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- Halfnelson was a band organized by brothers Ron and Russell Mael and subsequently renamed Sparks.
www.allmusic.com/artist/halfnelson-mn0002139611/biography
Forming Halfnelson, named after a wrestling hold, in 1968, they soon came to the attention of producer Todd Rundgren, at whose urging Albert Grossman signed the band to his Bearsville record label.
Halfnelson was a band organized by brothers Ron and Russell Mael and subsequently renamed Sparks. Read Full Biography. Overview ↓; Biography ↓; Discography ↓; Songs ↓; Credits ↓
- Chelsea Spear
- Sparks found some early fame in the UK, but were formed in California. Sparks first became popular in England; they would later record a string of dance and new wave albums in Germany, and singer Russell Mael would sometimes sing in a French accent.
- Ron and Russell Mael found pre-Sparks success as part of a quintet. Ron and Russell enrolled at UCLA in the mid-1960s, with Russell in the theater department and Ron in film.
- Sparks' appearance on Top of the Pops was a pre-internet viral video. After landing a contract with Island Records, the Maels relocated to London in the summer of 1973 and assembled a backing band of British session musicians.
- Sparks change their sound as often as other artists change their clothes. The four classic albums Sparks would record for Island Records took a Trojan-horse approach to glam rock: The clean production, catchy riffs, and androgynous vocals drew in fans of David Bowie, Queen, and T Rex, but the band’s love of pre-rock and roll styles like swing, chamber music, and light opera would shine through on songs like "Looks Looks Looks," "Under the Table with Her," and "Hospitality on Parade" from their fifth album Indiscreet.
Half Nelson is a high-energy cover rock band playing songs from all generations. Check us out!
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Sparks are an American pop band formed in Los Angeles in 1972 by brothers Ron and Russell Mael, renamed from Halfnelson, formed in 1968. Known for their quirky approach to songwriting, Sparks ...
Profile: American band from Los Angeles, formed at UCLA in 1968. Halfnelson was released in 1971 on Bearsville Records. It was not very successful and did not reach the Billboard 200 in the US. Shortly after the release of the album the group changed their name to Sparks.
First released as Halfnelson (by Halfnelson), it was promptly withdrawn, repackaged and reissued as Sparks (by Sparks). That original band — sort of Marlene Dietrich meets the Stooges — included Earle Mankey, who went on to become a producer (and recording artist) of some note, and his brother Jim, who later formed the chartbound Concrete ...
