Sparks Talk New Album ‘Mad!', Making a Movie Musical With John Woo & Noticing ‘Fewer' Visionaries in the Music Biz
'Maybe a little of each,' Russell Mael tells Billboard as he travels from Philadelphia, where Sparks performed at NON-COMMvention the previous evening, to New York. 'There's the two general meanings of mad, being either angry or being crazy,' he says. 'Just the overall ambience of the whole album seemed to lend itself to that title. But then you can exact from it, too, that it also is reflective of the general zeitgeist now, with what's going on everywhere — in particular here (in the United States).'
More from Billboard
Tory Lanez Is Being Transferred to a New Prison After Being Stabbed, His Dad Says
Aaron Paul Opens Up About Tracking Down Tour Managers to Get Bands to Perform in His Living Room
Ye Claims He's 'Done With Antisemitism': 'Forgive Me for the Pain I've Caused'
The 12-song set, produced by the Maels and recorded with their regular touring band, comes as part of a particularly prolific period in Sparks' career. It's the group's ninth studio album since the turn of the century and its third of the decade, directly following 2023's The Girl is Crying in Her Latte. It also comes in the wake of Edgar Wright's acclaimed 2021 documentary The Sparks Brothers and the 2021 release of the Maels' long-gestating film musical Annette, which produced not only a soundtrack album but also last year's Annette — An Opera by Sparks (The Original 2013 Recordings).
All of that, along with touring, has kept Sparks' profile high, and there's an undeniably triumphant — as well as defiant — message conveyed as Sparks kicks into Mad! with the forceful opening track 'Do Things My Own Way.'
'You don't like to be heavy-handed with a message like that,' Russell explains, 'but it is kind of that statement, in a way. It kind of applies to how we think — from day one, even when we did our first album [1971's Halfnelson, also the band's name at the time] with Todd Rundgren (producing). He always encouraged us to keep the eccentricities that we just naturally had and to not smooth over the edges, don't lose your character and personality. Even on that first album, he thought we'd created our own universe he'd never heard before. He said it was something from somewhere else, which is a nice thing to say, especially with a band that was just a new group.'
Sparks was celebrated last year with an outstanding contribution to music honor at the AIM Independent Music Awards. And though the group has only intersected with the pop mainstream on rare occasions — 'Cool Places' with Jane Wiedlin hit the Billboard Hot 100 in 1983, and 'When Do I Get to Sing 'My Way'' went top 10 on the Dance Club Songs chart in 1995 — the fact Sparks is still with us is proof that being a bit 'weird' is not a bad thing.
'Things are on the upswing for Sparks,' Mael says. 'I think there's been this — especially in the last few years, since the Edgar Wright documentary, and since the Annette movie — whole new audience, some of whom didn't even know the band at all but became aware of it through different channels than just us having our own album out. It's not the typical career trajectory.'
Mad! was created in standard Sparks methodology, according to Mael, without a great deal of forethought — and, according to the vocalist, nothing held over from previous projects.
'Everything was done specifically for this album,' Mael says. 'It's a process where we're pretty free to work however we want. Sometimes we'll have a complete song that's fully formed…or we come in with nothing at all planned and just sit down and see if something can come up from nothing. Having our own studio, you're free to experiment in that way. We've been working together for so long now that we're able to read what each other's thoughts are regarding the songs or the recording process. That certainly makes it easier. It's not starting off with any questions marks.'
The result on Mad! is unapologetically diverse — to its benefit. Musical and lyrical quirks about; 'JanSport Backpack' is about just that, for instance, while 'Running Up a Tab at the Hotel for the Fab' is a good-humored 'mini-movie,' and 'I-405 Rules' and 'A Long Red Light' show the Maels are well attuned to traffic patterns in their native Los Angeles. The range of sounds, meanwhile, runs from the aggressive attack of 'Hit Me, Baby' to the theatrical drama of 'Don't Dog It' to the string-fueled 'I-405 Rules,' while a great deal of melodic pop floats through 'A Little Bit of Light Banter,' 'My Devotion,' 'Drowned in a Sea of Tears' and the Mersey-meets-Bacharach majesty of 'Lord Have Mercy.'
'I think we both have the same goal in mind… to try to come up with fresh approaches to the universe that Sparks has and has had since the very beginning and try to stretch that, or try to find new angles to be able to do in three-and-a-half-minute songs,' Mael says. 'We both really like pop music, and we still feel there are ways to come up with stuff that will hopefully surprise a listener in this day and age. Pop music has been there a long time, so the trick is to see how you can take that form and still come up with something fresh — but not be weird just to be weird, or odd.'
Mad! also finds Sparks with a new label, Transgressive Records, after working with Island on The Girl is Crying in Her Latte. 'Sometimes you just have to make moves,' Mael notes. 'Transgressive heard the album; even referring back to 'Do Things My Own Way,' they told us they thought that was really a kind of manifesto of their label. They've all been huge Sparks fans for a long time. They really wanted to be involved not only 'cause they like us as a group, but they responded to this album and really felt a kinship to it. We've been lucky enough to work with people like Chris Blackwell at Island in the '70s, even Richard Branson at Virgin and of course Albert Grossman with Bearsville Records when we first started. It seems like in today's musical climate there's fewer and fewer of those visionary types. Transgressive shares that same kind of spirit, so it's a good fit.'
Mad! will send Sparks back on the road, beginning June 8 in Japan and followed by an early summer trek through Europe before returning to North America starting Sept. 5 in Atlanta, with dates booked through Sept. 30 at the Greek Theatre in Los Angeles. Meanwhile, the Maels are also working on another movie musical that John Woo (Face/Off, Mission: Impossible 2, Silent Night) is on board to direct.
'We wanted to do another narrative project, 'cause we really liked the whole process with Annette so much, really working and channeling our music in other ways,' says Mael, who describes the new piece as 'really different in its approach than Annette.' The brothers read in an interview with Woo that he's long wanted to make a musical and invited him to their studio to hear what they had.
'He said, 'This is amazing, and I want to direct it,' so we've been working with him to refine the story elements. He's completely sold on the whole approach and all of the music. We have three really great producers now on the project; they're out there trying to get all the financing together so we can start the production. We think it's going to be something really amazing.'
Best of Billboard
Chart Rewind: In 1989, New Kids on the Block Were 'Hangin' Tough' at No. 1
Janet Jackson's Biggest Billboard Hot 100 Hits
H.E.R. & Chris Brown 'Come Through' to No. 1 on Adult R&B Airplay Chart
Hashtags

Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles


New York Post
an hour ago
- New York Post
Privateer Rum CEO Andrew Cabot was on an overseas work trip when Coldplay 'kiss cam' scandal broke: source
Privateer Rum CEO Andrew Cabot was on an overseas business trip when his wife Kristin Cabot was caught canoodling at a 'Coldplay' concert – and the couple's relatives were likewise blindsided by the scandal, a source close to the situation told The Post. The tipster said Cabot, the founder of the Massachusetts-based, high-end liquor maker, had been on a work-related trip to Japan and returned to find himself and his family in the middle of social media firestorm. [Andrew] was in Asia for a few weeks and returned on Saturday, so he was gone while all this went down,' said the source, who requested anonymity to discuss the situation. 'Poor guy.' Advertisement 5 Kristin Cabot pictured with Andrew Cabot in 2024. Maud Cabot/Facebook Multiple attempts to contact Andrew Cabot and Privateer Rum went unanswered. When The Post called Privateer Rum, the company's voicemail box was full. Kristin and Andrew Cabot married sometime after her previous divorce was finalized in 2022. The source said there had been little indication of any trouble in paradise before the Coldplay concert video went viral. Advertisement 'The family is now saying they have been having marriage troubles for several months and were discussing separating – which I find interesting since as of a month ago they were saying how in love they are,' the source added. 5 Andrew Cabot is part of one of the oldest and wealthiest families in Massachusetts. Boston Globe via Getty Images The Post was first to report that Kristin Cabot, whose maiden name in Stanek, was married to Andrew Cabot and that the pair had purchased a $2.2 million mansion in Rye, New Hampshire just five months before the scandal broke out. The Cabots were seen smiling and wearing wedding rings alongside two young kids in a Facebook post from May 2024. Advertisement Andrew Cabot is a member of one of the oldest and wealthiest families in Boston. The Cabots are one of the original 'Boston Brahmin' clans that controlled New England for centuries. 5 The home of Andrew and Kristin Cabot in Rye. LP Media A bio on Privateer's website says his 'ancestor, the original Andrew Cabot (1750-1791), was a merchant, rum distiller and successful American privateer during the American Revolution.' The brand — whose high-end bottles can retail for upwards of $100 each — touts its strict use of authentic ingredients and 'Made in the USA' pedigree. Advertisement 'One thing is certain,' one ad advises. 'Privateer advocates transparency, honesty and purity.' 5 Andy Byron (3rd from left) and Kristin Cabot (far right) in an undated photograph. Bain Capital Ventures Kristin Cabot's now-deleted LinkedIn account showed that she has served as an 'advisory board member' at Privateer Rum since September 2020. Andy Byron, the now-ousted CEO of New York-based software firm Astronomer, was caught canoodling on the jumbotron 'kiss cam' at Gillette Stadium. wit Kristin Cabot, the company's head of HR. Both scrambled to get out of sight, prompting Coldplay frontman Chris Martin to joke, 'Either they're having an affair or they're just very shy.' 5 Andy Byron and Kristin Cabot were caught canoodling at a Coldplay concert. Grace Springer via Storyful Astronomer placed both Kristin Cabot and Byron on leave while they investigated the incident. By last Saturday, Byron had resigned, with Astronomer cofounder Pete DeJoy taking over as the new interim CEO. So far, Kristin Cabot has yet to be fired.


Digital Trends
an hour ago
- Digital Trends
Sony makes one of the best OLED TVs, this deal makes it $900 more affordable
Every day we find incredible TV deals, so there's never really a point in buying a TV at the regular price. That is, unless you want one of the best TVs all around, which have more of a reason to not go on sale frequently. They already get lots of attention and have the chops to justify high prices. However, from time to time we do find a great deal on one of our favored TVs. This time around we're see a $900 discount on the 65-inch Sony Bravia 8 OLED, one of our picks for the best OLED TVs. Getting the TV now, which you can do simply by tapping the button below, will only cost you $1,900 instead of the usual $2,800. Read on to learn why the TV is so great, as well as to see the special reason why it's included in our list of OLED TVs. Why you should buy the Sony Bravia 8 OLED The Sony Bravia 8 OLED is a brilliant TV for your living room or gathering area. It's a weird thing to say, but a lot of TVs have a sort of 'hermit' personality and are really best enjoyed with a small group in a dark room. Not the Sony Bravia 8 OLED, with its wide viewing angle and ability to stand up to ambient lighting. This is a TV to grab the crew around and watch some ball or have in your living room to give you some company while you watch the kids. It's a TV to enhance your life with, but it doesn't have to So, why did this TV make it on our OLED shortlist? It happens to be the best Sony OLED for the price. And, of course, by this we mean its standard price. The quality is simply there; it has rich colors and black levels that make things pop, whether you're in the living room or not. So, why not grab it while it is $900 cheaper and you can get it for $1,900 instead of the usual $2,800.


Gizmodo
an hour ago
- Gizmodo
Nebula's Netflix Licensed Outdoor Projector Hits Lowest Price, Flying Off the Shelves
If you're in the North East, that month-long wave of humidity seems to have finally broken. It's comfortably to be outside again. So why not get back the lost weeks of summer outdoors by hosting movie night in your backyard? Get yourself set up with an outdoor projector. Amazon has the Nebula Capsule 3, an outdoor projector officially licensed by Netflix, on sale for a solid 26% off. The projector is normally priced at $530, but after the reduction, you only have to pay $390. That works out to a savings of $140. That's not all though. Click the 'Redeem' button on the product page to receive an additional 15% off. This projector is designed for portability and outdoor use. It runs off a battery that will last you for two and a half hours of watch time. That should be enough to cover the length of most movies. Though if you're watching some long epic like Lawrence of Arabia, you can always plug it into a portable power bank to score some extra hours of use. A power bank is not included, you'll have to find one separately. See at Amazon You can also use the projector as a Bluetooth speaker. When doing so, you can enjoy 8W Dolby Audio and get a whole 8 to 10 hours of listening time on a single charge. Back to movie watching, you can stretch the projection to a massive image of 120 inches across. You'll capture the feeling of the cinema right in your own backyard with a screen that big. It projects with 200 lumens of brightness in gorgeous 1080p. Set up could not be simpler. The Nebula Capsule 3 projector uses a intelligent environment adaptive technology that can automatically adjust screen fit, keystone correction, autofocus, and obstacle avoidance in just a matter of a few seconds. Out of the box, the Nebula Capsule 3 outdoor projector supports a ton of your favorite apps. Netflix comes pre-installed and you can also watch content through Google TV, YouTube, and more. The stand is adjustable up to 180 degrees so you can position the projector at the best angle that fits your particular viewing area. The projector is nearly pocket-sized, making it easy to take with you to a friend's house or a weekend getaway and make your favorite movie or show part of the trip. For a limited time, you can pick up the Nebula Capsule 3 outdoor projector for a reduced price of just $390. Normally, you' find this projector selling for $530, so you'll save a whole $140. But again, that's not all. Click the 'Redeem' button on the product page to receive an additional 15% off. See at Amazon