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

For Sparks Fans, List Geeks, and Anybody Else: Top 130 Sparks Songs!

On the Sparks Official Fan Site, there's a small, ongoing thread where people list their top ten Sparks songs. I was never able to do this - the task of coming up with ten just seemed too overwhelming. Finally, I decided to take on the challenge.  It was an exhaustive process that took months - but hey, that's what daily commutes on the Metro are for!

I stayed loose on the criteria - that was the critical decision. I don't know if these are "my favorites" or "Spark's best" or the songs I most respect, or what. Maybe their common thread is that they move me...I don't know. Anyway, as I got absorbed in this project I came up with this list.

I didn't exactly stop at 10. So here you go - WITH COMMENTARY, my top 130 Sparks songs!

Berry and the Bucs: When World's Collide!

A Brown Eyed Handsome Man Indeed

So, I’m devouring Bruce Pegg’s 2002 biography of Chuck Berry, “Brown Eyed Handsome Man: The Life and Hard Times of Chuck Berry.” I recommend it highly – it’s a really good, well researched book – and it’s under 2 bucks on Amazon! Can’t beat that. Anyway, I’m reading about the making of the 1986 Taylor Hackford-directed Berry picture, “Hail, Hail, Rock and Roll,” and I come across this passage, recounting an event in the fall of 1986:

Stones at 50: Preserving the LIVE legacy!

As a fan of the Rolling Stones, it’s been a good year. In celebration of their 50^th anniversary, Mick promised us stuff and stuff we’re getting, including a new book spanning their career, the scheduling of five annoyingly overpriced arena concerts, three here in the US and two in the UK, with strong hints of more to come; the release of (whoopee! another) Greatest Hits collection, a CD release of excellent 1978-era outtakes; and two documentaries covering aspects of their amazing career.

But best of all, we got live music from the archives. That's what this post is about. 

Nutting's Second Chance - Will He Take It?

Everyone makes mistakes. Everyone fails to grab an opportunity now and then. Most of the time, we’re stuck with regret.  Rarely do we get a “do-over.”

HOWEVER, sometimes in life we do get a second chance.  And when that happens, you’ve got to take it.

Bob Nutting is lucky indeed. He had a chance to change the complexion of the Pirates organization. He didn’t take it. Now, he’s got a second chance.  Will he do the right thing?

A Chat With Frank!

Greetings, friends. It’s  been some time since I’ve posted, what with the ups and downs of the Pirates season pulling us in so many directions – or one direction unfortunately!  As we all know, this was the year that saw a monumental collapse by our Buccos – they became the only team in history to go from 16 games ABOVE .500 to their 20^th non-winning season in a row.

I wanted to get to the bottom of all this. How could this happen two times in a row? The Pirates’ owner, Bob Nutting, angrily assured us changes were coming and hinted strongly that no one’s job was safe. But then a week or so later, the Pirates’ president Frank Coonelly came out with his own statement. He was grim and determined to get to the bottom of the team’s troubles.

Well, color me impressed! Frank’s strong words and gritty determination made it clear that the team’s brass was going to address the team’s issues. No stone would be left unturned in their investigation! I had a chance to talk with Frank C (or “Grim_FrankC on Twitter) to talk about the situation.