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Let’s Get Mad About
September 4, 2025 by Jimmy Alvarez
I know it’s 2025, but regardless of what year it is, so many of us are still absolutely “Mad” about the ‘80s.
Sure, there was a ton going on, Walkmans, Rubik’s Cube, leg warmers, jelly shoes, Space Invaders, Madonna, Madonna hair and Madonna fashion, the end of disco, mood rings, Pop Rocks, Charlton Chew, E.T., and everything was “Pretty in Pink.”
But it was the music that defined our personal time capsule.
Depending on your age, there are a variety of genres, bands and artists that were the soundtrack to our life. What stands out to me is that as you get a little older, time has a way of selecting the time stamped music that make that era larger-than-life.
The band that I like to fixate on is the same band that many musicians feel are a major contributor to the evolution of music. I may be biased on this; Nirvana had a major influence on a transitional period, and if you’re in SoCal, Oingo Boingo is your go to.
Others say The Clash, The Smiths, New Order, Bowie, Ramones, The Cure, Billy Idol, Prince, AC/DC, Van Halen or Ozzy floated their boat. But even some of these bands talked about a band called Sparks!
The band is from L.A., well the Palisades to be exact. It has always featured two brothers, Ron and Russell Mael. They launched their band well before the “new wave” crave that made places like KROQ World Famous, but their fates were intertwined. That made it the very early ‘70s, let’s go with 1971.
From the beginning, Sparks was great with era classic “This Town Ain’t Big Enough for Both of Us.” Truthfully, it wasn’t until several years after their debut album, let’s say 1981 when the soon to be radio juggernaut KROQ was getting its proverbial engine started, that’s when Sparks’ fortune really turned.
Don’t take our word for it, check out the documentary and hear from the hands that support the bands as well as their fellow musicians.
Their uber-’80s breakout featured a song titled “Upstairs” from the album “Whomp That Sucker.”
It’s just my opinion but that is when I believe Sparks transitioned into an orbital band that took things to an out-of-this-world experience for their fans and anyone looking for that new wave sonic adventure.
By 1982, MTV was up and running and Los Angeles radio station KROQ was now the “It” place.
Whereby new wave masterpieces, “Angst in My Pants,” “I Predict,” “Moustache,” “Modesty Plays,” and “Mickey Mouse” turned Sparks into bona fide superstars.
Then came another lightning bolt, “Sparks in Outer Space” in the very next year.
This album delivered unto the masses “Cool Places,” which featured Jane Wiedlin from the Go-G0’s.
Their music appealed to everyone. For example, if you were into sports, reference to the Dodgers and The Mets drew you in with “All You ever Think About is Sex.”
Truth be told, back in the day you couldn’t go to a club without hearing some Sparks.
Since then, the band has been on a vertical trajectory that has made us remain “Mad” over Sparks.
With new music and their epic catalog in tow, you really owe it to yourself to get out and see this band while you still can. They are on a US tour and are coming to SoCal later this month.
They will play the Magnolia in El Cajon on September 29th, then they will traverse the Southern California turnpike courtesy of Interstate 5 to play the Greek Theatre September 30th. Do yourself a favor by checking out living legends, Sparks literally is a once in a lifetime experience. Tickets are on sale now.
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SID 250905 | TRACI TURNER | EDITOR
