After one verse I said the same thing.The only other singer his age still hitting the notes is Colin Blundstone the singer for the Zombies.These guys are special.
Absolutely brilliantly mad!! I saw them on American Bandstand in the 70's and was instantly a fan. So original and iconic. Watching Ron roll his eyes and look annoyed at Russell's prancing was and still is priceless.
OMG, Me too. After Dick Clark introduced them, I was thinking, what the fuck is this! It was a musical epiphany!!! Huge fan ever since. There is a video of them playing California Jam and they pan out into the audience and there is this girl just standing there all bugeyed with her mouth hanging open like a grouper. That's how I felt watching ABS that Saturday morning 🤣
Wow, I can't believe what great shape Russel''s voice is in! Everyone else I can think of in his age/peer group who sings has a couple of backup vocalists to hit the high notes and smooth over the rough spots; Russel is doing it alone and doing it well. Really well.
This is one of those songs that just startles you..when I first heard it back in 70s I just couldnt imagine who were their influences as it is brilliantly original and fantastically performed song...and his voice is still amazing..I'm really impressed..and Ron's expressions are still cracking me up! What an original talent they are
The guy on the keyboard hasn't aged a bit! Amazing vocals still sound just as I remember them when this came out, I was 17 and had just started work. Happy Days.
@@annabackman3028 Yes, he used to change the Roland logo to Ronald back when he was a Roland user, he's using a Yamaha Motif XF8 here though but kept the tradition.
Love the way they snuck in one of their new songs to stealthily promote the new album! That transition into “Edith Piaf” and then back to “This Town” was flawless!
Love this! The singing is superb Russell still has it and Ronald is hilarious. Love the Piaf lyrics. Saw them in FFS - magnificent. One of the great underrated bands.
Fantastic performance and wow Russell still has the high tones in his voice at his age!!! And Ron is of course still the star of the show with his straight conservative image and stiff rigidness and his facial expressions, how can you not focus on him in any Sparks video lol.
I came here after reading the film "Annette" will open Cannes this year. It is a very quirky, probably hard to figure out musical starring Adam Driver and Marion Cotillard, with music by SPARKS! (They are in it, as well, though I don't know how much of the film they are in, since what I saw was just the opening number.) "Annette" promises to be a definite "experience", especially for fans of Adam Driver and Sparks!
Hey there SPARKS fans ... Just came across this video while scrolling thru You Tube trying to find something else and i can't believe it's been now 5 years since this video was put out by the BBC - One Show and as like all the comments have said , how amazing Russel's voice sounds after some 40 plus years ! 😃👍😀 Been a Huge Fan of this group from the first time i ever heard their music back in the 70's when was at WTH school here in Cleveland , Ohio and i've been hooked on them ever since ... 😉 Even went to see them in concert each time that they came to Cleveland to see them put on a Great Show and man What a Show each time ... Unbelievable and Unforgettable the Great performance that they would exhibit each time ... 👍What i like the most from this video and others that i've come across via You Tube ( and MTV back in it's heyday ) are those Funny facial expressions that Russel's brother Ron would make while playing his keyboard ... 😆 LOL so hard and even though his Hitler looking hair style is still the same in this video and the mustache that was much Thicker way back when is now thinner , those facial expressions are still there Great and make me smile still ! 😀 Also , the guys in the band who are in this video are most obviously not the original members from the one's who played with the brothers back in the band's Glory Days , but they still do a Fanstastic job 👍 and if you did not know that they were Not the original members from way back when the group first started out , you sure as Hell can't tell the difference in the sound ... 👍What a Great Job they do and if the band is able to go back on the road again once this Pandemic eases up , i sure hope that they're a part of the touring that occurrs ( GOD willing that the brothers are in Good Health to do so ) and also i hope that the group comes to the home of the Rock - N - Roll Hall of Fame Museum , My lifelong hometown of Cleveland , Ohio ... 😉 P. S. ~ Go Browns !
outstanding performance.... Russell's voice remained almost unchanged ( a little not as high as before, but not that much), his charm is of course different , in my opinion he is more good-looking than earlier cos wrinkles suit him very well. Russell's trousers may be something like skirt-trousers - a bit like Japanese hakama. Ron is also very elegant in his navy suit. Look, look, look......Anyway these two gentlemen are really wonderful artists also well accompanied by talented musicians: a sort of Spark family indeed. The Mael brothers are now more than seventy years old, so what???? I really hope they could live as long as possible and have even longer musical life.... Growing old is not a crime it is just life. The point is that they are outstanding music-creators and performers... Gros bisous aux frères Mael, les Sparks
Crazy, I remember listening to this at the age of six, I'd had my tonsils out and had to stay in hospital, I'm 53 now, I will always associate this song with that memory.
They were at this TV show to talk about their new album "Hippopotamus", but then they had to play "This Town..." instead of being able to perform "Edith Piaf (Said It Better Than Me)" which was the new single. But what they did during the performance is brilliant! 👍 And I'd really love to know, who had this idea first, Ron or Russell? 🤔
Little fact - if you look closely, the puppet versions of Ron and Russell from the 'Edith Piaf (Said It Better Than Me)' music video are perched on Ron's keyboard.
I feel so bad that I only discovered the Sparks from a Faith No More collaboration of this track. I am glad I found them, though. Just wish it had been so much sooner.
Go Russelll!!!! This song came out a lifetime ago and it still slaps hard as the kids way. The Mael brothers must absolutely love this to do it this long and well.
