SPARKS

[Brightonian]

Today, on 04 July 2025, this forum recorded its most ever visitors in any five minute period since it started (c. 1999/2000): 946 users!

That's a far cry from the pre-Edgar Wright documentary days (Annette may also have played a part) ... where the number of visitors was typically anything between 6 and 13.

These days, there's always some 230-350 visitors at any one point, proof that things have been looking up for Sparks in the 2020s.

As I write, there's still 870 visitors present now. Amazing!

Love Sparks? I'd encourage you to register (only one of the current 870 ... me! ... is registered!) ... and contribute when you feel ready.

... after all, I can't believe the other 869 are here only to plot Sparks' downfall!

[Crabby]

Absolutely Brightonian......the more the merrier!

I skulked about for a while but it's so much better to join and post opinions whenever you feel the need...(they don't always have to be intelligent or even Sparks related..l quite often post utter drivel...apologies!)

Also,and more importantly (as was pointed out to me very,early on when l joined) not all groups/musicians have a Forum....it's a vanishing form which has been usurped by FB/X/whatever....,not criticising those outlets but for those of us who eschew social media, this is a lifeline to our artists.

So do join up and join the chats.....they're nearly always very friendly! 😀

[J. Prufrock]

When I first got on the (text-based, pre-WWW) 'net, upperclassmen at my university encouraged me to lurk first on any given forum as a way of learning proper 'netiquette before posting. Social media in general could probably do with such 'think before you post' consideration, but I've found that forums like this place tend to be much friendlier as those who join usually* have one major interest in common.

*Hoping the other 869 aren't here to post advertisement links.

[Henry McHenry]

though there are not that many interesting posts
here…
I guess Facebook is more relavant…
though most of the posts there are:
the best band ever… etc

[Henry McHenry]

😇

[bryan_davey]

july the 4th 1975, SPARKS released GET IN THE SWING, happy 50th birthday x

[Henry McHenry]

[aussie]

I was 16 and living with mum and dad in Bootle Liverpool with 8 siblings and I drove them crazy playing GET IN THE SWING none stop for weeks on our new Radiogram, the good old days
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I HAVE WON LOTTO [again]

[Brightonian]

UPDATE:

On July 11: no less than 1144 visitors during one 5 minute point!

[waterloosunset]

I'm just seeing this thread now as I was in Europe following Sparks around. OK, not exactly. Sparks conveniently scheduled their tour to coincide with family events in Germany. I got to see them 2.5 times. The .5 time was in Berlin. The front section consisted of folding chairs on a flat surface, and I am very short so I had to bob and weave just to see Russell. i saw Ron for about 5 minutes total. They sounded amazing anyway. In Cologne, I experienced the hottest Sparks show ever.

I don't have a Facebook account and doubt that I will ever have one, so I very much appreciate the existence of this antiquated but meaningful (to me, anyway) forum. I used to be a part of two other band forums as well as two band listservs, but all died as Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, etc. developed. I miss those older communities of fandoms. I really enjoyed the discussions there as I do those here.

Anyway, if you are out there lurking and think that you might possibly have something to say, SAY IT! The worst that could happen is that someone cuts you down for saying something patently idiotic. Just kidding.
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better drop the requirement that everything be great

[Crabby]

Apparently 1156 today........ intriguing!!

[Crabby]

Apparently we have 1382 today....... Flip me, what's going on? Call in the Guinness Book of Records.
I really hope these numbers are indicative of a swelling in the Sparks fandom.. . These men deserve it!

[dinky]

[Crabby]

2037 today......wow!
Now l'm getting frightened...AND that Critical Error message is appearing with me again......
Ooooh.....it's like something from Invasion of the Body Snatchers (which if you haven't seen,l would heartily recommend....the original version of course...😄)

[Judes]

[Crabby]

Welcome aboard Judes..... I'm not sure that you're joining has anything to do with the critical error problem... It has happened before, but today l'm accessing the forum with no problem.... Who knows the reason!
Enjoy your deep dive into Sparks back catalogue but remember to take a BIG breath in before diving because you'll be swimming about for a long, wonderful time.....
Anyway.... Do keep posting, otherwise l'll have to post even more drivel than l usually do.... 😂

[Judes]

Thanks Crabby! Yes, it's like the whole of 20th/21st century music is laid out before me anew! It must be a very different experience hearing a new one every year or two rather than trying to absorb them all at once.

Re the forum error: it looks to me like it's simply overloaded at times. It's shared hosting and has been set up with a maximum number of queries allowed per hour, so when it gets busy it just stops working when that limit is reached. It might be my imagination but it seems to happen more in the afternoon, i.e. when the Americans wake up.

[Crabby]

Cor blimey, l'm in awe of your tech knowledge.....l just put it down to a collision of the planets or some such thing.........

[Brightonian]

[Brightonian]

2902 on 07 Aug 25 ... beginning to think much may actually be spam?