Russell Mael

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Russell Mael
Mael performing live at the Albert Hall in Manchester, England, 2015
Mael performing live at the Albert Hall in Manchester, England, 2015
Background information
Birth nameRussell Craig Mael
Born (1948-10-05) October 5, 1948 (age 72)
Los Angeles, California, U.S.
Genres
Occupation(s)
  • Singer
  • songwriter
  • record producer
  • engineer
  • film director
InstrumentsVocals
Years active1965–present
Labels
Associated acts
Websiteallsparks.com

Russell Craig Mael (born October 5, 1948) [1] is an American singer, songwriter and record producer best known as the lead singer and occasional songwriter for the band Sparks which he formed in 1971 with his elder brother, keyboardist and main songwriter Ron Mael. Mael is known for his wide vocal range, in particular his far-reaching falsetto. He has a flamboyant and hyperactive stage presence which contrasts sharply with Ron Mael's deadpan scowling. The band released an album with British rock band Franz Ferdinand, as the supergroup FFS, titled FFS, released in 2015. The Mael brothers are the founders of Lil' Beethoven Records.

Early life[]

Russell Craig Mael was born on October 5, 1948, in Los Angeles, California. The Mael brothers grew up in Pacific Palisades – a relatively affluent suburb of Los Angeles – with their father who was a graphic designer and caricaturist for the Hollywood Citizen-News, and their mother, Miriam (née Moskowitz), a librarian. He is of Russian Jewish and Austrian Jewish descent.[2] After being educated at Palisades High School, both brothers enrolled at UCLA;[3] Ron began a course in cinema and graphic arts in 1963 while Russell studied theater arts and filmmaking during 1966–1968.

Sparks[]

Main article: Sparks (band)

Mael is known for his wide vocal range, and his most notable vocal trait is a far-reaching falsetto. An NME review described Russell's falsetto as a "stratospheric blend of Marc Bolan and Tiny Tim".[4] He is also known for his flamboyant and hyperactive stage presence which contrasted sharply with Ron's deadpan scowling.

He has recorded 24 albums with his band, Sparks.[5] 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.[6]

The pair appeared as themselves in the 1977 disaster film Rollercoaster, performing live. They also appeared in episode 22 of season 6 of the Gilmore Girls. Mael appeared in a cameo as a gallows singer in the 2018 Western Damsel, and both he and Ron appear as themselves in Annette, a musical film directed by Leos Carax that they wrote and composed.

In June 2018, Edgar Wright announced he would be making a documentary on Sparks.[7] He had covered the band's concert in London in May at O2 Forum Kentish Town. This concert would also be a part of the documentary.[8][9] The film, The Sparks Brothers, had its world premiere at the 2021 Sundance Film Festival on January 30, 2021.[10]

Personal life[]

In 2017, a reviewer noted that while the brothers' biographies recount an LA childhood in which they surfed and were both models for mail order catalogues, their private lives are otherwise almost entirely unknown. "Well, we're in good company with Bob Dylan", was their reported response. "We feel the less you do know, it keeps the mythology and the image in a better position." Even to the question of whether they have partners or spouses, they refused to give an indication, insisting that "the vagueness is more interesting than the reality."[11]

Discography[]

With Sparks

Main article: Sparks discography
Year Album
1971 Halfnelson
1973 A Woofer in Tweeter's Clothing
1974 Kimono My House
1974 Propaganda
1975 Indiscreet
1976 Big Beat
1977 Introducing Sparks
1979 No. 1 in Heaven
1980 Terminal Jive
1981 Whomp That Sucker
1982 Angst in My Pants
1983 In Outer Space
1984 Pulling Rabbits Out of a Hat
1986 Music That You Can Dance To
1988 Interior Design
1994 Gratuitous Sax & Senseless Violins
1997 Plagiarism
2000 Balls
2002 Lil' Beethoven
2006 Hello Young Lovers
2008 Exotic Creatures of the Deep
2009 The Seduction of Ingmar Bergman
2017 Hippopotamus
2020 A Steady Drip, Drip, Drip

With FFS

Year Album
2015 FFS

References[]

  1. ^ Easlea, Daryl (April 7, 2010). Talent Is An Asset: The Story Of Sparks. Omnibus Press. ISBN 978-0-85712-237-7.
  2. ^ Lorente-Darracq, Xavier. "Ron Mael and Russell Mael - Biography". Graphik Designs. Retrieved November 8, 2012.
  3. ^ Welch, Chris. "Bright Sparks". Melody Maker. Retrieved November 8, 2012.
  4. ^ Mac Donald, Ian (May 18, 1974). "Kimono My House [album review]". New Musical Express.
  5. ^ Ankeny, Jason. "Sparks: Biography". Allmusic. Retrieved April 21, 2011.
  6. ^ "Singles". Official Charts Company. Retrieved April 21, 2011.
  7. ^ "Edgar Wright to Tackle 70s Cult Band "Sparks" in New Documentary". Collider. June 21, 2018. Retrieved June 22, 2018.
  8. ^ "Edgar Wright's Next Film is Pop-Rock Documentary About Sparks". ComingSoon.net. June 21, 2018. Retrieved June 22, 2018.
  9. ^ Sharf, Zack (June 21, 2018). "Edgar Wright's Next Film Is a Documentary on Cult Pop-Rock Band Sparks – Exclusive". IndieWire. Retrieved June 22, 2018.
  10. ^ Willman, Chris (January 28, 2021). "Edgar Wright's 'The Sparks Brothers' Gives Cult Rock Icons Their Due". Variety. Retrieved August 8, 2021.
  11. ^ Lister, David (September 6, 2017). "Sparks' Ron and Russell Mael on new album, Franz Ferdinand and mystery". The Independent. Retrieved August 8, 2021.

External links[]

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