Retrosonic Podcast: Sparks - Part 2 of The Halfnelson/Bearsville Years with Harley Feinstein

In Episode 2 of this special edition of Retrosonic Podcast we are very pleased to welcome back Harley Feinstein, the original drummer with Sparks. Harley appeared on the band's first two Bearsville Records albums "Halfnelson/Sparks" and "A Woofer In Tweeter's Clothing", and was in the line-up for their very first visit to the UK back in the early Seventies. In the previous episode,  Harley told us about how he first met Ron and Russell Mael and joined the band. Now in Part 2, Harley talks about the band's first experiences in a studio with Todd Rundgren and James Lowe of The Electric Prunes and how a notorious bunch of Groupies contributed to them getting signed to Bob Dylan's manager's record label, Bearsville. This introduces the band to the nefarious world of the music business with it's aggressive managers and pressure to "make it".

Harley on stage with Crash 74 - Photo by Paul Slattery

There's the enforced name change from Halfnelson to Sparks and we discover some of the hilarious, and slightly worrying, alternate names that the band might have been lumbered with. We follow the band to England and their first TV appearance on Old Grey Whistle Test and sold-out gig at the Marquee, their residency at The Pheasantry and the taste of what can be achieved on record company expenses. We then find out how an ill-fated trip to Zermatt in Switzerland became the final nail in the coffin for the band at that time. Harley speaks with candour about the Mael brothers, the Music business and his part in one of the greatest cult bands of all time. Soundtracked by lots of early Sparks songs, including material from their original demo album, this is a fascinating tale of Sparks' formative years.

Here is Episode 1 of Harley's story of Sparks, in which first of all, he starts off by talking about his current project Crash 74 and how this eclectic trans-Atlantic group - featuring members of his Californian based band, vocalist Michelle and bassist Paul Jensen, got together with ex-Revillos drummer and Roadholders front-man Nicky Forbes, trumpet player Dexy D'Angelo from The Stone Foundation, guitarist Stevie Savage from The Roadholders and Danielle Dax's band and saxophonist Lee Sullivan who also happens to be a Dr. Who comic book illustrator...For more information on Crash 74 and their fantastic summer gig at the 12 Bar Club in London, including exclusive Paul Slattery photographs, please check out the earlier Blog feature here. 

With many thanks to Harley for his cooperation - it's much appreciated.

New Retrosonic Podcast: "Sparks - Part 1: The Halfnelson Years" with original Sparks drummer Harley Feinstein + his latest band Crash 74

In this very special Edition of Retrosonic Podcast we are very pleased to welcome Harley Feinstein, the original drummer with Sparks. Harley appeared on the band's first two Bearsville Records albums "Halfnelson/Sparks" and "A Woofer In Tweeter's Clothing" back in the early Seventies, and this is his very own fascinating story about the formative years of one of Rock music's most innovative, independent and enduring bands. In Part 1, Harley talks about these early years, when Russell Mael first called in response to his "Musicians wanted" ad in a local record store. At the time of Harley's audition the band were originally known as Halfnelson, and he tells us of his first impressions of the Mael brothers and their music. Along the way we discover the importance of the mysterious Harold Zellman, and the equally exotically named Earle Mankey. We learn about the percussive tricks on the band's very first bootleg demo album, who were The Three Minute Earwash and which of the brothers was a rather macho sporty guy when Harley first met him, a clue...it wasn't Russell...!

Harley on stage with Crash 74 - Photo by Paul Slattery

Harley was over in the U.K. with his current side-project Crash 74, for a one-off gig at our favourite London venue, The 12 Bar Club, on Denmark Street. Crash 74 feature Harley on drums, Nicky Forbes from The Revillos on vocals and guitar, Stevie Savage from The Roadholders, Alien Sex Fiend and Danielle Dax's band on lead guitar, Dexy D'Angelo from The Stone Foundation on trumpet, Dr Who comic book illustrator Lee Sullivan on sax, Paul Jensen on bass and Harley's wife, Michelle, on vocals. Harley explains how this unlikely, eclectic (and Trans-Atlantic) bunch got together to form Crash 74 and put on one of the best gigs of the year so far. You can read a review of the gig along with some excellent and exclusive Paul Slattery Photos here...

Harley drumming with Crash 74 at The 12 Bar Club - Photo by Paul Slattery

You can download the first episode for free at our Retrosonic Podcast Soundcloud site.

"Sparks - Part 2: The Bearsville Records Years" is coming soon on Retrosonic...and this takes in the recording of their first album with Todd Rundgren and the classic "A Woofer In Tweeter's Clothing". We then follow Harley and the band on their very first visit to the U.K. a country that embraced Sparks and where they made their second home. Harley takes us right up to the time that Island Records stepped in and signed the band and things wouldn't be quite the same again...

Crash 74 (L/R) Harley, Paul, Dexy, Nicky, Michelle, Stevie and Lee - Photo courtesy Paul Jensen

With many thanks to Harley for his enthusiasm and cooperation, it's very much appreciated.

Crash 74: Glam Beat Garage Freak-out from ex-Sparks and Revillos members at the 12 Bar Club May 31st

Crash 74 at The 12 Bar Club - Photo by Paul Slattery

This was another contender for the coveted prize of "Gig of the Year", yes another one! Although I should add that, despite the fact that the 12 Bar Club was sold out and people were being turned away at the door, there may not be another Crash 74 gig ever again. The band were only ever concieived as a short-term project by two drummers, California resident Harley Feinstein, the original drummer from Sparks - or Halfnelson as they were called when Harley first joined - and Nicky "Rocky Rhythm" Forbes from The Revillos. It was a shame that Harley and Nicky didn't play drums together on the night, except for a brief drum-off with Nicky on a snare, but then again there's barely space on the 12 Bar stage for one drum-kit let alone two, and that's before you take into account the seven band members that make up Crash 74.


Crash 74 at The 12 Bar Club - Photo by Paul Slattery

Lee Sullivan and Stevie Savage - Photo by Paul Slattery

The band performed an eclectic mix of mainly Sixties and Seventies cover versions and a selection of songs from The Revillos and Sparks back catalogue. As well as Nicky and Harley the band comprised of Harley's glamorous wife Michelle, who shared lead vocals with Nicky and on bass, their Californian friend, Paul Jensen. Lead guitar came courtesy of Stevie Savage Nicky's bandmate in The Roadholders and the brass section was Lee Sullivan on Sax and Dexy D'Angelo on trumpet. Each band member brought a clearly defined character and personality to the party, as well as some top notch playing. Kicking off with an instrumental with Nicky playing drums, he then gives way to Harley and moves to centre stage for a fun thrash through Mud's "Tiger Feet", holding up placards with "Neat" and "Right" written on to encourage some audience participation. Nicky is then joined on vocals by Michelle and they play the brilliantly titled "I Can't Believe That You Would Fall For All The Crap In This Song...", actually my favourite song from Sparks' latest album proper, "Exotic Creatures of The Deep".

Lee and Dexy in the background, Michelle and Paul Jensen - by Paul Slattery

It was a welcome surprise, with Nicky and Michelle performing a choreographed routine to illustrate the cynical love story at the heart of the song. They both make a great double act, Michelle really takes to the role with a huge smile and bags of energy and Nicky throws his guitar around, nearly knocking my head off at one point! Stevie Savage's crunching guitar chords herald T-Rex's "20th Century Boy" and then it's a bouncing rendition of The Honeycombs' great Joe Meek produced hit "Have I The Right". The Move's "Fire Brigade" is probably a little bit out of kilter compared with the rest of the set, but then it's The Revillos track that sparked off the unlikely formation of the band, "Rev Up!", although Nicky needs to read the lyrics from a crib sheet. He's then back behind the drums for The Revillos instrumental "Manhunt" before Harley takes over at the kit for a brilliant run through of "(No More) Mr. Nice Guys" from the "Halfnelson/Sparks" album and then the stop start let's confuse the audience "Whippings and Apologies" from "A Woofer In Tweeter's Clothing" which was excellent, with Michelle really nailing the vocals. Sherbet's throwaway novelty hit "Howzat", is surprisingly catchy but then we get a double whammy of Sparks classics with "Amateur Hour" and "This Town Ain't Big Enough For The Both of Us". They are not the easiest songs to cover but they both work perfectly and the crowd go a little bit crazy. The Revillos brilliant single "Motorbike Beat" is easily a match for the previous two songs and the band finish off with The Dave Clark Five's "Glad All Over", London's answer to the classic Merseybeat sound, famously covered by The Rezillos, and it was a suitably stomping finale to a superb, colourful and exciting set by Crash 74. A great gig, full of fun and spontaneity. So let's hope Harley and Michelle come back to the U.K. on holiday soon, bring Paul with them and hook up with Nicky, Dexy, Lee and Stevie again so we can have another Crash 74 gig to look forward to.

Original Sparks drummer Harley Feinstein in action - by Paul Slattery

Crash 74 - Photo by Paul Slattery

Nicky Forbes excellent book about life on the road with The Revillos, entitled "The Rhythm Method" is available from The Revillos web-site. We're planning to arrange an interview with Nicky for our Retrosonic Podcast to discuss the book in more detail. We are also very excited to annnouce that soon we will be releasing a very special episode of Retrosonic with the true gent that is Harley Feinstein, where he gives us all the background to how this Trans-Atlantic band got together and tells us more about his Crash 74 colleagues. He also treats us to an in-depth talk about his time as the original drummer with Sparks, one of the most original and influential bands to come out of the Seventies. This is a fascinating look at the very early days of the band and his relationship with the Mael brothers, and I am sure that any fans of Sparks will thoroughly enjoy this Episode. Keep an eye out on the Blog or Retrosonic Podcast Soundcloud site for an announcement of the release date. You can also "Like" the Retro Man Blog Facebook page for updates.

Michelle and Nicky of Crash 74 - Photo by Paul Slattery

For more photos of Crash 74 at The 12 Bar Club then "Like" the Retro Man Blog Facebook page for access to the photo album. With sincere thanks to Paul Slattery, Nicky Forbes and Harley Feinstein.