All You Ever Think About Is Sparks

Episode 35: Angst in my Pants part one (1982)

Angst in my Pants is one of the greatest albums ever made!
Now that that's out of the way, on this, our 35th episode, Christian spends a conspicuous amount of time comparing classic TV comedy Taxi to Sparks and vice versa, by way of Danny DeVito (briefly) sharing a stage with the Mael Bros. and company on a 1982 episode of Saturday Night Live.
After that, Christian and Monte Mallin can barely contain their own angst over Sparks' 1982 release being just. that. good. It's a lot of great chatter, but alas, they only get to the first two songs on side one, after spending the lion's share of their time gushing like smitten schoolgirls, and in Monte's case, sharing some very cool personal Sparks stories.
But have no fear! There's a LOT more convo to share from that session, and it'll hit your eardrums soon enough!
Email me if you want at podcastsparks@gmail.com
and remember to check out Monte's podcast So Important, as well as his Sparks blog at: So Important: The Interview Podcast! | a podcast by Monte Mallin (podbean.com)
SOURCES FOR THIS EPISODE (in addition to the usual):
'Taxi's' Last Stand - The Washington Post
The Life of a Night Driver in the Dover Taxi Fleet -- New York Magazine - Nymag
SNL Transcripts: Danny DeVito: 05/15/82 - SNL Transcripts Tonight (jt.org)
Sparks | Concerts Wiki | Fandom
'TAXI,' DROPPED BY ABC, PICKED UP BY NBC - The New York Times (nytimes.com)

Episode 34: ’Latte’ Listening Party part two

PART TWO OF TWO!
FOUR - count 'em - FOUR Sparks fans join me for a track-by-track look under the hood of Sparks' latest album The Girl Is Crying In Her Latte.
Monte Mallin returns, along with Paul Barrett, Penny Brown, and Jo Sieger! That's a lot of Sparks galaxy brain for a single sitting. So much, in fact, that we did what we often do: chop it in half and save the rest for later. And later is now!
You won't hear the songs in their entireties here, so if you really want to "play along" at home, GO BUY THE ALBUM!
OUR LINKS:
So Important: The Interview Podcast! | a podcast by Monte Mallin (podbean.com)
Home | One for the ages (sparks-onefortheages.com)
MetaSparks - YouTube
sparkstalkbypenny.blogspot.com

Episode 33: ’Latte’ Listening Party part one

FOUR - count 'em - FOUR Sparks fans join me for a track-by-track look under the hood of Sparks' latest album The Girl Is Crying In Her Latte.
Monte Mallin returns, along with Paul Barrett, Penny Brown, and Jo Sieger! That's a lot of Sparks galaxy brain for a single sitting. So much, in fact, that we did what we often do: chop it in half and save the rest for later.
You won't hear the songs in their entireties here, so if you really want to "play along" at home, GO BUY THE ALBUM!
OUR LINKS:
So Important: The Interview Podcast! | a podcast by Monte Mallin (podbean.com)
Home | One for the ages (sparks-onefortheages.com)
MetaSparks - YouTube
sparkstalkbypenny.blogspot.com

Episode 32: The Paul Barrett Interview

Monte and Christian sit for a lengthy (and stimulating!) chat with Sparks superfan and author of the insightful blog One For the Ages (www.sparks-onefortheages.com)  Paul Barrett.
We discuss some of his fascinating meta-analyses of Sparks' lyrics, as well as geek out as all proud Sparks fans do, and (checks watch) *just in time* for the release of new LP The Girl Is Crying In Her Latte. Can't wait to have you back, Paul!
Don't forget Monte's excellent podcast So Important!
Drop me a line if you wanna!

Episode 31: Whomp That Sucker part two (1981)

Christian and Monte wax philosophical about talking hippos, gastric distress and getting kicked in the bonbons. Plus! What is this salt discharge in my latte?
We wrap up Whomp That Sucker, the first of the twin quasars of Reinhold Mack-produced Sparks rock albums, recorded yet again at Giorgio's Musicland Studios in Munich.
Check us out on Larry Graves' YouTube channel discussing (gasp) Sparks!
Don't forget Monte's podcast So Important!
Drop me a line if you wanna!

Episode 30: Interview with Jim Goodwin

He started out a middle class kid from Oregon who grumbled about taking his piano lessons. But by the time he was thirty, Jim Goodwin had worked with the likes of Sparks, John Cale, Simple Minds, Bono, Peter Gabriel and other luminaries.
Jim was exceedingly generous with his time when chatting with myself and Monte Mallin. He's had a hell of a career, and I, for one, enjoyed geeking out with him over vintage synths.
One-time keyboardist for Sparks, Gleaming Spires, The Call, and John Cale on tour, here's Jim Goodwin!
--Christian
sparkspodcast@podbean.com
 

Episode 29: Whomp That Sucker part one (1980-1981)

Ron and Russ were dying for some decent espresso and pastries. Voila, they found their newest muses at the Original Farmers Market in Los Angeles.
The Maels teamed up with a talented band by the name (at that time) of The Bates Motel, and with the assistance of uber-producer Reinhold Mack, they found a new lease on life. Here's the first half of Whomp That Sucker, as discussed by myself and Monte Mallin.
Stay tuned! We have a wonderful interview with keyboardist Jim Goodwin coming up!
podbean.com/sparkspodcast.com
podcastsparks@gmail.com

Episode 28: Terminal Jive (1979-1980)

Terminal Jive had the misfortune of following up No. 1 in Heaven, which enjoys legendary status today. It also had the misfortune of Ron and Russ's original slate of songs being defenestrated outright by Giorgio Moroder and Harold Faltermeyer.
What we have instead is seven-and-a-half songs (you'll figure out what I mean) written by committee - the lead single being a crucial exception.
Terminal Jive was written and recorded in a hurry, but it doesn't mean there isn't a lot to enjoy here. Faltermeyer, along with W. Snuffy Walden and a coterie of studio cats, work to fashion a sound that was new and vibrant and fresh. You know the gated drum sounds of the 80s? It's here already. The synths are a generation newer than the Moog on N1iH, and Walden's guitar is pure new wave angular punchiness. Oh - and several songs on here are actually damn good.
I begin the episode eulogizing Marc Moulin of Telex, whom Ron called his "best friend since 1979." Then Monte and I begin our Jive to see if it truly is Terminal.
You can email me (Christian) at podcastsparks@gmail.com
important links: Marc Moulin - Official Website
FanMael https://www.sparks-onefortheages.com

Episode 27: Noel: Is There More to Life Than Dancing? (1979)

Hey, Sparkskateers. This episode is entirely about the Mael-produced album by Noel: Is There More to Life Than Dancing. I'm chatting with Monte Mallin on this one, and then another conversation with Jim Wellen.
This is an interesting, and fun(!) Sparks-adjacent album (Jim asserts it's a true Sparks album)!
Stick around for next time, when we get into Terminal Jive, from 1980!
https://postpunkmonk.com/2021/07/20/record-review-noel-dancing-is-dangerous-us-7/http://discodelivery.blogspot.com/2006/10/disco-delivery-27-noel-is-there-more.html
https://cherryaudio.com/news/the-syndrum-saga

Episode 26: Number One in Heaven part 2 (1979)

I wrap up discussion of side 2 of Number One in Heaven, with the help of my friend Monte Mallin in this ep. We also discussed the Sparks side project for Noël, but I'm saving that for the next episode. To paraphrase DJ Steve Dahl, this one's gonna blow up reeeeeal good.
sources:
https://wgntv.com/news/wgn-news-now/disco-demolition-night-how-an-anti-disco-baseball-night-led-to-a-riot-in-comiskey-park/
https://www.wbur.org/onlyagame/2019/07/12/disco-demolition-dahl-veeck-chicago-white-sox
https://www.google.com/search?client=firefox-b-1-d&q=paul+barrett+one+for+the+ages
https://play.google.com/books/reader?id=7n515ucve20C&pg=GBS.PT214.w.2.0.0_205
https://www.amazon.com/No-1-Songs-Heaven-Sparks/dp/1901447464
https://www.fanmael.nl/
Also, check out Monte's podcast So Important!: https://soimportant.podbean.com/