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Russell Mael - The Voice - The Performer

 
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Lady Is Lingering
Sparkologist


Joined: 28 May 2008
Posts: 482
Location: Dublin, Ireland

PostPosted: Sat Jun 21, 2008 8:30 pm    Post subject: Russell Mael - The Voice - The Performer Reply with quote

I know this has been said in one form or another in various threads, particularly those pertaining to the 21x21 live shows, but I really just want to say a little more on the subject.

I've liked Sparks for some time. Ron Mael is without doubt one of the greatest musical/lyrical talents of the last 30 plus years. I heard about the 21x21 and me and a couple of friends decided to travel over to see as many as possible (as many as our wallets would allow).

I'd no idea what to expect. I'd never seen them live apart from a clip or two on youtube and the like. At best I thought "Great, I get to see Sparks, Ron and Russell. It'll be fun hearing all those great songs live". At worst I thought there might be a sort of horrible cabaret nostalgia feel to the whole thing, what with the idea of going through an entire album back catalogue faithfully and all that.

Little did I expect that I'd be utterly blown away by the whole thing but I was. For me the key to this was Russell Mael's performance. Obviously, I already knew and loved Sparks' songs. But I never appreciated Russell's voice (which has at least doubled in its power and flexibility) or expected him to command such a presence on stage until I saw these concerts.

He commands your attention, puts his heart and guts into every song. I'd always thought isn't Ron fortunate that he has a someone who can sing his songs? I don't think this anymore. I now think isn't amazing that two extraordinarily talented people should find each other - what's to find you ask, they're brothers?! - well then, that such extraordinarily talented people are brothers and work together.

Combined with the brilliant music they have been making of late, Russel Mael's gifts as a singer and performer make Sparks one of the most exciting live acts I have ever had the pleasure to have seen and heard.
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sparksfanlm
Power Groupie


Joined: 01 Jan 2007
Posts: 348
Location: Glasgow, Scotland

PostPosted: Sun Jun 22, 2008 6:31 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

So true Lady Is Lingering. Russell's voice is a thing of sheer beauty (and so is he, lol). Their mother must have been so proud to have had two extraordinarilly talented sons who work so well together. Ron Playing
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Thermaland
Junior Groupie


Joined: 05 Dec 2002
Posts: 40
Location: London

PostPosted: Sun Jun 22, 2008 7:50 am    Post subject: Re: Russell Mael - The Voice - The Performer Reply with quote

Lady Is Lingering wrote:
I'd no idea what to expect. I'd never seen them live apart from a clip or two on youtube and the like. At best I thought "Great, I get to see Sparks, Ron and Russell. It'll be fun hearing all those great songs live". At worst I thought there might be a sort of horrible cabaret nostalgia feel to the whole thing, what with the idea of going through an entire album back catalogue faithfully and all that.


I know exactly how you felt. I discovered Sparks myself a few years back when they previewed Lil Beethoven at the RFH. I had absolutely no idea what to expect: all I had was a Greatest hits CD from a bargain bin which in fact covered only the UK years. I thought it might be a bit of fun and nothing more, and had bought the tickets more or less at random, to check them out. Needless to say I left in shock! "Where have they been all my life" etc... (Or more truthfully, where have I been all their life...)
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lazysunbathers
Groupie


Joined: 29 Mar 2006
Posts: 181

PostPosted: Sun Jun 22, 2008 1:00 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

LadyIsLingering, I agree too! The fact that Russell seemed to sustain no vocal problems at all during 21x21 (when lesser performers would surely have cried off through illness) was truly remarkable. I think Russell is one of the great under-appreciated frontmen of all time - for an American, he has that very British thing of combining rock'n'roll swagger with a slightly fey, campy edge. And such a unique and instantly recognisable quality to his voice too (my 13 year old niece asked, while I was playing Equator, "Who is that amazing French woman?"). Of course, it does help that he has more interesting lyrics to sing than the regular "I love you, baby" type fare.

I took a friend along to the Plagiarism night who knew "the hits" when we went in, but by the time we left he was utterly converted. As we walked along Upper Street, he asked "How come Sparks are not absolutely massive all over the world ...?"

Over to the Forum, I guess, to try to answer that one...
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Girl With Everything
Fan-in-Training


Joined: 31 May 2008
Posts: 19
Location: New Zealand

PostPosted: Mon Jun 23, 2008 10:12 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Hmm how come Sparks are not absolutely massive all over the world? Good question. Let's see, their songs have fantastic lyrics, wonderful melodies, intriguing subject matter .. they can do comedy or tragedy at will ... Russell's voice is distinctive, versatile, at times utterly haunting ... their stage performance is increasingly spellbinding. And yes, never content to "cruise" musically, they consistently offer their fans new and innovative work. Well you've got me too.

I think for various reasons over the years Ron and Russell have been preceived as "quirky", which does not generally equate in people's minds with excellence (think of all the dire "comic" records that have been released). I don't even think it's a matter of acquired taste. It's all or nothing with Sparks. You listen to something by them and get addicted for life or you think "What the hell was THAT?".
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Eve
Sparkologist


Joined: 20 Mar 2002
Posts: 615
Location: England

PostPosted: Tue Jun 24, 2008 4:40 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

Once you get tarred with the quirky brush it's hard to rid yourself of it....how long do you think Mika will last?
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