Sparks: Collection Part 02 (1972-2017) [11CD, Remasters & Reissues]

Brothers Ron and Russell Mael from Los Angeles, USA have been making diverse music since 1969 under various incarnations of Sparks. In 1979 they ditched the guitars and keyboards of glam geek rock and started working with Italian producer Giorgio Moroder, beginning a love affair with electronic music. Since then they have worked with a variety of people including Finitribe, Les Rita Mitsouko, Erasure and Faith No More.

~ discogs

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Sparks: Collection Part 02 (1972-2017) [11CD, Remasters & Reissues]

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Sparks is an American pop and rock band formed in Los Angeles in 1972 by brothers Ron (keyboards) and Russell Mael (vocals). The duo formed in 1968 under the name Halfnelson. Known for their quirky approach to songwriting, Sparks' music is often accompanied by intelligent, sophisticated, and acerbic lyrics, and an idiosyncratic, theatrical stage presence, typified in the contrast between Russell's animated, hyperactive frontman antics and Ron's deadpan scowling. They are also noted for Russell Mael's distinctive wide-ranging voice and Ron Mael's intricate and rhythmic keyboard playing style.

While achieving chart success in various countries around the world including the United Kingdom, Germany, France, Italy, and the United States, they have enjoyed a cult following since their first releases. During the late 1970s, when in collaboration with Giorgio Moroder (and Telex subsequently), Sparks reinvented themselves as a new wave/synth-pop band, and abandoned the traditional rock band line-up. Their frequently changing styles and visual presentations have kept the band at the forefront of modern, artful pop music.

The 2002 release of Lil' Beethoven, their "genre-defying opus", as well as the more recent albums Hello Young Lovers (2006, their 20th studio album), Exotic Creatures of the Deep (2008), and their latest fantasy musical The Seduction of Ingmar Bergman (2009–2010) have brought Sparks renewed critical and commercial success, and seen them continue to "steer clear of pop conventions." The band also released an album with Scottish indie rock band Franz Ferdinand, as the supergroup FFS, titled FFS, released in 2015.

Sparks are best known for the songs "This Town Ain't Big Enough for Both of Us", which reached No. 2 on the UK Singles Chart in 1974; the disco hit "The Number One Song in Heaven" in 1979; "When I'm With You" which topped the French Singles Chart in 1980; the single "I Predict", which provided Sparks' first appearance on the Billboard Hot 100, reaching No. 60 in May 1982; the 1983 single "Cool Places" with the Go-Go's rhythm guitarist and backing vocalist Jane Wiedlin, and "When Do I Get to Sing 'My Way'" which topped the German and European charts in 1994/95 and was the top airplay record in Germany for 1994. In 2017 Sparks released Hippopotamus, which entered the UK Albums Chart at no. 7, marking Sparks' first UK top-ten appearance in over 40 years…

~ wiki

Tracklist CD01. 1972 - A Woofer in Tweeter's Clothing (2006, USA, Bearsville/Rhino, WOU 110):

01. Girl From Germany (3:29)
02. Beaver O' Lindy (3:44)
03. Nothing Is Sacred (5:33)
04. Here Comes Bob (2:12)
05. Moon Over Kentucky (4:11)
06. Do Re Mi (3:39)
07. Angus Desire (3:20)
08. Underground (2:55)
09. The Louvre (4:52)
10. Batteries Not Included (0:44)
11. Whippings And Apologies (4:42)




Tracklist CD02. 1974 - Kimono My House (2006, Germany, Universal/Island, 984 341 7):

01. This Town Ain't Big Enough For Both Of Us (3:06)
02. Amateur Hour (3:41)
03. Falling In Love With Myself Again (3:05)
04. Here In Heaven (2:51)
05. Thank God It's Not Christmas (5:09)
06. Hasta Mañana Monsieur (3:53)
07. Talent Is An Asset (3:27)
08. Complaints (2:54)
09. In My Family (3:49)
10. Equator (4:43)
11. Barbecutie (3:08)
12. Lost And Found (3:19)
13. Amateur Hour (Live at Fairfield Halls 09/11/75) (4:45)




Tracklist CD03. 1974 - Propaganda (2006, Germany, Universal/Island, 984 341 0):

01. Propaganda (0:23)
02. At Home, At Work, At Play (3:06)
03. Reinforcements (3:55)
04. B.C. (2:13)
05. Thanks But No Thanks (4:14)
06. Don't Leave Me Alone With Her (3:02)
07. Never Turn Your Back On Mother Earth (2:28)
08. Something For The Girl With Everything (2:17)
09. Achoo (3:34)
10. Who Don't Like Kids (3:37)
11. Bon Voyage (4:54)
12. Alabamy Right (2:11)
13. Marry Me (2:54)




Tracklist CD04. 1976 - Big Beat (2006, Germany, Island/Universal, 984 341 2):

01. Big Boy (3:32)
02. I Want To Be Like Everybody Else (2:58)
03. Nothing To Do (3:10)
04. I Bought The Mississippi River (2:31)
05. Fill-Er-Up (2:20)
06. Everybody's Stupid (3:41)
07. Throw Her Away (And Get A New One) (3:12)
08. Confusion (3:28)
09. Screwed Up (4:21)
10. White Women (3:25)
11. I Like Girls (2:59)
12. I Want To Hold Your Hand (2:56)
13. England (3:18)
14. Gone With The Wind (3:07)
15. Intrusion-Confusion (2:45)
16. Looks Aren't Everything (3:28)
17. Tearing The Place Apart (3:38)




Tracklist CD05. 1977 - Introducing Sparks (2006, UK, Lil' Beethoven Records, LBRCDRON):

1. A Big Surprise (3:43)
2. Occupation (5:14)
3. Ladies (3:06)
4. I'm Not (3:26)
5. Forever Young (3:25)
6. Goofing Off (4:25)
7. Girls On The Brain (3:39)
8. Over The Summer (3:48)
9. Those Mysteries (5:02)




Tracklist CD06. 1979 - Nº 1 in Heaven (1999, Germany (Austria), Oasis/Repertoire, REP 4768-WG):

1. Tryouts For The Human Race (6:08)
2. Academy Award Performance (5:01)
3. La Dolce Vita (5:54)
4. Beat The Clock (4:24)
5. My Other Voice (4:55)
6. The Number One Song In Heaven (7:26)




Tracklist CD07. 1982 - Angst in My Pants (1999, Germany, Repertoire, REP 4760-WG):

01. Angst In My Pants (3:28)
02. I Predict (2:53)
03. Sextown U.S.A. (2:59)
04. Sherlock Holmes (3:37)
05. Nicotina (3:29)
06. Mickey Mouse (3:18)
07. Moustache (3:31)
08. Instant Weight Loss (3:29)
09. Tarzan And Jane (3:21)
10. The Decline And Fall Of Me (2:57)
11. Eaten By The Monster Of Love (2:59)




Tracklist CD08. 1988 - Interior Design (2008, UK, Sparks/Lil' Beethoven, LBRCD104):

01. So Important (4:34)
02. Just Got Back From Heaven (4:10)
03. Lots Of Reasons (3:47)
04. You Got A Hold Of My Heart (4:59)
05. Love-O-Rama (4:43)
06. The Toughest Girl In Town (4:16)
07. Let's Make Love (4:46)
08. Stop Me If You've Heard This Before (3:42)
09. A Walk Down Memory Lane (4:55)
10. Madonna (4:37)
11. Madonna (French Version) (4:38)
12. Madonna (German Version) (4:38)
13. Madonna (Spanish Version) (4:37)
14. The Big Brass Ring (2:19)
15. So Important (Extremely Important Remix) (7:04)




Tracklist CD09. 1994 - Gratuitous Sax & Senseless Violins (2008, UK, Sparks/Lil' Beethoven, LBRCD102):

01. Gratuitous sax (0:31)
02. When do I get to sing "My Way" (4:37)
03. (When I kiss you) I hear Charlie Parker playing (5:13)
04. Frankly, Scarlett, I don't give a damn (5:03)
05. I thought I told you to wait in the car (4:20)
06. Hear no evil, see no evil, speak no evil (5:37)
07. Now that I own the BBC (4:58)
08. Tsui Hark (featuring Tsui Hark & Bill Kong) (4:31)
09. The ghost of Liberace (4:15)
10. Let's go surfing (5:02)
11. Senseless violins (0:50)




Tracklist CD10. 2000 - Balls (2008, UK, Lil' Beethoven, ‎(LBRCD103)):

01. Balls (4:23)
02. More Than A Sex Machine (5:03)
03. Scheherazade (4:28)
04. Aeroflot (4:28)
05. The Calm Before The Storm (4:03)
06. How To Get Your Ass Kicked (4:18)
07. Bullet Train (4:20)
08. It's A Knockoff (3:42)
09. Irreplaceable (5:05)
10. It's Educational (4:01)
11. The Angels (4:47)
Bonus Tracks
12. Calm Before The Opera (3:09)
13. Calm Before The Storm (Full Length Inst.) (5:02)




Tracklist CD11. 2003 - Lil' Beethoven (2003, UK, Lil' Beethoven, (LBRCD101)):

01. The Rhythm Thief (5:18)
02. How Do I Get To Carnegie Hall? (3:50)
03. What Are All These Bands So Angry About? (3:32)
04. I Married Myself (4:59)
05. Ride 'Em Cowboy (4:20)
06. My Baby's Taking Me Home (4:42)
07. Your Call's Very Important To Us. Please Hold. (4:11)
08. Ugly Guys With Beautiful Girls (7:07)
09. Suburban Homeboy (2:58)
Bonus Tracks:
10. The Legend Of Lil' Beethoven (2:06)
11. Wunderbar (3:54)
12. The Rhythm Thief (Instrumental Version) (5:24)



All thanks go to Olaf der Weisse & others…