One of the best films of 2021 arrives this weekend with The Sparks Brothers. Sparks, a band comprised of brothers Russell and Ron Mael, are probably one of the greatest bands you’ve ever heard of. They’ve made 25 albums over the course of 50 years, and their influence has filtered down to loads of other musicians, many of whom pop up in Edgar Wright’s new documentary about the band. If you’ve never heard of Sparks, by the end of The Sparks Brothers, you’ll likely be a massive fan of the band and eager to hear more of their music.
Last week I got the chance to interview Wright and Sparks about the movie. During our conversation, we talked about how they were able to forge their own creative direction without pressure from the record labels, how Wright approached directing his first documentary, what albums they would recommend for someone looking to get into Sparks or if they should opt for the documentary instead, and if Wright has any plans for expanding the documentary in the future since Sparks is still coming out with music.
0:00 - Intro
0:14 - Pushback from Record Labels
2:05 - Sparks' Musical Inspirations
3:55 - Edgar Wright's First Documentary Experience
6:55 - Could There Be a Sequel?
7:40 - Recommendations for First-Time Listeners
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