I did not know a whit about who the 'Sparks Brothers' were until this documentary came along. Suddenly, I knew that these two Americans had a hand (if not a direct say) in inspiring several different music genres, singers, and bands that/whom I did know. This is no small realization for a self-professed 'music-mad' person like myself.
As 'bands' go, these two men - Ron and Russell Mael - are not your typical musicians. Every frame of this documentary practically insists on highlighting just how bizarre these two are. They own their weirdness - and seem proud and unashamed about it. That's what made them so relatable and inspiring to watch in this documentary.
I am still shocked that these guys have been around for five decades and I have only just heard about them. Then again, I am not too 'into' the business of music, just listening to all the tracks I like - some of them often on repeat.
From retro to modern, the documentary packed all the right vibes. I feel a ton of keen research went into making this special. Edgar Wright - who also happens to be a Sparks fan - gave it a nice elegant directorial flourish. As a result, the documentary was equally entertaining and educational.
The Brothers have 25 studio albums and over 500 songs - I believe it is time I checked some of those out. They attempted to influence the American music scene at one time. When that wasn't working out as well as they'd hoped, they went on to make a more permanent mark in Britain. Ron and Russell were born and raised in California, but their work apparently went on to inspire music - starting with the ones who make them - all over the world.
This documentary truly captured the human, and all too relatable, side of these two 'silent' legends. It proves that you don't have to be rich, powerful, or well-connected to make a lasting difference in the world. All you need to be is passionate about what you love, and stay consistent applying it.
It was fantastic yet revealing to watch the growth and evolution of two men in an industry known for breaking more careers than it makes. It goes to show that real legacies take time and routine effort.
All those rejections, all those failures, and Ron Mael (the lyricist and pianist) and Russell Mael (the vocalist) just kept going, sailing through the storms... They kept breaking rules, kept re-inventing themselves. This is enormously inspiring for me to know, being a writer and actor.
If you love Music - no matter your country or preferred language - go watch this documentary, go watch it now. If you happen to be any kind of 'artistic creator', this documentary is guaranteed to contain at least one spark of inspiration for you, and a few more motivational ones.
This documentary provides ample proof that Music, no matter where it is from, has a mind-blowing (almost magical) way to change people - particularly their artistic lives and creative decisions - no matter where they may be on the globe, let alone in which decade.
For all their so-called eccentricities, The Sparks Brothers - their work, their music - expressed Real Life in ways that only Music can communicate.
Definitions for the work done by The Sparks Brothers over the years... Quirky, weird, crazy, amazing, revolting, strange, multi-generational, fabulous, creepy, sexy, unnerving, original, polarizing, symbolic, dark, undiluted, non-conforming, radical, discomfiting, persevering, bewildering, revolutionary, evolutionary, ahead of its time, and out of this world.
"The Sparks Brothers" documentary - it will be a crime against Art and Music not to watch it.
