 00:32:05,227 --> 00:32:08,187 living the good life in our small little way. 687 00:32:10,580 --> 00:32:12,887 FEINSTEIN: Back in the Doggy Factory, we had a picture 688 00:32:12,931 --> 00:32:14,933 on the wall of John's Children, 689 00:32:14,976 --> 00:32:17,152 and they were really cool-looking guys. 690 00:32:17,196 --> 00:32:20,242 When we got over there, John was our manager. 691 00:32:20,286 --> 00:32:22,070 JOHN HEWLETT: The idea was, would I look after them 692 00:32:22,114 --> 00:32:25,030 and try and secure TV, et cetera, and, uh, 693 00:32:25,073 --> 00:32:27,858 some shows in London and press, which we did. 694 00:32:27,902 --> 00:32:30,122 ♪ What a war, some war 695 00:32:30,165 --> 00:32:32,646 ♪ Lord knows she's from Germany ♪ 696 00:32:32,689 --> 00:32:34,256 ♪ Well, it's the same old country ♪ 697 00:32:34,300 --> 00:32:35,779 ♪ But the people have changed... ♪ 698 00:32:35,823 --> 00:32:37,085 HEWLETT: The only TV we did, I think, 699 00:32:37,129 --> 00:32:38,652 was theGrey Whistle Test, 700 00:32:38,695 --> 00:32:41,002 which Bob Harris said was, like, the worst band 701 00:32:41,046 --> 00:32:42,177 he'd ever seen. 702 00:32:44,397 --> 00:32:46,442 MORLEY: Old Grey Whistle Test was dark and underground, 703 00:32:46,486 --> 00:32:48,227 and it was a bit worthy. 704 00:32:48,270 --> 00:32:52,057 And the-the presenter Bob Harris didn't like Sparks. 705 00:32:52,100 --> 00:32:53,841 That was actually a-a real turn-on 706 00:32:53,884 --> 00:32:56,191 because whatever Bob didn't like, you kind of liked. 707 00:32:56,235 --> 00:32:57,801 Great stuff. 708 00:32:57,845 --> 00:32:59,673 Everybody saw us on Old Grey Whistle Test, 709 00:32:59,716 --> 00:33:01,283 and being on the telly was a big deal. 710 00:33:01,327 --> 00:33:04,504 So, when we then got the follow-up gig 711 00:33:04,547 --> 00:33:08,464 at the Marquee Club, the place was packed. 712 00:33:08,508 --> 00:33:10,292 MORLEY: Almost in that first moment, 713 00:33:10,336 --> 00:33:12,207 when you see something like Sparks, 714 00:33:12,251 --> 00:33:13,643 which is just so distinctive 715 00:33:13,687 --> 00:33:15,689 and sounds so distinctive, 716 00:33:15,732 --> 00:33:17,343 everything that you ever feel about them 717 00:33:17,386 --> 00:33:19,562 for the rest of time is in there. 718 00:33:19,606 --> 00:33:22,478 ♪ Oh, my word, she's from Germany ♪ 719 00:33:22,522 --> 00:33:24,437 ♪ Well, it's the same old country ♪ 720 00:33:24,480 --> 00:33:26,787 ♪ But the people have changed... ♪ 721 00:33:26,830 --> 00:33:29,137 RON: "Girl from Germany" was kind of a harbinger 722 00:33:29,181 --> 00:33:33,228 of things to come for us in a lyrical way, I think. 723 00:33:33,272 --> 00:33:37,276 It's about a guy who's defending his girlfriend, 724 00:33:37,319 --> 00:33:39,365 who happens to be from Germany, 725 00:33:39,408 --> 00:33:41,758 to his parents who are Jewish. 726 00:33:41,802 --> 00:33:44,283 ♪ Well, the car I drive is parked outside... ♪ 727 00:33:44,326 --> 00:33:45,849 JANE WIEDLIN: They come out with this song, 728 00:33:45,893 --> 00:33:46,850 and it's like, are you kidding me? 729 00:33:46,894 --> 00:33:48,678 They're, like, talking about 730 00:33:48,722 --> 00:33:51,116 how people still hate Germans and stuff, 731 00:33:51,159 --> 00:33:53,161 and it's so sick and so funny. 732 00:33:54,467 --> 00:33:57,513 MIKE MYERS: My favorite lyric from a Sparks song is 733 00:33:57,557 --> 00:34:00,386 from "Girl from Germany," which is, uh... 734 00:34:00,429 --> 00:34:02,649 "My word, she's from Germany. 735 00:34:02,692 --> 00:34:05,217 It's the same old country, but the people have changed." 736 00:34:05,260 --> 00:34:08,742 Which is, like, well played, well played. 737 00:34:08,785 --> 00:34:13,094 ♪ With its splendid castles and its fine cuisine ♪ 738 00:34:13,138 --> 00:34:14,791 ♪ Its lovely German women 739 00:34:14,835 --> 00:34:17,446 -♪ And you and me. -[song ends] 740 00:34:18,752 --> 00:34:20,406 FEINSTEIN: There's a better than even chance 741 00:34:20,449 --> 00:34:23,148 that it would've continued moving onward and upward 742 00:34:23,191 --> 00:34:25,672 had the record company at that point not decided 743 00:34:25,715 --> 00:34:26,847 that, "Well, we've invested enough. 744 00:34:26,890 --> 00:34:28,501 "We're gonna pull the plug, 745 00:34:28,544 --> 00:34:30,764 and we're gonna bring 'em back to America." 746 00:34:30,807 --> 00:34:32,679 DUPONT: They literally were thrown out of England. 747 00:34:32,722 --> 00:34:34,246 It was like one day's notice, 748 00:34:34,289 --> 00:34:36,291 you're on an airplane, you're out of here. 749 00:34:36,335 --> 00:34:37,945 "Pack your gear and get out of here." 750 00:34:39,294 --> 00:34:41,122 FEINSTEIN: We had built up way more momentum 751 00:34:41,166 --> 00:34:42,776 in London than we had in L.A., 752 00:34:42,819 --> 00:34:45,126 but whatever momentum we had built up in L.A. 753 00:34:45,170 --> 00:34:47,389 had completely died out. 754 00:34:47,433 --> 00:34:49,739 My memory of what the mood was like 755 00:34:49,783 --> 00:34:51,828 at that time was, 756 00:34:51,872 --> 00:34:54,614 "Well, you know, this thing may have run its course." 757 00:34:54,657 --> 00:34:56,746 ["Do-Re-Mi" by Sparks playing] 758 00:35:02,143 --> 00:35:04,319 RON: We were kind of stuck in a way, 759 00:35:04,363 --> 00:35:06,147 knowing that there was 760 00:35:06,191 --> 00:35:09,150 this promised land that was... that was there for us 761 00:35:09,194 --> 00:35:12,110 if we could only figure out how to get there. 762 00:35:12,153 --> 00:35:14,677 HEWLETT: They called and said they'd like to come over 763 00:35:14,721 --> 00:35:16,766 and, um, yeah, could I help? 764 00:35:16,810 --> 00:35:18,507 Which I could and did. 765 00:35:18,551 --> 00:35:21,597 I talked to David Betteridge at Island Records, 766 00:35:21,641 --> 00:35:23,860 and David said, "Yeah, go for it." 767 00:35:23,904 --> 00:35:25,210 [cheering] 768 00:35:25,253 --> 00:35:26,689 As soon as I saw the pictures 769 00:35:26,733 --> 00:35:27,908 of Ron and Russell-- 770 00:35:27,951 --> 00:35:29,562 this was before I'd met them-- 771 00:35:29,605 --> 00:35:31,172 just looking at the pictures 772 00:35:31,216 --> 00:35:34,001 and listening to those first two albums, 773 00:35:34,044 --> 00:35:36,264 straightaway, it all made sense. 774 00:35:36,308 --> 00:35:38,832 It seemed to me that the only way 775 00:35:38,875 --> 00:35:40,529 that we could get this happening 776 00:35:40,573 --> 00:35:43,750 is if we made it a little bit more rock and roll 777 00:35:43,793 --> 00:35:47,057 and get an English backing group with them. 778 00:35:47,101 --> 00:35:48,450 FEINSTEIN: A friend of mine said, 779 00:35:48,494 --> 00:35:50,278 "I saw your old band buddies. 780 00:35:50,322 --> 00:35:52,193 "They're having a garage sale. 781 00:35:52,237 --> 00:35:54,195 And they told me that they were moving to England." 782 00:35:54,239 --> 00:35:55,936 And I said, "What? They're moving to England? 783 00:35:55,979 --> 00:35:56,980 News to me." 784 00:35:58,199 --> 00:35:59,461 RON: A yard sale in anybody's yard 785 00:35:59,505 --> 00:36:02,595 in Los Angeles means bad news for somebody. 786 00:36:02,638 --> 00:36:04,901 It was an agonizing decision 787 00:36:04,945 --> 00:36:06,990 for Ron and Russ to-to, uh, 788 00:36:07,034 --> 00:36:09,558 cut the band loose and go to England. 789 00:36:09,602 --> 00:36:14,084 RON: To betray the other people was a really difficult thing, 790 00:36:14,128 --> 00:36:17,566 but also knowing that being 791 00:36:17,610 --> 00:36:21,266 a British band was a lifetime dream of ours. 792 00:36:21,309 --> 00:36:23,442 FEINSTEIN: They were on the horns of a dilemma. 793 00:36:23,485 --> 00:36:25,574 Obviously, I think they made the right decision. 794 00:36:25,618 --> 00:36:27,533 The rest is history. 795 00:36:27,576 --> 00:36:31,319 [bells chiming] 796 00:36:33,234 --> 00:36:35,236 RUSSELL: The bands that we had admired, 797 00:36:35,280 --> 00:36:38,108 these English bands that we liked so much, 798 00:36:38,152 --> 00:36:40,110 we always thought of them as being glamorous 799 00:36:40,154 --> 00:36:42,896 and-and bigger than life. 800 00:36:42,939 --> 00:36:45,377 So, when we put out these ads for band members, 801 00:36:45,420 --> 00:36:47,770 we were kind of trying to find people 802 00:36:47,814 --> 00:36:51,034 that would fulfill that image of ours of this England 803 00:36:51,078 --> 00:36:54,690 that was maybe just in our minds. 804 00:36:56,214 --> 00:36:57,737 WINWOOD: Straightaway, it worked. 805 00:36:57,780 --> 00:36:59,391 It just worked. 806 00:36:59,434 --> 00:37:01,697 HEWLETT: Each time you'd go to the rehearsal room, 807 00:37:01,741 --> 00:37:04,178 there'd be something new there. 808 00:37:04,222 --> 00:37:05,614 I'm like, "Shit, that's good." 809 00:37:05,658 --> 00:37:07,137 Um, you know, then the next rehearsal. 810 00:37:07,181 --> 00:37:08,400 "Wow, that song's good." 811 00:37:09,923 --> 00:37:12,665 WINWOOD: We found a momentum very quickly, 812 00:37:12,708 --> 00:37:15,581 and when we got enough tracks to make an album, 813 00:37:15,624 --> 00:37:17,322 then we said, 814 00:37:17,365 --> 00:37:18,758 "We've made an album." 815 00:37:18,801 --> 00:37:20,847 RUSSELL: Well, everybody at Island was 816 00:37:20,890 --> 00:37:22,631 really ecstatic about the album 817 00:37:22,675 --> 00:37:24,372 and really supportive. 818 00:37:24,416 --> 00:37:25,939 And-and especially in picking 819 00:37:25,982 --> 00:37:27,419 "This Town Ain't Big Enough for Both of Us" 820 00:37:27,462 --> 00:37:29,464 to be the first song, 'cause it was... 821 00:37:29,508 --> 00:37:31,292 you know, it was taking a chance, 822 00:37:31,336 --> 00:37:34,687 it was going for something that was really extreme. 823 00:37:36,210 --> 00:37:38,473 TONY VISCONTI: "This Town Ain't Big Enough for the Both of Us" 824 00:37:38,517 --> 00:37:40,954 was the first record I heard by them on the radio. 825 00:37:40,997 --> 00:37:43,696 I remember I-I had a, uh... a darkroom in my home, 826 00:37:43,739 --> 00:37:45,437 and that came on in the dark. 827 00:37:45,480 --> 00:37:47,352 I nearly dropped my tongs, 828 00:37:47,395 --> 00:37:49,441 as they say in the photography world. 829 00:37:49,484 --> 00:37:51,486 VINCE CLARKE: The first thing that I ever bought was, um, 830 00:37:51,530 --> 00:37:53,183 "This Town Ain't Big Enough for the Both of Us." 831 00:37:53,227 --> 00:37:54,794 I just played it nonstop 832 00:37:54,837 --> 00:37:57,231 until the grooves wore out pretty much, you know. 833 00:37:57,275 --> 00:38:00,060 ANDY BELL: My granddad was a wedding DJ, and he had 834 00:38:00,103 --> 00:38:01,148 "This Town Ain't Big Enough 835 00:38:01,191 --> 00:38:03,019 for the Both of Us" by Sparks. 836 00:38:03,063 --> 00:38:05,848 I remember hearing, uh, 837 00:38:05,892 --> 00:38:08,286 "This Town Ain't Big Enough for the Both of Us" and just going, 838 00:38:08,329 --> 00:38:11,332 "I've never heard anything like this." 839 00:38:11,376 --> 00:38:14,292 ♪ 840 00:38:25,041 --> 00:38:26,652 RUSSELL: Everyone at the record label said, 841 00:38:26,695 --> 00:38:28,480 "It's gonna become a big hit if we can just 842 00:38:28,523 --> 00:38:30,612 get you on theTop of the Pops." 843 00:38:30,656 --> 00:38:33,223 The producer of the show was a very dapper gentleman, 844 00:38:33,267 --> 00:38:35,878 and he said, "Oh, hello. My name is Robin Nash. 845 00:38:35,922 --> 00:38:37,315 Nice to meet you." 846 00:38:37,358 --> 00:38:39,578 I said, "Hi. My name is Russell." 847 00:38:39,621 --> 00:38:42,450 He was taken aback a bit that I was an American, 848 00:38:42,494 --> 00:38:44,409 and he went and made a phone call 849 00:38:44,452 --> 00:38:46,062 and had taken us off the show 850 00:38:46,106 --> 00:38:48,630 because we hadn't gotten work permits. 851 00:38:48,674 --> 00:38:51,894 -So everyone at Island was just distraught.-[screaming] 852 00:38:51,938 --> 00:38:53,592 It allowed another band, 853 00:38:53,635 --> 00:38:55,811 one of the greats of all time, The Rubettes, 854 00:38:55,855 --> 00:38:58,118 to take our place, 855 00:38:58,161 --> 00:39:00,903 and so they sadly reached number one. 856 00:39:00,947 --> 00:39:03,471 RON: You know, all through our career, there have been 857 00:39:03,515 --> 00:39:07,519 The Rubettes in-in some form or other. 858 00:39:07,562 --> 00:39:09,869 I love "Sugar Baby Love" by The Rubettes. 859 00:39:09,912 --> 00:39:12,480 -WRIGHT: Ron will hate you for that. -[laughs] 860 00:39:12,524 --> 00:39:15,440 DIFFORD: But where are they now? 861 00:39:15,483 --> 00:39:18,094 RUSSELL: Finally, the British Musicians' Union relented, 862 00:39:18,138 --> 00:39:19,705 and there we were. 863 00:39:19,748 --> 00:39:21,924 "This Town Ain't Big Enough for the Both of Us." 864 00:39:21,968 --> 00:39:23,230 ♪ 865 00:39:23,273 --> 00:39:24,971 BJOÖRK: I loved his voice. 866 00:39:25,014 --> 00:39:27,756 You know, I-I guess it was kind of like a bit-- 867 00:39:27,800 --> 00:39:31,020 I don't know what it was-- quite feminine, I guess. 868 00:39:31,064 --> 00:39:34,502 Quite sort of... possessed or something. 869 00:39:34,546 --> 00:39:36,809 It definitely wasn't like rock and roll. 870 00:39:36,852 --> 00:39:38,898 ♪ Zoo time is she and you time ♪ 871 00:39:38,941 --> 00:39:40,856 ♪ The mammals are your favorite type ♪ 872 00:39:40,900 --> 00:39:43,424 ♪ And you want her tonight 873 00:39:43,468 --> 00:39:45,426 ♪ Heartbeat, increasing heartbeat ♪ 874 00:39:45,470 --> 00:39:48,037 ♪ You hear the thunder of stampeding rhinos ♪ 875 00:39:48,081 --> 00:39:50,257 ♪ Elephants and tacky tigers 876 00:39:50,300 --> 00:39:54,087 ♪ This town ain't big enough for the both of us ♪ 877 00:39:54,130 --> 00:39:58,047 ♪ And it ain't me who's gonna leave... ♪ 878 00:39:58,091 --> 00:40:00,093 I think there were 60 million people 879 00:40:00,136 --> 00:40:01,964 at that time in the UK, and... 880 00:40:02,008 --> 00:40:05,315 and 15 million of them were watching Top of the Pops. 881 00:40:06,795 --> 00:40:09,450 CLARKE: When I was growing up, I never knew anybody 882 00:40:09,494 --> 00:40:11,365 that went to university, but I never knew anyone 883 00:40:11,409 --> 00:40:13,019 that didn't watch Top of the Pops. 884 00:40:13,062 --> 00:40:14,629 DIFFORD: When I saw them 885 00:40:14,673 --> 00:40:16,152 onTop of the Pops for the first time, 886 00:40:16,196 --> 00:40:19,504 I instantly wanted to be the keyboard player. 887 00:40:19,547 --> 00:40:22,158 I wanted to be the quiet one that didn't say anything. 888 00:40:22,202 --> 00:40:25,379 I remember sitting there probably with my parents 889 00:40:25,423 --> 00:40:27,947 in front of Top of the Pops on a Thursday night 890 00:40:27,990 --> 00:40:30,210 and seeing these two guys on there, 891 00:40:30,253 --> 00:40:32,473 thinking, "What is that?" 892 00:40:32,517 --> 00:40:33,909 ♪ Daily, except for Sunday 893 00:40:33,953 --> 00:40:36,042 ♪ You dawdle into the café... 894 00:40:36,085 --> 00:40:37,260 MARK GATISS: Everyone came 895 00:40:37,304 --> 00:40:38,827 to school the next day saying, 896 00:40:38,871 --> 00:40:40,525 "Did you see that guy?" 897 00:40:40,568 --> 00:40:41,961 [laughs] 898 00:40:42,004 --> 00:40:43,179 The-the man who looked like Hitler. 899 00:40:44,746 --> 00:40:47,140 RON: A lot of people say, "Why the Charlie Chaplin look?" 900 00:40:47,183 --> 00:40:49,447 And a lot of people say, "Why the Hitler look?" 901 00:40:49,490 --> 00:40:51,492 And both of those people 902 00:40:51,536 --> 00:40:55,148 seem to me to be cartoon characters in a way. 903 00:40:56,541 --> 00:40:58,368 MORLEY: The next day, when you talk about it, 904 00:40:58,412 --> 00:41:00,849 the word of mouth begins in a way that is viral-- 905 00:41:00,893 --> 00:41:02,329 like we now have, obviously, on everything-- 906 00:41:02,372 --> 00:41:03,896 but back then, that was a rare thing. 907 00:41:03,939 --> 00:41:05,506 And you start to make things up slightly. 908 00:41:05,550 --> 00:41:07,160 One of my favorite anecdotes 909 00:41:07,203 --> 00:41:09,379 about thatTop of the Pops appearance is... 910 00:41:09,423 --> 00:41:11,904 is John Lennon ringing up Ringo Starr and saying... 911 00:41:11,947 --> 00:41:14,472 -You won't believe what's on the television. -What? 912 00:41:14,515 --> 00:41:17,910 -Marc Bolan is playing a song with Adolf Hitler. -Hitler? 913 00:41:17,953 --> 00:41:19,912 MORLEY: But that's how, unfortunately, we all thought. 914 00:41:19,955 --> 00:41:20,913 We all thought 915 00:41:20,956 --> 00:41:22,567 Adolf Hitler. 916 00:41:22,610 --> 00:41:25,004 SHELLEY WINTERS: Two years ago, there was somebody 917 00:41:25,047 --> 00:41:27,049 dressed like Hitler playing the piano on the BBC. 918 00:41:27,093 --> 00:41:30,531 Sparks. She's talking about Sparks. 919 00:41:30,575 --> 00:41:32,838 He-he was born looking like Hitler, that guy. 920 00:41:32,881 --> 00:41:34,100 [laughter] 921 00:41:35,710 --> 00:41:37,407 MORLEY: From then on, every single piece ever written 922 00:41:37,451 --> 00:41:40,541 about the group would just say "Adolf Hitler," which also 923 00:41:40,585 --> 00:41:42,064 really kind of weirdly tangled up 924 00:41:42,108 --> 00:41:43,370 in the myth of the group. 925 00:41:43,413 --> 00:41:45,590 You know, the shock to the system 926 00:41:45,633 --> 00:41:48,897 as a piece of choreography, let alone his appearance, 927 00:41:48,941 --> 00:41:50,551 was so remarkable that immediately 928 00:41:50,595 --> 00:41:52,988 it started to grow in your imagination. 929 00:41:53,032 --> 00:41:54,337 GILLIAN GILBERT: They're playing this upbeat, 930 00:41:54,381 --> 00:41:56,818 energetic, fantastic music, 931 00:41:56,862 --> 00:41:58,690 and he just stood there. 932 00:41:58,733 --> 00:42:01,562 I think it's really clever. 933 00:42:01,606 --> 00:42:04,347 WINWOOD: The following day, I remember going in 934 00:42:04,391 --> 00:42:07,002 and one of the sales guys saying, 935 00:42:07,046 --> 00:42:10,310 "We've done 200,000 singles today already. 936 00:42:10,353 --> 00:42:11,964 "The vans are out everywhere, 937 00:42:12,007 --> 00:42:15,228 and there were people buying boxes of them." 938 00:42:15,271 --> 00:42:17,926 That is a fantastic feeling. 939 00:42:17,970 --> 00:42:20,712 RHODES: John and I have said, "Always judge an album 940 00:42:20,755 --> 00:42:22,409 by its cover." 941 00:42:22,452 --> 00:42:25,238 Um, so if something has a dreadful album cover, 942 00:42:25,281 --> 00:42:26,892 don't buy it. 943 00:42:26,935 --> 00:42:29,590 ♪ 944 00:42:29,634 --> 00:42:31,374 JONATHAN ROSS: The cover's amazing, with the two 945 00:42:31,418 --> 00:42:33,333 kind of Geisha girls with the smeared makeup on. 946 00:42:33,376 --> 00:42:36,031 Here, you have this image which should be and could be 947 00:42:36,075 --> 00:42:37,337 perfect and pristine, and if it had been 948 00:42:37,380 --> 00:42:38,773 another band of the period, 949 00:42:38,817 --> 00:42:40,383 it would have been-- there would have been... 950 00:42:40,427 --> 00:42:41,863 They would have been more objectified. 951 00:42:41,907 --> 00:42:43,430 They're doing-- even with the visual, 952 00:42:43,473 --> 00:42:45,171 they're doing something interesting, 953 00:42:45,214 --> 00:42:46,955 but you can't quite put your finger on what it is. 954 00:42:46,999 --> 00:42:49,610 MYERS: I was like, "Oh, my God, this is fantastic." 955 00:42:49,654 --> 00:42:52,961 At once like fashion photography, 956 00:42:53,005 --> 00:42:56,486 and at once making fun of fashion photography. 957 00:42:56,530 --> 00:42:59,228 And I think that is something I love about Sparks is that 958 00:42:59,272 --> 00:43:00,926 they are the ones 959 00:43:00,969 --> 00:43:02,754 they were to mock, you know, in a weird way. 960 00:43:03,842 --> 00:43:05,583 TAYLOR: The art direction's just superb. 961 00:43:05,626 --> 00:43:07,802 Imagine, you know, us trying to convince our record label, 962 00:43:07,846 --> 00:43:10,109 "No, no, no, we don't want the name of the band, 963 00:43:10,152 --> 00:43:12,633 "uh, uh, and the title of the album on the front. 964 00:43:12,677 --> 00:43:15,070 No, that's going on the back." 965 00:43:15,114 --> 00:43:18,030 JULIA MARCUS: The joy of actually having this fantastic 966 00:43:18,073 --> 00:43:19,466 12-inch vinyl in front of you, 967 00:43:19,509 --> 00:43:21,076 and it had the lyrics on it as well, 968 00:43:21,120 --> 00:43:22,643 and then you're reading through the lyrics, 969 00:43:22,687 --> 00:43:23,731 and you're thinking, 970 00:43:23,775 --> 00:43:25,603 "This band are amazing." 971 00:43:25,646 --> 00:43:27,909 I had to know everything about them 972 00:43:27,953 --> 00:43:30,651 and threw myself into being a fan. 973 00:43:30,695 --> 00:43:33,219 [cheering] 974 00:43:33,262 --> 00:43:35,351 ♪ 975 00:43:47,189 --> 00:43:49,278 RICHARD COBLE: The first tour was really exciting. 976 00:43:49,322 --> 00:43:50,584 The audience would just go crazy. 977 00:43:50,628 --> 00:43:53,805 I mean, it was just fandom. 978 00:43:53,848 --> 00:43:55,545 RUSSELL: We were now thrown into kind of 979 00:43:55,589 --> 00:43:57,112 what we thought was the... sort of the big league, 980 00:43:57,156 --> 00:44:00,289 having the success ofKimono My House. 981 00:44:00,333 --> 00:44:03,031 The concerts we were doing at that time were just 982 00:44:03,075 --> 00:44:04,642 -really wild events. -[raucous cheering] 983 00:44:04,685 --> 00:44:06,948 And I remember one in Liverpool, 984 00:44:06,992 --> 00:44:08,602 we were pressed against the glass 985 00:44:08,646 --> 00:44:10,430 of the exterior of the hotel, 986 00:44:10,473 --> 00:44:13,041 just smashed against the front of the building, 987 00:44:13,085 --> 00:44:14,652 and then finally somebody helped rescue us 988 00:44:14,695 --> 00:44:16,305 and we went through the kitchen. 989 00:44:16,349 --> 00:44:18,090 You know, it was a really special period. 990 00:44:18,133 --> 00:44:20,483 ♪ Amateur hour goes on and on, and when you turn pro ♪ 991 00:44:20,527 --> 00:44:22,050 ♪ You know, she'll let you know... ♪ 992 00:44:22,094 --> 00:44:24,096 STEVE JONES: I remember vividly seeing them 993 00:44:24,139 --> 00:44:25,967 at Hammersmith Odeon. 994 00:44:26,011 --> 00:44:29,492 And I remember being really excited about seeing them. 995 00:44:29,536 --> 00:44:34,062 There was a lot of screaming 'cause of cutie-pie on vocals. 996 00:44:34,106 --> 00:44:36,630 It was a given after they'd been onTop of the Pops. 997 00:44:36,674 --> 00:44:38,893 ♪ Our voices change at a rapid pace... ♪ 998 00:44:38,937 --> 00:44:39,938 NICK HEYWARD: I lived in Beckenham, 999 00:44:39,981 --> 00:44:42,375 and, uh, that's where I saw 1000 00:44:42,418 --> 00:44:44,638 Ron and Russell walking down the street. 1001 00:44:44,682 --> 00:44:46,205 And that was a very strange experience. 1002 00:44:46,248 --> 00:44:48,076 I thought they didn't really exist. 1003 00:44:48,120 --> 00:44:50,383 You know, they existed onstage, they existed on the TV, 1004 00:44:50,426 --> 00:44:52,733 and, you know, they were from other lands. 1005 00:44:52,777 --> 00:44:54,213 I remember sort of wanting to hide. 1006 00:44:54,256 --> 00:44:55,997 ♪ Amateur hour goes on and on 1007 00:44:56,041 --> 00:44:57,782 ♪ And when you turn pro, you know... ♪ 1008 00:44:57,825 --> 00:44:59,827 We knew when they were gonna be at the BBC. 1009 00:44:59,871 --> 00:45:01,699 We knew when they were gonna be at Capital. 1010 00:45:01,742 --> 00:45:03,962 We knew when they were getting off a plane at Heathrow. 1011 00:45:04,005 --> 00:45:06,138 We were detectives in terms of actually 1012 00:45:06,181 --> 00:45:07,879 finding stuff out about them. 1013 00:45:07,922 --> 00:45:09,707 You know, it was a full-time job 1014 00:45:09,750 --> 00:45:11,621 to make sure we were on top of it. 1015 00:45:11,665 --> 00:45:14,755 We'd been to see them quite a few times in London. 1016 00:45:14,799 --> 00:45:17,410 The excitement never, ever went away. 1017 00:45:17,453 --> 00:45:19,717 It was always just a-a thrill. 1018 00:45:19,760 --> 00:45:22,110 COBLE: Somebody cut the budget the morning of the show, 1019 00:45:22,154 --> 00:45:23,851 so they canceled security, 1020 00:45:23,895 --> 00:45:25,940 so it was really insane. 1021 00:45:25,984 --> 00:45:28,551 Oh, God, there I am, yeah. 1022 00:45:28,595 --> 00:45:30,684 -[Coble laughs] -[raucous cheering] 1023 00:45:32,381 --> 00:45:34,296 MARCUS: Obviously, Russell was beautiful, 1024 00:45:34,340 --> 00:45:35,950 but I always loved Ron. 1025 00:45:35,994 --> 00:45:38,039 He was different. 1026 00:45:38,083 --> 00:45:40,346 He was a little bit more challenging. 1027 00:45:40,389 --> 00:45:45,046 I really felt like I could kind of go places with Ron. 1028 00:45:45,090 --> 00:45:47,353 Oh, that's me. That's me. That's me. 1029 00:45:47,396 --> 00:45:49,790 I've just put my arm round him. 1030 00:45:49,834 --> 00:45:52,314 [laughing] 1031 00:45:52,358 --> 00:45:54,316 I kind of got to him 1032 00:45:54,360 --> 00:45:58,320 and sort of really did realize in that moment 1033 00:45:58,364 --> 00:46:00,714 that this was a terrible thing to do. 1034 00:46:00,758 --> 00:46:02,977 This was a disaster. 1035 00:46:03,021 --> 00:46:05,066 I'm never gonna be able to talk to him 1036 00:46:05,110 --> 00:46:06,981 on a serious level now about, you know, 1037 00:46:07,025 --> 00:46:09,941 his love of French cinema or The Beach Boys. 1038 00:46:09,984 --> 00:46:13,509 I was doomed forever to be a child to him. 1039 00:46:13,553 --> 00:46:16,643 For everyone's safety, I think we should have 1040 00:46:16,686 --> 00:46:18,819 a little restraint in the hall, okay? 1041 00:46:18,863 --> 00:46:21,213 HEWLETT: I mean, I've always been, like, 1042 00:46:21,256 --> 00:46:23,781 a believer in just-- go for it, you know? 1043 00:46:23,824 --> 00:46:24,825 If you've got material, 1044 00:46:24,869 --> 00:46:26,174 record. 1045 00:46:26,218 --> 00:46:27,872 Tour, record. Just keep doing it. 1046 00:46:27,915 --> 00:46:29,308 ["Never Turn Your Back on Mother Earth" by Sparks plays] 1047 00:46:29,351 --> 00:46:34,269 ♪ When she's on her best behavior ♪ 1048 00:46:34,313 --> 00:46:39,187 ♪ Don't be tempted by her favors ♪ 1049 00:46:39,231 --> 00:46:42,843 ♪ Never turn your back 1050 00:46:42,887 --> 00:46:45,237 ♪ On Mother Earth 1051 00:46:49,458 --> 00:46:53,941 ♪ Towns are hurled from A to B ♪ 1052 00:46:53,985 --> 00:46:59,425 ♪ By hands that looked so smooth to me ♪ 1053 00:46:59,468 --> 00:47:02,907 ♪ Never turn your back 1054 00:47:02,950 --> 00:47:05,518 ♪ On Mother Earth... 1055 00:47:05,561 --> 00:47:07,607 COBLE: For two years, we toured the world, 1056 00:47:07,650 --> 00:47:08,782 and we had a great time. 1057 00:47:09,870 --> 00:47:11,611 IAN HAMPTON: It was very, very hectic 1058 00:47:11,654 --> 00:47:13,656 touring withKimono and then recordingPropaganda 1059 00:47:13,700 --> 00:47:15,571 kind of at the same time. 1060 00:47:15,615 --> 00:47:17,312 But it was good fun. 1061 00:47:17,356 --> 00:47:20,098 ♪ To my friends 1062 00:47:20,141 --> 00:47:22,143 ♪ To my friends... 1063 00:47:22,187 --> 00:47:23,841 HEWLETT: Ron's like a writing machine. 1064 00:47:23,884 --> 00:47:25,494 He wasn't, you know, one for 1065 00:47:25,538 --> 00:47:27,322 drinking in the bar with the guys, 1066 00:47:27,366 --> 00:47:29,237 and in some ways, he was quite aloof, 1067 00:47:29,281 --> 00:47:30,848 but that's what Ronnie would be doing-- 1068 00:47:30,891 --> 00:47:32,327 thinking and writing. 1069 00:47:32,371 --> 00:47:34,590 And so the material kept coming. 1070 00:47:34,634 --> 00:47:36,897 Obviously, that was a demand upon him 1071 00:47:36,941 --> 00:47:39,900 but one that I think he kind of thrives on. 1072 00:47:39,944 --> 00:47:42,860 ♪ On Mother Earth. 1073 00:47:47,386 --> 00:47:49,910 WINWOOD: There's always massive pressures 1074 00:47:49,954 --> 00:47:51,738 if you've been successful the first time 1075 00:47:51,781 --> 00:47:53,740 because, first of all, everybody tells you 1076 00:47:53,783 --> 00:47:55,916 you're a genius, and then they say, 1077 00:47:55,960 --> 00:47:58,571 "Now do it again." 1078 00:47:58,614 --> 00:48:01,052 Eins, zwei, drei, vier. Eins, zwei, drei, vier. 1079 00:48:01,095 --> 00:48:04,055 ♪ Something for the girl with everything ♪ 1080 00:48:04,098 --> 00:48:05,665 ♪ See, the writing's on the wall ♪ 1081 00:48:05,708 --> 00:48:07,710 ♪ You bought the girl a wall 1082 00:48:07,754 --> 00:48:10,191 ♪ Complete with matching ballpoint pen ♪ 1083 00:48:10,235 --> 00:48:12,193 ♪ You can breathe another day 1084 00:48:12,237 --> 00:48:15,066 ♪ Secure in knowing she won't break you yet ♪ 1085 00:48:15,109 --> 00:48:17,764 ♪ Something for the girl with everything... ♪ 1086 00:48:17,807 --> 00:48:19,592 RON: I'm not exactly sure 1087 00:48:19,635 --> 00:48:22,203 how we were able to come up with Propagandaso soon 1088 00:48:22,247 --> 00:48:24,945 after Kimono My House, and especially 1089 00:48:24,989 --> 00:48:25,946 with all the touring. 1090 00:48:25,990 --> 00:48:27,034 I mean, I think 1091 00:48:27,078 --> 00:48:28,775 part of the thing was just being 1092 00:48:28,818 --> 00:48:29,950 in that milieu. 1093 00:48:29,994 --> 00:48:31,343 ♪ Yes, everything 1094 00:48:31,386 --> 00:48:33,301 ♪ Hey, come out and say hello 1095 00:48:33,345 --> 00:48:34,824 ♪ Before our friends all go... ♪ 1096 00:48:34,868 --> 00:48:36,739 RON: There was pure excitement 1097 00:48:36,783 --> 00:48:40,308 knowing that you're on this, you know, fast-moving train 1098 00:48:40,352 --> 00:48:42,484 and-and kind of you had to kind of 1099 00:48:42,528 --> 00:48:45,357 keep up with that by coming up with the material. 1100 00:48:46,880 --> 00:48:49,056 MAN: Great, boys. We'll have to put the piano on again 1101 00:48:49,100 --> 00:48:51,406 'cause Ronnie fell off the stool. 1102 00:48:51,450 --> 00:48:53,452 -[train screeching] -Is that a train? 1103 00:48:54,714 --> 00:48:58,370 And now, as all good things come to an end, 1104 00:48:58,413 --> 00:49:01,634 we must say goodbye to Zurich, 1105 00:49:01,677 --> 00:49:04,071 auf Wiedersehen to Zurich, 1106 00:49:04,115 --> 00:49:06,073 uh, ciao, Zurich, 1107 00:49:06,117 --> 00:49:09,207 and bon voyage, Zurich. 1108 00:49:09,250 --> 00:49:10,948 ♪ Bon voyage... 1109 00:49:10,991 --> 00:49:12,601 HEWLETT: When the idea was presented 1110 00:49:12,645 --> 00:49:14,690 for the cover, there was no question. 1111 00:49:14,734 --> 00:49:17,867 I mean, it was like, "These guys know what they're doing. 1112 00:49:17,911 --> 00:49:19,913 You know, we'll go along with whatever you want." 1113 00:49:19,957 --> 00:49:23,873 WINWOOD: Yet again, this is that thing of theirs 1114 00:49:23,917 --> 00:49:27,007 where somehow they marry their music 1115 00:49:27,051 --> 00:49:30,271 and their visuals so brilliantly together. 1116 00:49:30,315 --> 00:49:32,708 This is me holding up the front of it 1117 00:49:32,752 --> 00:49:34,710 so that you can cut to it. 1118 00:49:34,754 --> 00:49:37,975 This is me holding up the back of it. 1119 00:49:38,018 --> 00:49:40,890 They're obviously being kidnapped. 1120 00:49:40,934 --> 00:49:43,154 Probably, they're gonna be thrown overboard and drowned. 1121 00:49:43,197 --> 00:49:46,896 Then you go to the back, and they're tied up 1122 00:49:46,940 --> 00:49:48,246 in the back of the car. 1123 00:49:48,289 --> 00:49:49,987 And the inside cover, 1124 00:49:50,030 --> 00:49:52,859 they have somehow not been drowned, 1125 00:49:52,902 --> 00:49:54,556 they haven't been thrown out of a car, 1126 00:49:54,600 --> 00:49:57,037 and by working together, 1127 00:49:57,081 --> 00:50:00,693 you think maybe they are phoning the police. 1128 00:50:00,736 --> 00:50:04,044 And I love the fact that there is some kind of story. 1129 00:50:04,088 --> 00:50:05,785 WRIGHT: It could be in the other order. 1130 00:50:05,828 --> 00:50:07,526 It could be that the hotel one is the start, 1131 00:50:07,569 --> 00:50:09,006 then they're put in the car, 1132 00:50:09,049 --> 00:50:10,572 and then they're killed on the boat. 1133 00:50:10,616 --> 00:50:13,053 -That's why you're a director. -[laughter] 1134 00:50:13,097 --> 00:50:16,578 WINWOOD: When you make successful records, 1135 00:50:16,622 --> 00:50:21,496 there's always a moment in time where you've got to say, 1136 00:50:21,540 --> 00:50:24,717 "Do we carry on using the same formula, 1137 00:50:24,760 --> 00:50:27,024 or do we change the formula?" 1138 00:50:27,067 --> 00:50:28,677 You've got to make changes. 1139 00:50:28,721 --> 00:50:30,375 You've got to move things on. 1140 00:50:30,418 --> 00:50:32,725 And, uh, I was one of the things that was moved on, 1141 00:50:32,768 --> 00:50:34,335 but that's okay. 1142 00:50:34,379 --> 00:50:36,816 ["Get in the Swing" by Sparks playing] 1143 00:50:36,859 --> 00:50:38,948 ♪ Get in the swing, pal ♪ 1144 00:50:38,992 --> 00:50:40,515 ♪ Get in the swing 1145 00:50:40,559 --> 00:50:43,214 ♪ With everybody and everything... ♪ 1146 00:50:43,257 --> 00:50:47,261 HAMPTON: I loved what Muff did onPropaganda andKimono, 1147 00:50:47,305 --> 00:50:49,089 and the next album went to Tony Visconti, 1148 00:50:49,133 --> 00:50:51,048 and it changed rapidly. 1149 00:50:51,091 --> 00:50:53,180 Everything changed. 1150 00:50:53,224 --> 00:50:55,878 ♪ When salmon spawn... 1151 00:50:55,922 --> 00:50:57,924 They certainly got Tony Visconti 1152 00:50:57,967 --> 00:50:59,708 at the height of his powers, 1153 00:50:59,752 --> 00:51:02,581 when he was working with Bowie a lot and T. Rex, 1154 00:51:02,624 --> 00:51:05,323 uh, making amazing-sounding records. 1155 00:51:05,366 --> 00:51:07,368 ♪ But on they go... 1156 00:51:07,412 --> 00:51:09,370 VISCONTI: They didn't want to make it necessarily 1157 00:51:09,414 --> 00:51:11,677 a strict, straight-up band record. 1158 00:51:11,720 --> 00:51:12,721 They wanted 1159 00:51:12,765 --> 00:51:14,636 kind of the equivalent of 1160 00:51:14,680 --> 00:51:17,291 Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Bandfor themselves, 1161 00:51:17,335 --> 00:51:20,425 which was difficult for the other members of the band. 1162 00:51:20,468 --> 00:51:22,992 ♪ And have a warm bed waiting... ♪ 1163 00:51:23,036 --> 00:51:24,690 RON: We're not gonna be fooling 1164 00:51:24,733 --> 00:51:26,561 either ourselves or anybody else 1165 00:51:26,605 --> 00:51:30,130 if the thing just sounds like it's going through the motions. 1166 00:51:30,174 --> 00:51:32,001 We're willing to take the chance, 1167 00:51:32,045 --> 00:51:34,569 however many people are... feel alienated. 1168 00:51:34,613 --> 00:51:36,223 ♪ With everybody and everything... ♪ 1169 00:51:36,267 --> 00:51:38,051 BECK: I know that feeling. 1170 00:51:38,095 --> 00:51:40,358 Maybe that's just the-the instinct 1171 00:51:40,401 --> 00:51:43,056 of somebody who's coming 1172 00:51:43,100 --> 00:51:44,579 from a place of art, 1173 00:51:44,623 --> 00:51:46,538 not necessarily trying to make a hit. 1174 00:51:46,581 --> 00:51:49,236 ♪ All for one, one for all... 1175 00:51:49,280 --> 00:51:50,542 VISCONTI: We just let our imaginations 1176 00:51:50,585 --> 00:51:52,152 soar on every song in it. 1177 00:51:52,196 --> 00:51:54,372 You know, it does sound like Sparks, but I mean, 1178 00:51:54,415 --> 00:51:55,808 it's so far out. 1179 00:51:55,851 --> 00:51:58,158 ♪ One, two, three, one, two 1180 00:51:58,202 --> 00:52:00,073 ["Under the Table with Her" by Sparks playing] 1181 00:52:00,117 --> 00:52:01,944 HAMPTON: I never understood any of it, actually. 1182 00:52:01,988 --> 00:52:04,121 Things like "Under the Table with Her." 1183 00:52:04,164 --> 00:52:06,166 My God, what's that about? [chuckles] 1184 00:52:06,210 --> 00:52:07,907 ♪ Nobody misses 1185 00:52:07,950 --> 00:52:10,170 ♪ Diminutive offspring 1186 00:52:10,214 --> 00:52:12,433 ♪ Not when there's big wigs there... ♪ 1187 00:52:12,477 --> 00:52:14,174 VISCONTI: "Dinner for 12 is now 1188 00:52:14,218 --> 00:52:16,742 dinner for ten because I'm under the table with her." 1189 00:52:16,785 --> 00:52:19,397 I mean, it... I... [laughs]: That's just so funny. 1190 00:52:19,440 --> 00:52:21,399 ♪ With her... 1191 00:52:24,228 --> 00:52:26,708 GAIMAN: You had Russell singing songs 1192 00:52:26,752 --> 00:52:30,756 with lyrics that I always suspected, 1193 00:52:30,799 --> 00:52:34,760 as a 12-, 13-, 14-year-old, were dirty. 1194 00:52:34,803 --> 00:52:37,154 What made it even weirder was the only song of theirs 1195 00:52:37,197 --> 00:52:40,418 that I was convinced wasn't dirty 1196 00:52:40,461 --> 00:52:42,115 was called "Tits." 1197 00:52:42,159 --> 00:52:43,812 GARY STEWART: The minute, I think, a lot of people 1198 00:52:43,856 --> 00:52:45,510 see that or saw that song title, 1199 00:52:45,553 --> 00:52:47,729 which was asterisked, think like, 1200 00:52:47,773 --> 00:52:50,297 "Oh, this is, like, a, you know... 1201 00:52:50,341 --> 00:52:53,082 a sexy, rockin', hyper-masculine song," 1202 00:52:53,126 --> 00:52:54,736 if you didn't know Sparks. 1203 00:52:54,780 --> 00:52:57,304 If you knew Sparks, you probably should have known better. 1204 00:52:57,348 --> 00:53:00,046 GAIMAN: It's about a drunk in a bar 1205 00:53:00,089 --> 00:53:03,571 grumbling about the fact that his wife's tits 1206 00:53:03,615 --> 00:53:06,574 are no longer recreational pleasure objects for him 1207 00:53:06,618 --> 00:53:08,794 but she's using them for feeding the baby. 1208 00:53:10,448 --> 00:53:11,840 ♪ God, these drinks... 1209 00:53:11,884 --> 00:53:14,452 And by the way, you realize 1210 00:53:14,495 --> 00:53:17,237 he's also, uh, complaining that the guy that he is drunkenly 1211 00:53:17,281 --> 00:53:20,458 telling this to is also having an affair with his wife. 1212 00:53:20,501 --> 00:53:21,763 ♪ Fine from behind... 1213 00:53:21,807 --> 00:53:23,330 That one, at least, 1214 00:53:23,374 --> 00:53:26,203 I-I figured I got to decode properly. 1215 00:53:26,246 --> 00:53:28,030 ♪ Harry, drink till you can't see... ♪ 1216 00:53:28,074 --> 00:53:30,598 And normally, the codes were not that easily cracked. 1217 00:53:30,642 --> 00:53:32,165 You can look at the title, 1218 00:53:32,209 --> 00:53:34,123 you can look at the idea and laugh, 1219 00:53:34,167 --> 00:53:35,516 or you can go deeper 1220 00:53:35,560 --> 00:53:37,779 and grow and maybe have a good time, 1221 00:53:37,823 --> 00:53:39,912 maybe a sense of humor. 1222 00:53:39,955 --> 00:53:42,262 And... cue Sparks. 1223 00:53:42,306 --> 00:53:44,569 FLEA: Something that's always kind of confounded me 1224 00:53:44,612 --> 00:53:46,266 in popular music 1225 00:53:46,310 --> 00:53:49,704 is people's inability to take humor seriously. 1226 00:53:49,748 --> 00:53:51,706 And I think that's one of the things, like, 1227 00:53:51,750 --> 00:53:53,926 why a band like Sparks isn't as big 1228 00:53:53,969 --> 00:53:55,319 as the biggest bands in the world. 1229 00:53:55,362 --> 00:53:57,234 'Cause they're fucking funny. 1230 00:53:57,277 --> 00:53:59,279 ♪ Looks, looks, looks 1231 00:53:59,323 --> 00:54:02,413 ♪ You had sense, you had style, you had cash galore... ♪ 1232 00:54:02,456 --> 00:54:04,545 "WEIRD AL" YANKOVIC: A lot of critics and some fans, 1233 00:54:04,589 --> 00:54:05,764 uh, sometimes denigrate bands 1234 00:54:05,807 --> 00:54:07,418 that show their sense of humor. 1235 00:54:07,461 --> 00:54:09,811 Like, "Oh, it's a comedy band. It's a joke band." 1236 00:54:09,855 --> 00:54:11,509 I just don't get that. 1237 00:54:11,552 --> 00:54:13,728 I don't know why it has to be so stinking serious. 1238 00:54:13,772 --> 00:54:16,253 ♪ You got a built-in seat that makes you look effete... ♪ 1239 00:54:16,296 --> 00:54:18,472 VISCONTI: I thought it was gonna be a smash hit album 1240 00:54:18,516 --> 00:54:20,648 because it was so different and anyone could see 1241 00:54:20,692 --> 00:54:23,825 that we spent hours of work and put detail in it 1242 00:54:23,869 --> 00:54:25,566 and the songs were so great 1243 00:54:25,610 --> 00:54:26,872 and Russell's singing 1244 00:54:26,915 --> 00:54:28,526 was amazing. 1245 00:54:28,569 --> 00:54:30,354 The world just didn't agree with us, you know? 1246 00:54:30,397 --> 00:54:32,747 It did well but not that well. 1247 00:54:32,791 --> 00:54:36,273 RON: We were so irate at just 1248 00:54:36,316 --> 00:54:38,231 the lack of acceptance for what we thought 1249 00:54:38,275 --> 00:54:40,625 was an amazing album 1250 00:54:40,668 --> 00:54:42,322 that we were seriously considering 1251 00:54:42,366 --> 00:54:44,281 recording "Louie Louie" as our next single, 1252 00:54:44,324 --> 00:54:46,761 you know, just for spite. 1253 00:54:46,805 --> 00:54:52,071 ♪ Someday we'll have one extra coastline ♪ 1254 00:54:52,114 --> 00:54:56,162 ♪ We'll tire of the Atlantic 1255 00:54:56,205 --> 00:54:59,774 ♪ By then, we'll be rid of your lot ♪ 1256 00:54:59,818 --> 00:55:02,603 ♪ A shot heard round the world will soon be shot ♪ 1257 00:55:02,647 --> 00:55:04,605 ♪ Will soon be shot... 1258 00:55:04,649 --> 00:55:06,825 HEWLETT: When that tour ended, Ron and Russell put it in 1259 00:55:06,868 --> 00:55:08,827 that they don't want to live in London anymore. 1260 00:55:08,870 --> 00:55:11,351 They want to go back to L.A. Totally understandable. 1261 00:55:11,395 --> 00:55:13,571 Um, after, you know, some years away and touring. 1262 00:55:13,614 --> 00:55:17,966 But to ditch the band needn't have been part of that. 1263 00:55:18,010 --> 00:55:19,707 HAMPTON: They didn't actually sack me. 1264 00:55:19,751 --> 00:55:21,840 It was mutual, really. 1265 00:55:23,102 --> 00:55:24,712 That was it. 1266 00:55:24,756 --> 00:55:26,279 Band over. 1267 00:55:26,323 --> 00:55:27,846 HEWLETT: Certainly, it gutted me. 1268 00:55:27,889 --> 00:55:29,674 I mean, I was really upset. 1269 00:55:29,717 --> 00:55:32,024 I mean, it was just folded, and that was it. 1270 00:55:32,067 --> 00:55:33,982 You know, people went their separate ways. 1271 00:55:34,026 --> 00:55:36,202 It was a shock, of course, you know, 1272 00:55:36,245 --> 00:55:38,770 but Ian, I think, just accepted it. 1273 00:55:38,813 --> 00:55:40,902 HAMPTON: I could understand why. 1274 00:55:40,946 --> 00:55:43,731 They don't care about the money or the fame. 1275 00:55:43,775 --> 00:55:44,732 Art for art's sake-- 1276 00:55:44,776 --> 00:55:46,734 I respect them for it. 1277 00:55:46,778 --> 00:55:49,520 ♪ I am the king. 1278 00:55:49,563 --> 00:55:51,609 [cheering] 1279 00:55:53,915 --> 00:55:55,830 -Thank you! Thank you! -[song ends] 1280 00:56:01,749 --> 00:56:05,144 RON: I've always admired French directors like Godard 1281 00:56:05,187 --> 00:56:08,016 that were kind of rebellious against the whole system 1282 00:56:08,060 --> 00:56:10,628 and the whole idea even of what cinema was 1283 00:56:10,671 --> 00:56:14,762 that they were almost slightly standing outside 1284 00:56:14,806 --> 00:56:17,548 of filmmaking while they were making a film. 1285 00:56:17,591 --> 00:56:19,898 It was kind of inspirational to us. 1286 00:56:19,941 --> 00:56:22,422 HEWLETT: Ron and Russell always had a desire 1287 00:56:22,466 --> 00:56:24,076 to write music in movies, 1288 00:56:24,119 --> 00:56:27,427 and they love movies and wanted to be a part of movies. 1289 00:56:27,471 --> 00:56:29,516 RON: In the '70s, one of our favorite filmmakers 1290 00:56:29,560 --> 00:56:31,649 was Jacques Tati. 1291 00:56:31,692 --> 00:56:34,782 Tati, at that time, was looking to expand his audience 1292 00:56:34,826 --> 00:56:36,915 to younger people, 1293 00:56:36,958 --> 00:56:38,569 and somehow he thought that 1294 00:56:38,612 --> 00:56:40,397 maybe connecting with a band 1295 00:56:40,440 --> 00:56:42,137 would be a way for him to broaden 1296 00:56:42,181 --> 00:56:43,835 the appeal of his films. 1297 00:56:43,878 --> 00:56:46,141 INTERVIEWER: Well, how was that, uh, film project 1298 00:56:46,185 --> 00:56:47,708 with, uh, Jacques Tati? 1299 00:56:47,752 --> 00:56:49,449 -Whoa. There. You got it. -Lost the cake. 1300 00:56:49,493 --> 00:56:51,277 Did you get it? Did you get it? 1301 00:56:51,320 --> 00:56:52,583 That's a film project, that is. 1302 00:56:52,626 --> 00:56:54,236 Did you get it? 1303 00:56:54,280 --> 00:56:57,849 Our-our film project with Tati is... 1304 00:56:57,892 --> 00:57:00,895 could relate to that cake, what just happened to it. 1305 00:57:00,939 --> 00:57:02,767 It's just fallen to bits. 1306 00:57:02,810 --> 00:57:06,248 RON: His health was not as good as it had been, 1307 00:57:06,292 --> 00:57:09,077 and so the project just sort of dissipated. 1308 00:57:09,121 --> 00:57:11,297 You know, we have very few things 1309 00:57:11,340 --> 00:57:14,474 that we regret not having happened, but, 1310 00:57:14,518 --> 00:57:16,911 you know, I probably would have retired after that. 1311 00:57:17,869 --> 00:57:20,785 ♪ 1312 00:57:20,828 --> 00:57:24,963 HEWLETT: Evolving their concept of art is 1313 00:57:25,006 --> 00:57:26,704 paramount to them. 1314 00:57:26,747 --> 00:57:28,923 That's what they have always striven for and believe in. 1315 00:57:28,967 --> 00:57:30,751 RUSSELL: I think, when we didBig Beat, 1316 00:57:30,795 --> 00:57:32,057 we really just wanted 1317 00:57:32,100 --> 00:57:34,712 to change the sound yet again. 1318 00:57:34,755 --> 00:57:38,716 RON: We're trying to be a little less British, 1319 00:57:38,759 --> 00:57:40,674 in a certain sense. 1320 00:57:41,719 --> 00:57:43,677 In any sort of art form, you need to keep 1321 00:57:43,721 --> 00:57:45,679 pushing yourself forward. 1322 00:57:45,723 --> 00:57:47,942 Otherwise, you just sort of... you're a shark, 1323 00:57:47,986 --> 00:57:50,075 and you stop moving, and you just... you die. 1324 00:57:50,118 --> 00:57:52,730 SAL MAIDA: Ron and Russell had come to New York 1325 00:57:52,773 --> 00:57:54,601 to do this hard rock record 1326 00:57:54,645 --> 00:57:56,298 and change directions 1327 00:57:56,342 --> 00:57:59,127 and try to break America. 1328 00:57:59,171 --> 00:58:01,260 MICHAELS: Russell says, "Well, look, 1329 00:58:01,303 --> 00:58:02,653 "we don't have a band 1330 00:58:02,696 --> 00:58:05,917 anymore, so do you know a great drummer?" 1331 00:58:05,960 --> 00:58:08,180 -[drumbeat playing] -[laughs] 1332 00:58:10,878 --> 00:58:16,710 Sparks is musically an enigma to begin with. 1333 00:58:16,754 --> 00:58:21,323 Indiscreet doesn't sound likeKimono My House, 1334 00:58:21,367 --> 00:58:25,371 and Big Beatis completely different. 1335 00:58:25,414 --> 00:58:28,766 THURSTON MOORE: I remember Big Beat coming out 1336 00:58:28,809 --> 00:58:29,854 and sort of considering it, 1337 00:58:29,897 --> 00:58:32,552 like, more as this kind of part 1338 00:58:32,596 --> 00:58:34,859 of the new punk records. 1339 00:58:37,601 --> 00:58:39,994 PETER KNEGO: Sparks are always pushing new boundaries 1340 00:58:40,038 --> 00:58:41,561 and changing their sound, 1341 00:58:41,605 --> 00:58:43,781 often to the deep frustration of their fan base. 1342 00:58:43,824 --> 00:58:45,739 ♪ I'm coming and I'm going... 1343 00:58:45,783 --> 00:58:48,699 KAPRANOS: You know, I think the fans ofKimono My House 1344 00:58:48,742 --> 00:58:50,178 andIndiscreet 1345 00:58:50,222 --> 00:58:51,832 and Propaganda, 1346 00:58:51,876 --> 00:58:54,182 I imagine they felt a little bit let down. 1347 00:58:54,226 --> 00:58:56,445 And that's great-- you shouldn't pander 1348 00:58:56,489 --> 00:58:58,143 to the expectations 1349 00:58:58,186 --> 00:59:01,712 of the conservative element of your fan base. 1350 00:59:01,755 --> 00:59:04,715 Because if you did, you-you'd make conservative music. 1351 00:59:06,151 --> 00:59:08,893 MICHAEL SILVERBLATT: That record is written by 1352 00:59:08,936 --> 00:59:11,243 the anti-Sparks. 1353 00:59:11,286 --> 00:59:13,201 Lyrically, they'd just go mental. 1354 00:59:13,245 --> 00:59:15,247 [chuckles] "Everybody's Stupid," right? 1355 00:59:15,290 --> 00:59:17,945 [imitating guitar riff from "Everybody's Stupid"] 1356 00:59:19,207 --> 00:59:20,861 TOSH BERMAN: When I first heard that record, 1357 00:59:20,905 --> 00:59:22,471 I found it kind of shocking because the songs were 1358 00:59:22,515 --> 00:59:23,908 so angry and kind of bitter. 1359 00:59:23,951 --> 00:59:25,518 What's he saying? What's he... 1360 00:59:25,562 --> 00:59:27,172 No, you know what he's saying. 1361 00:59:27,215 --> 00:59:29,000 It's clear as a bell. 1362 00:59:29,043 --> 00:59:31,306 ♪ Everybody's stupid 1363 00:59:31,350 --> 00:59:33,091 ♪ That's for sure. 1364 00:59:33,134 --> 00:59:36,181 I could visibly see the audience being confused. 1365 00:59:36,224 --> 00:59:37,791 ♪ You're stupid, you're stupid. ♪ 1366 00:59:37,835 --> 00:59:39,663 [laughing] 1367 00:59:39,706 --> 00:59:42,013 ♪ Everybody's stupid 1368 00:59:42,056 --> 00:59:43,971 ♪ That's for sure. 1369 00:59:44,015 --> 00:59:46,626 MAIDA: There's probably two of the most 1370 00:59:46,670 --> 00:59:49,237 politically incorrect songs on that record, 1371 00:59:49,281 --> 00:59:50,804 which are "White Women" 1372 00:59:50,848 --> 00:59:52,719 and "Throw Her Away [and Get a New One]." 1373 00:59:53,851 --> 00:59:55,592 Which... 1374 00:59:55,635 --> 00:59:57,594 uh, you got to have a sense of humor 1375 00:59:57,637 --> 01:00:01,119 and know the ironic intent on both those. 1376 01:00:01,162 --> 01:00:03,904 ♪ Throw her away and get a new one... ♪ 1377 01:00:03,948 --> 01:00:06,080 RUSSELL: We want to shake up people, 1378 01:00:06,124 --> 01:00:08,343 and we think that pop music at its best 1379 01:00:08,387 --> 01:00:10,345 has always been something where you-you hear it 1380 01:00:10,389 --> 01:00:12,434 and you go, "Oh, my God, what is that?" 1381 01:00:12,478 --> 01:00:14,480 ROSS: Sparks often do that kind of thing 1382 01:00:14,523 --> 01:00:17,178 which has, I think, a punk sensibility to it. 1383 01:00:17,222 --> 01:00:19,528 A desire to stir things up 1384 01:00:19,572 --> 01:00:21,661 and shake things up and make you think. 1385 01:00:21,705 --> 01:00:24,708 -[playful screaming] -[dramatic music plays] 1386 01:00:29,103 --> 01:00:30,975 My first experience of Sparks 1387 01:00:31,018 --> 01:00:33,586 was watching the film Rollercoaster. 1388 01:00:33,630 --> 01:00:36,850 [guitar solo playing] 1389 01:00:36,894 --> 01:00:40,027 I assumed that they were a made-up band 1390 01:00:40,071 --> 01:00:42,464 because I'd never heard of them before. 1391 01:00:42,508 --> 01:00:45,467 And then years later, I came across 1392 01:00:45,511 --> 01:00:47,948 "This Town Ain't Big Enough for the Both of Us" and thought, 1393 01:00:47,992 --> 01:00:49,907 "Oh, it's those guys from Rollercoaster." 1394 01:00:49,950 --> 01:00:53,388 MICHAELS: I had never been on a huge movie set like that. 1395 01:00:53,432 --> 01:00:55,390 And I didn't know what to make of it. 1396 01:00:55,434 --> 01:00:57,828 And I was looking to Ron and Russell, 1397 01:00:57,871 --> 01:01:00,091 and I remember Ron-- I'll never forget this-- 1398 01:01:00,134 --> 01:01:02,223 Ron said... 1399 01:01:02,267 --> 01:01:04,443 "This might be great. 1400 01:01:04,486 --> 01:01:06,793 "Maybe this is gonna be the one 1401 01:01:06,837 --> 01:01:10,057 that breaks the band worldwide." 1402 01:01:10,101 --> 01:01:12,190 This disaster movie. 1403 01:01:12,233 --> 01:01:14,192 I-I mean, you know, the movie is what it was. 1404 01:01:14,235 --> 01:01:17,674 It was kind of like... it-it was pretty lame, 1405 01:01:17,717 --> 01:01:19,414 but how else was I gonna see them? 1406 01:01:20,241 --> 01:01:22,287 [cheering] 1407 01:01:22,330 --> 01:01:24,768 MAIDA: They're connoisseurs, and this was just, 1408 01:01:24,811 --> 01:01:26,160 you know, "a disaster movie" 1409 01:01:26,204 --> 01:01:28,249 in more ways than one. 1410 01:01:28,293 --> 01:01:31,644 I-I think I leaned over to him at one point, I said, 1411 01:01:31,688 --> 01:01:34,603 "I guess this is not a Jacques Tati movie." [laughs] 1412 01:01:34,647 --> 01:01:35,996 ♪ Big boy... 1413 01:01:36,040 --> 01:01:37,606 RON: Rollercoaster is kind of 1414 01:01:37,650 --> 01:01:40,174 theCitizen Kane of disaster movies. 1415 01:01:40,218 --> 01:01:43,090 I mean, the disaster was that nobody went to see the movie. 1416 01:01:48,400 --> 01:01:51,577 -[sirens blaring] -[tires screeching] 1417 01:01:51,620 --> 01:01:53,710 ♪ 1418 01:01:56,756 --> 01:01:58,671 FLEA: I was in high school, 1419 01:01:58,715 --> 01:02:00,891 and I had a friend who was the first friend in my group 1420 01:02:00,934 --> 01:02:02,588 to have his own apartment. 1421 01:02:02,631 --> 01:02:04,372 We used to just get in all kinds of crazy 1422 01:02:04,416 --> 01:02:06,548 drugged-out states at this guy's house. 1423 01:02:06,592 --> 01:02:08,899 I remember, like, stumbling into his bathroom all the time 1424 01:02:08,942 --> 01:02:10,770 to either throw up or pee, 1425 01:02:10,814 --> 01:02:12,511 and on the wall, 1426 01:02:12,554 --> 01:02:14,600 there was a picture of Sparks. 1427 01:02:14,643 --> 01:02:16,123 And I remember just seeing them all the time, 1428 01:02:16,167 --> 01:02:17,951 like, "Who are those guys?" 1429 01:02:17,995 --> 01:02:19,910 And I was kind of in love, and they were sort of like 1430 01:02:19,953 --> 01:02:24,001 these mysterious, like, icons, like patron saints. 1431 01:02:24,044 --> 01:02:27,091 I looked at that picture, like, kind of marveled at it 1432 01:02:27,134 --> 01:02:29,571 a thousand times before I heard them. 1433 01:02:29,615 --> 01:02:32,792 ♪ Why is there time? 1434 01:02:34,838 --> 01:02:38,015 ♪ Why is there space? 1435 01:02:38,058 --> 01:02:41,235 ♪ Why are there dogs and cats 1436 01:02:41,279 --> 01:02:45,500 ♪ And trees and the human race? ♪ 1437 01:02:45,544 --> 01:02:48,242 MICHAELS: I was sitting in my motel room 1438 01:02:48,286 --> 01:02:50,244 doing nothing, thinking, 1439 01:02:50,288 --> 01:02:51,724 "No matter what happens, 1440 01:02:51,768 --> 01:02:52,899 I'm sticking with you guys." 1441 01:02:52,943 --> 01:02:54,292 [laughs] 1442 01:02:54,335 --> 01:02:57,164 And then we got a phone call saying, 1443 01:02:57,208 --> 01:02:59,123 "Party's over, guys. 1444 01:02:59,166 --> 01:03:02,387 "Big Beat didn't do what it was supposed to do. 1445 01:03:02,430 --> 01:03:04,911 We're flying you guys back to New York." 1446 01:03:04,955 --> 01:03:07,435 That was the end of it. 1447 01:03:07,479 --> 01:03:09,611 I was really brokenhearted. 1448 01:03:09,655 --> 01:03:13,528 And, uh, they came out with a new record, 1449 01:03:13,572 --> 01:03:16,314 Introducing Sparks. 1450 01:03:17,489 --> 01:03:19,143 ♪ Ooh, those mysteries... 1451 01:03:19,186 --> 01:03:22,059 Here you have Russell, and here you have Ron here. 1452 01:03:22,102 --> 01:03:25,192 This is a great fucking album. 1453 01:03:25,236 --> 01:03:28,413 "Those Mysteries," most poignant song, 1454 01:03:28,456 --> 01:03:31,851 like, that's funny as hell but also a question-- 1455 01:03:31,895 --> 01:03:33,679 this kind of yearning, searching, 1456 01:03:33,722 --> 01:03:36,203 trying to make sense of, like, the awkwardness 1457 01:03:36,247 --> 01:03:37,944 and the pain of being a human being 1458 01:03:37,988 --> 01:03:41,992 and doing it in a funny, smart way. 1459 01:03:42,035 --> 01:03:44,385 Cool. I'm into it. 1460 01:03:44,429 --> 01:03:47,171 STEWART: I think so much of their music requires 1461 01:03:47,214 --> 01:03:49,651 not taking it on face value. 1462 01:03:49,695 --> 01:03:53,786 If you want to work with them and think about the music, 1463 01:03:53,830 --> 01:03:55,309 you can get more out of it. 1464 01:03:55,353 --> 01:03:57,398 If you want to just absorb it, 1465 01:03:57,442 --> 01:03:59,792 you're going to be missing the point entirely. 1466 01:03:59,836 --> 01:04:01,359 That's what hurt them, I think. 1467 01:04:01,402 --> 01:04:03,883 It hurt Sparks that they came of age 1468 01:04:03,927 --> 01:04:07,147 at a time when people could only take things at face value. 1469 01:04:07,191 --> 01:04:08,148 One of the snottier 1470 01:04:08,192 --> 01:04:10,368 metal/punk magazines, 1471 01:04:10,411 --> 01:04:13,675 the review was:"Introducing Sparks, dot-dot-dot. 1472 01:04:13,719 --> 01:04:15,982 Unfortunately, we've already met." 1473 01:04:18,463 --> 01:04:21,466 HEWLETT: From the adulation that they had been receiving 1474 01:04:21,509 --> 01:04:23,947 to the non-adulation around 1475 01:04:23,990 --> 01:04:25,774 Big Beatand Introducing, 1476 01:04:25,818 --> 01:04:28,168 it was just obvious it wasn't working. 1477 01:04:28,212 --> 01:04:30,170 It became very difficult, 1478 01:04:30,214 --> 01:04:31,868 and I really liked Ron and Russell. 1479 01:04:31,911 --> 01:04:34,261 I still admired their abilities, 1480 01:04:34,305 --> 01:04:39,397 but I couldn't be 100% behind what they were doing. 1481 01:04:39,440 --> 01:04:41,486 I mean, Ronnie was really desperate, too, at this time. 1482 01:04:41,529 --> 01:04:43,270 I mean, he knew it wasn't working. 1483 01:04:43,314 --> 01:04:47,013 ♪ I want a big surprise tonight... ♪ 1484 01:04:47,057 --> 01:04:49,494 STEWART: The record comes out in the heat 1485 01:04:49,537 --> 01:04:51,235 of punk rock, 1486 01:04:51,278 --> 01:04:52,845 and an album 1487 01:04:52,889 --> 01:04:57,894 that could not sound more out of sorts with that. 1488 01:04:57,937 --> 01:04:59,765 ♪ 1489 01:04:59,808 --> 01:05:03,595 ♪ Where is that Yankee ingenuity? ♪ 1490 01:05:03,638 --> 01:05:05,510 RON: The whole passion and energy 1491 01:05:05,553 --> 01:05:07,164 and kind of statement of punk 1492 01:05:07,207 --> 01:05:09,514 seemed like it was almost partially directed 1493 01:05:09,557 --> 01:05:11,429 towards what we were doing. 1494 01:05:11,472 --> 01:05:13,039 So we thought, "Is this, like, 1495 01:05:13,083 --> 01:05:14,649 kind of dinosaur music?" 1496 01:05:14,693 --> 01:05:16,608 We never felt that before, 1497 01:05:16,651 --> 01:05:18,784 and we've never felt that since. 1498 01:05:18,827 --> 01:05:20,612 -♪ Big surprise tonight -♪ Big surprise 1499 01:05:20,655 --> 01:05:23,615 ♪ A really big surprise tonight ♪ 1500 01:05:23,658 --> 01:05:27,401 ♪ I want a big surprise tonight... ♪ 1501 01:05:27,445 --> 01:05:29,316 RON: The Sex Pistols' album is one of 1502 01:05:29,360 --> 01:05:31,405 the greatest albums of all time, 1503 01:05:31,449 --> 01:05:34,278 but that wasn't where we should be going, 1504 01:05:34,321 --> 01:05:37,063 so we had to find a proper direction 1505 01:05:37,107 --> 01:05:39,848 so that we would feel unthreatened. 1506 01:05:39,892 --> 01:05:42,677 -[applause] -[chuckling] 1507 01:05:42,721 --> 01:05:45,985 [announcer speaking French] 1508 01:05:46,029 --> 01:05:48,945 RUSSELL: After we did theIntroducing Sparks album, 1509 01:05:48,988 --> 01:05:51,991 we did an interview with a journalist in Los Angeles. 1510 01:05:52,035 --> 01:05:54,733 She said, "Well, what's next for Sparks?" 1511 01:05:54,776 --> 01:05:56,778 And then we said, "Oh, well, we're going to be 1512 01:05:56,822 --> 01:05:59,390 working with Giorgio Moroder on our next album." 1513 01:05:59,433 --> 01:06:01,435 She said, "Oh, that's funny. 1514 01:06:01,479 --> 01:06:03,350 "Giorgio didn't mention that to me. 1515 01:06:03,394 --> 01:06:05,178 I'm really good friends with him." And we went, 1516 01:06:05,222 --> 01:06:07,572 "Uh, eh, uh..." Gulp. 1517 01:06:07,615 --> 01:06:09,835 RON: 'Cause it was a total lie. 1518 01:06:09,878 --> 01:06:11,924 ♪ Ooh... 1519 01:06:11,968 --> 01:06:13,708 We wanted to work with Giorgio Moroder, 1520 01:06:13,752 --> 01:06:16,146 and we had heard "I Feel Love" on the radio, 1521 01:06:16,189 --> 01:06:19,018 the great Donna Summer song that Giorgio produced, 1522 01:06:19,062 --> 01:06:22,456 but we didn't know how to contact Giorgio. 1523 01:06:22,500 --> 01:06:24,937 RUSSELL: And then she said, "Well, I could introduce you." 1524 01:06:24,981 --> 01:06:28,027 ANNOUNCER: The number 30 song this week on the Top 30, 1525 01:06:28,071 --> 01:06:29,594 the young man called Giorgio, who's with us here 1526 01:06:29,637 --> 01:06:31,335 on Top of the Pops this evening. 1527 01:06:31,378 --> 01:06:32,727 Let's give him a nice Top of the Popswelcome. 1528 01:06:32,771 --> 01:06:34,120 -Thank you. -[cheering, applause] 1529 01:06:34,164 --> 01:06:35,992 RUSSELL: And he was really, 1530 01:06:36,035 --> 01:06:37,994 surprisingly to us, up for the challenge 1531 01:06:38,037 --> 01:06:40,213 of working with a... you know, a band. 1532 01:06:40,257 --> 01:06:43,434 RON: It really was pretty brave of him. 1533 01:06:43,477 --> 01:06:46,176 ["La Dolce Vita" by Sparks playing] 1534 01:06:46,219 --> 01:06:48,787 We did the recordings in Los Angeles. 1535 01:06:49,962 --> 01:06:53,705 Interesting studio because it was totally electronic 1536 01:06:53,748 --> 01:06:58,492 with a massive amount of Moog modular 1537 01:06:58,536 --> 01:07:02,061 and Roland synthesizers 1538 01:07:02,105 --> 01:07:04,324 and thousands of sounds. 1539 01:07:05,804 --> 01:07:08,024 RON: We were aware that we were kind of reinventing ourselves 1540 01:07:08,067 --> 01:07:09,677 as we were making that, 1541 01:07:09,721 --> 01:07:11,766 but we knew that we were doing something 1542 01:07:11,810 --> 01:07:13,942 that was totally new. 1543 01:07:15,379 --> 01:07:17,468 For me as a fan, it would be hard to know 1544 01:07:17,511 --> 01:07:20,558 if it's willful or if it's the innocence of: 1545 01:07:20,601 --> 01:07:22,995 "Wouldn't it be a great idea if we just made 1546 01:07:23,039 --> 01:07:27,956 a synthesizer record in 1979, before the '80s?" 1547 01:07:28,000 --> 01:07:31,134 ♪ You're the only bank that's open all night ♪ 1548 01:07:31,177 --> 01:07:34,615 ♪ La dolce vita 1549 01:07:34,659 --> 01:07:37,836 ♪ Now that that's clear, can you give me a light? ♪ 1550 01:07:37,879 --> 01:07:40,752 ♪ La dolce vita... 1551 01:07:40,795 --> 01:07:43,102 RUSSELL: We all went in it with this kind of 1552 01:07:43,146 --> 01:07:45,757 naive spirit to just do something that we thought 1553 01:07:45,800 --> 01:07:47,933 was really fresh-sounding. 1554 01:07:47,976 --> 01:07:49,761 And we think it was something really special. 1555 01:07:49,804 --> 01:07:54,113 ♪ Can I have another plate of your la dolce vita? ♪ 1556 01:07:54,157 --> 01:07:58,378 It took one year after that album was recorded 1557 01:07:58,422 --> 01:08:01,251 before a label wanted to sign it. 1558 01:08:01,294 --> 01:08:04,254 ♪ Gold diggers are we 1559 01:08:04,297 --> 01:08:07,474 ♪ Step up, follow me... 1560 01:08:07,518 --> 01:08:09,998 Someone at Virgin Records in Germany 1561 01:08:10,042 --> 01:08:12,000 saw the tape sitting there and said, 1562 01:08:12,044 --> 01:08:15,003 "Hmm, Sparks, Giorgio Moroder. Let me give that a listen." 1563 01:08:15,047 --> 01:08:16,788 And said, "This is pretty amazing," 1564 01:08:16,831 --> 01:08:19,399 and shipped it off to Richard Branson and company 1565 01:08:19,443 --> 01:08:22,750 in-in the UK, and they agreed. 1566 01:08:22,794 --> 01:08:24,665 STEWART: WhenNo. 1 in Heaven came out, 1567 01:08:24,709 --> 01:08:28,016 it was two years after the massive failure of Introducing, 1568 01:08:28,060 --> 01:08:31,281 and you're kind of seeing the DNA of so much 1569 01:08:31,324 --> 01:08:33,761 of what would come later on. 1570 01:08:33,805 --> 01:08:35,589 TAYLOR: This was probably one of the first 1571 01:08:35,633 --> 01:08:37,374 electropop dance records 1572 01:08:37,417 --> 01:08:38,679 of all time. 1573 01:08:38,723 --> 01:08:40,899 [dance beat playing] 1574 01:08:40,942 --> 01:08:43,162 [imitating beat] 1575 01:08:43,206 --> 01:08:45,773 MOORE: That, to me, was such an astounding record. 1576 01:08:45,817 --> 01:08:47,340 It seemed really audacious. 1577 01:08:47,384 --> 01:08:49,081 DJ LANCE ROCK: It just takes you on 1578 01:08:49,125 --> 01:08:51,562 this incredible, hypnotic trip. 1579 01:08:51,605 --> 01:08:54,347 Just belied and denied anything else that was happening. 1580 01:08:54,391 --> 01:08:56,262 It just rose above it. 1581 01:08:56,306 --> 01:08:58,046 ♪ We're just gleams in lovers' eyes ♪ 1582 01:08:58,090 --> 01:09:01,398 ♪ Steam on sweaty bodies in the night ♪ 1583 01:09:03,356 --> 01:09:05,706 ♪ But one of us might make it through ♪ 1584 01:09:05,750 --> 01:09:09,580 ♪ All the rest will disappear like dew ♪ 1585 01:09:11,016 --> 01:09:13,149 ♪ Pressure building, getting hot ♪ 1586 01:09:13,192 --> 01:09:16,761 ♪ Give it, give it, give it all you got ♪ 1587 01:09:18,676 --> 01:09:20,852 ♪ When that love explosion comes ♪ 1588 01:09:20,895 --> 01:09:23,768 ♪ My, oh, my, we want to be someone ♪ 1589 01:09:24,856 --> 01:09:26,901 ♪ Tryouts for the human race... ♪ 1590 01:09:26,945 --> 01:09:30,862 RHODES: It was a huge influence on-on our early material. 1591 01:09:30,905 --> 01:09:33,169 Uh, we were already big Moroder fans, 1592 01:09:33,212 --> 01:09:35,997 but this combination, uh, it was just perfect. 1593 01:09:36,041 --> 01:09:39,000 ♪ We just want to be someone... ♪ 1594 01:09:39,044 --> 01:09:40,785 That's why I ended up working with Vince-- 1595 01:09:40,828 --> 01:09:42,569 'cause those synths, 1596 01:09:42,613 --> 01:09:44,310 they just drove me. 1597 01:09:45,311 --> 01:09:47,008 MAN: Sparks, "Beat the Clock," 1598 01:09:47,052 --> 01:09:49,837 uh, Millaney/Grant, sixth of June. 1599 01:09:49,881 --> 01:09:53,014 ["Beat the Clock" by Sparks playing] 1600 01:09:53,058 --> 01:09:56,017 ♪ You gotta beat the clock, you gotta beat the clock... ♪ 1601 01:09:56,061 --> 01:09:58,150 Sparks-- well, they're back in Britain, 1602 01:09:58,194 --> 01:09:59,717 they're back in business, 1603 01:09:59,760 --> 01:10:01,588 and they're currently trying to beat the clock. 1604 01:10:01,632 --> 01:10:03,721 ♪ You gotta beat the clock, you gotta beat the clock... ♪ 1605 01:10:03,764 --> 01:10:05,375 BERNARD BUTLER: As a synthesizer duo, 1606 01:10:05,418 --> 01:10:07,115 I guess you could say that 1607 01:10:07,159 --> 01:10:09,205 they sort of set a template. 1608 01:10:09,248 --> 01:10:11,250 ♪ You gotta beat the clock, you gotta beat the clock... ♪ 1609 01:10:11,294 --> 01:10:16,212 WRIGHT: I became first aware of Sparks in their 1979 period. 1610 01:10:16,255 --> 01:10:19,258 Just seeing them on, like, Top of the Popsaround that time. 1611 01:10:19,302 --> 01:10:22,870 You know, it's a very sort of stark dynamic image-- 1612 01:10:22,914 --> 01:10:25,264 Russell singing, Ron on the synths. 1613 01:10:25,308 --> 01:10:28,224 He had his '79 kind of hipster hair. 1614 01:10:28,267 --> 01:10:30,182 ANNOUNCER: Sparks and their new single 1615 01:10:30,226 --> 01:10:31,966 called "Beat the Clock." Billy? 1616 01:10:32,010 --> 01:10:33,707 I think it was real great. 1617 01:10:33,751 --> 01:10:35,535 ♪ Well, I've seen everything there is ♪ 1618 01:10:35,579 --> 01:10:37,537 ♪ I've done everything there is... ♪ 1619 01:10:37,581 --> 01:10:39,713 There's myself, uh, there's the guy from the Pet Shop Boys, 1620 01:10:39,757 --> 01:10:41,411 there's the guy from Duran Duran. 1621 01:10:41,454 --> 01:10:43,587 I mean, we were all miserable fuckers, you know? 1622 01:10:43,630 --> 01:10:45,328 It's a look, isn't it, which we just stole 1623 01:10:45,371 --> 01:10:47,286 from Sparks. 1624 01:10:47,330 --> 01:10:50,376 ["The Number One Song in Heaven" by Sparks playing] 1625 01:10:54,641 --> 01:10:57,731 RUSTY EGAN: I was desperately searching 1626 01:10:57,775 --> 01:11:02,519 for music to put in my DJ sets 1627 01:11:02,562 --> 01:11:04,172 at the Blitz Club. 1628 01:11:04,216 --> 01:11:07,654 I came across "Number One Song in Heaven." 1629 01:11:07,698 --> 01:11:09,439 BELL: It's just one of those songs 1630 01:11:09,482 --> 01:11:11,049 that gives me goose bumps. 1631 01:11:11,092 --> 01:11:13,051 EGAN: What I loved about it 1632 01:11:13,094 --> 01:11:14,922 was the first four minutes, 1633 01:11:14,966 --> 01:11:17,882 and it was all synthesizers 1634 01:11:17,925 --> 01:11:19,623 and sequences. 1635 01:11:19,666 --> 01:11:21,668 And I was like, "This is great." 1636 01:11:22,887 --> 01:11:27,108 ♪ This is the number one song in heaven ♪ 1637 01:11:29,546 --> 01:11:34,028 ♪ Written, of course, by the mightiest hand... ♪ 1638 01:11:34,072 --> 01:11:35,943 STEPHEN MORRIS: In Joy Division, when we were doing 1639 01:11:35,987 --> 01:11:37,554 "Love Will Tear Us Apart," 1640 01:11:37,597 --> 01:11:40,992 there were two records that we were listening to. 1641 01:11:41,035 --> 01:11:42,080 Uh, one was 1642 01:11:42,123 --> 01:11:43,908 Frank Sinatra's Greatest Hits, 1643 01:11:43,951 --> 01:11:46,127 and then the other one was "Number One Song in Heaven." 1644 01:11:46,171 --> 01:11:48,739 ANTONOFF: "Number One Song in Heaven" just sort of, like, 1645 01:11:48,782 --> 01:11:50,262 moves in this crazy way. 1646 01:11:50,306 --> 01:11:52,090 And there's even a moment of silence 1647 01:11:52,133 --> 01:11:53,787 pretty early on in the song. It's, like, this cut 1648 01:11:53,831 --> 01:11:56,050 and then it starts back up. It's wild. 1649 01:11:56,094 --> 01:11:57,051 EGAN: One, two, three. 1650 01:11:57,095 --> 01:11:58,139 [imitates drumbeat] 1651 01:11:58,183 --> 01:11:59,576 And it goes, like, I don't know, 1652 01:11:59,619 --> 01:12:01,447 180 BPM or something. 1653 01:12:01,491 --> 01:12:04,363 Oh, my God, that's... that's too fast. 1654 01:12:04,407 --> 01:12:07,758 ♪ 1655 01:12:07,801 --> 01:12:09,716 MARTYN WARE: This is the absolute apogee 1656 01:12:09,760 --> 01:12:10,978 of electronic pop music 1657 01:12:11,022 --> 01:12:12,328 for me. 1658 01:12:12,371 --> 01:12:14,155 I can't think of anything better. 1659 01:12:14,199 --> 01:12:16,288 We can only, with Heaven 17, 1660 01:12:16,332 --> 01:12:18,290 kind of aspire to it. 1661 01:12:18,334 --> 01:12:20,379 ♪ 1662 01:12:22,990 --> 01:12:26,080 ♪ It's number one all over heaven ♪ 1663 01:12:26,124 --> 01:12:27,473 ♪ It's number one 1664 01:12:27,517 --> 01:12:29,345 ♪ All over heaven 1665 01:12:29,388 --> 01:12:32,304 ♪ It's number one all over heaven ♪ 1666 01:12:32,348 --> 01:12:35,916 ♪ The number one song all over heaven... ♪ 1667 01:12:35,960 --> 01:12:39,790 MORODER: If they would release nowNo. 1 in Heaven, 1668 01:12:39,833 --> 01:12:42,227 they would say, "Wow, geniuses." 1669 01:12:42,270 --> 01:12:44,838 I mean, they were geniuses then, but now even more 1670 01:12:44,882 --> 01:12:48,146 because this could be the second sound of the future. 1671 01:12:48,189 --> 01:12:50,017 ♪ Gabriel plays it 1672 01:12:50,061 --> 01:12:51,584 ♪ God, how he plays it 1673 01:12:51,628 --> 01:12:53,194 ♪ Gabriel plays it 1674 01:12:53,238 --> 01:12:54,761 ♪ God, how he plays it 1675 01:12:54,805 --> 01:12:56,284 ♪ Gabriel plays it 1676 01:12:56,328 --> 01:12:57,808 ♪ God, how he plays it 1677 01:12:57,851 --> 01:12:59,636 ♪ Gabriel plays it 1678 01:12:59,679 --> 01:13:01,855 ♪ Let's hear him play it... 1679 01:13:01,899 --> 01:13:05,076 ♪ 1680 01:13:05,119 --> 01:13:07,861 ROSS: I really liked seeing them stripped down, 1681 01:13:07,905 --> 01:13:09,210 and in a way, it made the image 1682 01:13:09,254 --> 01:13:11,082 more impactful. 1683 01:13:11,125 --> 01:13:12,736 ♪ 1684 01:13:12,779 --> 01:13:14,477 It was shortly after that period, I guess, 1685 01:13:14,520 --> 01:13:18,785 that Paul McCartney did that video "Coming Up." 1686 01:13:18,829 --> 01:13:21,875 ♪ You want a love to last forever... ♪ 1687 01:13:21,919 --> 01:13:23,964 It was all Paul McCartney doing loads of 1688 01:13:24,008 --> 01:13:25,531 very instantly recognizable characters. 1689 01:13:25,575 --> 01:13:27,098 And, of course, he did Ron. 1690 01:13:27,141 --> 01:13:28,882 I mean, I know how much Ron and Russell 1691 01:13:28,926 --> 01:13:30,580 are fans of The Beatles, 1692 01:13:30,623 --> 01:13:32,973 and so I suspect they were really excited to see that. 1693 01:13:33,017 --> 01:13:34,671 SCHWARTZMAN: That's amazing, like, 1694 01:13:34,714 --> 01:13:36,455 that a Beatle would pretend to be all these... 1695 01:13:36,499 --> 01:13:38,283 like, Buddy Holly and all these different people, 1696 01:13:38,326 --> 01:13:40,067 and he's Ron Mael. 1697 01:13:41,460 --> 01:13:43,070 RUSSELL: I started respecting Ron a lot more 1698 01:13:43,114 --> 01:13:44,768 after Paul McCartney, uh, 1699 01:13:44,811 --> 01:13:47,684 gave his tribute to Ron-- then I realized, 1700 01:13:47,727 --> 01:13:50,687 "God, I'm working with somebody that Paul McCartney likes." 1701 01:13:50,730 --> 01:13:52,428 FRED ARMISEN: How cool is that? 1702 01:13:52,471 --> 01:13:53,690 It is the ultimate. 1703 01:13:53,733 --> 01:13:55,343 And it's Paul McCartney. 1704 01:13:55,387 --> 01:13:57,302 Just incredible. 1705 01:13:57,345 --> 01:13:59,826 RON: After doingNo. 1 in Heaven 1706 01:13:59,870 --> 01:14:01,915 and working with Giorgio Moroder, 1707 01:14:01,959 --> 01:14:04,265 which was such an inspiring experience, 1708 01:14:04,309 --> 01:14:06,354 it was the time for the follow-up album, 1709 01:14:06,398 --> 01:14:09,096 but Giorgio wasn't, uh, available, 1710 01:14:09,140 --> 01:14:11,229 so it was kind of farmed out. 1711 01:14:11,272 --> 01:14:15,668 I think, for that reason, the album became more generic. 1712 01:14:17,278 --> 01:14:19,585 To Giorgio's credit, he was 1713 01:14:19,629 --> 01:14:21,500 involved with the selection, 1714 01:14:21,544 --> 01:14:24,242 and there was the song "When I'm with You." 1715 01:14:24,285 --> 01:14:27,637 He thought that that song was really something special. 1716 01:14:27,680 --> 01:14:29,769 ["When I'm with You" by Sparks playing] 1717 01:14:31,771 --> 01:14:33,643 EGAN: "When I'm with You." [imitates bass line] 1718 01:14:33,686 --> 01:14:35,732 That bass line, 1719 01:14:35,775 --> 01:14:37,385 that beautiful string line. 1720 01:14:39,257 --> 01:14:41,433 It wasn't anything that we kind of planned on, 1721 01:14:41,477 --> 01:14:43,043 but it became, uh, 1722 01:14:43,087 --> 01:14:46,264 the biggest-selling song that we've ever done. 1723 01:14:46,307 --> 01:14:49,136 ♪ When I'm with you 1724 01:14:49,180 --> 01:14:51,095 ♪ I never have a problem 1725 01:14:51,138 --> 01:14:53,358 ♪ When I'm with you... 1726 01:14:53,401 --> 01:14:55,403 RON: Most of those sales were in France, 1727 01:14:55,447 --> 01:14:58,537 and the song was kind of the soundtrack of the country 1728 01:14:58,581 --> 01:15:01,235 during that whole period. 1729 01:15:02,323 --> 01:15:04,325 "When I'm with You," the Sparks. 1730 01:15:04,369 --> 01:15:05,892 ♪ When I'm with you... 1731 01:15:05,936 --> 01:15:07,590 RUSSELL: The video for "When I'm with You" 1732 01:15:07,633 --> 01:15:10,331 was Ron being the ventriloquist 1733 01:15:10,375 --> 01:15:11,985 and me being the dummy, 1734 01:15:12,029 --> 01:15:15,249 and some things never change in life. 1735 01:15:15,293 --> 01:15:17,600 DAVID WEIGEL: It's a love song. Someone's in love. 1736 01:15:17,643 --> 01:15:19,166 Okay, I know what's going on. 1737 01:15:19,210 --> 01:15:20,951 And then the more he sings, 1738 01:15:20,994 --> 01:15:22,953 you realize that-that you're listening to somebody panic. 1739 01:15:22,996 --> 01:15:25,869 ♪ It's the break in the song 1740 01:15:25,912 --> 01:15:29,394 ♪ When I should say something special ♪ 1741 01:15:30,874 --> 01:15:33,659 ♪ But the pressure is on 1742 01:15:33,703 --> 01:15:37,794 ♪ And I can't make up nothing special ♪ 1743 01:15:37,837 --> 01:15:40,971 ♪ Not when I'm with you 1744 01:15:41,014 --> 01:15:43,103 ♪ When I'm with you... 1745 01:15:43,147 --> 01:15:45,541 OSWALT: There is never a "June, moon, spoon" 1746 01:15:45,584 --> 01:15:47,630 aspect to their lyrics. 1747 01:15:47,673 --> 01:15:49,806 There is always a three, four, 1748 01:15:49,849 --> 01:15:52,722 five times removed aspect of: 1749 01:15:52,765 --> 01:15:55,376 So, is the narrator... This is clearly not the singer. 1750 01:15:55,420 --> 01:15:57,727 He's playing a character, and then the... and you kind of 1751 01:15:57,770 --> 01:16:00,686 work out what the character's biography is. 1752 01:16:00,730 --> 01:16:03,863 Each song has such a personality to it. 1753 01:16:03,907 --> 01:16:05,735 That middle eight is the thing that I think, 1754 01:16:05,778 --> 01:16:08,389 for some listeners who might be investing 1755 01:16:08,433 --> 01:16:10,827 in, like, a love song, will say, like, 1756 01:16:10,870 --> 01:16:13,046 "Oh, hold up. Is this a joke?" 1757 01:16:13,090 --> 01:16:15,309 It could be seen as being insincere. 1758 01:16:15,353 --> 01:16:16,920 In reality, 1759 01:16:16,963 --> 01:16:18,574 it's the thing that makes them more memorable. 1760 01:16:18,617 --> 01:16:20,837 [cheering and applause] 1761 01:16:20,880 --> 01:16:23,491 RUSSELL: The thing of doing TV shows that we did 1762 01:16:23,535 --> 01:16:26,582 in a period of, like, "When I'm with You" in France-- 1763 01:16:26,625 --> 01:16:28,584 and we did a lot in Germany at that time-- 1764 01:16:28,627 --> 01:16:31,238 I think, you know, we realized that the appeal of Sparks 1765 01:16:31,282 --> 01:16:33,284 was going to an area that wasn't 1766 01:16:33,327 --> 01:16:35,025 where we wanted to be going. 1767 01:16:35,068 --> 01:16:38,158 And so, um, that was why we wanted to start having 1768 01:16:38,202 --> 01:16:40,030 a band context again. 1769 01:16:40,073 --> 01:16:42,293 Please, uh, can you smile? 1770 01:16:42,336 --> 01:16:44,338 Uh, cheese. 1771 01:16:44,382 --> 01:16:46,297 Ah. [speaks French] 1772 01:16:46,340 --> 01:16:48,560 -Merci. Thank you. -[applause] 1773 01:16:48,604 --> 01:16:50,562 [continues in French] 1774 01:16:50,606 --> 01:16:52,477 BOHEM: My relationship to Sparks, 1775 01:16:52,520 --> 01:16:54,000 like most everything else, is based on coffee. 1776 01:16:54,044 --> 01:16:56,960 I am an avid, to this day, coffee drinker. 1777 01:16:57,003 --> 01:16:59,571 And in 1980, it was pretty rough. 1778 01:16:59,615 --> 01:17:01,617 The one place you could go in Los Angeles 1779 01:17:01,660 --> 01:17:03,575 was the Farmers Market. 1780 01:17:03,619 --> 01:17:05,969 They had a Belgian waffle stand with one espresso machine. 1781 01:17:06,012 --> 01:17:07,579 RODDY BOTTUM: People started to say, 1782 01:17:07,623 --> 01:17:10,234 "I saw the Sparks brothers 1783 01:17:10,277 --> 01:17:11,844 at Farmers Market." 1784 01:17:11,888 --> 01:17:13,585 And we're like, "What?" 1785 01:17:14,847 --> 01:17:17,850 -Small soy cappuccino, please. -And for you? 1786 01:17:17,894 --> 01:17:19,939 Uh, what's a red-eye? 1787 01:17:19,983 --> 01:17:22,899 So, a coffee with a shot of espresso. 1788 01:17:22,942 --> 01:17:24,640 -Really? -Yeah, double caffeine. 1789 01:17:24,683 --> 01:17:26,032 -Wow. I'll try that. -You want one? 1790 01:17:26,076 --> 01:17:27,555 -Yeah. Yeah. -Small? 1791 01:17:27,599 --> 01:17:29,340 I'll... I hope I live to tell the tale. 1792 01:17:29,383 --> 01:17:30,776 BOHEM: I started noticing 1793 01:17:30,820 --> 01:17:32,517 Ron and Russell at this other table. 1794 01:17:32,560 --> 01:17:34,432 They were there almost every day that we were there, 1795 01:17:34,475 --> 01:17:36,347 and then after a while, we-we started saying 1796 01:17:36,390 --> 01:17:38,001 sort of a grudging hello to each other. 1797 01:17:38,044 --> 01:17:41,569 RUSSELL: One thing led to the next, and we, uh, 1798 01:17:41,613 --> 01:17:43,223 poached their entire band, 1799 01:17:43,267 --> 01:17:45,008 and, uh, that was the end of Bates Motel. 1800 01:17:45,051 --> 01:17:48,489 But it was the start of the '80s version of Sparks. 1801 01:17:52,015 --> 01:17:53,930 BOHEM: We went to S.I.R.-- 1802 01:17:53,973 --> 01:17:56,019 Studio Instrument Rentals-- on Santa Monica 1803 01:17:56,062 --> 01:17:59,022 and we started rehearsing the songs 1804 01:17:59,065 --> 01:18:01,633 for what eventually was Whomp That Sucker. 1805 01:18:01,677 --> 01:18:03,548 KENDRICK: It was very different thanTerminal Jive. 1806 01:18:03,591 --> 01:18:05,811 It was like, this is a new thing going on. 1807 01:18:05,855 --> 01:18:08,684 I want to say we rehearsed for six weeks, 1808 01:18:08,727 --> 01:18:10,468 and then we were on a plane to Munich 1809 01:18:10,511 --> 01:18:12,165 and-and recording the album. 1810 01:18:12,209 --> 01:18:14,037 ♪ And, boy, am I sorry... 1811 01:18:15,429 --> 01:18:17,301 All of a sudden, we're in Musicland Studios. 1812 01:18:17,344 --> 01:18:19,259 It's Giorgio Moroder's studio. 1813 01:18:19,303 --> 01:18:22,045 It's in the basement of this groovy hotel. 1814 01:18:22,088 --> 01:18:23,699 RON: Sometimes, we just kind of drift into things, 1815 01:18:23,742 --> 01:18:26,919 but that really was a conscious decision 1816 01:18:26,963 --> 01:18:29,269 to work with a band. 1817 01:18:29,313 --> 01:18:30,836 KENDRICK: They were inseparable. 1818 01:18:30,880 --> 01:18:32,533 At that time, I kind of had this thing. 1819 01:18:32,577 --> 01:18:35,188 They were almost like a symbiotic thing. 1820 01:18:35,232 --> 01:18:37,147 They were like one sort of complete form. 1821 01:18:37,190 --> 01:18:38,714 You know, it's an interesting thing 1822 01:18:38,757 --> 01:18:40,106 about how they wrote at that time 1823 01:18:40,150 --> 01:18:41,804 that the lyrics came last. 1824 01:18:41,847 --> 01:18:43,806 Russell would kind of do, 1825 01:18:43,849 --> 01:18:47,592 like, nonsense verbiage just to fill in the space. 1826 01:18:47,635 --> 01:18:49,115 It was kind of incredible. 1827 01:18:49,159 --> 01:18:51,596 Ron would furiously finish the lyrics, 1828 01:18:51,639 --> 01:18:54,381 literally, it seemed like, the night before. 1829 01:18:54,425 --> 01:18:56,166 The lyrics would show up, and we'd go, 1830 01:18:56,209 --> 01:18:58,255 "Wow, I had no idea." [laughs] 1831 01:18:58,298 --> 01:19:01,824 ♪ I've got a snapshot of your Aunt Maureen ♪ 1832 01:19:01,867 --> 01:19:04,827 ♪ She's 90 and you're a teen 1833 01:19:04,870 --> 01:19:07,394 ♪ I'm trying to cheer you up 1834 01:19:07,438 --> 01:19:10,658 ♪ Don't be so mean, don't be so mean... ♪ 1835 01:19:13,096 --> 01:19:15,054 "I've got a snapshot of your Aunt Maureen." 1836 01:19:15,098 --> 01:19:16,882 [camera clicks] 1837 01:19:16,926 --> 01:19:20,451 I can't think of a cooler way to start a pop song than that. 1838 01:19:20,494 --> 01:19:23,454 Who are you? Who is Aunt Maureen? 1839 01:19:23,497 --> 01:19:25,151 I love that lyric. 1840 01:19:25,195 --> 01:19:26,892 It grabs me. 1841 01:19:26,936 --> 01:19:30,417 ♪ Crash, bam, now you're looking good ♪ 1842 01:19:30,461 --> 01:19:33,551 ♪ Tip-top, now you're feeling good ♪ 1843 01:19:33,594 --> 01:19:35,509 ♪ Once more, here's your Aunt Maureen ♪ 1844 01:19:35,553 --> 01:19:38,817 ♪ Don't you feel good? Don't you feel good? ♪ 1845 01:19:38,861 --> 01:19:40,819 RICHARDSON: It was a funny thing of listening 1846 01:19:40,863 --> 01:19:42,560 to, like, two grown men being like, 1847 01:19:42,603 --> 01:19:44,388 "Here are tips for teens," then sing about, like, zits. 1848 01:19:44,431 --> 01:19:45,824 Like, literally being like, 1849 01:19:45,868 --> 01:19:47,304 "Here's what you do when you get a zit." 1850 01:19:47,347 --> 01:19:48,958 That's genius. 1851 01:19:49,001 --> 01:19:50,611 Songs are about, like, two things. 1852 01:19:50,655 --> 01:19:52,048 Will you please fuck me? 1853 01:19:52,091 --> 01:19:53,614 Don't shut my party down. 1854 01:19:53,658 --> 01:19:55,834 ♪ Tips for teens, the kind you don't see... ♪ 1855 01:19:55,878 --> 01:19:59,577 ANNOUNCER: Their wacko training bra and blemish cream sound 1856 01:19:59,620 --> 01:20:03,102 is not typical fare in the L.A. club scene, 1857 01:20:03,146 --> 01:20:07,193 and after several albums, brothers Russell and Ron Mael 1858 01:20:07,237 --> 01:20:10,849 have yet to give up the fight back home. 1859 01:20:10,893 --> 01:20:13,199 RON: The radio station that really mattered was 1860 01:20:13,243 --> 01:20:16,420 "K-Rock," KROQ, and they were playing 1861 01:20:16,463 --> 01:20:19,902 a lot of things that just fit into our style. 1862 01:20:19,945 --> 01:20:21,729 ["Don't Go" by Yazoo playing] 1863 01:20:21,773 --> 01:20:24,080 I never knew Ron and Russell to ever make 1864 01:20:24,123 --> 01:20:26,734 a calculated move to capture an audience. 1865 01:20:26,778 --> 01:20:28,649 Sometimes they hit it 1866 01:20:28,693 --> 01:20:30,913 because they liked something everybody else liked. 1867 01:20:30,956 --> 01:20:34,090 KROQ played all the-the weird stuff coming from England: 1868 01:20:34,133 --> 01:20:38,224 The Cure, Depeche Mode, Duran Duran, New Order. 1869 01:20:38,268 --> 01:20:40,618 SHERMAN-PALLADINO: If you listened to KROQ, you generally 1870 01:20:40,661 --> 01:20:43,447 didn't listen to other stations. 1871 01:20:43,490 --> 01:20:45,841 Like, it was sort of like you just listened to KROQ. 1872 01:20:45,884 --> 01:20:47,581 KNEGO: I remember just falling out 1873 01:20:47,625 --> 01:20:49,757 of my chair, you know, hearing Sparks 1874 01:20:49,801 --> 01:20:51,455 actually on the radio. 1875 01:20:51,498 --> 01:20:52,978 BOHEM: You know, we're in Munich, and somebody's calling, 1876 01:20:53,022 --> 01:20:54,110 like, "Hey they're playing 'Tips for Teens' 1877 01:20:54,153 --> 01:20:55,198 on KROQ every 15 minutes." 1878 01:20:55,241 --> 01:20:56,547 I'm like, 1879 01:20:56,590 --> 01:20:58,157 "Can we hear it?" [laughs]: You know? 1880 01:20:58,201 --> 01:21:00,029 Sparks is extraordinarily popular in Europe. 1881 01:21:00,072 --> 01:21:02,683 You are very popular in this country, 1882 01:21:02,727 --> 01:21:04,685 but I think it's safe to say that perhaps 1883 01:21:04,729 --> 01:21:06,687 you-your reception over there is wilder 1884 01:21:06,731 --> 01:21:08,776 and more, uh, outgoing than it is here. 1885 01:21:08,820 --> 01:21:10,778 What are you doing to correct that situation? 1886 01:21:10,822 --> 01:21:12,650 We're gonna be concentrating really heavily 1887 01:21:12,693 --> 01:21:14,652 on the States in the next year. 1888 01:21:14,695 --> 01:21:16,480 DICK CLARK: Would you introduce me to your associates, please? 1889 01:21:16,523 --> 01:21:18,438 RUSSELL: On bass, Les Bohem. 1890 01:21:18,482 --> 01:21:19,918 BOHEM: I thinkWhomp That Sucker is 1891 01:21:19,962 --> 01:21:22,268 the Bates Motel backup band, 1892 01:21:22,312 --> 01:21:25,881 andAngst, that is the point where we were a band. 1893 01:21:25,924 --> 01:21:29,058 STEWART: Angst in My Pants is a record where culture 1894 01:21:29,101 --> 01:21:32,017 and zeitgeist all come together in that record. 1895 01:21:32,061 --> 01:21:35,499 We have Ron and Russell. Who is the older? 1896 01:21:35,542 --> 01:21:37,066 You are. 1897 01:21:37,109 --> 01:21:38,894 [laughter] 1898 01:21:38,937 --> 01:21:39,895 RICHARDSON: First of all, best cover. 1899 01:21:39,938 --> 01:21:41,548 That cover totally rules. 1900 01:21:41,592 --> 01:21:43,159 This is how you do an album cover. 1901 01:21:44,160 --> 01:21:45,596 DJ LANCE ROCK: I just remember 1902 01:21:45,639 --> 01:21:47,076 looking at that, and it's like, 1903 01:21:47,119 --> 01:21:49,252 there's this guy in a wedding dress with this, 1904 01:21:49,295 --> 01:21:50,731 you know, weird mustache. 1905 01:21:50,775 --> 01:21:52,429 It was just such a striking image. 1906 01:21:52,472 --> 01:21:54,213 Even now, it is. 1907 01:21:54,257 --> 01:21:56,172 STEWART: They themselves are heterosexual, but they had 1908 01:21:56,215 --> 01:21:57,782 a huge gay following. 1909 01:21:57,825 --> 01:21:59,740 Their songs questioned notions of masculinity. 1910 01:21:59,784 --> 01:22:02,830 They did it in their music, they did it in their videos, 1911 01:22:02,874 --> 01:22:04,745 and I think they did it on that album cover. 1912 01:22:04,789 --> 01:22:08,662 I mean, that is in the great rock and roll tradition of: 1913 01:22:08,706 --> 01:22:11,143 "'F' you, America." 1914 01:22:11,187 --> 01:22:14,451 You know, it's-it's disturbing, it's unsettling. 1915 01:22:14,494 --> 01:22:16,496 It's not right. It's not Republican. 1916 01:22:16,540 --> 01:22:18,455 It's not apple pie. 1917 01:22:18,498 --> 01:22:20,022 MADELINE BOCCHIARO: Some dudes wouldn't even buy the album, 1918 01:22:20,065 --> 01:22:21,719 'cause they didn't want to bring it to the counter, 1919 01:22:21,762 --> 01:22:23,329 but that's their problem. 1920 01:22:23,373 --> 01:22:25,375 RON: We think it's important to do something 1921 01:22:25,418 --> 01:22:27,551 that is polarizing. 1922 01:22:27,594 --> 01:22:30,423 We don't feel bad about that in-in the slightest. 1923 01:22:30,467 --> 01:22:32,425 It kind of encourages us to... 1924 01:22:32,469 --> 01:22:35,733 to push what we're doing even more. 1925 01:22:35,776 --> 01:22:38,910 ["I Predict" by Sparks playing] 1926 01:22:38,954 --> 01:22:42,392 ♪ You're gonna take a walk in the rain ♪ 1927 01:22:42,435 --> 01:22:44,916 ♪ And you're gonna get wet 1928 01:22:44,960 --> 01:22:47,266 ♪ I predict... 1929 01:22:47,310 --> 01:22:49,355 It's probably one of the most macho, 1930 01:22:49,399 --> 01:22:52,619 badass Sparks songs that's out there. 1931 01:22:52,663 --> 01:22:54,926 And the way they illustrate it is 1932 01:22:54,970 --> 01:22:57,320 with Ron stripping, 1933 01:22:57,363 --> 01:23:00,932 and it's disgusting and creepy 1934 01:23:00,976 --> 01:23:03,152 and delicious. 1935 01:23:03,195 --> 01:23:06,198 ♪ Philip don't care, I predict... ♪ 1936 01:23:06,242 --> 01:23:08,809 PUCKRIK: There's Russell being the pretty boy, matinee idol, 1937 01:23:08,853 --> 01:23:12,422 and Ron, in his own way, is a matinee idol, 1938 01:23:12,465 --> 01:23:15,903 but he's one from the dark side of the lens. 1939 01:23:15,947 --> 01:23:17,731 [crowd cheering] 1940 01:23:17,775 --> 01:23:19,646 KAPRANOS: He doesn't fit in any of the traditional roles 1941 01:23:19,690 --> 01:23:22,127 that you would have in a... a rock and roll band. 1942 01:23:22,171 --> 01:23:23,650 That's almost 1943 01:23:23,694 --> 01:23:26,218 more powerful than a front man in many ways. 1944 01:23:26,262 --> 01:23:27,350 Certainly very distracting. 1945 01:23:31,223 --> 01:23:32,790 FLEA: Yeah, it's shtick and it's showbiz, 1946 01:23:32,833 --> 01:23:35,314 but it's also 1947 01:23:35,358 --> 01:23:37,534 emblematic and symbolic 1948 01:23:37,577 --> 01:23:40,406 of what their true essence of who they are is. 1949 01:23:40,450 --> 01:23:42,452 BOTTUM: Who is the star of Sparks? 1950 01:23:42,495 --> 01:23:44,454 Sometimes it's Ron, sometimes it's Russell. 1951 01:23:44,497 --> 01:23:46,717 Russell is, like, a sort of traditional singer, 1952 01:23:46,760 --> 01:23:49,067 but Ron was... yeah, really shined 1953 01:23:49,111 --> 01:23:51,852 as just this sort of strange, odd presence. 1954 01:23:52,853 --> 01:23:55,552 Thank you. Thank you. 1955 01:23:55,595 --> 01:23:57,075 Tell us, though, about Sparks. 1956 01:23:57,119 --> 01:23:58,859 I know that you're an underground band. 1957 01:23:58,903 --> 01:24:00,252 What-what are you saying 1958 01:24:00,296 --> 01:24:01,601 to those kids out there or to adults? 1959 01:24:01,645 --> 01:24:03,081 What-what is Sparks saying? 1960 01:24:03,125 --> 01:24:05,605 Sparks is a rock band with a point of view. 1961 01:24:05,649 --> 01:24:08,695 The thing that we wish to convey is-is a sense of joy 1962 01:24:08,739 --> 01:24:10,915 about the music that we are creating. 1963 01:24:10,958 --> 01:24:13,048 And I think most of this sense of joy 1964 01:24:13,091 --> 01:24:17,617 is from Russell's singing and from my lyrical approach. 1965 01:24:17,661 --> 01:24:19,880 Sometimes it's satirical 1966 01:24:19,924 --> 01:24:23,493 but never without some sort of witty point of view. 1967 01:24:23,536 --> 01:24:26,104 -HOST: Sparks. -[cheering] 1968 01:24:29,499 --> 01:24:31,240 DJ LANCE ROCK: "Cool Places" is a big hit. 1969 01:24:31,283 --> 01:24:32,284 I think that's the first time 1970 01:24:32,328 --> 01:24:33,807 some of my contemporaries 1971 01:24:33,851 --> 01:24:35,592 became aware of Sparks. 1972 01:24:35,635 --> 01:24:37,115 -Our time has come. -Okay. 1973 01:24:37,159 --> 01:24:39,117 -And here we are. -We've arrived. 1974 01:24:39,161 --> 01:24:41,859 I hope you like our new single, "Cool Places." 1975 01:24:43,078 --> 01:24:46,385 ♪ I wanna go to cool places with you ♪ 1976 01:24:46,429 --> 01:24:49,127 ♪ I wanna take you cool places tonight... ♪ 1977 01:24:49,171 --> 01:24:51,564 RUSSELL: The video for that song was 1978 01:24:51,608 --> 01:24:54,263 really played a lot on MTV in the States, 1979 01:24:54,306 --> 01:24:56,787 and so it was really reaching 1980 01:24:56,830 --> 01:24:58,876 a new audience that perhaps we wouldn't have had. 1981 01:24:58,919 --> 01:25:01,008 ♪ A minimum of chitchat... 1982 01:25:01,052 --> 01:25:05,491 WIEDLIN: It's hard to overstate how important MTV was 1983 01:25:05,535 --> 01:25:08,407 to the music business at that time. 1984 01:25:08,451 --> 01:25:12,890 And the "Cool Places" video is so wacky and so fun. 1985 01:25:12,933 --> 01:25:14,761 ♪ I gotta tell you... 1986 01:25:14,805 --> 01:25:15,980 CHRISTI HAYDON: I guess I would've been in high school 1987 01:25:16,023 --> 01:25:17,547 when "Cool Places" came out. 1988 01:25:17,590 --> 01:25:20,419 And I saw the video on MTV. 1989 01:25:20,463 --> 01:25:22,378 And I knew exactly who Jane Wiedlin was 1990 01:25:22,421 --> 01:25:23,857 'cause I loved the Go-Go's. 1991 01:25:23,901 --> 01:25:25,424 But I thought, "Who are these two guys 1992 01:25:25,468 --> 01:25:27,557 with my Go-Go?" [laughs] 1993 01:25:27,600 --> 01:25:29,602 ♪ And they could tell we're cooler now... ♪ 1994 01:25:29,646 --> 01:25:32,388 SCOTT AUKERMAN: I remember the video very, very distinctly 1995 01:25:32,431 --> 01:25:34,346 for the dancing in it, 1996 01:25:34,390 --> 01:25:35,956 which was very '80s dancing, 1997 01:25:36,000 --> 01:25:39,482 which was just basic swaying. 1998 01:25:39,525 --> 01:25:41,266 Has anybody traced back that dance? 1999 01:25:41,310 --> 01:25:44,182 People call it the Molly Ringwald. 2000 01:25:44,226 --> 01:25:47,316 WIEDLIN: No, no, no. I think we thought of it, personally. 2001 01:25:47,359 --> 01:25:49,013 When we saw Molly Ringwald doing it, 2002 01:25:49,056 --> 01:25:51,494 we were like, "Oh, my God, she stole our dance." 2003 01:25:51,537 --> 01:25:54,714 ♪ I wanna go, I wanna go... 2004 01:25:54,758 --> 01:25:57,152 How did you fall in with this company? 2005 01:25:57,195 --> 01:26:00,024 -We met on a love boat cruise. -[laughs] 2006 01:26:00,067 --> 01:26:02,157 No, no, seriously. How did the... 2007 01:26:02,200 --> 01:26:03,854 Did you get a telephone call? Did you see her? 2008 01:26:03,897 --> 01:26:05,725 What... Who made the first call? 2009 01:26:05,769 --> 01:26:07,814 Oh, it was mutual admiration 2010 01:26:07,858 --> 01:26:11,166 for, uh, each other's respective groups 2011 01:26:11,209 --> 01:26:13,951 and then mutual, uh, admiration 2012 01:26:13,994 --> 01:26:15,909 for each other's bodies. 2013 01:26:15,953 --> 01:26:17,911 -[laughter] -Would you stop that? 2014 01:26:17,955 --> 01:26:20,740 I knew, if I let you go long enough, I'd be in trouble. 2015 01:26:20,784 --> 01:26:23,178 WIEDLIN: As you can imagine, I was madly in love with Russell 2016 01:26:23,221 --> 01:26:27,704 all through my teenage-hood, and then I got to meet him, and 2017 01:26:27,747 --> 01:26:30,272 I basically threw myself at him. 2018 01:26:30,315 --> 01:26:32,230 Let's just put it that way. And, um... 2019 01:26:32,274 --> 01:26:36,713 so we had sort of this brief, brief romance 2020 01:26:36,756 --> 01:26:40,238 that, uh, didn't ever really get deep or anything, 2021 01:26:40,282 --> 01:26:43,198 and it was fun, and I think, really, a lot of it for me 2022 01:26:43,241 --> 01:26:45,287 was getting to fulfill a fantasy. 2023 01:26:45,330 --> 01:26:47,593 You know, one thing led to the next, you know. 2024 01:26:47,637 --> 01:26:49,204 You're now getting a little insight 2025 01:26:49,247 --> 01:26:50,901 into how things happen in the music world. 2026 01:26:50,944 --> 01:26:52,381 You think it's all just kind of-- 2027 01:26:52,424 --> 01:26:53,860 people come out with albums and record 2028 01:26:53,904 --> 01:26:55,166 and it's all lovey-dovey. 2029 01:26:55,210 --> 01:26:56,559 You know, this... this is how... 2030 01:26:56,602 --> 01:26:57,690 We thought it was limos and ludes, 2031 01:26:57,734 --> 01:26:59,257 but it's really sex, huh? 2032 01:26:59,301 --> 01:27:01,259 -This is how it happens, yes. -It's really sex. 2033 01:27:01,303 --> 01:27:02,869 WIEDLIN: I was so in love with Russell 'cause he was so cute, 2034 01:27:02,913 --> 01:27:05,132 so I chose beauty over brains, but... 2035 01:27:05,176 --> 01:27:07,004 and I'm not saying Russell's not smart 2036 01:27:07,047 --> 01:27:09,702 or Ron's not beautiful-- don't get me wrong-- 2037 01:27:09,746 --> 01:27:12,662 but, like, now, like, I think of Ron, and I'm like... 2038 01:27:12,705 --> 01:27:14,185 [swooning]: "Oh, Ron Mael." 2039 01:27:14,229 --> 01:27:15,882 Like, I mean, he just wrote 2040 01:27:15,926 --> 01:27:17,841 some of my favorite songs I've ever heard. 2041 01:27:17,884 --> 01:27:19,886 ["I Wish I Looked a Little Better" by Sparks playing] 2042 01:27:19,930 --> 01:27:22,149 KAPRANOS: There is this continual theme 2043 01:27:22,193 --> 01:27:23,586 through Ron's lyrics 2044 01:27:23,629 --> 01:27:25,109 in Sparks songs 2045 01:27:25,152 --> 01:27:27,285 of somehow not being good enough. 2046 01:27:27,329 --> 01:27:28,939 VERA HEGARTY: Sparks do that thing-- 2047 01:27:28,982 --> 01:27:30,419 it's like, they have a really poignant theme, 2048 01:27:30,462 --> 01:27:34,205 and they're addressing something quite serious, 2049 01:27:34,249 --> 01:27:36,163 but it's done in a kind of a playful, 2050 01:27:36,207 --> 01:27:37,817 slightly throwaway way. 2051 01:27:37,861 --> 01:27:39,428 And then you kind of think about it and you go, 2052 01:27:39,471 --> 01:27:42,257 "You know, it really is quite sad." 2053 01:27:42,300 --> 01:27:43,693 ♪ Turn out the light, yeah, the light ♪ 2054 01:27:43,736 --> 01:27:44,998 ♪ And I might have a chance 2055 01:27:45,042 --> 01:27:46,652 ♪ I guess I look slightly worse ♪ 2056 01:27:46,696 --> 01:27:48,132 ♪ Than the Elephant Man 2057 01:27:48,175 --> 01:27:49,786 ♪ Whoa-oh-oh 2058 01:27:49,829 --> 01:27:52,702 ♪ I wish I looked a little better... ♪ 2059 01:27:54,269 --> 01:27:57,750 BOTTUM: All of the songs come from the perspective of Ron, 2060 01:27:57,794 --> 01:28:00,492 and, you know, he's socially awkward 2061 01:28:00,536 --> 01:28:03,321 and sort of, you know, like, runs into issues, 2062 01:28:03,365 --> 01:28:05,976 which is what makes the band so interesting to me, too, 2063 01:28:06,019 --> 01:28:10,285 'cause the face of Sparks and the voice of Sparks is Russell, 2064 01:28:10,328 --> 01:28:11,851 and Russell is so handsome 2065 01:28:11,895 --> 01:28:13,505 and, you know, kind of a ladies' man, 2066 01:28:13,549 --> 01:28:15,899 but he's singing these really fucked-up, like, 2067 01:28:15,942 --> 01:28:18,554 "can't get the girl" lyrics. 2068 01:28:18,597 --> 01:28:19,859 JONES: It didn't occur to me, 2069 01:28:19,903 --> 01:28:22,862 but being brothers, at the time, 2070 01:28:22,906 --> 01:28:24,342 when he was the cutie-pie 2071 01:28:24,386 --> 01:28:26,301 and all the teenagers loved him, 2072 01:28:26,344 --> 01:28:29,739 did he get jealous that he wasn't getting any attention? 2073 01:28:29,782 --> 01:28:32,872 I mean, that would've done me in if I was his brother. 2074 01:28:34,831 --> 01:28:36,223 CONGLETON: He's celebrating all the things 2075 01:28:36,267 --> 01:28:38,400 that awkward kids feel. 2076 01:28:38,443 --> 01:28:39,705 Ultimately, at the end of the day, 2077 01:28:39,749 --> 01:28:40,880 he's making you feel less alone. 2078 01:28:40,924 --> 01:28:43,622 ♪ Dress for success 2079 01:28:43,666 --> 01:28:46,364 ♪ Oh, that's what they said 2080 01:28:46,408 --> 01:28:48,540 ♪ Oh, give me some clothes 2081 01:28:48,584 --> 01:28:51,543 ♪ To slap over my head 2082 01:28:51,587 --> 01:28:55,199 ♪ I went to Balboa Island and laid in the sand ♪ 2083 01:28:55,242 --> 01:28:58,115 ♪ I may be ugly as sin, but at least now I'm tan ♪ 2084 01:28:58,158 --> 01:28:59,812 ♪ Whoa-oh-oh 2085 01:28:59,856 --> 01:29:02,641 ♪ I wish I looked a little better... ♪ 2086 01:29:02,685 --> 01:29:04,687 KENDRICK: We were headlining, 2087 01:29:04,730 --> 01:29:06,645 like, the Greek Theatre by the end, 2088 01:29:06,689 --> 01:29:09,082 which is, like, a 5,000-seat venue. 2089 01:29:09,126 --> 01:29:10,519 You know, it was big. 2090 01:29:11,389 --> 01:29:12,782 STEWART: There they are, playing 2091 01:29:12,825 --> 01:29:14,349 multiple nights at the Whisky, 2092 01:29:14,392 --> 01:29:15,828 and then larger venues 2093 01:29:15,872 --> 01:29:17,526 like the Country Club or the Palace 2094 01:29:17,569 --> 01:29:19,223 and even headlining the Hollywood Bowl. 2095 01:29:19,266 --> 01:29:20,355 YANKOVIC: I thought they were one of 2096 01:29:20,398 --> 01:29:21,921 the biggest bands in the world, 2097 01:29:21,965 --> 01:29:23,793 because if you lived in L.A. in the early '80s, 2098 01:29:23,836 --> 01:29:26,012 that was pretty much the impression you got. 2099 01:29:26,056 --> 01:29:28,841 ♪ 2100 01:29:28,885 --> 01:29:30,408 KNEGO: I was happy for them 2101 01:29:30,452 --> 01:29:31,888 because they deserved the success. 2102 01:29:31,931 --> 01:29:34,194 ♪ Let's go. 2103 01:29:34,238 --> 01:29:35,892 [cheering and applause] 2104 01:29:35,935 --> 01:29:38,111 And then sadly, you know, with Pulling Rabbits, 2105 01:29:38,155 --> 01:29:40,244 you know, everything started going south. 2106 01:29:42,289 --> 01:29:44,944 I can't believe what I'm seeing. 2107 01:29:44,988 --> 01:29:47,251 Me, either. [laughs] 2108 01:29:48,470 --> 01:29:50,559 ♪ That is what I had intended 2109 01:29:50,602 --> 01:29:52,387 ♪ Pretending to be drunk... 2110 01:29:52,430 --> 01:29:55,825 SILVERBLATT: Along comes Sparks with a swing song 2111 01:29:55,868 --> 01:29:59,132 called "Pretending to Be Drunk." 2112 01:29:59,176 --> 01:30:01,178 ♪ You think I am weak and feeble ♪ 2113 01:30:01,221 --> 01:30:03,354 ♪ You think I'm a bore... 2114 01:30:03,398 --> 01:30:05,835 Doesn't sound like a Sparks song... 2115 01:30:05,878 --> 01:30:08,403 ♪ Soon I'm out the door... 2116 01:30:08,446 --> 01:30:11,144 ...but it doesn't sound like any other kind of song, either. 2117 01:30:11,188 --> 01:30:14,757 It sounds like an alpine glockenspiel song. 2118 01:30:14,800 --> 01:30:16,411 It's crazy. 2119 01:30:16,454 --> 01:30:18,978 ♪ Pretending to be drunk... 2120 01:30:19,022 --> 01:30:20,980 RON: We really do enjoy those periods 2121 01:30:21,024 --> 01:30:23,069 when we do have commercial success, 2122 01:30:23,113 --> 01:30:24,636 but we wanted to do something 2123 01:30:24,680 --> 01:30:27,073 that was not as easily pigeonholed, 2124 01:30:27,117 --> 01:30:29,162 obviously not wanting to commit 2125 01:30:29,206 --> 01:30:31,426 commercial suicide at the same time. 2126 01:30:31,469 --> 01:30:33,471 ♪ Pretending to be drunk... ♪ 2127 01:30:33,515 --> 01:30:37,910 In America, Sparks had a hard time. 2128 01:30:37,954 --> 01:30:39,477 They were a bit much for most people. 2129 01:30:39,521 --> 01:30:41,566 DJ LANCE ROCK: What can I say? I'm an American, 2130 01:30:41,610 --> 01:30:43,438 so I don't want to criticize too much, 2131 01:30:43,481 --> 01:30:45,527 but, you know, Sparks are a lot of things 2132 01:30:45,570 --> 01:30:48,747 that many Americans don't seem to care for. 2133 01:30:48,791 --> 01:30:51,054 People were immediately, you know, taken aback. 2134 01:30:51,097 --> 01:30:52,403 They just thought they were weird 2135 01:30:52,447 --> 01:30:53,883 or that they were a novelty. 2136 01:30:53,926 --> 01:30:56,929 ♪ That is what I had intended 2137 01:30:56,973 --> 01:30:59,628 ♪ Pretending to be drunk... 2138 01:30:59,671 --> 01:31:01,281 ROSS: I felt like their career was over 2139 01:31:01,325 --> 01:31:02,892 more often than any other band. 2140 01:31:02,935 --> 01:31:04,763 You know, it felt to me like, "I love this band. 2141 01:31:04,807 --> 01:31:06,156 "Oh, they're gone. 2142 01:31:06,199 --> 01:31:07,679 Oh, never mind. Oh, they're back." 2143 01:31:07,723 --> 01:31:09,594 [laughs] Some music from two young men 2144 01:31:09,638 --> 01:31:11,683 who had a host of hits when I was but a... 2145 01:31:11,727 --> 01:31:13,293 but a child disc jockey. 2146 01:31:13,337 --> 01:31:14,860 I'm pleased to say they're back to delight us 2147 01:31:14,904 --> 01:31:16,427 with a record entitled "Change." 2148 01:31:16,471 --> 01:31:18,385 Ladies and gentlemen, Sparks. 2149 01:31:18,429 --> 01:31:20,562 -[applause] -["Change" playing] 2150 01:31:20,605 --> 01:31:22,607 WIEDLIN: They just keep doing it, 2151 01:31:22,651 --> 01:31:24,783 and they never let anything stop them. 2152 01:31:24,827 --> 01:31:26,785 Whether they're popular or not popular, 2153 01:31:26,829 --> 01:31:29,135 it just doesn't seem to matter to them, 2154 01:31:29,179 --> 01:31:31,181 and I love that about them. 2155 01:31:31,224 --> 01:31:33,270 ROSS: They don't want to stick with just one thing. 2156 01:31:33,313 --> 01:31:35,838 You know, and what an audience seems to want is: 2157 01:31:35,881 --> 01:31:37,404 "This is what this band does, 2158 01:31:37,448 --> 01:31:39,276 and this is what they'll continue doing for me." 2159 01:31:39,319 --> 01:31:40,973 And if you change too much, I think it upsets people, 2160 01:31:41,017 --> 01:31:42,540 but in their case, they needed to. 2161 01:31:42,584 --> 01:31:45,282 And I kind of love them all the more for that. 2162 01:31:45,325 --> 01:31:48,198 ♪ The rain is falling down... 2163 01:31:48,241 --> 01:31:50,026 RON: People, a lot of the time, 2164 01:31:50,069 --> 01:31:52,985 they think of our image as being maybe a bit eccentric 2165 01:31:53,029 --> 01:31:54,857 and they don't think that it's dealing 2166 01:31:54,900 --> 01:31:56,554 with-with sort of real things, 2167 01:31:56,598 --> 01:31:58,251 and we really think that by and large-- 2168 01:31:58,295 --> 01:31:59,992 and I emphasize "by and large"-- 2169 01:32:00,036 --> 01:32:00,950 we're dealing 2170 01:32:00,993 --> 01:32:02,386 with real situations. 2171 01:32:02,429 --> 01:32:04,301 ♪ But wait, there's a rainbow... ♪ 2172 01:32:04,344 --> 01:32:07,260 STEWART: "Change" was this, um, 2173 01:32:07,304 --> 01:32:08,566 radical departure for them. 2174 01:32:08,610 --> 01:32:10,742 HEGARTY: It was kind of more muted, 2175 01:32:10,786 --> 01:32:12,483 and it was sort of darker. 2176 01:32:12,527 --> 01:32:14,920 STEWART: You couldn't make a less commercial record 2177 01:32:14,964 --> 01:32:16,792 or release it as a single. 2178 01:32:16,835 --> 01:32:20,317 And I remember how much I loved it at the time 2179 01:32:20,360 --> 01:32:21,710 because of those qualities. 2180 01:32:21,753 --> 01:32:23,407 ♪ Change 2181 01:32:23,450 --> 01:32:28,238 ♪ Every dog is gonna have his day ♪ 2182 01:32:28,281 --> 01:32:30,109 ♪ Change 2183 01:32:30,153 --> 01:32:34,723 ♪ Every loser's gonna have his way ♪ 2184 01:32:34,766 --> 01:32:36,551 ♪ Change 2185 01:32:36,594 --> 01:32:39,989 ♪ I don't care what other people say... ♪ 2186 01:32:40,032 --> 01:32:42,034 BOHEM: There's this ability-- 2187 01:32:42,078 --> 01:32:43,906 so few people have it-- it's like... 2188 01:32:43,949 --> 01:32:47,039 you say very little, you're funny as could be, 2189 01:32:47,083 --> 01:32:49,694 and all of a sudden, it-it's devastating. 2190 01:32:49,738 --> 01:32:52,523 ♪ It's a complete waste of time... ♪ 2191 01:32:52,567 --> 01:32:54,960 DEAN MENTA: When I was touring with them, they would do that. 2192 01:32:55,004 --> 01:32:56,571 And I always thought, "Wow, 2193 01:32:56,614 --> 01:32:58,529 that's a super poignant song," 2194 01:32:58,573 --> 01:33:00,357 considering their ups and downs 2195 01:33:00,400 --> 01:33:02,751 in the recording industry. 2196 01:33:02,794 --> 01:33:03,795 RUSSELL: We were given 2197 01:33:03,839 --> 01:33:05,623 the unenviable task 2198 01:33:05,667 --> 01:33:08,713 of being on a show on British TV 2199 01:33:08,757 --> 01:33:12,761 and our record label didn't want to finance a video. 2200 01:33:12,804 --> 01:33:15,938 If there's any other local bands out there 2201 01:33:15,981 --> 01:33:20,333 that would like this same sort of video, uh, treatment, 2202 01:33:20,377 --> 01:33:23,554 they can contact me through London Records. 2203 01:33:23,598 --> 01:33:25,730 ♪ Change, change, change 2204 01:33:25,774 --> 01:33:29,908 ♪ I don't care what other people say... ♪ 2205 01:33:29,952 --> 01:33:31,780 RUSSELL: We hoped it would embarrass 2206 01:33:31,823 --> 01:33:33,869 our record label enough to, 2207 01:33:33,912 --> 01:33:37,742 the next time around, maybe, uh, fling to do a video for us. 2208 01:33:37,786 --> 01:33:40,310 ♪ I got places that I've gotta be... ♪ 2209 01:33:40,353 --> 01:33:42,094 RON: We billed the record company 2210 01:33:42,138 --> 01:33:44,140 for the two pounds to buy the, uh, board 2211 01:33:44,183 --> 01:33:46,446 that we made the TV out of, too. 2212 01:33:46,490 --> 01:33:48,231 Still are waiting to get paid back for that. 2213 01:33:48,274 --> 01:33:49,275 ANNOUNCER: Ladies and gentlemen, 2214 01:33:49,319 --> 01:33:52,670 please welcome Sparks. 2215 01:33:52,714 --> 01:33:55,238 [cheering and applause] 2216 01:33:55,281 --> 01:33:57,240 RUSSELL: We really liked that song, 2217 01:33:57,283 --> 01:34:00,678 but unfortunately, it didn't have the commercial success 2218 01:34:00,722 --> 01:34:03,289 that they had hoped for, so there was one time 2219 01:34:03,333 --> 01:34:05,727 where the head of that label, he just said, you know, 2220 01:34:05,770 --> 01:34:07,554 "You guys really should write 2221 01:34:07,598 --> 01:34:09,818 some music that you can dance to." 2222 01:34:09,861 --> 01:34:12,124 ♪ Music that you can dance to 2223 01:34:12,168 --> 01:34:13,648 ♪ That and that alone 2224 01:34:13,691 --> 01:34:16,389 ♪ Is enough for me 2225 01:34:17,564 --> 01:34:20,045 ♪ Stark naked modern music 2226 01:34:20,089 --> 01:34:22,613 ♪ Hotter than your mama will ever be... ♪ 2227 01:34:22,657 --> 01:34:24,833 RUSSELL: "Hotter than your mama will ever be." 2228 01:34:24,876 --> 01:34:27,226 I mean, every song I write, I try to make it hotter 2229 01:34:27,270 --> 01:34:28,924 than your mama will ever be. 2230 01:34:28,967 --> 01:34:30,969 ♪ Music that you can dance to ♪ 2231 01:34:31,013 --> 01:34:32,754 ♪ Cracks you like a whip ♪ 2232 01:34:32,797 --> 01:34:35,408 ♪ But it feels so right... 2233 01:34:35,452 --> 01:34:39,108 RON: The lyrics sound like it's trying to be kind of 2234 01:34:39,151 --> 01:34:41,893 nasty and oversimplistic, but I swear to God, 2235 01:34:41,937 --> 01:34:43,982 they were... they were done with total sincerity. 2236 01:34:44,026 --> 01:34:45,592 ♪ So what's it gonna be? 2237 01:34:45,636 --> 01:34:47,507 ♪ Gonna be, gonna be 2238 01:34:47,551 --> 01:34:50,206 -♪ A symphony tonight -♪ Symphony tonight... 2239 01:34:50,249 --> 01:34:52,817 STEWART: It's a perfectly crafted sellout song, 2240 01:34:52,861 --> 01:34:56,995 except it's not and it's mocking that idea, and... 2241 01:34:57,039 --> 01:34:59,171 "Here's your fucking dance pop record." 2242 01:34:59,215 --> 01:35:01,739 ♪ Music that you can dance to 2243 01:35:01,783 --> 01:35:06,657 ♪ Every single beat where it ought to be... ♪ 2244 01:35:06,701 --> 01:35:08,528 RUSSELL: The record executive at that company 2245 01:35:08,572 --> 01:35:11,053 took it the wrong way, and he wasn't 2246 01:35:11,096 --> 01:35:14,317 so happy, so we, uh, severed our relationship 2247 01:35:14,360 --> 01:35:15,274 with that label. 2248 01:35:15,318 --> 01:35:18,277 ♪ 2249 01:35:18,321 --> 01:35:20,715 Fuck the guy from London Records, right? 2250 01:35:22,064 --> 01:35:24,370 ♪ Music that you can dance to... ♪ 2251 01:35:24,414 --> 01:35:27,112 SCHWARTZMAN: I told Ron and Russell that I loved that song, 2252 01:35:27,156 --> 01:35:28,766 and they said something in the email like, 2253 01:35:28,810 --> 01:35:31,247 "Yes, you're in the age bracket for that song. 2254 01:35:31,290 --> 01:35:34,250 "That was in a really cheesy '80s BMX movie 2255 01:35:34,293 --> 01:35:36,382 calledRad, if you've ever seen it." 2256 01:35:36,426 --> 01:35:38,297 And I wrote back, "Yes, I've seen it. 2257 01:35:38,341 --> 01:35:40,343 My mom was in it." 2258 01:35:42,084 --> 01:35:44,216 [sighs] 2259 01:35:44,260 --> 01:35:45,609 ♪ 2260 01:35:45,652 --> 01:35:47,306 KNEGO: Their base of music, KROQ, 2261 01:35:47,350 --> 01:35:49,221 which was such a great support to them 2262 01:35:49,265 --> 01:35:50,962 in the early '80s, was moving on. 2263 01:35:51,006 --> 01:35:52,790 They wanted bands like Red Hot Chili Peppers 2264 01:35:52,834 --> 01:35:55,532 and more of a angry, edgier sound. 2265 01:35:55,575 --> 01:35:58,100 It seemed like the Top 40 era, 2266 01:35:58,143 --> 01:36:00,493 that, uh, wasn't happening at that point. 2267 01:36:00,537 --> 01:36:03,888 STEWART: I bought intoInterior Design 2268 01:36:03,932 --> 01:36:06,717 and would've put out any Sparks record for any reason. 2269 01:36:06,761 --> 01:36:08,588 Unfortunately, at that time, 2270 01:36:08,632 --> 01:36:11,287 they had less relevance 2271 01:36:11,330 --> 01:36:13,158 than they ever had 2272 01:36:13,202 --> 01:36:14,943 to what was going on in the market. 2273 01:36:14,986 --> 01:36:16,596 So we got to put the record out, 2274 01:36:16,640 --> 01:36:18,598 but we weren't able to do much for it. 2275 01:36:18,642 --> 01:36:22,341 KNEGO: You know, they weren't, like, 20-somethings anymore. 2276 01:36:22,385 --> 01:36:25,431 It was a very, very hard time commercially for them, 2277 01:36:25,475 --> 01:36:27,346 but creatively, they never stopped. 2278 01:36:27,390 --> 01:36:28,913 They were always working on something. 2279 01:36:28,957 --> 01:36:32,264 Is there anybody out there at all right now? 2280 01:36:34,397 --> 01:36:36,616 DICK CLARK: Let's take a look and see 2281 01:36:36,660 --> 01:36:38,793 what's going on out there in California. 2282 01:36:38,836 --> 01:36:40,533 They're bringing it in in style. 2283 01:36:42,448 --> 01:36:44,929 HAYDON: They recorded every day, 2284 01:36:44,973 --> 01:36:46,235 sometimes seven days a week. 2285 01:36:46,278 --> 01:36:48,193 They were in their home studio 2286 01:36:48,237 --> 01:36:50,717 just coming up with brilliant material 2287 01:36:50,761 --> 01:36:53,459 that wasn't being signed, and it wasn't necessarily 2288 01:36:53,503 --> 01:36:55,940 going to culminate into an album. 2289 01:36:55,984 --> 01:37:00,031 CLARK: 1990. Happy New Year! 2290 01:37:00,075 --> 01:37:03,034 HAYDON: Because of the lack of a record deal 2291 01:37:03,078 --> 01:37:07,430 and any kind of record company financial support, you know, 2292 01:37:07,473 --> 01:37:10,476 there comes a point where the well is getting a bit dry. 2293 01:37:10,520 --> 01:37:12,696 It seemed, like, really imperative 2294 01:37:12,739 --> 01:37:16,439 that Russell learn how to be the engineer. 2295 01:37:18,745 --> 01:37:22,358 CLARK: It's 1991 onNew Year's Rockin' Eve. 2296 01:37:24,055 --> 01:37:26,101 HAYDON: Had they have been two guys 2297 01:37:26,144 --> 01:37:27,493 that did drugs and all of that 2298 01:37:27,537 --> 01:37:29,626 and blew their money in the past, 2299 01:37:29,669 --> 01:37:31,149 they wouldn't have been able 2300 01:37:31,193 --> 01:37:32,890 to pay their bills during that time. 2301 01:37:32,934 --> 01:37:36,241 It's a testament to them in every aspect, you know, 2302 01:37:36,285 --> 01:37:38,200 to how they had... had, 2303 01:37:38,243 --> 01:37:40,898 um, you know, saved for that rainy day. 2304 01:37:40,942 --> 01:37:42,639 So they were able to have, you know, 2305 01:37:42,682 --> 01:37:45,033 almost six years of rainy days. 2306 01:37:45,076 --> 01:37:48,253 CLARK: Now, 1992. Happy New Year. 2307 01:37:50,212 --> 01:37:51,822 HAYDON [crying]: Like, I get emotional 2308 01:37:51,866 --> 01:37:53,737 when I think about that time. 2309 01:37:58,785 --> 01:38:02,702 Every day-- like I said, sometimes seven days a week... 2310 01:38:06,706 --> 01:38:10,580 ...from morning till night, they were working so hard. 2311 01:38:12,408 --> 01:38:15,933 And they never... they never tried to, 2312 01:38:15,977 --> 01:38:18,109 you know, do their version of being commercial. 2313 01:38:18,153 --> 01:38:22,722 They never tried to... to dumb it down, water it down. 2314 01:38:22,766 --> 01:38:27,118 They stayed so true to exactly... 2315 01:38:27,162 --> 01:38:29,425 what they've always been. 2316 01:38:29,468 --> 01:38:31,993 CLARK: Five seconds to 1993. 2317 01:38:32,036 --> 01:38:35,561 Happy New Year's Rockin' Eve '93. 2318 01:38:35,605 --> 01:38:38,913 RUSSELL: The one thing that I'm proudest of with Sparks 2319 01:38:38,956 --> 01:38:41,959 is just our determination and resilience. 2320 01:38:42,003 --> 01:38:44,831 For instance, we devoted six years of our lives 2321 01:38:44,875 --> 01:38:46,616 to work on a movie musical project 2322 01:38:46,659 --> 01:38:49,053 that was called Mai, the Psychic Girl. 2323 01:38:49,097 --> 01:38:51,795 It was based on a Japanese manga. 2324 01:38:51,838 --> 01:38:53,710 We were really up for the challenge of that 2325 01:38:53,753 --> 01:38:54,972 because we-we thought 2326 01:38:55,016 --> 01:38:57,322 that this could be a way also 2327 01:38:57,366 --> 01:39:00,412 for Sparks to channel what we were doing 2328 01:39:00,456 --> 01:39:03,154 but in another form yet again. 2329 01:39:03,198 --> 01:39:06,636 And Tim Burton was signed on early on to direct it. 2330 01:39:08,681 --> 01:39:11,336 We did miss performing live during that period, 2331 01:39:11,380 --> 01:39:13,295 but I think, in the back of our heads, 2332 01:39:13,338 --> 01:39:15,340 we were also thinking a lot of people 2333 01:39:15,384 --> 01:39:17,299 are gonna see this Tim Burton movie 2334 01:39:17,342 --> 01:39:22,782 and it will obviously help the cause for Sparks. 2335 01:39:22,826 --> 01:39:26,612 HAYDON: When we got word that Tim was 2336 01:39:26,656 --> 01:39:28,788 bowing out of Mai, the Psychic Girl, 2337 01:39:28,832 --> 01:39:29,876 there were tears, 2338 01:39:29,920 --> 01:39:32,009 and... [chuckles] 2339 01:39:32,053 --> 01:39:35,926 And I-I-I cry easily, but Ron and Russell don't, 2340 01:39:35,970 --> 01:39:37,972 and there were tears. 2341 01:39:39,625 --> 01:39:42,324 RON: We kind of had put all of our chips on that one thing, 2342 01:39:42,367 --> 01:39:45,718 and-and maybe that was the wrong thing to do. 2343 01:39:47,285 --> 01:39:50,680 RUSSELL: Somehow, you know, you muster up the enthusiasm 2344 01:39:50,723 --> 01:39:52,464 to-to continue on. 2345 01:39:52,508 --> 01:39:54,858 I think sometimes it's the setbacks 2346 01:39:54,901 --> 01:39:58,340 that-that actually make you stronger. 2347 01:39:58,383 --> 01:40:00,646 And sometimes, as a result of those things, 2348 01:40:00,690 --> 01:40:05,129 you end up doing something even better. 2349 01:40:05,173 --> 01:40:09,090 CLARK: Happy 1994. 2350 01:40:09,133 --> 01:40:10,569 KAPRANOS: I remember going to Fopp 2351 01:40:10,613 --> 01:40:12,136 on Byres Road in Glasgow 2352 01:40:12,180 --> 01:40:15,052 and, um, this new Sparks album was out. 2353 01:40:15,096 --> 01:40:16,880 Gratuitous Sax & Senseless Violins. 2354 01:40:16,923 --> 01:40:18,795 I was thinking, like, "Oh, wow. 2355 01:40:18,838 --> 01:40:20,449 So this band still exists?" 2356 01:40:20,492 --> 01:40:24,061 ♪ No, no use in lecturing them ♪ 2357 01:40:24,105 --> 01:40:26,020 ♪ Or in threatening them 2358 01:40:26,063 --> 01:40:28,457 ♪ They will just say, "Who are you?" ♪ 2359 01:40:28,500 --> 01:40:30,807 GLORIA HUNNIFORD: That unusual duo from the '70s 2360 01:40:30,850 --> 01:40:32,548 are back and still brilliant. 2361 01:40:32,591 --> 01:40:34,680 Bloody hell, they look amazing. 2362 01:40:34,724 --> 01:40:35,986 Have they not aged? 2363 01:40:36,030 --> 01:40:37,335 HUNNIFORD: It's like a time warp. 2364 01:40:37,379 --> 01:40:38,510 The pair of you look exactly the same. 2365 01:40:38,554 --> 01:40:40,773 Well, thank you. What can I say? 2366 01:40:40,817 --> 01:40:42,210 So, after a six-year gap, 2367 01:40:42,253 --> 01:40:44,081 they came back with a vengeance. 2368 01:40:44,125 --> 01:40:47,389 ♪ No, no use in taking their time ♪ 2369 01:40:47,432 --> 01:40:49,391 ♪ Or in wasting two dimes 2370 01:40:49,434 --> 01:40:52,742 ♪ On a call to God knows who 2371 01:40:52,785 --> 01:40:55,136 ♪ When all you feel is the rain ♪ 2372 01:40:55,179 --> 01:40:57,181 ♪ And it's hard to be vain 2373 01:40:57,225 --> 01:41:00,576 ♪ When no person looks at you 2374 01:41:00,619 --> 01:41:05,450 ♪ So just be gracious and wait in the queue ♪ 2375 01:41:07,496 --> 01:41:11,413 ♪ So when do I get to sing "My Way"? ♪ 2376 01:41:11,456 --> 01:41:14,242 ♪ When do I get to feel like Sinatra... ♪ 2377 01:41:14,285 --> 01:41:16,505 Oh, my God, "When Do I Get to Sing 'My Way.'" 2378 01:41:16,548 --> 01:41:18,420 Oh, I love it. 2379 01:41:18,463 --> 01:41:20,335 It absolutely was the perfect song 2380 01:41:20,378 --> 01:41:23,120 for this big comeback. 2381 01:41:23,164 --> 01:41:25,862 RUSSELL: Our German manager at the time said, 2382 01:41:25,905 --> 01:41:28,691 "Ja, ja,this is ein Hit." 2383 01:41:28,734 --> 01:41:31,563 So he approached BMG Records in Germany, 2384 01:41:31,607 --> 01:41:33,609 and they said, "Ja, you are right. 2385 01:41:33,652 --> 01:41:35,437 Das ist ein Hit." 2386 01:41:35,480 --> 01:41:39,136 ♪ Don't see, is my smiley face still on? ♪ 2387 01:41:39,180 --> 01:41:41,007 HAYDON: The video did showcase them 2388 01:41:41,051 --> 01:41:43,140 as these glamorous guys 2389 01:41:43,184 --> 01:41:45,925 who at least one of them has it all, 2390 01:41:45,969 --> 01:41:47,536 but it's coming out of a time when 2391 01:41:47,579 --> 01:41:49,712 they didn't have it all. 2392 01:41:49,755 --> 01:41:51,453 -I feel wonderful. -[laughter] 2393 01:41:51,496 --> 01:41:53,498 ♪ When do I get to feel like Sinatra felt? ♪ 2394 01:41:53,542 --> 01:41:56,458 KNEGO: Sparks singing "When Do I Get to Sing 'My Way'" 2395 01:41:56,501 --> 01:41:58,416 is, like, the ultimate statement. 2396 01:41:58,460 --> 01:41:59,896 It's like, "Yeah, okay, you liked it 2397 01:41:59,939 --> 01:42:01,637 "when Frank Sinatra did it. 2398 01:42:01,680 --> 01:42:03,508 "You liked it when Sid Vicious did it, you know? 2399 01:42:03,552 --> 01:42:05,684 Why can't we do it?" 2400 01:42:05,728 --> 01:42:09,210 ♪ When do I get to feel like Sid Vicious felt? ♪ 2401 01:42:09,253 --> 01:42:11,386 KAPRANOS: The irony is I don't think Ron or Russell want 2402 01:42:11,429 --> 01:42:13,431 to be either Sinatra 2403 01:42:13,475 --> 01:42:15,085 or Sid Vicious. 2404 01:42:15,129 --> 01:42:18,784 They just want to feel as famous. 2405 01:42:18,828 --> 01:42:21,352 ♪ They'll introduce me 2406 01:42:21,396 --> 01:42:23,833 ♪ Hello, hello 2407 01:42:23,876 --> 01:42:25,139 RUSSELL: We were being perceived 2408 01:42:25,182 --> 01:42:26,575 as a brand-new band now. 2409 01:42:26,618 --> 01:42:28,446 ♪ Women seduce me... 2410 01:42:28,490 --> 01:42:30,318 RON: Some of the radio stations 2411 01:42:30,361 --> 01:42:33,930 kind of accused us of ripping off bands that, 2412 01:42:33,973 --> 01:42:37,977 in all modesty, were influenced by what we had done, 2413 01:42:38,021 --> 01:42:40,806 and it was kind of humiliating. 2414 01:42:40,850 --> 01:42:43,157 Backstage at a Pet Shop Boys concert, 2415 01:42:43,200 --> 01:42:44,723 while I was promoting their records, 2416 01:42:44,767 --> 01:42:46,856 I approached Neil Tennant, and I said, 2417 01:42:46,899 --> 01:42:49,380 "Why don't you guys ever acknowledge Sparks?" 2418 01:42:49,424 --> 01:42:51,991 And he just gave me a, you know, sort of a scornful look 2419 01:42:52,035 --> 01:42:55,473 and said, "You're very naughty," and walked away. 2420 01:42:55,517 --> 01:42:56,866 MORRIS: It was weird coming back... 2421 01:42:56,909 --> 01:42:58,215 GILBERT: Yeah. 2422 01:42:58,259 --> 01:43:00,652 ...to find something you invented. 2423 01:43:00,696 --> 01:43:03,264 [laughing]: Yeah. And you've left behind. 2424 01:43:03,307 --> 01:43:05,048 KNEGO: We had a top ten with 2425 01:43:05,091 --> 01:43:06,441 "When Do I Get to Sing 'My Way'" 2426 01:43:06,484 --> 01:43:08,399 and another couple charting singles 2427 01:43:08,443 --> 01:43:10,227 off of that album as well. 2428 01:43:10,271 --> 01:43:12,708 So Sparks really sort of made a name for themselves 2429 01:43:12,751 --> 01:43:14,536 in the clubs, which was really cool. 2430 01:43:14,579 --> 01:43:17,930 RON: It became the number one airplay song in Germany. 2431 01:43:17,974 --> 01:43:20,933 RUSSELL: Thank you, uh, especially to... 2432 01:43:20,977 --> 01:43:24,110 everyone in Germany for making this past year 2433 01:43:24,154 --> 01:43:25,938 so super special for Sparks. 2434 01:43:25,982 --> 01:43:28,245 So thank you very much. 2435 01:43:28,289 --> 01:43:30,943 [cheering] 2436 01:43:30,987 --> 01:43:33,032 [wind whistling] 2437 01:43:34,904 --> 01:43:37,123 [thunder crashes] 2438 01:43:37,167 --> 01:43:40,605 ♪ 2439 01:43:40,649 --> 01:43:42,607 RON: If we had stayed strong, 2440 01:43:42,651 --> 01:43:44,174 we probably wouldn't have done 2441 01:43:44,218 --> 01:43:46,872 thePlagiarism album. 2442 01:43:46,916 --> 01:43:49,048 Plagiarism was something that was 2443 01:43:49,092 --> 01:43:51,660 recommended from outside forces. 2444 01:43:53,314 --> 01:43:54,793 It's a retrospective of their own career, 2445 01:43:54,837 --> 01:43:56,491 but they've done it 2446 01:43:56,534 --> 01:44:00,886 as grandiose, orchestral, bombastic versions. 2447 01:44:00,930 --> 01:44:03,280 RON: It was felt that since we had 2448 01:44:03,324 --> 01:44:05,761 reached a whole new audience, 2449 01:44:05,804 --> 01:44:08,242 maybe there's a group of young people 2450 01:44:08,285 --> 01:44:10,592 that haven't heard earlier stuff, 2451 01:44:10,635 --> 01:44:13,812 and we reluctantly went along with that. 2452 01:44:13,856 --> 01:44:16,162 PUCKRIK: They're not interested in looking backwards. 2453 01:44:16,206 --> 01:44:18,426 They're always on a quest. They're always on a mission 2454 01:44:18,469 --> 01:44:22,560 to further their musical perversions. 2455 01:44:22,604 --> 01:44:24,127 RON: One of the reasons why 2456 01:44:24,170 --> 01:44:25,998 we've been able to go on for so long 2457 01:44:26,042 --> 01:44:28,305 is because we're always kind of looking to the next album 2458 01:44:28,349 --> 01:44:30,829 and not even bothering with the past. 2459 01:44:30,873 --> 01:44:33,049 And so when we get back to Los Angeles, 2460 01:44:33,092 --> 01:44:35,443 that's the first thing we're gonna be working on 2461 01:44:35,486 --> 01:44:37,923 is an album of new material. 2462 01:44:37,967 --> 01:44:40,012 ♪ 2463 01:44:42,101 --> 01:44:46,062 SILVERBLATT: Sparks is the quintessence of a band 2464 01:44:46,105 --> 01:44:49,718 that starts and starts again and starts again. 2465 01:44:49,761 --> 01:44:53,461 No success is big enough for them. 2466 01:44:53,504 --> 01:44:56,420 No failure is small enough for them. 2467 01:44:56,464 --> 01:44:59,075 They can always move on. 2468 01:44:59,118 --> 01:45:01,773 ["Balls" by Sparks playing] 2469 01:45:01,817 --> 01:45:03,427 TAMMY GLOVER: Every single album, 2470 01:45:03,471 --> 01:45:07,126 we think, is going to be the breakthrough album 2471 01:45:07,170 --> 01:45:09,868 where, you know, the world finally gets wise. 2472 01:45:09,912 --> 01:45:11,392 ♪ To succeed are balls 2473 01:45:11,435 --> 01:45:14,264 ♪ All you need are balls... 2474 01:45:14,308 --> 01:45:15,831 RUSSELL: Maybe there's something 2475 01:45:15,874 --> 01:45:18,224 to that lyric that resonates 2476 01:45:18,268 --> 01:45:20,270 with-with Sparks. 2477 01:45:25,014 --> 01:45:26,929 -[laughter] -And I turn it over to Ron, 2478 01:45:26,972 --> 01:45:28,887 -who would like to... -Such a... I'm just moved. 2479 01:45:28,931 --> 01:45:31,629 ♪ Balls, all you need are balls ♪ 2480 01:45:31,673 --> 01:45:33,805 ♪ To succeed are balls 2481 01:45:33,849 --> 01:45:35,981 ♪ All you need are... 2482 01:45:36,025 --> 01:45:39,376 GLOVER: Balls didn't break through. 2483 01:45:39,420 --> 01:45:43,075 But every time that happens, Ron reinvents everything. 2484 01:45:43,119 --> 01:45:45,164 It's just in Sparks's DNA 2485 01:45:45,208 --> 01:45:48,385 to rip up the rule book and start over. 2486 01:45:48,429 --> 01:45:50,518 KNEGO: They've reinvented themselves several times, 2487 01:45:50,561 --> 01:45:52,215 but Lil' Beethovenwas, I think, 2488 01:45:52,258 --> 01:45:54,696 phase three in the Sparks genre. 2489 01:45:54,739 --> 01:45:56,741 MAIDA: It's almost as if they erased 2490 01:45:56,785 --> 01:45:59,918 the chalkboard, you know, and started over again. 2491 01:45:59,962 --> 01:46:03,705 ♪ I am the rhythm thief 2492 01:46:03,748 --> 01:46:06,708 ♪ Say goodbye to the beat 2493 01:46:06,751 --> 01:46:10,146 ♪ I am the rhythm thief 2494 01:46:10,189 --> 01:46:13,149 ♪ Auf Wiedersehen to the beat 2495 01:46:13,192 --> 01:46:14,759 ♪ Oh, no... 2496 01:46:14,803 --> 01:46:16,370 PALLADINO: It was a really interesting variation 2497 01:46:16,413 --> 01:46:18,110 on everything they had done before. 2498 01:46:18,154 --> 01:46:20,678 It was almost like a-- you're combining 2499 01:46:20,722 --> 01:46:23,333 Steve Reich and his repetition 2500 01:46:23,377 --> 01:46:26,118 with Sparks and their comedy. 2501 01:46:26,162 --> 01:46:29,513 ♪ You'll never get it back, you'll never get it back ♪ 2502 01:46:29,557 --> 01:46:32,777 ♪ The rhythm thief has got it and you'll never get it back ♪ 2503 01:46:32,821 --> 01:46:35,998 ♪ You'll never get it back, you'll never get it back ♪ 2504 01:46:36,041 --> 01:46:37,608 ♪ The rhythm thief has got it 2505 01:46:37,652 --> 01:46:39,567 ♪ Lights out, Ibiza... 2506 01:46:39,610 --> 01:46:41,133 There's all these group vocals and chants 2507 01:46:41,177 --> 01:46:42,700 that are almost like raps, 2508 01:46:42,744 --> 01:46:45,877 kind of neoclassical feel to the music. 2509 01:46:45,921 --> 01:46:49,011 -♪ I am the rhythm thief -♪ Rhythm, rhythm thief♪ 2510 01:46:49,054 --> 01:46:52,362 ♪ Auf Wiedersehen to the beat. ♪ 2511 01:46:53,581 --> 01:46:55,974 STEWART: What they remind me of with that album 2512 01:46:56,018 --> 01:46:56,975 is how important it is 2513 01:46:57,019 --> 01:46:58,890 to stay on your toes 2514 01:46:58,934 --> 01:47:01,284 and be alert and be challenged as a listener 2515 01:47:01,327 --> 01:47:04,418 and to move away from nostalgia and comfort food. 2516 01:47:04,461 --> 01:47:07,682 ♪ I married myself 2517 01:47:07,725 --> 01:47:09,901 ♪ I'm very happy together 2518 01:47:09,945 --> 01:47:12,861 ♪ Long, long walks on the beach ♪ 2519 01:47:12,904 --> 01:47:16,342 ♪ Lovely times 2520 01:47:16,386 --> 01:47:19,781 ♪ I married myself 2521 01:47:19,824 --> 01:47:22,784 ♪ I'm very happy together 2522 01:47:22,827 --> 01:47:25,003 ♪ Candlelight dinners home 2523 01:47:25,047 --> 01:47:27,310 ♪ Lovely times... 2524 01:47:27,353 --> 01:47:28,877 KNEGO: They weren't trying to be 2525 01:47:28,920 --> 01:47:30,269 something to please a record company. 2526 01:47:30,313 --> 01:47:31,270 They were just taking 2527 01:47:31,314 --> 01:47:33,142 all their creative juices 2528 01:47:33,185 --> 01:47:35,013 and putting it into something that they loved. 2529 01:47:35,057 --> 01:47:37,059 It's that ability and desire 2530 01:47:37,102 --> 01:47:38,800 to take risks 2531 01:47:38,843 --> 01:47:41,585 and to mess things up that makes them Sparks. 2532 01:47:42,717 --> 01:47:45,023 RUSSELL: I think we spent over a year 2533 01:47:45,067 --> 01:47:48,331 recordingLil' Beethoven, not even knowing for sure 2534 01:47:48,374 --> 01:47:50,725 what the end product was going to be. 2535 01:47:50,768 --> 01:47:52,291 And I think, when you kind of 2536 01:47:52,335 --> 01:47:54,424 approach an album in that sort of way, 2537 01:47:54,468 --> 01:47:56,513 we tend to spend a lot of time on it. 2538 01:48:01,518 --> 01:48:03,955 It's you. 2539 01:48:05,827 --> 01:48:07,742 RON: The albumLil' Beethoven, 2540 01:48:07,785 --> 01:48:11,485 in particular, was one where the studio was essential. 2541 01:48:12,747 --> 01:48:16,446 Just creatively, you know, we feel so energized 2542 01:48:16,490 --> 01:48:18,535 by working in this kind of way 2543 01:48:18,579 --> 01:48:20,450 where we don't have to feel foolish 2544 01:48:20,494 --> 01:48:21,973 if we do something foolish. 2545 01:48:22,017 --> 01:48:25,237 And we do quite a bit of foolish things, 2546 01:48:25,281 --> 01:48:27,675 but you'll never hear about 'em. 2547 01:48:30,155 --> 01:48:31,983 RUSSELL: Not being dependent 2548 01:48:32,027 --> 01:48:34,986 on massive budgets and record companies 2549 01:48:35,030 --> 01:48:36,901 became a really liberating thing 2550 01:48:36,945 --> 01:48:38,468 that now we could record 2551 01:48:38,512 --> 01:48:41,732 on our own, and then we just hand that off 2552 01:48:41,776 --> 01:48:43,168 to a... to a label, 2553 01:48:43,212 --> 01:48:45,388 and then, uh, take it or leave it. 2554 01:48:45,431 --> 01:48:47,956 [playing "My Baby's Taking Me Home"] 2555 01:48:51,133 --> 01:48:54,310 ♪ Home, my baby's taking me home ♪ 2556 01:48:54,353 --> 01:48:56,312 ♪ My baby's taking me home 2557 01:48:56,355 --> 01:48:59,489 ♪ My baby's taking me home ♪ 2558 01:49:00,446 --> 01:49:02,100 ♪ Home... 2559 01:49:02,144 --> 01:49:03,667 RON: "My Baby's Taking Me Home" is 2560 01:49:03,711 --> 01:49:05,843 one of my favorites off of that album. 2561 01:49:05,887 --> 01:49:07,541 It's an emotional song 2562 01:49:07,584 --> 01:49:09,325 that has lots of bumps and curves 2563 01:49:09,368 --> 01:49:11,675 and poetic images would have, 2564 01:49:11,719 --> 01:49:13,285 but it's only pretty much saying, 2565 01:49:13,329 --> 01:49:15,026 "Home, my baby's taking me home." 2566 01:49:15,070 --> 01:49:16,854 ♪ My baby's taking me home 2567 01:49:16,898 --> 01:49:19,335 ♪ My baby's taking me home ♪ 2568 01:49:19,378 --> 01:49:22,033 ♪ My baby's taking me home 2569 01:49:22,077 --> 01:49:24,427 ♪ My baby's taking me home ♪ 2570 01:49:24,470 --> 01:49:26,908 ♪ My baby's taking me home 2571 01:49:26,951 --> 01:49:29,388 ♪ My baby's taking me home ♪ 2572 01:49:29,432 --> 01:49:31,782 ♪ My baby's taking me home... 2573 01:49:31,826 --> 01:49:34,742 GLOVER: It was amazing to me that you could repeat a lyric 2574 01:49:34,785 --> 01:49:37,614 and have it mean something different 2575 01:49:37,658 --> 01:49:39,137 as the narrator 2576 01:49:39,181 --> 01:49:42,967 starts saying it over and over and over again. 2577 01:49:43,011 --> 01:49:45,274 It was almost like an acting technique. 2578 01:49:45,317 --> 01:49:47,015 ♪ My baby's taking me home 2579 01:49:47,058 --> 01:49:49,408 ♪ My baby's taking me home ♪ 2580 01:49:49,452 --> 01:49:51,889 ♪ My baby's taking me home 2581 01:49:51,933 --> 01:49:54,457 ♪ My baby's taking me home ♪ 2582 01:49:54,500 --> 01:49:56,851 ♪ My baby's taking me home 2583 01:49:56,894 --> 01:49:59,375 ♪ My baby's taking me home ♪ 2584 01:49:59,418 --> 01:50:01,203 Sing it! 2585 01:50:01,246 --> 01:50:04,728 ♪ Home, my baby's taking me home ♪ 2586 01:50:04,772 --> 01:50:06,600 ♪ My baby's taking me home 2587 01:50:06,643 --> 01:50:09,385 ♪ My baby's taking me home ♪ 2588 01:50:09,428 --> 01:50:11,866 ♪ My baby's taking me home... 2589 01:50:11,909 --> 01:50:13,215 BEN HOUSE: I can remember playing 2590 01:50:13,258 --> 01:50:14,651 "My Baby's Taking Me Home" 2591 01:50:14,695 --> 01:50:15,826 for a friend of mine, 2592 01:50:15,870 --> 01:50:17,959 and as the song keeps going, 2593 01:50:18,002 --> 01:50:20,048 her eyes just got wider and wider. 2594 01:50:20,091 --> 01:50:21,876 ♪ My baby's taking me home... 2595 01:50:21,919 --> 01:50:23,660 Hearing it live, oh, man, 2596 01:50:23,704 --> 01:50:26,010 that is a hypnotic, great, great song. 2597 01:50:26,054 --> 01:50:29,579 ♪ Home, my baby's taking me home ♪ 2598 01:50:29,623 --> 01:50:31,755 ♪ My baby's taking me home 2599 01:50:31,799 --> 01:50:34,584 ♪ My baby's taking me home ♪ 2600 01:50:34,628 --> 01:50:37,413 ♪ My baby's taking me home 2601 01:50:37,456 --> 01:50:39,458 ♪ My baby's taking me home ♪ 2602 01:50:39,502 --> 01:50:42,418 ♪ My baby's taking me home 2603 01:50:42,461 --> 01:50:44,420 ♪ My baby's taking me home... ♪ 2604 01:50:44,463 --> 01:50:46,248 HARRIS: There were a lot of critics out there 2605 01:50:46,291 --> 01:50:49,468 that wanted to be able to like Sparks and wanted to be able 2606 01:50:49,512 --> 01:50:51,296 to rave about them and, you know, 2607 01:50:51,340 --> 01:50:53,385 run around shouting about them, 2608 01:50:53,429 --> 01:50:54,865 and Lil' Beethoven 2609 01:50:54,909 --> 01:50:56,562 enabled them to do that. 2610 01:50:56,606 --> 01:50:58,826 [cheering and applause] 2611 01:50:58,869 --> 01:51:01,916 With the Lil' Beethoven album, the last album, 2612 01:51:01,959 --> 01:51:05,310 we-we were able to do something 2613 01:51:05,354 --> 01:51:07,530 that woke up people in a certain way, 2614 01:51:07,573 --> 01:51:09,663 and we wanted to go to the next step 2615 01:51:09,706 --> 01:51:12,404 with the Hello Young Lovers album, 2616 01:51:12,448 --> 01:51:14,929 and-and we think we've accomplished that. 2617 01:51:14,972 --> 01:51:17,018 [playing loud, distorted chords] 2618 01:51:19,194 --> 01:51:20,586 HARRIS: It was just a celebration. 2619 01:51:20,630 --> 01:51:21,979 This is fantastic. 2620 01:51:22,023 --> 01:51:24,982 We can just go mad now, and we did. 2621 01:51:25,026 --> 01:51:28,725 ♪ All I do now is dick around 2622 01:51:28,769 --> 01:51:31,467 ♪ All I do now is dick around ♪ 2623 01:51:31,510 --> 01:51:33,164 ♪ Dick around 2624 01:51:34,339 --> 01:51:35,689 ♪ Think about the recent past 2625 01:51:35,732 --> 01:51:37,168 ♪ The cynics said too good to last ♪ 2626 01:51:37,212 --> 01:51:38,692 ♪ But she could change her mind again ♪ 2627 01:51:38,735 --> 01:51:39,823 ♪ Oh, no, this movie said "the end" ♪ 2628 01:51:39,867 --> 01:51:41,259 ♪ So I will go about my day 2629 01:51:41,303 --> 01:51:42,696 ♪ Just dicking round, my métier ♪ 2630 01:51:42,739 --> 01:51:43,958 ♪ And realize that life is change ♪ 2631 01:51:44,001 --> 01:51:46,134 ♪ And furniture to rearrange 2632 01:51:46,177 --> 01:51:48,092 -♪ Why the hell, why the hell -♪ Why the hell, why the hell 2633 01:51:48,136 --> 01:51:49,703 ♪ Why the hell did she desert you ♪ 2634 01:51:49,746 --> 01:51:51,835 ♪ When you were so influential? ♪ 2635 01:51:51,879 --> 01:51:53,750 -♪ Why the hell, why the hell -♪ Why the hell, why the hell 2636 01:51:53,794 --> 01:51:55,360 ♪ Why did she desert you 2637 01:51:55,404 --> 01:51:56,840 ♪ When you told her she was so essential? ♪ 2638 01:51:56,884 --> 01:51:58,363 ♪ Pull yourself up off the ground ♪ 2639 01:51:58,407 --> 01:52:00,061 ♪ You've started liking being down... ♪ 2640 01:52:00,104 --> 01:52:01,279 ANTONOFF: If you took a "Dancing in the Dark" 2641 01:52:01,323 --> 01:52:03,760 or a "Heroes" by Bowie 2642 01:52:03,804 --> 01:52:06,067 or a... you know, any of the great ABBA songs, 2643 01:52:06,110 --> 01:52:08,156 "Dick Around" rips right through that 2644 01:52:08,199 --> 01:52:09,418 and just gives you 2645 01:52:09,461 --> 01:52:10,811 the underbelly of a pop song. 2646 01:52:10,854 --> 01:52:13,770 A 600-vocal-tracked 2647 01:52:13,814 --> 01:52:15,772 orchestral arrangement of vocal shouting, 2648 01:52:15,816 --> 01:52:18,688 "All I do now is dick around," right in your face, 2649 01:52:18,732 --> 01:52:20,734 it never lets you in slowly, 2650 01:52:20,777 --> 01:52:21,996 and it's just the saddest thing 2651 01:52:22,039 --> 01:52:23,127 in the world. 2652 01:52:23,171 --> 01:52:24,389 And it's so fucking catchy. 2653 01:52:25,608 --> 01:52:30,047 ♪ All I do now is dick around, dick around ♪ 2654 01:52:30,091 --> 01:52:32,093 ♪ Then I got the late-night call ♪ 2655 01:52:32,136 --> 01:52:34,922 ♪ I really miss you after all, I had a fling and that is all ♪ 2656 01:52:34,965 --> 01:52:36,445 ♪ A stupid fling, then hit the wall... ♪ 2657 01:52:36,488 --> 01:52:39,143 "Dick Around" is, uh, incredibly demanding 2658 01:52:39,187 --> 01:52:41,232 on me as a... as a vocalist. 2659 01:52:41,276 --> 01:52:43,800 PALLADINO: Ron has used Russell's voice 2660 01:52:43,844 --> 01:52:45,802 as an instrument 2661 01:52:45,846 --> 01:52:47,586 as much as he's used that keyboard. 2662 01:52:47,630 --> 01:52:50,415 ♪ All I do now 2663 01:52:50,459 --> 01:52:52,243 ♪ Is dick around... 2664 01:52:52,287 --> 01:52:53,375 ANTONOFF: If I was producing that song, 2665 01:52:53,418 --> 01:52:55,246 like a fucking idiot, 2666 01:52:55,290 --> 01:52:56,987 I'd, like, put a beat on it or something 2667 01:52:57,031 --> 01:52:58,684 and be like, "Oh, my God, this is amazing. 2668 01:52:58,728 --> 01:53:00,121 "Everyone's gonna feel so sad about this, 2669 01:53:00,164 --> 01:53:02,558 and we're gonna sneak it into them." 2670 01:53:02,601 --> 01:53:05,082 And then Sparks would have been like, "No, you idiot." 2671 01:53:05,126 --> 01:53:06,997 [laughs]: Like... 2672 01:53:07,041 --> 01:53:09,043 "Let Queen do that." 2673 01:53:09,086 --> 01:53:10,435 ♪ All I do is dick around... 2674 01:53:10,479 --> 01:53:12,394 If you don't like this, we don't care. 2675 01:53:12,437 --> 01:53:14,570 I think that that... you know, that's kind of 2676 01:53:14,613 --> 01:53:18,617 the essence of what popular music should be. 2677 01:53:18,661 --> 01:53:22,317 ♪ But all I do now is dick around ♪ 2678 01:53:22,360 --> 01:53:24,841 ♪ All I do now is dick around 2679 01:53:24,885 --> 01:53:27,452 ♪ Dick around. 2680 01:53:27,496 --> 01:53:29,498 -[song ends] -[cheering and applause] 2681 01:53:29,541 --> 01:53:32,196 HARRIS: Ron and Russell toured comprehensively, 2682 01:53:32,240 --> 01:53:35,199 and they played the album in its entirety, and then 2683 01:53:35,243 --> 01:53:37,593 the second set was greatest hits; 2684 01:53:37,636 --> 01:53:39,638 so, then withExotic Creatures of the Deep, 2685 01:53:39,682 --> 01:53:41,292 we were thinking about, 2686 01:53:41,336 --> 01:53:42,685 well, how do you perform this live? 2687 01:53:42,728 --> 01:53:44,948 You know, what would be the concept? 2688 01:53:44,992 --> 01:53:48,082 And it was just a really sort of seemingly stupid idea-- 2689 01:53:48,125 --> 01:53:51,737 what if you perform every album followed by the new album? 2690 01:53:54,610 --> 01:53:56,917 RON: Sue Harris came up with the idea 2691 01:53:56,960 --> 01:53:59,571 to do 21 of our albums-- 2692 01:53:59,615 --> 01:54:03,837 the entire catalog-- one each night live. 2693 01:54:03,880 --> 01:54:06,927 By our nature, we said, "Sounds great." 2694 01:54:06,970 --> 01:54:10,321 And then we realized the enormity of the task. 2695 01:54:10,365 --> 01:54:12,715 ♪ 2696 01:54:14,673 --> 01:54:16,501 STEVIE NISTOR: Russell said, 2697 01:54:16,545 --> 01:54:18,547 "We're thinking about playing every song we've ever written 2698 01:54:18,590 --> 01:54:20,201 night after night in London. What do you think?" 2699 01:54:20,244 --> 01:54:23,378 And I just laughed. It's just impossible. 2700 01:54:23,421 --> 01:54:24,988 And Ron said, "We're even gonna do 2701 01:54:25,032 --> 01:54:26,598 the B-sides for the encores." 2702 01:54:26,642 --> 01:54:28,078 And I said, "How many songs is that?" 2703 01:54:28,122 --> 01:54:29,123 RUSSELL: There were approximately, 2704 01:54:29,166 --> 01:54:32,387 I don't know, I think 270 songs. 2705 01:54:32,430 --> 01:54:35,781 I think the final total was... it-it was closer to 300. 2706 01:54:35,825 --> 01:54:38,567 ♪ 2707 01:54:38,610 --> 01:54:40,047 HARRIS: They rehearsed for... 2708 01:54:40,090 --> 01:54:43,441 I think it was four months or so in-in L.A. 2709 01:54:43,485 --> 01:54:46,488 ♪ Let the monkey drive, we can have our fun... ♪ 2710 01:54:46,531 --> 01:54:48,403 NISTOR: It was like boot camp. 2711 01:54:48,446 --> 01:54:49,578 We start with the first record, right? 2712 01:54:49,621 --> 01:54:52,189 And, well, okay, once you rehearse 2713 01:54:52,233 --> 01:54:54,017 the first record for the day, 2714 01:54:54,061 --> 01:54:55,627 it sounds pretty good, and by the end of the week, 2715 01:54:55,671 --> 01:54:57,629 you feel great about the first record. 2716 01:54:57,673 --> 01:54:58,717 Well, now it's time to start rehearsing the second record. 2717 01:54:58,761 --> 01:55:00,371 Okay, well, here's a new thing. 2718 01:55:00,415 --> 01:55:01,938 It's starting to sound good by the end of the week. 2719 01:55:01,982 --> 01:55:03,722 Well, by the end of week two, 2720 01:55:03,766 --> 01:55:05,420 you've got the second record sounding pretty good 2721 01:55:05,463 --> 01:55:07,378 and you've completely forgotten the first record. 2722 01:55:07,422 --> 01:55:09,424 ♪ Let him take the wheel 2723 01:55:09,467 --> 01:55:11,295 ♪ Neath the setting sun... 2724 01:55:11,339 --> 01:55:13,689 Each day, the-the problem gets compounded 2725 01:55:13,732 --> 01:55:16,866 about retaining everything that you had been rehearsing, 2726 01:55:16,910 --> 01:55:19,564 and it just starts compounding and compounding. 2727 01:55:19,608 --> 01:55:22,263 As you get to album number 18, you go, 2728 01:55:22,306 --> 01:55:25,092 "Does anybody have a clue about Big Beat?" 2729 01:55:25,135 --> 01:55:26,963 ♪ While we have our fun... 2730 01:55:27,007 --> 01:55:29,183 It was a test of short- and long-term memory. 2731 01:55:29,226 --> 01:55:30,706 I wouldn't advise it. 2732 01:55:30,749 --> 01:55:32,969 ♪ Uh-huh. 2733 01:55:33,013 --> 01:55:35,319 ♪ 2734 01:55:35,363 --> 01:55:36,668 ROSS: It was... 2735 01:55:36,712 --> 01:55:38,061 almost foolish. 2736 01:55:39,758 --> 01:55:42,283 And the day after we finished recording the album, 2737 01:55:42,326 --> 01:55:45,155 we started in rehearsing, so it's been four full months 2738 01:55:45,199 --> 01:55:48,071 of, uh... of work to get to this point. 2739 01:55:48,115 --> 01:55:49,943 ♪ Receiving favors for what I am ♪ 2740 01:55:49,986 --> 01:55:53,424 ♪ Seems rather strange, but I understand ♪ 2741 01:55:53,468 --> 01:55:55,035 ♪ 'Cause I am likable... 2742 01:55:55,078 --> 01:55:56,993 BERMAN: The middle of the night, 2743 01:55:57,037 --> 01:55:59,213 and I woke up, I'm thinking, "I have to go see every show." 2744 01:55:59,256 --> 01:56:00,214 It was almost like 2745 01:56:00,257 --> 01:56:01,867 God came to me and said, 2746 01:56:01,911 --> 01:56:03,913 "Tosh, you must see every show." 2747 01:56:03,957 --> 01:56:06,046 ♪ I'm just likable 2748 01:56:06,089 --> 01:56:08,135 ♪ Night and day... 2749 01:56:08,178 --> 01:56:09,397 RHODES: Let's face it, 2750 01:56:09,440 --> 01:56:10,876 you got to be completely crazy 2751 01:56:10,920 --> 01:56:12,661 to do 21 shows in a row 2752 01:56:12,704 --> 01:56:15,620 with a different album every single night. 2753 01:56:15,664 --> 01:56:18,014 It's insane, but it's fantastic. 2754 01:56:18,058 --> 01:56:20,234 Number one! 2755 01:56:20,277 --> 01:56:22,018 Number two. 2756 01:56:22,062 --> 01:56:23,759 Number three. 2757 01:56:23,802 --> 01:56:25,282 ROSS: They treated every single one of their albums 2758 01:56:25,326 --> 01:56:26,805 with the same level of respect 2759 01:56:26,849 --> 01:56:28,459 and the same attention to detail, 2760 01:56:28,503 --> 01:56:30,374 regardless of how well it did 2761 01:56:30,418 --> 01:56:32,028 commercially or critically at the time. 2762 01:56:32,072 --> 01:56:35,031 ♪ I'm just likable night and day... ♪ 2763 01:56:35,075 --> 01:56:37,991 HARRIS: So it went on for a month. 2764 01:56:38,034 --> 01:56:39,731 But it was fun. It was just exhausting. 2765 01:56:39,775 --> 01:56:41,516 I think everyone lost a stone in weight 2766 01:56:41,559 --> 01:56:43,909 in the first week and couldn't eat. 2767 01:56:43,953 --> 01:56:45,781 It was nerve-racking. 2768 01:56:48,218 --> 01:56:49,480 ♪ Ah... 2769 01:56:49,524 --> 01:56:51,091 NISTOR: It was hard. 2770 01:56:51,134 --> 01:56:52,788 Any time I was feeling sorry for myself, 2771 01:56:52,831 --> 01:56:54,050 I would look at Ron doing 2772 01:56:54,094 --> 01:56:55,791 a sliding knee dive across the stage 2773 01:56:55,834 --> 01:56:57,662 and Russell clapping his hands above his head, 2774 01:56:57,706 --> 01:56:59,316 running like a crazy man, 2775 01:56:59,360 --> 01:57:00,622 and I'd just think, "Yeah, I can do this." 2776 01:57:02,232 --> 01:57:05,366 ROSS: I admire their stamina, but I admire 2777 01:57:05,409 --> 01:57:06,889 anyone who went to see 'em 21 nights. 2778 01:57:06,932 --> 01:57:09,283 I admire your stamina more. [laughs] 2779 01:57:09,326 --> 01:57:11,981 ♪ Just so you like me... 2780 01:57:12,025 --> 01:57:13,896 HARRIS: It's just the most ridiculous thing. 2781 01:57:13,939 --> 01:57:16,464 It was preposterous, and it was extraordinary, 2782 01:57:16,507 --> 01:57:17,900 but it was a triumph. 2783 01:57:19,597 --> 01:57:23,036 KAPRANOS: There's often this, uh, terrible fate 2784 01:57:23,079 --> 01:57:27,605 which awaits bands either when they keep going for too long 2785 01:57:27,649 --> 01:57:29,955 or when they re-form. 2786 01:57:29,999 --> 01:57:31,870 And that terrible fate is becoming 2787 01:57:31,914 --> 01:57:34,438 a tribute to the band that you once were. 2788 01:57:35,570 --> 01:57:37,137 DJ LANCE ROCK: They could rest on their laurels 2789 01:57:37,180 --> 01:57:38,703 and just come out and just do some sort of, like, 2790 01:57:38,747 --> 01:57:40,531 "Now we're gonna do a greatest hits show," 2791 01:57:40,575 --> 01:57:42,968 but no, they're challenging themselves and their audience 2792 01:57:43,012 --> 01:57:45,319 and they're doing, like, you know, radio opera. 2793 01:57:45,362 --> 01:57:48,887 ♪ Bergman, Bergman 2794 01:57:48,931 --> 01:57:51,020 ♪ Bergman, Bergman... 2795 01:57:51,064 --> 01:57:53,544 HARRIS: Ron and Russell came up with the idea 2796 01:57:53,588 --> 01:57:55,807 of Ingmar Bergman, the film director-- 2797 01:57:55,851 --> 01:57:57,766 what if he had been lured to Hollywood 2798 01:57:57,809 --> 01:57:59,202 with the promise 2799 01:57:59,246 --> 01:58:00,943 of big budgets and big bosoms? 2800 01:58:00,986 --> 01:58:04,729 And it was played on Swedish national radio. 2801 01:58:04,773 --> 01:58:08,342 After that, they performed it at the L.A. Film Festival 2802 01:58:08,385 --> 01:58:11,432 and, you know, got a really good reaction. 2803 01:58:11,475 --> 01:58:14,826 KAPRANOS: They've always had the desire to push on 2804 01:58:14,870 --> 01:58:16,915 and create something new, and I think that's 2805 01:58:16,959 --> 01:58:20,005 probably what appealed to... to them about the FFS project. 2806 01:58:22,878 --> 01:58:24,271 [Russell snickering] 2807 01:58:24,314 --> 01:58:26,142 -For fuck's sake. -[laughter] 2808 01:58:26,186 --> 01:58:28,318 RUSSELL: We had met the guys in Franz Ferdinand 2809 01:58:28,362 --> 01:58:31,713 12 or 13 years ago in Los Angeles. 2810 01:58:31,756 --> 01:58:34,803 We had, you know, like bands tend to do, they say, 2811 01:58:34,846 --> 01:58:37,980 "Hey, we should try to do something together sometime." 2812 01:58:38,023 --> 01:58:41,462 ♪ I'm just a little guy from the suburbs... ♪ 2813 01:58:41,505 --> 01:58:43,246 Ten years later, 2814 01:58:43,290 --> 01:58:45,118 we're walking in the morning, just taking a little stroll 2815 01:58:45,161 --> 01:58:46,815 in downtown San Francisco, 2816 01:58:46,858 --> 01:58:48,947 and we see this guy walking by, and we go, 2817 01:58:48,991 --> 01:58:52,125 "That looks like Alex Kapranos. Hey, it is Alex Kapranos." 2818 01:58:52,168 --> 01:58:53,822 So we say, "Hey, Alex." 2819 01:58:53,865 --> 01:58:55,345 He goes, "Hey, Sparks guys." 2820 01:58:55,389 --> 01:58:56,955 He was on his way to the dentist. 2821 01:58:56,999 --> 01:58:59,393 He had chipped one of his teeth. 2822 01:58:59,436 --> 01:59:01,786 So we said, "Remember we were gonna do a project together?" 2823 01:59:01,830 --> 01:59:04,049 He said, "Yeah, we got to do that." 2824 01:59:04,093 --> 01:59:05,964 So we talked about, "Well, let's just try 2825 01:59:06,008 --> 01:59:07,966 one song together, see what happens." 2826 01:59:08,010 --> 01:59:12,101 KAPRANOS: In Ron's typically perverse way... [laughs] 2827 01:59:12,145 --> 01:59:13,494 he sent over 2828 01:59:13,537 --> 01:59:15,757 "Collaborations Don't Work." 2829 01:59:15,800 --> 01:59:18,238 ♪ Collaborations don't work 2830 01:59:18,281 --> 01:59:19,935 ♪ They don't work 2831 01:59:19,978 --> 01:59:21,893 ♪ They don't work... 2832 01:59:21,937 --> 01:59:23,939 And it was so obviously a test. It was like, 2833 01:59:23,982 --> 01:59:25,810 "All right, you think you can collaborate, do you?" 2834 01:59:25,854 --> 01:59:28,726 ♪ Collaborations don't work 2835 01:59:28,770 --> 01:59:31,207 ♪ They don't work, they don't work... ♪ 2836 01:59:31,251 --> 01:59:33,383 RON: We opened up the door for, uh, 2837 01:59:33,427 --> 01:59:34,863 any return ammunition 2838 01:59:34,906 --> 01:59:36,125 coming our way. 2839 01:59:36,169 --> 01:59:39,563 ♪ I ain't no collaborator... 2840 01:59:39,607 --> 01:59:41,174 CONGLETON: As a response to that, 2841 01:59:41,217 --> 01:59:43,654 Alex sent kind of a country groove. 2842 01:59:43,698 --> 01:59:44,873 So this song was 2843 01:59:44,916 --> 01:59:47,571 literally a strange little argument 2844 01:59:47,615 --> 01:59:49,617 that they were doing online. 2845 01:59:49,660 --> 01:59:51,662 ♪ I ain't no collaborator... 2846 01:59:51,706 --> 01:59:53,447 We sent it over to Ron, and then suddenly, 2847 01:59:53,490 --> 01:59:56,450 it came back with Russell singing on top of it 2848 01:59:56,493 --> 01:59:58,452 and these new melodies. We got this great buzz. 2849 01:59:58,495 --> 02:00:00,845 It was like, "Oh, God, this is fantastic." 2850 02:00:00,889 --> 02:00:02,543 Everybody was tentatively kind of going like, 2851 02:00:02,586 --> 02:00:04,675 "You know, this sounds like it could almost be... 2852 02:00:04,719 --> 02:00:06,329 [whispers]: like, an album, maybe." 2853 02:00:06,373 --> 02:00:07,983 [laughs] 2854 02:00:08,026 --> 02:00:09,419 ♪ I ain't no collaborator... 2855 02:00:09,463 --> 02:00:11,160 AUKERMAN: One day, I pull up Pitchfork, 2856 02:00:11,204 --> 02:00:13,118 and I read that Franz Ferdinand 2857 02:00:13,162 --> 02:00:17,079 has made an entire record with Sparks. 2858 02:00:17,122 --> 02:00:19,386 And it was just like, "What?" 2859 02:00:19,429 --> 02:00:22,345 It made me say, "Yeah, Sparks is back. 2860 02:00:22,389 --> 02:00:24,304 "Okay, yeah, let me pay attention 2861 02:00:24,347 --> 02:00:26,741 to what they've been doing over the past ten years." 2862 02:00:31,789 --> 02:00:34,183 RUSSELL: "Johnny Delusional" became the first single. 2863 02:00:34,227 --> 02:00:36,316 One of my favorite lines-- it's kind of one of 2864 02:00:36,359 --> 02:00:40,320 the saddest lines, I think, in a, uh, Sparks song is: 2865 02:00:40,363 --> 02:00:41,756 "I'm borderline attractive 2866 02:00:41,799 --> 02:00:43,888 from afar." 2867 02:00:43,932 --> 02:00:46,456 And that-that line, to me, is really, uh, touching. 2868 02:00:46,500 --> 02:00:50,678 ♪ Some might find me borderline attractive from afar... ♪ 2869 02:00:50,721 --> 02:00:52,549 CONGLETON: "Some might find me 2870 02:00:52,593 --> 02:00:55,291 "borderline attractive from afar, 2871 02:00:55,335 --> 02:00:57,598 but afar is not where I can stay, and there you are." 2872 02:00:57,641 --> 02:00:59,252 It's beautiful. I mean, that's hilarious, 2873 02:00:59,295 --> 02:01:01,210 but it's also really beautiful. 2874 02:01:01,254 --> 02:01:03,256 ♪ Though I want you 2875 02:01:04,518 --> 02:01:07,608 ♪ I know I haven't a chance... ♪ 2876 02:01:07,651 --> 02:01:10,045 There's a real melancholic vulnerability about it. 2877 02:01:10,088 --> 02:01:13,527 CONGLETON: It's very sad, but it sounds celebratory. 2878 02:01:13,570 --> 02:01:14,528 It's, like, this meditation 2879 02:01:14,571 --> 02:01:15,964 on loneliness. 2880 02:01:16,007 --> 02:01:18,967 ♪ Paging Mr. Delusional... 2881 02:01:19,010 --> 02:01:21,056 KAPRANOS: I often feel, with Ron's lyricism, 2882 02:01:21,099 --> 02:01:22,840 that he's metaphorically, 2883 02:01:22,884 --> 02:01:24,494 like, slicing his chest open 2884 02:01:24,538 --> 02:01:26,583 and kind of going like, "Here's my heart." 2885 02:01:26,627 --> 02:01:28,933 ♪ You're wanted at the front desk ♪ 2886 02:01:28,977 --> 02:01:30,370 "Here's my heart. 2887 02:01:30,413 --> 02:01:31,893 Has nobody noticed?" 2888 02:01:31,936 --> 02:01:34,243 ♪ Wouldn't it be terrible 2889 02:01:34,287 --> 02:01:37,202 ♪ If there's no music there? 2890 02:01:37,246 --> 02:01:40,728 HARRIS: TheFFS album, it-it introduced them to a crowd 2891 02:01:40,771 --> 02:01:42,686 that maybe hadn't been aware of them before. 2892 02:01:42,730 --> 02:01:45,123 We particularly noticed it in Latin America 2893 02:01:45,167 --> 02:01:47,822 where Franz Ferdinand, uh, were very popular there. 2894 02:01:47,865 --> 02:01:50,651 ♪ Wouldn't it be terrible if there's no music there? ♪ 2895 02:01:50,694 --> 02:01:52,783 RUSSELL: A lot of those people, 2896 02:01:52,827 --> 02:01:54,742 they've become Sparks fans and really 2897 02:01:54,785 --> 02:01:56,613 kind of hard-core Sparks fans, 2898 02:01:56,657 --> 02:01:59,877 and they had been introduced via theFFS album. 2899 02:01:59,921 --> 02:02:02,402 ♪ Though I want you... 2900 02:02:02,445 --> 02:02:04,142 INTERVIEWER: Been watching you play live. 2901 02:02:04,186 --> 02:02:05,840 It seems to be more 2902 02:02:05,883 --> 02:02:07,624 of a kind of enjoyment thing. It just seems to be fun. 2903 02:02:07,668 --> 02:02:08,669 Oh, we're faking it. 2904 02:02:08,712 --> 02:02:10,323 [laughter] 2905 02:02:10,366 --> 02:02:12,629 ♪ Johnny Delusional here... 2906 02:02:12,673 --> 02:02:14,283 Does Franz Ferdinand know how lucky they are 2907 02:02:14,327 --> 02:02:15,937 that that happened? 2908 02:02:15,980 --> 02:02:18,635 I hope that they were grateful and psyched. 2909 02:02:18,679 --> 02:02:20,550 CONGLETON: That's their most exciting record they've done 2910 02:02:20,594 --> 02:02:23,248 in quite some time, and I really think they learned a lot 2911 02:02:23,292 --> 02:02:24,815 from working with these 2912 02:02:24,859 --> 02:02:27,688 elder statesmans of-of pop, you know? 2913 02:02:29,646 --> 02:02:32,954 [playing "What the Hell Is It This Time?"] 2914 02:02:32,997 --> 02:02:34,825 Hello. 2915 02:02:37,262 --> 02:02:40,744 ♪ Historically, historically, we make an appeal ♪ 2916 02:02:40,788 --> 02:02:43,399 ♪ To something greater than we are ♪ 2917 02:02:43,443 --> 02:02:45,358 ♪ When we need to heal... 2918 02:02:45,401 --> 02:02:47,098 HARRIS: Doing the FFS project, 2919 02:02:47,142 --> 02:02:49,753 they fell in love again with the pop song, 2920 02:02:49,797 --> 02:02:50,928 and because of that love for the pop song, 2921 02:02:50,972 --> 02:02:52,843 Hippopotamus was born. 2922 02:02:52,887 --> 02:02:57,108 ♪ What the hell is it this time? ♪ 2923 02:02:57,152 --> 02:02:58,719 WINWOOD: Listening toHippopotamus took me 2924 02:02:58,762 --> 02:03:01,504 straightaway back toKimono My House. 2925 02:03:01,548 --> 02:03:03,288 The energy of that album 2926 02:03:03,332 --> 02:03:04,725 is just great. 2927 02:03:04,768 --> 02:03:06,422 MANKEY: When I put the headphones on 2928 02:03:06,466 --> 02:03:08,685 and listened to it for the first time, I thought, 2929 02:03:08,729 --> 02:03:11,427 "Holy cow. This is like when we were back 2930 02:03:11,471 --> 02:03:13,821 at Ron and Russ's mom's house, you know?" 2931 02:03:13,864 --> 02:03:15,039 I loved that. 2932 02:03:16,737 --> 02:03:19,130 HARRIS: The reviews were incredible. 2933 02:03:19,174 --> 02:03:21,306 It was near four- and five-star reviews across the board. 2934 02:03:21,350 --> 02:03:22,743 It was, um, included in 2935 02:03:22,786 --> 02:03:24,179 the "album of the year" lists, 2936 02:03:24,222 --> 02:03:26,007 you know, worldwide. 2937 02:03:26,050 --> 02:03:30,054 And the fact that Sparks have had a top-ten record 2938 02:03:30,098 --> 02:03:34,232 is because they're not trying to be 2939 02:03:34,276 --> 02:03:36,496 what other people want them to be. 2940 02:03:36,539 --> 02:03:39,281 RUSSELL [a cappella]: ♪ I wish you were fun 2941 02:03:39,324 --> 02:03:42,371 ♪ I wish you were fun in every way ♪ 2942 02:03:42,415 --> 02:03:44,939 ♪ I wish you were fun 2943 02:03:44,982 --> 02:03:48,203 ♪ To brighten the dark, cold winter day ♪ 2944 02:03:48,246 --> 02:03:52,990 ♪ In every other way I find you amazing but one ♪ 2945 02:03:53,034 --> 02:03:58,082 ♪ I wish you were fun, I wish you were fun ♪ 2946 02:03:58,126 --> 02:04:00,345 ♪ La-la-la... Everybody. 2947 02:04:00,389 --> 02:04:01,869 -♪ La-la-la-la-la... -[music joins in] 2948 02:04:01,912 --> 02:04:03,348 STEWART: Here they are, 2949 02:04:03,392 --> 02:04:05,263 playing to some of the largest crowds 2950 02:04:05,307 --> 02:04:06,743 in the last ten years 2951 02:04:06,787 --> 02:04:08,528 and playing to crowds that weren't around 2952 02:04:08,571 --> 02:04:11,444 for the first, second and often the third phase. 2953 02:04:13,010 --> 02:04:15,796 RUSSELL: The only part that... that the public sees 2954 02:04:15,839 --> 02:04:18,755 is that 90 minutes onstage, 2955 02:04:18,799 --> 02:04:20,931 and they don't see all the other stuff. 2956 02:04:20,975 --> 02:04:24,282 They don't see, uh, security opening up our suitcases 2957 02:04:24,326 --> 02:04:26,197 and having the guy, uh, you know, 2958 02:04:26,241 --> 02:04:27,982 taking out all your stuff 2959 02:04:28,025 --> 02:04:30,288 day after day after day after day at the airport. 2960 02:04:30,332 --> 02:04:33,117 And, uh, they don't see the jet lag 2961 02:04:33,161 --> 02:04:35,293 that I currently have right now. 2962 02:04:35,337 --> 02:04:38,645 Uh, but obviously, we're doing all this 2963 02:04:38,688 --> 02:04:41,735 'cause we really are passionate about our music. 2964 02:04:41,778 --> 02:04:45,303 It definitely outweighs all of the downside. 2965 02:04:45,347 --> 02:04:46,914 "Viva México, cabrones." 2966 02:04:46,957 --> 02:04:48,916 -Okay. -Viva México... 2967 02:04:48,959 --> 02:04:50,265 -"Cabrones." -"Cabrones." 2968 02:04:50,308 --> 02:04:52,397 -Cabrones. -Yeah! 2969 02:04:58,752 --> 02:05:01,015 Viva México, cabrones. 2970 02:05:01,058 --> 02:05:02,973 [cheering] 2971 02:05:03,017 --> 02:05:04,322 ♪ La-la-la-la-la♪ 2972 02:05:04,366 --> 02:05:06,542 ♪ I wish you were fun 2973 02:05:06,586 --> 02:05:08,805 ♪ Fun in every way 2974 02:05:08,849 --> 02:05:10,764 ♪ La-la-la-la-la♪ 2975 02:05:10,807 --> 02:05:12,766 ♪ I wish you were fun 2976 02:05:12,809 --> 02:05:15,377 ♪ Have some chardonnay 2977 02:05:15,420 --> 02:05:20,034 ♪ In every other way I find you amazing but one ♪ 2978 02:05:20,077 --> 02:05:21,862 ♪ I wish you were fun 2979 02:05:22,819 --> 02:05:25,082 ♪ I wish you were fun. 2980 02:05:26,170 --> 02:05:28,129 Okay, I'm tired. 2981 02:05:28,172 --> 02:05:29,565 I'm going to go to sleep. 2982 02:05:29,609 --> 02:05:31,175 Good night. 2983 02:05:31,219 --> 02:05:33,177 ♪ La-la-la, la-la-la, la-la-la♪ 2984 02:05:33,221 --> 02:05:35,571 ♪ I'm pushin' on my lawn mower... ♪ 2985 02:05:35,615 --> 02:05:37,660 SCHWARTZMAN: The way they live their life 2986 02:05:37,704 --> 02:05:41,272 is just in service of the music. 2987 02:05:41,316 --> 02:05:43,100 ♪ The mornin', it's my lawn mower... ♪ 2988 02:05:43,144 --> 02:05:45,102 RON: I kind of have to force myself to take this walk 2989 02:05:45,146 --> 02:05:47,278 'cause I've been doing it 2990 02:05:47,322 --> 02:05:49,585 for about 20 years at this same park, and if... 2991 02:05:49,629 --> 02:05:52,806 I know, if I kind of put it off for one day, 2992 02:05:52,849 --> 02:05:55,417 that it's all over and I'll just be 2993 02:05:55,460 --> 02:05:57,593 laying in bed extra long in the mornings. 2994 02:05:57,637 --> 02:06:01,641 ♪ The neighbors look in awe at my lawn mower... ♪ 2995 02:06:01,684 --> 02:06:04,469 PUCKRIK: They love ritual. 2996 02:06:04,513 --> 02:06:06,080 They love repetition. 2997 02:06:06,123 --> 02:06:08,865 I mean, you can hear their love of repetition 2998 02:06:08,909 --> 02:06:10,432 in their music. 2999 02:06:10,475 --> 02:06:12,913 You know, they have a hook, they have a phrase 3000 02:06:12,956 --> 02:06:15,872 that's repeated over and over and over again. 3001 02:06:15,916 --> 02:06:19,659 And in their life, even the way their day is structured-- 3002 02:06:19,702 --> 02:06:23,706 you know, wake up, work out, go to the studio, 3003 02:06:23,750 --> 02:06:26,143 have your 4:00 p.m. coffee break, 3004 02:06:26,187 --> 02:06:29,407 go back to the studio, you know, power down. 3005 02:06:31,235 --> 02:06:32,715 SCHWARTZMAN: They are rock stars 3006 02:06:32,759 --> 02:06:34,238 that go to breakfast at the same place 3007 02:06:34,282 --> 02:06:35,413 and get the same thing in the morning, 3008 02:06:35,457 --> 02:06:36,893 and then go work at... 3009 02:06:36,937 --> 02:06:38,503 You know, they just... they figured out 3010 02:06:38,547 --> 02:06:40,984 what works for them and how to do it. 3011 02:06:41,028 --> 02:06:43,552 I come here religiously every morning 3012 02:06:43,596 --> 02:06:46,076 to get a little peace and quiet, 3013 02:06:46,120 --> 02:06:49,427 just to be by myself before we start working. 3014 02:06:49,471 --> 02:06:52,430 And even once a week, Ron comes here. 3015 02:06:55,346 --> 02:06:58,262 [quiet chatter] 3016 02:06:59,960 --> 02:07:02,179 HAYDON: They just keep going up musically 3017 02:07:02,223 --> 02:07:03,833 with what they're writing. 3018 02:07:03,877 --> 02:07:06,836 They keep finding new ways to tell their stories. 3019 02:07:08,403 --> 02:07:11,145 HARRIS: Ron and Russell were in Cannes 3020 02:07:11,188 --> 02:07:13,843 and met the French film director Leos Carax. 3021 02:07:13,887 --> 02:07:15,236 They got chatting, 3022 02:07:15,279 --> 02:07:17,151 and they were talking to him about 3023 02:07:17,194 --> 02:07:20,110 their screenplay calledAnnette. 3024 02:07:20,154 --> 02:07:22,591 We got along really well, and when we came back to L.A. 3025 02:07:22,635 --> 02:07:24,375 after Cannes, we said, 3026 02:07:24,419 --> 02:07:26,682 "Let's send Leos this project, Annette." 3027 02:07:26,726 --> 02:07:29,163 And then he said, uh, "God, I really like this. 3028 02:07:29,206 --> 02:07:31,252 Let me think about it a little bit more." 3029 02:07:31,295 --> 02:07:32,993 And he did, and he got back to us, and he said, 3030 02:07:33,036 --> 02:07:35,299 "You know, I'd really like to direct this." 3031 02:07:35,343 --> 02:07:37,388 We thought, "Oh, this is amazing," but then we were also 3032 02:07:37,432 --> 02:07:40,087 thinking about our Tim Burton experience 3033 02:07:40,130 --> 02:07:42,306 and our Jacques Tati experience and going, 3034 02:07:42,350 --> 02:07:44,091 "Please, dear God, we don't want 3035 02:07:44,134 --> 02:07:45,527 to have one more of those." 3036 02:07:45,570 --> 02:07:46,833 -Did you get it? -That's a film project. 3037 02:07:46,876 --> 02:07:48,312 HARRIS: Historically, 3038 02:07:48,356 --> 02:07:50,619 they've, you know, nearly had films made on, 3039 02:07:50,663 --> 02:07:51,968 you know, more than one occasion, 3040 02:07:52,012 --> 02:07:54,362 and you feel that now is the time, 3041 02:07:54,405 --> 02:07:56,320 and it will be amazing for them to be able 3042 02:07:56,364 --> 02:07:58,540 to see their work on a big screen. 3043 02:07:58,583 --> 02:08:00,150 Oh, hello. 3044 02:08:00,194 --> 02:08:02,413 Welcome to the set. 3045 02:08:02,457 --> 02:08:05,982 RUSSELL: After several attempts to get a movie off the ground, 3046 02:08:06,026 --> 02:08:08,506 Annette has finally been the one 3047 02:08:08,550 --> 02:08:10,900 film project that's sticking, 3048 02:08:10,944 --> 02:08:14,730 and it's being shot here in swinging Brussels, Belgium. 3049 02:08:14,774 --> 02:08:18,691 RON: To get a movie made is a miracle. 3050 02:08:18,734 --> 02:08:21,084 We obviously feel good about the film, 3051 02:08:21,128 --> 02:08:25,567 but we also feel good in a really personal kind of way-- 3052 02:08:25,610 --> 02:08:28,178 this proves that we were right all along. 3053 02:08:28,222 --> 02:08:30,920 So, uh... so there. 3054 02:08:30,964 --> 02:08:33,140 Or voilà. 3055 02:08:34,619 --> 02:08:36,404 SCHWARTZMAN: When you get a Sparks album, I feel like 3056 02:08:36,447 --> 02:08:38,536 that's where they are, this is what they're into, 3057 02:08:38,580 --> 02:08:40,364 and they're not gonna be here for long. 3058 02:08:40,408 --> 02:08:42,149 Do you know what I mean? Like, I feel like by the time 3059 02:08:42,192 --> 02:08:43,324 you get the album, they're already 3060 02:08:43,367 --> 02:08:44,760 on to something else. 3061 02:08:46,806 --> 02:08:49,896 RON: Sparks have a certain sensibility that we've had 3062 02:08:49,939 --> 02:08:51,549 through all of our albums, 3063 02:08:51,593 --> 02:08:54,422 whatever the shift in styles through time 3064 02:08:54,465 --> 02:08:57,207 or different producers or different countries. 3065 02:08:57,251 --> 02:09:01,168 It's kind of something that we really can't change. 3066 02:09:01,211 --> 02:09:03,997 ♪ And all the holy places... 3067 02:09:04,040 --> 02:09:06,260 RUSSELL: From the beginning of rock music 3068 02:09:06,303 --> 02:09:07,783 when, uh,Blackboard Jungle-- 3069 02:09:07,827 --> 02:09:10,264 for them to go and start ripping up, 3070 02:09:10,307 --> 02:09:12,657 uh, movie theater seats-- 3071 02:09:12,701 --> 02:09:14,442 that, to us, is like the essence 3072 02:09:14,485 --> 02:09:16,749 and the spirit of what music can be. 3073 02:09:16,792 --> 02:09:18,794 And I think that those sorts of things 3074 02:09:18,838 --> 02:09:20,753 have always been maybe in the back of our minds. 3075 02:09:20,796 --> 02:09:22,929 We don't sit down and say, "What can we do 3076 02:09:22,972 --> 02:09:25,409 to be provocative or rebellious?" 3077 02:09:25,453 --> 02:09:27,890 But I think, just by our nature, 3078 02:09:27,934 --> 02:09:30,066 that's just inherent in what we do. 3079 02:09:30,110 --> 02:09:32,677 ♪ All that we've done 3080 02:09:32,721 --> 02:09:36,072 ♪ We've lost, we've won 3081 02:09:36,116 --> 02:09:39,467 ♪ All that, all that and more... ♪ 3082 02:09:41,382 --> 02:09:42,775 PALLADINO: I think their creative process has sustained 3083 02:09:42,818 --> 02:09:44,298 their friendship and brotherliness, 3084 02:09:44,341 --> 02:09:46,866 and I think being brothers has also sustained 3085 02:09:46,909 --> 02:09:48,476 their creativity over the years. 3086 02:09:48,519 --> 02:09:49,520 It's-it's unusual, 3087 02:09:49,564 --> 02:09:51,044 but they like each other 3088 02:09:51,087 --> 02:09:52,523 and they respect each other. 3089 02:09:52,567 --> 02:09:54,177 [cheering] 3090 02:09:54,221 --> 02:09:55,918 HARRIS: They are... first and foremost, 3091 02:09:55,962 --> 02:09:58,834 they're-they're gentlemen, and they are, 3092 02:09:58,878 --> 02:10:00,749 you know... they're polite and they're considerate, 3093 02:10:00,793 --> 02:10:05,275 extraordinarily creative, you know, and they're funny. 3094 02:10:05,319 --> 02:10:06,973 -Oh, did I not push the button? -Yeah. 3095 02:10:07,016 --> 02:10:09,018 [laughs] You got to push the button. 3096 02:10:09,062 --> 02:10:12,674 RON: We're able to work kind of without a lot of conversation. 3097 02:10:12,717 --> 02:10:14,763 The quieter it is, the better it is, 3098 02:10:14,807 --> 02:10:17,113 because we know we're kind of onto something 3099 02:10:17,157 --> 02:10:19,724 and we can communicate with each other 3100 02:10:19,768 --> 02:10:22,510 in-in kind of nonverbal ways 3101 02:10:22,553 --> 02:10:25,208 just by having worked together for so long. 3102 02:10:25,252 --> 02:10:26,862 DES BARRES: It's some kind of magical 3103 02:10:26,906 --> 02:10:31,562 combination of brother blood and, I don't know, 3104 02:10:31,606 --> 02:10:34,087 cosmic interference, 3105 02:10:34,130 --> 02:10:36,567 but I have loved them for all these years, 3106 02:10:36,611 --> 02:10:38,352 and I'm really proud of it. 3107 02:10:38,395 --> 02:10:41,703 ♪ All that we've done 3108 02:10:41,746 --> 02:10:43,879 ♪ We've lost, we've won... 3109 02:10:43,923 --> 02:10:46,882 RUSSELL: I can't imagine having done a career as a solo artist 3110 02:10:46,926 --> 02:10:50,407 'cause I just think the two of us are sort of inseparable 3111 02:10:50,451 --> 02:10:53,323 when it comes to our passion for music. 3112 02:10:53,367 --> 02:10:56,587 I think his songs and my singing 3113 02:10:56,631 --> 02:10:58,894 are one and the same. 3114 02:10:58,938 --> 02:11:01,723 RON: I have that security when I'm working with Russell. 3115 02:11:01,766 --> 02:11:04,639 If I were to work with myself, 3116 02:11:04,682 --> 02:11:08,686 I-I feel, you know, really, really nervous. 3117 02:11:08,730 --> 02:11:11,124 It would put me in a position 3118 02:11:11,167 --> 02:11:14,823 where I-I just wouldn't be able to-to take... take it. 3119 02:11:14,867 --> 02:11:17,913 EVAN WEISS: To me, they've been such an example of how to age 3120 02:11:17,957 --> 02:11:20,829 in this business with grace and dignity 3121 02:11:20,873 --> 02:11:22,962 and treat your band and your crew, uh, kindly. 3122 02:11:23,005 --> 02:11:25,878 And not to reduce it to such crude terms, 3123 02:11:25,921 --> 02:11:27,009 but they're just cool as fuck. 3124 02:11:27,053 --> 02:11:28,358 [laughing]: Yeah. 3125 02:11:28,402 --> 02:11:29,794 RUSSELL: Now that Ron isn't around, 3126 02:11:29,838 --> 02:11:31,971 I can finally tell the real story. 3127 02:11:32,014 --> 02:11:33,363 Uh, all of the songs are mine. 3128 02:11:33,407 --> 02:11:36,845 All 840 songs written by me, 3129 02:11:36,889 --> 02:11:38,847 sung by me, performed by me. 3130 02:11:38,891 --> 02:11:43,330 So, uh, anyway, I just thought it should come out now. 3131 02:11:45,245 --> 02:11:47,682 [whispers]: Just between you and me... 3132 02:11:49,075 --> 02:11:50,990 Sparks. 3133 02:11:51,033 --> 02:11:52,861 He's just a singer. 3134 02:11:53,993 --> 02:11:56,778 [playing "When Do I Get to Sing 'My Way'"] 3135 02:12:01,652 --> 02:12:04,960 ♪ No, no use in lecturing them... ♪ 3136 02:12:05,004 --> 02:12:07,876 RUNDGREN: There's some comfort in the fact that 3137 02:12:07,920 --> 02:12:10,444 something this weird can survive 3138 02:12:10,487 --> 02:12:13,838 that long without being corrupted ultimately 3139 02:12:13,882 --> 02:12:15,275 into something less weird. 3140 02:12:15,318 --> 02:12:17,146 ♪ The plot is predictable... 3141 02:12:17,190 --> 02:12:18,756 I wouldn't really have seen how they could've gotten any better, 3142 02:12:18,800 --> 02:12:20,149 'cause they were kind of unique, 3143 02:12:20,193 --> 02:12:22,151 but they're doing something right. 3144 02:12:22,195 --> 02:12:24,893 Nobody stays around that long if they're making mistakes. 3145 02:12:24,937 --> 02:12:26,590 ♪ No, no use in... 3146 02:12:26,634 --> 02:12:28,636 FLEA: If they had been a band that just, 3147 02:12:28,679 --> 02:12:30,855 like, went and tried to make hits that were sort of, like, 3148 02:12:30,899 --> 02:12:34,685 inorganic, outside of their real natural inclinations, 3149 02:12:34,729 --> 02:12:37,123 they would've broken up by 1977. 3150 02:12:37,166 --> 02:12:38,994 ♪ It's hard to be vain... 3151 02:12:39,038 --> 02:12:40,865 ANTONOFF: Some of the greatest artists in the world 3152 02:12:40,909 --> 02:12:42,519 just sort of had a period. 3153 02:12:42,563 --> 02:12:43,999 Sparks is way more prolific than 3154 02:12:44,043 --> 02:12:45,958 all of the artists we consider to be 3155 02:12:46,001 --> 02:12:48,308 the greatest in the world, so it's overwhelming. 3156 02:12:48,351 --> 02:12:52,007 ♪ So when do I get to sing "My Way"? ♪ 3157 02:12:52,051 --> 02:12:56,620 ♪ When do I get to feel like Sinatra felt? ♪ 3158 02:12:56,664 --> 02:13:00,015 ♪ When do I get to sing "My Way"? ♪ 3159 02:13:00,059 --> 02:13:02,235 ♪ In heaven or hell... 3160 02:13:02,278 --> 02:13:04,150 RUSSELL: You can knock us for not 3161 02:13:04,193 --> 02:13:06,717 having sold two trillion records, 3162 02:13:06,761 --> 02:13:10,939 but staying true to our vision and being consistent 3163 02:13:10,983 --> 02:13:13,289 for this long a period of time, I think that that's 3164 02:13:13,333 --> 02:13:15,639 the measure of success. 3165 02:13:15,683 --> 02:13:17,990 ♪ In heaven or hell... 3166 02:13:19,904 --> 02:13:22,037 JONES: I don't think they could be really massive. 3167 02:13:22,081 --> 02:13:23,604 They're too weird. 3168 02:13:23,647 --> 02:13:26,215 Which is great. Who wants to be really popular? 3169 02:13:26,259 --> 02:13:28,565 You know, you just want to do your art 3170 02:13:28,609 --> 02:13:31,046 and love what you're doing and be happy with that. 3171 02:13:31,090 --> 02:13:33,396 [cheering and applause] 3172 02:13:35,877 --> 02:13:37,966 It's been an amazing evening for us. 3173 02:13:38,010 --> 02:13:39,272 Thank you very much. 3174 02:13:39,315 --> 02:13:40,925 RON: We're deeply appreciative. 3175 02:13:40,969 --> 02:13:43,406 We don't... we don't take any of this for granted, 3176 02:13:43,450 --> 02:13:46,366 and, uh, we'll be back soon. 3177 02:13:46,409 --> 02:13:48,368 [cheering] 3178 02:13:48,411 --> 02:13:49,978 Thank you. 3179 02:13:50,022 --> 02:13:51,675 RON: A lot of times, people are trying 3180 02:13:51,719 --> 02:13:53,808 to find the key to Sparks somehow, 3181 02:13:53,851 --> 02:13:55,897 and I think that really it's out in the open 3182 02:13:55,940 --> 02:13:59,031 with what we're doing lyrically and musically. 3183 02:14:00,119 --> 02:14:02,382 RUSSELL: Being Russell and being Ron 3184 02:14:02,425 --> 02:14:04,775 and being Sparks, it's kind of one and the same. 3185 02:14:05,776 --> 02:14:07,735 RON: That is what we are. 3186 02:14:07,778 --> 02:14:11,521 There isn't some thing behind the curtain. 3187 02:14:11,565 --> 02:14:13,393 SHERMAN-PALLADINO: The mystique and that whole thing 3188 02:14:13,436 --> 02:14:17,092 is part of what makes them cool no matter what. 3189 02:14:17,136 --> 02:14:18,746 They don't owe us anything. 3190 02:14:18,789 --> 02:14:20,356 They-they give us the music. 3191 02:14:20,400 --> 02:14:22,228 That's... We... That's all we need. 3192 02:14:22,271 --> 02:14:24,056 BOHEM: It is symbiotic. 3193 02:14:24,099 --> 02:14:25,666 It's like the two of them make up 3194 02:14:25,709 --> 02:14:27,276 this whole that is Sparks. 3195 02:14:27,320 --> 02:14:28,886 You know, those of us who've been lucky enough 3196 02:14:28,930 --> 02:14:30,627 to come and go in that, like, it-it... 3197 02:14:30,671 --> 02:14:32,803 it's an amazing and very cool thing to be around. 3198 02:14:32,847 --> 02:14:35,110 ♪ 3199 02:14:35,154 --> 02:14:37,156 STEWART: I don't feel a kind of ownership with them. 3200 02:14:37,199 --> 02:14:40,594 I think it's really important when people come along 3201 02:14:40,637 --> 02:14:43,205 20 or 40 years later, you don't say, 3202 02:14:43,249 --> 02:14:45,642 "Oh, I was there all along, and where were you?" 3203 02:14:45,686 --> 02:14:48,993 You say, "Welcome aboard, and here's more." 3204 02:14:50,169 --> 02:14:51,909 WRIGHT: There's something to be said for the fact 3205 02:14:51,953 --> 02:14:53,389 that sleeper success 3206 02:14:53,433 --> 02:14:55,304 will keep people talking about them 3207 02:14:55,348 --> 02:14:57,915 a lot longer than artists that are a lot more popular. 3208 02:14:59,178 --> 02:15:00,788 I think the fact that they've always kept hungry 3209 02:15:00,831 --> 02:15:02,920 and consistently pushed the envelope 3210 02:15:02,964 --> 02:15:05,358 is exactly why I wanted to make this film. 3211 02:15:06,750 --> 02:15:08,404 OSWALT: Their songs are worlds 3212 02:15:08,448 --> 02:15:10,841 that you really need to delve into, 3213 02:15:10,885 --> 02:15:13,583 but once you delve into 'em, the rewards are incredible. 3214 02:15:15,324 --> 02:15:18,284 JONES: I wish I had that drive or that commitment. 3215 02:15:18,327 --> 02:15:20,590 I'm just like, "Ah, fuck it. I can't be bothered." 3216 02:15:21,635 --> 02:15:23,376 FLEA: Some bands will give you an outfit to wear, 3217 02:15:23,419 --> 02:15:25,769 and some bands will give you a sewing machine 3218 02:15:25,813 --> 02:15:27,858 and some needle and some thread 3219 02:15:27,902 --> 02:15:29,817 and let you make what you want but inspire you 3220 02:15:29,860 --> 02:15:31,471 and give you the energy to make stuff. 3221 02:15:31,514 --> 02:15:33,690 And that's the kind of band that Sparks is to me. 3222 02:15:35,214 --> 02:15:38,130 BECK: There's several kind of archetypes of bands. 3223 02:15:38,173 --> 02:15:40,436 There's the bands who are wildly popular 3224 02:15:40,480 --> 02:15:43,309 in their day and adulation, 3225 02:15:43,352 --> 02:15:46,268 and then there's bands that sow all these seeds 3226 02:15:46,312 --> 02:15:50,838 and foment all these ideas that grow up in other places. 3227 02:15:50,881 --> 02:15:53,710 And, uh, there's some corollary in nature. 3228 02:15:53,754 --> 02:15:56,278 Like, we wouldn't survive without the bees. 3229 02:15:56,322 --> 02:15:59,934 Sparks are part of the ecosystem of music. 3230 02:15:59,977 --> 02:16:03,155 And they may have given birth to other bands 3231 02:16:03,198 --> 02:16:07,855 who don't even know that the lineage goes back to them. 3232 02:16:07,898 --> 02:16:10,727 They might not even be aware of it. 3233 02:16:10,771 --> 02:16:16,211 ♪ This is the number one song in heaven ♪ 3234 02:16:16,255 --> 02:16:18,257 [crowd cheering] 3235 02:16:19,214 --> 02:16:21,303 ♪ Written, of course 3236 02:16:21,347 --> 02:16:25,525 ♪ By the mightiest hand 3237 02:16:28,354 --> 02:16:30,660 ♪ All of the angels are sheep 3238 02:16:30,704 --> 02:16:35,187 ♪ In the fold of their master 3239 02:16:37,406 --> 02:16:43,238 ♪ They always follow the master and his plan ♪ 3240 02:16:46,546 --> 02:16:52,160 ♪ This is the number one song in heaven ♪ 3241 02:16:55,598 --> 02:17:01,474 ♪ Why are you hearing it now, you ask ♪ 3242 02:17:04,694 --> 02:17:07,697 ♪ Maybe you're closer to here 3243 02:17:07,741 --> 02:17:10,831 ♪ Than you imagine 3244 02:17:13,747 --> 02:17:15,923 ♪ Maybe you're closer to here 3245 02:17:15,966 --> 02:17:20,536 ♪ Than you care to be... 3246 02:17:27,891 --> 02:17:30,546 We fear that, over the course of the documentary, 3247 02:17:30,590 --> 02:17:32,722 we have revealed way more about ourselves 3248 02:17:32,766 --> 02:17:34,942 than we are comfortable with. 3249 02:17:34,985 --> 02:17:37,292 So, in an attempt to create some further mystique, 3250 02:17:37,336 --> 02:17:39,729 we'd like to leave you with a bunch of Sparks facts 3251 02:17:39,773 --> 02:17:42,471 that are all 100% true. 3252 02:17:42,515 --> 02:17:44,908 Russell has been an uncredited voice actor 3253 02:17:44,952 --> 02:17:48,912 in 27 Hollywood animated feature films. 3254 02:17:48,956 --> 02:17:52,220 Ron briefly dated EÉdith Piaf. 3255 02:17:52,264 --> 02:17:56,659 Russell is not singing in English on Kimono My House. 3256 02:17:56,703 --> 02:17:59,140 Ron has worn the same white shirt, 3257 02:17:59,183 --> 02:18:01,316 a shirt he purchased at Marks and Spencer 3258 02:18:01,360 --> 02:18:05,494 in December 1973, for the last 46 years. 3259 02:18:05,538 --> 02:18:08,845 Between 1989 and 1993, 3260 02:18:08,889 --> 02:18:11,848 Russell was a NASCAR driver. 3261 02:18:11,892 --> 02:18:14,460 Ron has written many novels under the pen name 3262 02:18:14,503 --> 02:18:16,766 John le Carré. 3263 02:18:16,810 --> 02:18:18,551 After realizing he was too small 3264 02:18:18,594 --> 02:18:20,292 to compete in college football, 3265 02:18:20,335 --> 02:18:24,208 Russell trained for nine months as a jockey. 3266 02:18:24,252 --> 02:18:29,039 26 days before every tour, Ron goes on the alphabet diet, 3267 02:18:29,083 --> 02:18:31,738 eating foods in alphabetical order. 3268 02:18:31,781 --> 02:18:34,480 Day one: avocados or asparagus. 3269 02:18:34,523 --> 02:18:37,047 Day 26: zucchini. 3270 02:18:37,091 --> 02:18:39,702 In 1982, we started the first ever 3271 02:18:39,746 --> 02:18:43,576 seahorse rehabilitation ranch, Back in the Saddle. 3272 02:18:43,619 --> 02:18:46,361 The tragic decline in the seahorse population 3273 02:18:46,405 --> 02:18:50,365 has been a cause we've long felt strongly about. 3274 02:18:50,409 --> 02:18:52,585 Sparks really only have two songs, 3275 02:18:52,628 --> 02:18:54,500 a fast one and a slow one. 3276 02:18:54,543 --> 02:18:57,024 We constantly rewrite the lyrics for these songs 3277 02:18:57,067 --> 02:18:58,852 to give the appearance of having written 3278 02:18:58,895 --> 02:19:01,158 nearly 300 songs. 3279 02:19:01,202 --> 02:19:03,073 And finally, we would like to reveal 3280 02:19:03,117 --> 02:19:05,772 that Ron is really Russell. 3281 02:19:05,815 --> 02:19:08,731 And Russell is really Ron. 3282 02:19:12,518 --> 02:19:17,697 ♪ This is the number one song in heaven ♪ 3283 02:19:20,569 --> 02:19:26,836 ♪ Why are you hearing it now, you ask ♪ 3284 02:19:29,535 --> 02:19:32,668 ♪ Maybe you're closer to here 3285 02:19:32,712 --> 02:19:35,889 ♪ Than you imagine 3286 02:19:38,587 --> 02:19:40,807 ♪ Maybe you're closer to here 3287 02:19:40,850 --> 02:19:45,333 ♪ Than you care to be. 3288 02:19:45,377 --> 02:19:47,596 ♪ 3289 02:19:47,640 --> 02:19:49,816 [audience cheering] 3290 02:19:49,859 --> 02:19:52,166 [audience clapping rhythmically] 3291 02:20:14,623 --> 02:20:16,930 ♪ 3292 02:20:41,650 --> 02:20:43,957 ♪ 3293 02:20:49,092 --> 02:20:51,094 [song ends] 3294 02:20:51,138 --> 02:20:53,183 [cheering and applause]