"Mael brothers invited the band to watch their set at the festival, and later, the two bands agreed that it was time to record an album together. On 9 March 2015, it was announced that Franz Ferdinand and Sparks had formed a supergroup together by the name of FFS. On 1 April, it was announced that the band would be releasing their eponymous debut studio album on 8 June in the UK and 9 June 2015 in the US ""FFS"" was recorded at RAK Studios in London during a 15-day period in late 2014. It was also produced by Grammy"
"in 2015 with producer John Congleton and that the band would be touring in the summer. On April 1, it was announced that the group's new album would be titled ""FFS"" and that it would be released on June 8 in the UK and on June 9 in the US. They are featured on the Beck album Song Reader doing an ethereal rendition of his song ""Why Did You Make Me Care."" Recently, they performed at the Glastonbury Festival John Peel Stage on 28 June 2015. On March 24, 2017, Sparks performed at the BBC Radio 6 Music Festival in"
"a supergroup with Sparks under the name FFS, with plans to release a studio album and tour Europe during that summer. A teaser titled ""The Domino Effect"" was released on the group's YouTube channel that same day. The John Congleton–produced album, ""FFS"", was officially announced on 1 April 2015. Three official singles were released from the album: ""Johnny Delusional"", which was released on 13 April, ""Call Girl"", which was released on 28 May, and ""Police Encounters"", which was released on 23 October. In July 2016, the band announced that guitarist Nick McCarthy would not be involved in the recording and"
"Hippopotamus (album) Hippopotamus is the 23rd studio album by American rock group Sparks. It was released on September 8, 2017, through BMG Records and The End Records, their first record issued on a major label for decades. Following the 2009 radio musical ""The Seduction of Ingmar Bergman"" and Sparks' subsequent collaboration with Franz Ferdinand in FFS, the release of ""Hippopotamus"" marked a return to the traditional Sparks format of ""short, literate, witty pop songs"", mixing elements from the band's various stylistic periods. ""Hippopotamus"" was met with critical acclaim, and entered the UK Albums Chart at no. 7, Sparks' first UK"
"covered the band’s concert in London in May at 02 Forum Kentish Town. This concert will also be a part of the documentary. With Sparks With FFS Russell Mael Russell Craig Mael (born October 5, 1948) is an American singer, songwriter and record producer. Mael's music career spans more than 50 years. With his elder brother Ron, he formed the pop band Sparks in 1971, which was renamed from Halfnelson. He is also the co-founder of Lil' Beethoven Records. Russell Craig Mael was born on October 5, 1948, in Los Angeles, California. The Mael brothers grew up in Pacific Palisades"
"Love Go"", ""Lazy Boy"" and alternative version of ""Glimpse of Love"". Following the release of ""Right Thoughts, Right Words, Right Action"", the band's fourth studio album, in August 2013, the band collaborated with American rock band Sparks under the name FFS. They released a self-titled album in July 2015 and briefly toured. In July 2016, it was announced that Nick McCarthy, one of the band's founding members, was taking a break from the band to spend more time with family and focusing on side projects. It was announced in May 2017 that two new members had joined the band; Dino"
"Glasgow, Scotland, prior to the release of a new studio album, ""Hippopotamus"" due out in September. The band, consisting of the Mael brothers with 5 other musicians, kicked off their 2017 tour in Copenhagen on August, 7. ""Hippopotamus"" was both a critical and commercial success, peaking at number 7 in the UK Albums chart. Sparks' musical style has varied dramatically with Russell Mael's distinctive wide-ranging voice (in particular his far reaching falsetto) and Ron Mael's intricate and rhythmic keyboard playing style being the common thread throughout their forty-year career. In the beginning they attempted to emulate the sound of their"
"concert will also be a part of the documentary. Sparks (band) Sparks is an American pop and rock band formed in Los Angeles in 1972 by brothers Ron (keyboards) and Russell Mael (vocals). The duo formed in 1968 under the name Halfnelson. Known for their quirky approach to songwriting, Sparks' music is often accompanied by intelligent, sophisticated, and acerbic lyrics, and an idiosyncratic, theatrical stage presence, typified in the contrast between Russell's animated, hyperactive frontman antics and Ron's deadpan scowling. They are also noted for Russell Mael's distinctive wide-ranging voice and Ron Mael's intricate and rhythmic keyboard playing style. While"
"Always Ascending (song) ""Always Ascending"" is a song by Scottish indie rock band Franz Ferdinand. It was released as the lead single from their fifth studio album of the same name on 25 October 2017. Two days before the release of the song the band released a clip of the song. It released along with a shorter edited version. After their 2013 album ""Right Thoughts, Right Words, Right Action"" the band formed a supergroup with the American rock band Sparks by the name of FFS in 2014. The band's name is an abbreviation of Franz Ferdinand Sparks. The group's existence"
"announced their new five-piece line-up, with former Yummy Fur and 1990s member Dino Bardot on guitar and Julian Corrie on keyboards, synth and guitar. On 25 October, the band released the title track from their fifth studio album, ""Always Ascending"" (2018), as its lead single. They revealed the album's release date, 9 February 2018, and announced dates for a world tour. Franz Ferdinand covered the LCD Soundsystem song ""All My Friends"" which appeared as a B-side on the single, and is also working on an album of Sparks covers, collaborating with the group on the recordings. They have also covered"
"directing group AB/CD/CD and was produced by video producer Lucile Weigel. Personnel adapted from the album's liner notes Johnny Delusional ""Johnny Delusional"" is a song by musical supergroup FFS, consisting of members from the bands Franz Ferdinand and Sparks. The song was released as the lead single from the group's eponymous debut studio album on 13 April 2015. The official music video for the song was uploaded to YouTube on 19 May 2015. The song peaked at number 90 on the Belgian Flanders Tip singles chart. The official music video for the song, lasting three minutes and twenty-two seconds, was"
"Johnny Delusional ""Johnny Delusional"" is a song by musical supergroup FFS, consisting of members from the bands Franz Ferdinand and Sparks. The song was released as the lead single from the group's eponymous debut studio album on 13 April 2015. The official music video for the song was uploaded to YouTube on 19 May 2015. The song peaked at number 90 on the Belgian Flanders Tip singles chart. The official music video for the song, lasting three minutes and twenty-two seconds, was uploaded on 19 May 2015 to the group's Vevo channel on YouTube. The video was directed by video"
"Sparks (band) Sparks is an American pop and rock band formed in Los Angeles in 1972 by brothers Ron (keyboards) and Russell Mael (vocals). The duo formed in 1968 under the name Halfnelson. Known for their quirky approach to songwriting, Sparks' music is often accompanied by intelligent, sophisticated, and acerbic lyrics, and an idiosyncratic, theatrical stage presence, typified in the contrast between Russell's animated, hyperactive frontman antics and Ron's deadpan scowling. They are also noted for Russell Mael's distinctive wide-ranging voice and Ron Mael's intricate and rhythmic keyboard playing style. While achieving chart success in various countries around the world"
"more orchestral-driven outings of the past decade-plus"", concluding the album was ""simply put, genius"". Rob Mesure of ""musicOMH"" judged the album ""a varied and immensely satisfying set, picking elements from their different eras – from oddball, articulate rock, through synthpop, to opera – and tossing them nonchalantly together – adding a smattering of drum'n'bass (Giddy, Giddy) and cool, flatpacked Europop (Scandinavian Design) – like the assortment of objects floating in the pool of the title track ... a big, joyous beast of an album."" Hippopotamus (album) Hippopotamus is the 23rd studio album by American rock group Sparks. It was released"
"in the middle of a tour promoting their upcoming album ""The Spark"", when they decided to part ways. The remainder of the tour was cancelled and although ""The Spark"" was released in August 2016, it was not highly publicized. The Spark EP contained 5 songs that they had been working on between the release of their debut album and their split. Tracks from the EP are 'Catching Like Fire', 'Spark', 'Overboard', 'Pull Me Home' and 'Orphan'. Ash & Bloom Ash & Bloom is a Canadian folk pop duo, from Hamilton, Ontario. The duo consists of James Bloemendal (vocals, acoustic and"
"and two Brit Awards in 2005 for ""Best British Group"" and ""Best British Rock Act"". In 2015, the band collaborated with American band Sparks to form a supergroup named FFS. Kapranos produced ""Men's Needs, Women's Needs, Whatever"" – the third album by British indie rock group The Cribs in Vancouver BC, released on 14 May 2007. He also produced their single-only track, ""Don't You Wanna Be Relevant?"", which was featured with ""Our Bovine Public"" (from ""Men's Needs, Women's Needs, Whatever"") as a double A-side. Kapranos makes a cameo appearance in the video for Our Bovine Public. His remix of the"
"Josh Schwartz died in September 2017 from complications from ALS. Beachwood Sparks Beachwood Sparks are an American alternative country band from Los Angeles. A ""Daily Telegraph"" article on America's underground psychedelic pop scene described Beachwood Sparks as ""country through a kaleidoscope"". The band was formed by bassist Brent Rademaker and guitarist Christopher Gunst who met in the 1990s when both were members of Los Angeles indie-rock group Further. Guitarist Dave Scher and drummer Jimi Hey (who played with Gunst in Strictly Ballroom) were recruited before the band's first show in June 1997. Hey suggested the band's name by combining Sparks"
"Faustus (band) Faustus are a three-piece folk music band based in the UK. The all-male membership brings together multi-instrumentalist musicians active across many other leading bands in the UK folk scene: Benji Kirkpatrick (Seth Lakeman Band, Bellowhead), Saul Rose (Waterson–Carthy, Whapweasel) and Paul Sartin (Bellowhead, Belshazzar's Feast). They have been described as “bloke-folk” and aiming to “rescue contemporary folk from the curse of feyness” (The Independent). In 2007 they received a 75th anniversary award from the English Folk Dance and Song Society, and they were nominated as best group at the 2009 BBC Radio 2 Folk Awards. Faustus evolved out"
"The band played Sonisphere with Metallica and Linkin Park among others. FWW were confirmed by Stephen McAuley on Rory McConnell's BBC Radio One Introducing Show at midnight on Wednesday 26 May to headline the Glasgowbury Festival on the anniversary of its 10th year on 24 July 2010. They played at Belsonic in Belfast on 28 August 2010 alongside Twin Atlantic, Lostprophets, and Biffy Clyro . FWW released an EP on 11/01/10 called 'I Am Ursus' due to the frustration of not being able to release their second album. FWW announced that they would be supporting Helmet in early 2012. FWW"
"Rainbow Ffolly Rainbow Ffolly was an English psychedelic pop band who released an album, ""Sallies Fforth"", in 1968. Their only single from 1968, the chugging ""Drive My Car"" (not the Lennon–McCartney song), failed to garner success on the charts, and they disbanded shortly thereafter. They were signed to EMI's subsidiary Parlophone (which also held The Beatles' contract at that time) during their brief career. The band re-united in 2015 to record a follow up album, ""Rainbow Ffolly – FFollow Up!"". Jonathan (John) Dunsterville and his brother Richard Dunsterville of Farnham Common were inclined toward music and performing at an early"
"The Spark (album) The Spark is the fifth studio album by English rock band Enter Shikari, released on 22 September 2017 through Ambush Reality and PIAS Recordings. It was recorded in Northamptonshire in early 2017. Following world events in 2016, including Brexit and the election of Donald Trump, leadman Rou Reynolds announced on Twitter that he had been suffering from general anxiety disorder. He declared his frustration and newfound inspiration to write what he intended to be the band's most important work. Recording for ""The Spark"" took place at Angelio Studios and Muttley Ranch in England with David Kosten and"
"limited edition Christmasette in December. Fonda 500 Fonda 500 (aka F500 or Fonda500) are a British band hailing from Kingston upon Hull. Formed by Simon Stone and Nicholas Broten in 1995, Fonda 500 have been releasing albums since 2000. Their songs appeared on the soundtrack to the British comedy television programme, ""Teachers"" on Channel Four, Colin Farrel film Intermission and E4's ""Skins"" (2010). They have built up a cult following since 2000, chiefly through their explosive live performances and their unique musical style, which draws elements from 60's pop music (Beach Boys harmonies) bedroom pop (usage of novelty instruments) and"
"fade outs. Also, the album appeared to be an early mix, as some sounds were either missing from the songs or mixed differently. In the case of the song 'Goofing Off', there is the addition of background conversation opening, closing, and running throughout the song. Introducing Sparks Introducing Sparks is the seventh album by the American rock band Sparks, released in 1977. At the time of its release, Pete Makowski in ""Sounds"" suggested that the album was ""probably the most adventurous musical outing yet"" from Sparks, suggesting that Ron Mael ""is one of the most underrated and original lyricists in"
"the Mellstock Band. Old Swan Band The Old Swan Band is a long-established and influential English country dance band. Its origins lie in the early 1970s with the English country dance band Oak, one of a tiny handful at that time that combined melodeon with fiddles. Two members of Oak, husband and wife Rod and Danny Stradling (melodeon and vocals), went on to form The Cotswold Liberation Front, which became The Old Swan Band in 1974. They recruited fiddler Paul Burgess, percussionist Martin Brinsford and the Fraser Sisters (Fi and Jo). Fi (short for Fiona) is a fiddle player and"
"Will Sparks William James Sparks (born 15 March 1993) is an Australian producer and DJ from Melbourne, Australia, who is best known for his 2013 single ""Bring It Back"" with Joel Fletcher and his 2014 single ""Ah Yeah So What!"" featuring Wiley and Elen Levon. He attended Camberwell High School and Caulfield Grammar in Melbourne, but dropped out at the end of year 11 to pursue a musical career. His debut EP was released in Australia and debuted at number 35 in December 2014. Sparks has toured America, Europe and Asia and played at festivals such as TomorrowWorld, TomorrowLand, Stereosonic"
"was replaced as Faith No More guitarist by Jon Hudson. Since leaving Faith No More, Menta has been performing and recording with legendary pop group Sparks. He has contributed to Sparks' albums: ""Plagiarism"" (1997) ""Lil' Beethoven"" (2002) ""Hello Young Lovers"" (2006) ""Exotic Creatures of the Deep"" (2008), ""The Seduction of Ingmar Bergman"" (2009) and ""Hippopotamus"" (2017). Menta worked as a Sound Designer for acclaimed television advertisement and film music company Asche & Spencer. Menta now works primarily in television and film as a Music Editor, composer and Sound Designer. Additionally, Menta has also composed music for several video games, one"
"top-ten appearance in over 40 years. Having spent much of the past decade working on two musicals, ""The Seduction of Ingmar Bergman"" and the forthcoming movie musical ""Annette"", a collaboration with French director Leos Carax, the Mael brothers set out to return to a more traditional song-oriented, rather than narrative, pop format for their next Sparks release. They worked on the album over a 10-month period, starting at the beginning of 2016 and ending in October, with most of the recording done in Russell Mael's home studio in Los Angeles. Stylistically, ""Hippopotamus"" was classified as baroque pop by journalist Claire"
"Winwood's simpler production, the songs were more focused. The album slotted in with the current popularity of glam rock—which was dominating the charts—in particular, the more experimental and electronic sound of Roxy Music and David Bowie. Lyrically, the songs remained unusual and humorous. The great number of words filled with pop-culture references, puns and peculiar sexual content sung often in falsetto by Russell Mael set Sparks apart from other groups. The particularity of their sound, which matched pop songwriting with complex lyrics, defined the group to their UK audience. Integral to the sound was Adrian Fisher's guitar playing and Martin"
"Power Summit Awards Clinton Sparks Clinton Sparks (born September 18, 1979) is an American DJ, producer, songwriter, radio, television personality and recording artist. He has worked with Lady Gaga, Akon, Ludacris, Rick Ross, Tyrese Gibson, T-Pain, The Game, Some of his songs include Lady Gaga's ""Bloody Mary,"" Akon's ""Sorry, Blame It on Me"", Pitbull featuring T-Pain and Sean Paul's ""Shake Senora,"" Ludacris' ""Call Up the Homies,"" Pitbull's ""Shut It Down,"" Plies' ""She Got It Made,"" and T-Pain's ""Kiss Her."" Sparks' single ""Saturday Night"" is featured on actor/ comedian Kevin Hart's ""What Now"" movie soundtrack released October 14, 2016. He also"
"American singer-songwriter Frank Ocean and hip hop group Migos. The song was released on 25 February 2017. Harris released a collaboration with Young Thug, Ariana Grande, and Pharrell Williams titled ""Heatstroke"" on 31 March 2017. In May, he announced that his forthcoming fifth studio album, ""Funk Wav Bounces Vol. 1"", would be released on 30 June 2017. The album featured appearances from the likes of Travis Scott, Kehlani, Future, Katy Perry, Big Sean, John Legend, Khalid, Schoolboy Q, DRAM, Nicki Minaj, Lil Yachty, Jessie Reyez, PartyNextDoor and Snoop Dogg. On 8 February 2018, Harris collaborated with PartyNextDoor to release a"
"Clinton Sparks Clinton Sparks (born September 18, 1979) is an American DJ, producer, songwriter, radio, television personality and recording artist. He has worked with Lady Gaga, Akon, Ludacris, Rick Ross, Tyrese Gibson, T-Pain, The Game, Some of his songs include Lady Gaga's ""Bloody Mary,"" Akon's ""Sorry, Blame It on Me"", Pitbull featuring T-Pain and Sean Paul's ""Shake Senora,"" Ludacris' ""Call Up the Homies,"" Pitbull's ""Shut It Down,"" Plies' ""She Got It Made,"" and T-Pain's ""Kiss Her."" Sparks' single ""Saturday Night"" is featured on actor/ comedian Kevin Hart's ""What Now"" movie soundtrack released October 14, 2016. He also produced Kat Deluna's"
"flamboyant and hyperactive stage presence which contrasted sharply with Ron's deadpan scowling. He has recorded 23 albums with his band, Sparks. The band has a cult following around the world and are best known for the song ""This Town Ain't Big Enough for Both of Us"" which reached No. 2 on the UK Singles Chart. The pair appeared as themselves in the 1977 disaster film ""Rollercoaster"", performing live. They also appeared in episode twenty-two of season six of the ""Gilmore Girls"". In June 2018, Edgar Wright announced he is making a documentary on the cult pop-rock band Sparks. He had"
"Shikari's unflinching desire to evolve with every release is something very exciting indeed."" ""The Spark"" won the 'Best Album' award at the 2018 Kerrang! Awards. All lyrics by Rou Reynolds. All music by Enter Shikari. Personnel per booklet. Enter Shikari Additional musicians Production The Spark (album) The Spark is the fifth studio album by English rock band Enter Shikari, released on 22 September 2017 through Ambush Reality and PIAS Recordings. It was recorded in Northamptonshire in early 2017. Following world events in 2016, including Brexit and the election of Donald Trump, leadman Rou Reynolds announced on Twitter that he had"