Sparks

[mentalextra]

Although [i]Sparks[/i] were/are not my 'thing', I was interested to read about how apparently, when they moved to the UK and hired a bass player, with a distinctive 'rick' type sound, and he wouldn't change his tone when they went all 'disco', that he lost the gig? I know that the BC collective is a mine of information and I'm interested to know if the story is true?

[cytania]

Sounds suspect. When they went disco it was the full deal with Giorgio Moroder producing the whole 'No1 Song In Heaven' album with synths throughout. Sounded stunning back in the day.

[mentalextra]

[quote name='cytania' timestamp='1457026122' post='2994619']
Sounds suspect. When they went disco it was the full deal with Giorgio Moroder producing the whole 'No1 Song In Heaven' album with synths throughout. Sounded stunning back in the day.
[/quote]

Good luck to them, they've worked with some 'big' names. I was wondering if anyone could shine a light on the bass player story?

[Big_Stu]

The only time I saw them live I found their drummer to be very interesting when they were promoting the album that featured.......

[media]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=K_HSlNHNZuQ[/media]

I also caught Ron's eye and tried to out-stare him - I lost.

[mentalextra]

[quote name='Big_Stu' timestamp='1457028590' post='2994659']
The only time I saw them live I found their drummer to be very interesting when they were promoting the album that featured.......

[media]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=K_HSlNHNZuQ[/media]

I also caught Ron's eye and tried to out-stare him - I lost.
[/quote]

[media]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=08DFrY4ig_c[/media]

Great lyrics!

Edited March 3, 2016 by mentalextra

[Big_Stu]

His Roland keyboard had the letters altered to spell "Ronald" too. Brilliant!

[kodiakblair]

That could be Martin Gordon. He was a Ric man.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Martin_Gordon

[BigRedX]

[quote name='mentalextra' timestamp='1457022333' post='2994573']
Although [i]Sparks[/i] were/are not my 'thing', I was interested to read about how apparently, when they moved to the UK and hired a bass player, with a distinctive 'rick' type sound, and he wouldn't change his tone when they went all 'disco', that he lost the gig? I know that the BC collective is a mine of information and I'm interested to know if the story is true?
[/quote]

Looks like that story is complete bollocks. From the band line-ups from there were 4 different bass players on the 5 albums from "Kimono My House" to last before they made before "No 1 in Heaven".

[mentalextra]

[quote name='kodiakblair' timestamp='1457030029' post='2994679']
That could be Martin Gordon. He was a Ric man.

[url="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Martin_Gordon"]https://en.wikipedia...i/Martin_Gordon[/url]
[/quote]

"Gordon and Sparks parted company?", it's never good when you 'part company'?

[12stringbassist]

Martin is one of a number of musicians that has been used and discarded by the Mael brothers - He had a lot of input into arrangements on their first Island album and was edged out and ended up being made to sign future royalties away.

http://montesnewblog.blogspot.co.uk/2014/07/a-conversation-with-martin-gordon.html
http://www.axs.com/news/bassist-songwriter-martin-gordon-talks-musical-career-during-and-after-29778#slide=1
http://www.songfacts.com/blog/interviews/martin_gordon/

[mentalextra]

[quote name='12stringbassist' timestamp='1457050889' post='2994942']
Martin is one of a number of musicians that has been used and discarded by the Mael brothers - He had a lot of input into arrangements on their first Island album and was edged out and ended up being made to sign future royalties away.

[url="http://montesnewblog.blogspot.co.uk/2014/07/a-conversation-with-martin-gordon.html"]http://montesnewblog...tin-gordon.html[/url]
[url="http://www.axs.com/news/bassist-songwriter-martin-gordon-talks-musical-career-during-and-after-29778#slide=1"]http://www.axs.com/n...r-29778#slide=1[/url]
[url="http://www.songfacts.com/blog/interviews/martin_gordon/"]http://www.songfacts.../martin_gordon/[/url]
[/quote]

Thanks, that makes very interesting reading.

[NancyJohnson]

The same Martin Gordon who went onto The Radio Stars.

[Sausages]

Who plays the proto Stranglers bass line at the beginning of Barbecutie? That's pukka that is!

[12stringbassist]

^^^^ That would be Martin Gordon.

[mentalextra]

Shame he's not on this website, he could have "dished the dirt"

[cytania]

Sparks are one of those bands that attract rumours and don't do anything to dispel them. I suspect that they were attracted to synth pop by because they were tired of maintaining a band. In fact I remember a rumour that the next album 'Terminal Jive' is essentially a Russell Mael solo album. Despite Ron being credited and on the cover he had nothing to do with that album; at least that was the word on the grapevine a decade or so ago...

[RAY AGAINST THE MACHINE]

Love sparks . one of the very first singles I ever bought was amateur hour . They were great on top of the pops. They were known as the weird band at school .
People couldn't dance to them then , but they were different . Got the first couple of albums, and a greatest hits cd. I even like some of the disco stuff.
Saw them at the Astoria a couple of times. If they played shepherd 's bush I saw them there as well. ( memory lapse),
Remember the gorgeous female percussionist and the bass player who came on for a couple of songs at the end.
Also, 'Ronald ' keyboard;) etc.
Album wise, a bit patchy for me . I've got hello young lovers , and gratuitous sax and violins. Good albums .

[Woodinblack]

Don't know what happened, but it seemed a pretty acrimonious breakup. It is on his website, or maybe facebook

Edit: website - http://martingordon.de/bands/sparks/kimono-at-40/

Edited March 4, 2016 by Woodinblack

[Bassman Sam]

I had a PM from Martin Gordon around 3 years ago. I mention on a thread here that my old covers band had supported Jet back in the '70's at a gig in Dunoon and he wanted to know what my memories of it were. He said he was writing a book and would give me a credit if he used anything I told him. I wasn't much help as I was mostly off my tits back then and my memory was poor.

[RandomBass]

[quote name='Bassman Sam' timestamp='1457127833' post='2995747']
I had a PM from Martin Gordon around 3 years ago. I mention on a thread here that my old covers band had supported Jet back in the '70's at a gig in Dunoon and he wanted to know what my memories of it were. He said he was writing a book and would give me a credit if he used anything I told him. I wasn't much help as I was mostly off my tits back then and my memory was poor.
[/quote]
God I wish I had stories like that to tell.
Cracking post, Sir.

[geofio]

It was indeed Martin Gordon he is easily contactable on facebook i have chatted with him a few times he had a great Ric tone and he still does his main axe a modern 4003 maple finish.

Edited March 5, 2016 by geofio

[paulbkeeves]

Martin's a very nice chap and lives round the corner from me here in Berlin. We bump into each other every so often.
He's recently released a new album 'Gilbert Gordon and Sullivan' that's got his Rick sound all over it.
Martingordon.de

[Bassman Sam]

[quote name='RandomBass' timestamp='1457131530' post='2995786']
God I wish I had stories like that to tell.
Cracking post, Sir.
[/quote]

Thanks but it was just a chance encounter. I think he still brags about it to this day.

[BigRedX]

In the 80s my synth band used to cover "This Town Ain't Big Enough For The Both Of Us" It seems pretty straight-forward until you need to break it down in order to program the drums when it becomes apparent that the whole song is built entirely around the main riff and to fit the vocal line without any regard to making all the bars 4 beats long. Genius stuff.