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Brothers Ron and Russell Mael grew up in Los Angeles in the ‘60s, and were obsessed with rock and roll and pop culture. In 1968 the pair decided to form a band. They originally called themselves Halfnelson and signed with Bearsville Records and got Todd Rundgren to produce their debut album which flopped. A name change was agreed and their label suggested Sparks Brothers. From there it was a short edit to arrive at Sparks. Their debut was repackaged and re-released and sold roughly the same, though the single “Wonder Girl” did get airplay in Los Angeles. A second album followed causing even more subdued enthusiasm. At this point Ron and Russell packed their bags and moved to England. Hooking up with producer Muff Winwood, they were signed to Island Records and formed a new version of the band with British players. The change was just what was needed. From 1974 through 1975, Sparks released the three key albums that most fans still consider a holy trinity of sorts. The single “This Town Ain’t Big Enough for Both of Us” was released in 1974 and shot to No. 2 on the U.K. charts. The unlikely hit struck a chord with its glam-affected guitars, triumphant rhythm and far from average vocal style of Russell. This was the first of eight Top 40 U.K. hits in a row for the band. Sparks moved with the times travelling from glam to pop via big band and hard rock before crashing into both New Wave and disco along the way. By the early ‘80s, the Maels had moved back home to L.A. and formed yet another version of the band. This time around, they would find some success Stateside with songs like “I Predict” and “Cool Places” (which featured Jane Wiedlin of the Go-Gos). As time moved on, Ron and Russell became more interested in, and reliant upon, electronics, making a series of more synth-pop albums. Though the music had changed, their sense of humor and wit remained intact. In 1997, they released the album ‘Plagiarism’, which featured re-workings of old songs with help from such varied sources as Faith No More and Erasure. Some of the songs used full orchestration, which would in part signal their next move. The ground breaking album Lil’ Beethoven was released in 2002 to much fanfare. Most fans and critics hailed it their best work since the mid-’70s. Its success led to a renaissance of sorts which included another strong run of albums culminating in the 2008 series of concerts in London where the band performed every one of their albums in their entirety for a total of 21 nights, leading up to the release of their 21st album, ‘Exotic Creatures of the Deep.’ Past Tense - Best Of Sparks

Product Identifiers

Record LabelBgrt, BMG Rights Managemen

UPC4050538507171

eBay Product ID (ePID)27046034529

Product Key Features

Release Year2019

FormatRecord

GenreRock

ArtistSparks

Release TitlePast Tense-Best of Sparks

Dimensions

Item Height0.47 in

Item Weight1.64 lb

Item Length12.42 in

Item Width12.27 in

Additional Product Features

Number of Tracks58

Country/Region of ManufactureUnited States

Tracks1.1 Computer Girl 1.2 Wonder Girl 1.3 (No More) Mr. Nice Guys 1.4 Girl from Germany 1.5 Beaver O'Lindy 1.6 This Town Ain't Big Enough for Both of Us 1.7 Amateur Hour 1.8 Here in Heaven 1.9 Never Turn Your Back on Mother Earth 1.10 Something for the Girl with Everything 1.11 Achoo 1.12 Get in the Swing 1.13 In the Future 1.14 Looks, Looks, Looks 1.15 I Want to Hold Your Hand 1.16 Big Boy 1.17 I Bought the Mississippi River 1.18 Occupation 1.19 Those Mysteries 1.20 Tryouts for the Human Race 1.21 Beat the Clock 2.1 The Number One Song in Heaven 2.2 When I'm with You 2.3 Tips for Teens 2.4 Funny Face 2.5 Angst in My Pants 2.6 I Predict 2.7 Sherlock Holmes 2.8 Cool Places (With Jane Wiedlin) 2.9 Popularity 2.10 I Wish I Looked a Little Better 2.11 With All My Might 2.12 Change 2.13 Music That You Can Dance to 2.14 So Important 2.15 Singing in the Shower (With Les Rita Mitsouko) 2.16 National Crime Awareness Week (Psycho Cut) 2.17 When Do I Get to Sing 'My Way' 2.18 (When I Kiss You) I Hear Charlie Parker Playing - Radio Edit 2.19 Let's Go Surfing 3.1 Pulling Rabbits Out of a Hat 3.2 The Calm Before the Storm 3.3 It's a Knockoff 3.4 The Rhythm Thief 3.5 My Baby's Taking Me Home 3.6 Suburban Homeboy 3.7 Dick Around 3.8 Perfume 3.9 Islington N1 3.10 Good Morning 3.11 Lighten Up, Morrissey 3.12 Two Hands, One Mouth 3.13 Piss Off (Sparks Original Demo) 3.14 Johnny Delusional (FFS) 3.15 Missionary Position 3.16 Edith Piaf (Said It Better Than Me) 3.17 I Wish You Were Fun 3.18 Check Out Time 11Am

Number of Discs1