Tonight was the Sparks concert at the El Rey, and so you know right off the bat that it was incredible. The Brothers Mael are back this time with a full backing band, a rock band, which is a real treat because the rock band format takes Us Fans back to the Sparks era of the 70s, when they first emerged as a kind of eccentric quasi-glam band with a falsetto vocalist. The first time I saw Sparks was in Fall 1975 (and by the way, they are now tied with Rick Wakeman for the most years between "First Saw 'Em" and "Most Recently Seen 'Em", which for Rick and Sparks is 42 years for each. 42 years!) but anyway......what was I saying? Oh yeah, the first time I saw Sparks, back in 1975, they were essentially a hard rock band. I mean, on record, they were What They Are. Listen to "Kimono My House" for reference. But live, those songs were pumped up, and Russell was a Super Rock Star back then, and so a Sparks live show came off as Art Rock Played As Super Hard Rock, with a kick ass live band.
And that's what they returned to tonight, after a decade of trying out other - equally awesome - formats, such as playing with an orchestra, or just the Two Brothers playing and singing all by themselves. Their backing band now is a group of young musicians who have their own band called Mini Mansions, which seems to be connected to Queens Of The Stone Age in some way. They were super tight and played their butts off. I thought it was the best band Sparks has played with.
As for Ron and Russ, what can even be said. Lead singer Russell just turned 69 a week ago. Now, I know that's not ancient in this day and age, but he's certainly no kid, either. I mean, I'm 57, and I'm no kid, but whatever Russ is doing, I wanna do it too so that I can run around and jump up and down on stage when I am 69.
Are you ready for a Cliche? You are? Good, cause here comes one :
"Singers half his age couldn't match what Russ Mael is doing in concert". I've said this after previous Sparks concerts, but now it's getting weird, because Russ is not, like, 60 anymore....or even 63 or 67....
He's a year shy of 70, and yet he's putting on a rigorous show at the same level of professionalism and vocal skill as when I saw the dude in 1975. I mean, the guy is almost 70 and he is dancing and jumping around the stage, hitting every high note, and remembering volumes of lyrics with no teleprompter.
It's pretty awesome, I tell ya, but it's also weird. Ron is 72, and while he is also is very good shape, he looks his age. But Russ, he must be on a Serious Regimen Of Some Kind. Sparks may be the first band to outlive their audience. Russ will show up one day when he's 100, dancing and singing as usual, but the hall will be empty because we couldn't keep up with him..... :)
Wait a minute, what am I saying? The whole Idea Of Sparks is timelessness. With Art, and Music, there is no time. That famous eccentric Edward Van Halen said the same thing. Asked why it takes him decades to release albums, he replied "Time is irrelevant to me". And he looks great nowdays, too, at 62 years of age. And he took a truckload of drugs, unlike Ron and Russ who are more or less Teetotalers. Sparks even have a song called "I've Never Been High"......how cool is that?
Well anyway, I am Way Out In Left Field with the whole subject.
It's the Time Thing that freaks me out.
42 years since I first saw Sparks. C'mon, you know that's weird. And do you wanna know Why It's Weird? Here's why, and I believe I've told you this before. It's the Frank Sinatra comparison.
In previous generations, there were actors and musicians who had 40 and 50 year careers. There weren't many, but there were some, like Sinatra, or Jimmy Durante or somebody like that. Mickey Rooney.
And when those guys were young, They Were Young. But when 40 years went by in their career and you saw them again, they were Old. They had aged and become what we think of as Older People.
But now we have guys like Russell Mael, who has been performing live with Sparks since 1972 - 45 years! - and though some age shows in his face - you still have to wonder what is happening, because what you are watching when you see him in concert is basically The Same Dude You Saw In 1975, but just a little older. He doesn't age like other people, and it's really weird.
And cool, too. I wanna be like Russell.
Rock 'N Roll, and Art, keep you young.
And staying in shape, etc. And love. But you already knew that.
See you in church in the morn. :):)
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