A Conversation with Martin Gordon!

Kimono My House at 40: The Second In A Series

In this, the 40^th anniversary year of the groundbreaking 1974 Sparks album Kimono My House, there was no question that I needed to talk with one Martin Gordon, who plays the brilliant and distinctive bass on that album.

We talked extensively about his time in Sparks, focusing on the great music that the band made when he was a member. Martin also provided a song-by-song analysis of each of the songs he performed with Sparks, entries from his personal diary detailing the rehearsal schedule for Kimono, and unique insight into Chris Townson, Sparks' "audition" drummer as they were forming the Kimono band. These follow the interview, along with rare photos and videos hand-selected by Martin for this project.

We also talked about the solo work that Martin has steadily released since 2003. If you have heard it, you know how good it is. If you haven't, give it a listen. It is brilliant, and well worth hearing. I highly recommend it.

Martin Gordon has had an accomplished career but I am not going to summarize his Wikipedia page here. Instead I suggest that you take the time to dabble on Martin’s website. It is a gem, full of information, inspiration, and history, all written with Martin's characteristic wit and insight that makes the site extremely addictive. I hope you’ll agree.  And best of all, you can easily find his music there.

I want to thank Martin for his generosity of time and energy, and I hope you enjoy our conversation.

Sparks Drummer Project (7): Ronna Frank!

"We rehearsed in Ron and Russ's garage and their mother brought us lemonade"

Before there was Sparks, there was Halfnelson. And before there was Halfnelson, there was the Urban Renewal Project.

The Urban Renewal Project was Ron and Russell Mael's first serious attempt at creating a band. An important member of the Urban Renewal Project was Ms. Ronna Frank. She played with Ron and Russell Mael from 1964-1967, providing percussive background and appearing on the one known URP recording - Computer Girl, composed by Russell Mael.

Today, Ms. Frank remains active in music as a composer for films and stage. Ms. Frank's website is a great resource to learn about her current projects, which she discusses a bit in our conversation. And you can learn more about Urban Renewal Project here.

I am grateful that Ms. Frank found some time to answer a few questions - and provide some fantastic pictures from the old days! I hope you enjoy our conversation.

Sparks (Guitarist) Project: Jim Wilson!

It was special every day for me, just being in London for a month, and the only thing to do was to play Sparks every night.

Jim Wilson had the opportunity to live every music fan’s dream. Jim is a huge fan of Sparks going back to the 1980s – like me, he was an early member of their international fan club – and back then, he never dreamed that one day he would be performing with them on a semi-regular basis. Jim has done a number of shows over the past decade with Sparks, but most significantly, Jim played lead guitar for Sparks’ 2008 “21X21” London spectacular at the Carling Academy Islington, where they played every one of their 21 albums over the course of 21 days.

This only touches on the breadth and depth of Jim’s career though. He played guitar in the acclaimed rock band Mother Superior for years, he has recorded with numerous musical icons, and along with drummer (and fellow 21X21 alum) Steve Nistor and Daniel Lanois, he is currently supporting Emmylou Harris on her Wrecking Ball tour.

He’s also an affable and down to earth guy, may I add, and most generous with his time in speaking with me about the revival of Mother Superior, some of his other projects, and of course, the 21X21 spectacular – an event that would not have been the same without one Jim Wilson.

Sparks (and Electric Prunes) Project: James Lowe!

It's fun being able to do this stuff. That's the message.

James Lowe is the founder – and one of the key driving creative forces behind – the Electric Prunes. The Electric Prunes’ unique and immediately identifiable style of music – heavy emphasis on production values, grounded in but not beholden only to psychedelic-rock, and fastidious musical craftsmanship – reflect Lowe’s vision. The Prunes have been around in various incarnations since 1967; the critical constant throughout this history is James Lowe.

The Prunes have just released a fantastic new record entitled Was.  The CD, which can be purchased here, has no less than 15 songs, with no loss of vision, power, energy, or musical direction.

James Lowe is an affable man, appreciative of life's opportunities (he lives half a year in the Dominican Republic), and proud of his work with both the Electric Prunes and Sparks.  We talked about the new Electric Prunes’ CD, as well as Lowe’s experience as the engineer on the 1971 eponymous debut album by Sparks, and as the producer of that album's follow up, 1972's A Woofer In Tweeter’s Clothing.

I hope you enjoy reading this interview with James, who was so generous with his time – for which I am greatly appreciative.

Sparks Drummer Project (6): Steve Nistor

It was easily the most challenging thing I've ever done musically - Steve Nistor.

This is the sixth in a series of articles about the individuals that have drummed for Sparks. The focus of this piece is the acclaimed Steve Nistor, who drummed with Sparks during their historic "21X21" undertaking in 2008, where they played all of their albums in succession over a period of 21 (not quite consecutive) nights. I was fortunate enough to have attended the first five of the shows; it was an unforgettable experience. Steve Nistor drummed for each of the shows that I saw, as well as almost every one of the others. Also accompanying Sparks leaders Ron and Russell Mael were guitarist Jim Wilson, Steve McDonald, and Marcus Blake on Bass. Steve's on-line rundown of each show can be found here, and is well worth the read.

Given the diversity of styles that Sparks explores in their music, the complex arrangements of the songs, and the breadth of material, such an undertaking requires versatility and serious musical chops. That's Steve Nistor. He has played with any number of bands, and along with Jim Wilson, is currently on the road supporting Emmylou Harris's Wrecking Ball tour.  

Steve's Facebook page can be found here.  Steve was most gracious with his time, particularly in light of his no doubt frenetic schedule in the midst of a major tour. I am very appreciative that Steve took the time to reflect on the 21x21 experience. 

Sparks Drummer Project (5): Dinky Diamond, 1974-1975 - As Remembered By His Peers

Kimono My House at 40: The First in a Series

This is the first of a series of planned articles commemorating the May, 1974 release of the seminal Sparks album Kimono My House. Kimono was the first of three Sparks albums to feature the great drummer Norman "Dinky" Diamond, the subject of this article.

Kimono My House put Sparks on the map. The two albums that followed, also considered classics, are Propaganda (1974), and Indiscreet (1975). On these albums, Dinky Diamond made an indelible contribution to Sparks history. He brought originality and an innate sense of how to incorporate the drums into the complex arrangements of Sparks' principal songwriter, Ron Mael - not an easy task. As I discuss below, Dinky Diamond went far to set the template for Sparks drumming.

Diamond, who was voted Drummer of the Year in a 1975 poll conducted by Premier Drums, tragically took his own life on September 10, 2004. He will be forever remembered by fellow Sparks drummers, by those who contributed to those classic Sparks records and other musical colleagues, and by the fans of his music. Here, in their words, are tributes and thoughts about the great Norman "Dinky" Diamond - including a few additional thoughts of my own at the end. 

These individuals took time from their busy schedules to make these contributions. Needless to say, I am truly grateful.

Sparks Drummer Project (4): Hilly Michaels, 1976

"It was heavenly being able to play with one of my most favorite bands in the world."

This is the fourth installment of my conversations with the individuals that have drummed with the band Sparks (as well as their predecessor band, Halfnelson). The first three are with David Kendrick, Harley Feinstein, and John Mendelssohn.  Recently, I spoke with Hilly Michaels, who drummed with Sparks on the 1976 Big Beat album, as well as the subsequent tour. Hilly has had a remarkable career working with Sparks, Mick Ronson, and other rock luminaries, and he remains active in music today, planning a summer release of newly recorded material. His official Facebook page  is essential to check out, as a good deal of his music can be referenced there. Also highly recommended is his Electronic Press Kit, which summarizes his career through 2013.

Hilly  was a fan of Sparks before he became a member - he had heard their early single "Wonder Girl" on the radio in 1972 and loved it, and after seeing them on television in 1975, knew that he hoped to play with them one day. He is a true gentleman appreciative of the opportunities he has had, and just as enthusiastic about the future too. He brings an intriguing combination of power and technical skill to Big Beat, and I am grateful to Hilly for sharing some time with me.

Two important notes: First, this link to Big Beat, as well as the one above, are to the 2006 remastered version. This is important; the production on the original album, as Hilly and I discuss, was subpar; on the 2006 version, one can truly appreciate the majesty of Hilly's drumming. And I do not use that word lightly. Second, I want to thank Thomas Ferranti for all his assistance is coordinating this interview.

Sparks (and Halfnelson) Drummer Project (3): John Mendelssohn, 1969!

"I remember the Maels exchanging unhappy glances when I said I thought we should be violent and scary, a la my idols, The Who." - John Mendelssohn

John Mendelssohn

This is the third of a series of discussions with the individuals that played drums for the band Sparks - or in this case, Halfnelson, the band that evolved into Sparks. The first two installments in this series are with David Kendrick and Harley Feinstein.  In this installment, I talk with John Mendelssohn, who played with Ron and Russell Mael, the leaders of Halfnelson/Sparks, from July through September, 1969. A short period, but a highly significant one, as it was during this time that the eponymous (and never released) Halfnelson record was made, with John playing drums.

John Mendelssohn is a multifaceted man who has distinguished himself as a journalist, an author, a graphic designer, and a performer and songwriter in his own right.  He is well known for his often acerbic, but also quite humorous, record reviews for Rolling Stone and Creem magazine, among others. However, like his time in Halfnelson, this is but a small part of his extensive career.  His Wikipedia page is worth reading for a good summary. I am grateful to John for his generosity of time and insight, and patience with my follow up questions.  He was candid with his views, and his sense of humor is intact. John's blog is compelling reading, and can be found here.

Sparks Drummer Project (2): Harley Feinstein, 1971-1974!

"It was a great time. I've had some good eras in my life, and that was one of them." - Harley Feinstein, Sparks drummer, 1971-1974.

Harley Feinstein 

This is the second of a planned series of discussions with the individuals that have drummed with the band Sparks. Sparks are led by Ron and Russell Mael and are known for their musical experimentation, and each drummer has had to meet a different set of musical challenges. The first of these discussions was with David Kendrick, who drummed with Sparks from 1981 to 1986. That interview can be found here.

Recently, I spoke with Harley Feinstein, who drummed with Sparks during their formative years, from 1971-1974. During those years, the band released two albums: Sparks, their 1972 debut produced by Todd Rundgren, and its 1973 follow up,  A Woofer In Tweeter's Clothing, produced by Thaddeus James Lowe. Lowe, who was a founding member of the Electric Prunes, was also the sound engineer on the first record. In addition to Harley on drums, Ron Mael on keyboards, and Russell Mael on vocals, that band also included another set of brothers, Earle and Jim Mankey on guitar and bass guitar, respectively. In 1974, Ron and Russell Mael moved to England and reconstituted Sparks, with new musicians.

Harley and I recapped some ground covered in two excellent and highly recommended podcasts with Harley conducted in 2013, but also focused on the the formation, production, and performance of Sparks' music during the time that Harley was involved - in particular from a drummers' perspective. (Steve Worrall's two essential Retrosonic podcasts can be found at: http://retroman65.blogspot.com/search/label/Sparks).

Harley remains musically active and we also talked about some of his current projects.  I am very grateful for Harley's generosity with his time. Herewith, highlights of our conversation.

Sparks Drummer Project (1): David Kendrick, 1981-1986!

"Sparks have never stopped recreating themselves. It's admirable, and it's true artists that are able to do that. I'm happy to be a part of it." - David Kendrick, Sparks drummer 1981-1986

David Behind The Kit

Greetings! This blog entry kicks off a new and exciting project, which is to interview
the talented individuals who have drummed or played percussion for Sparks over their entire career.  This is an admittedly ambitious goal - many individuals have been so fortunate.  These men and women have made enormous contributions to the Sparks canon, and the history of Sparks from their perspective guarantees to be a unique perspective that only then can provide.  In part, that is because these men and women are great musicians themselves, and it's worth hearing their point of view. In part, this is also because Ron and Russell Mael, the two brothers that comprise the core of Sparks, constantly reinvent themselves, seeking new paths of musical expression. This creates exciting contrasts in the demands placed on the drummers and percussionists, which is important to explore.

First up, the great David Kendrick, who drummed with Sparks from 1981 - 1986.  During this time, Sparks was a rock band, plain and simple, with Ron Mael's keyboards and Russell Mael's vocals augmented with