Sparks from 1981! I saw them at the Whisky a Go Go right around this time, in 1981 or 1982. Ron and Russel Mael are both Jewish. They were born in Pacific Palisades, so this is a real LA band. From the very start, they were very controversial and polarizing. You either loved them or hated them. A critic for the LA Times raved about them, and that, among other things, made him very unpopular. I knew people who absolutely hated them along with David Bowie, the New York Dolls, Lou Reed, Kiss, T. Rex and Mott the Hoople. All of those more or less glam bands were considered to be decadent, depraved or gay back in those days.
A very weird version of Angst in My Pants from the Plagiarism album of 1997 in which they recorded odd versions of their own songs, often in conjunction with other bands.
Ron Mael has always had a little Charlie Chaplin or Hitler mustache, however you would like to see it. The lead singer Russell Mael sings in a very high falsetto voice. This band has always been weird as Hell. Considering they are Jewish and some of the early band members were Jews, I doubt if he is imitating Hitler. Almost nothing is known about either Russell or Ron Mael, as they are notoriously reclusive and refuse to give interviews. A recent book about the band admitted that little is known about the brothers. One thing is for sure: neither one is gay. The brothers have always been said to have been dedicated artists who spend most of their time in the studio.
This is often thought to be a UK band. They are from LA, and were raised on the LA club scene of the late 1960′s centering around the Whisky a Go Go with the Doors, Love, etc. They relocated to London for four years from 1972 to 1976, but then they moved back to LA. However, they do perform a lot in London.
Unfortunately, this band never got very popular. They are still releasing albums 40 years on. Absolutely incredible. This is one of the great highbrow rock and roll bands, perfect for this site.
Great songs and photos down through the years.
Lyrics for Angst in Your Pants about a situation familiar to many males:
I hope it doesn’t show
it’ll go away
it’s just a passing phase
it’ll go away.
You can dress nautical,
learn to tie knots,
take lots of Dramamine
out on your yacht.
But when you’re all alone
and nothing bites
you’ll wish you’d stayed at home
with someone nice.
But when you think you’ve made it disappear,
it comes again – “Hello, I’m here!”
and you’ve got angst in your pants.
You can be smart as hell, know how to add,
know how to figure things on yellow pads,
answer so no one knows what you just said,
but when you’re all alone, you and your head.
What’s the computer say? It’s mumbling know.
It says “Hey, Joe”, it’s spelled it out,
and you’ve got angst in your pants.
You’ve got angst in your pants.
But when you think you’ve made it disappear,
you’re sure you’ve made it disappear,
and you’ve still got angst in your pants.
I hope it doesn’t show, it’ll go away.
It’s just a passing phase, it’ll go away.
I hope it doesn’t show, it’ll go away.
Give it a hundred years, it won’t go away!
And I’ve got angst in my pants!
I’ve got angst in my pants!
I’ve got angst in my pants!
I’ve got angst in my pants!
I’ve got angst in my pants!
I’ve got angst in my pants!
I’ve got angst in my pants!
Sparks in London in 1972. Glam rock all the way. Wow!
