sock it to me, sakamoto 💥

Once considered a niche group known only to Western music buffs in Japan, Sparks started appearing frequently in Japanese music media from the mid-80s onward, heavily connected with Salon Music. Salon Music have consistently listed Sparks among their favorites, and have had Ron and Russell as guests on their recordings, such is their deep friendship. After much heartfelt waiting from fans, Sparks’ first Japanese show finally took place in 2001, and Salon Music performed as the opening act for the Tokyo show.

A further connection is that Cornelius’ previous band (Flippers Guitar) was produced by Jin Yoshida of Salon Music. There was even a period when Salon Music was signed to the same label as Cornelius, and Jin Yoshida and Cornelius share a relationship that could be described as mentor and pupil. Given this rare opportunity for Cornelius to share the stage with Jin’s long-beloved Sparks, he requested an online roundtable discussion all together, and the Mael brothers immediately agreed! We proudly present the conversation between these four people who are so connected through music, resonating with each other across generations.

 [Are Sparks the ‘matchmakers’ for Cornelius and Jin Yoshida?]

 —Ever since I saw Jin and Cornelius visiting Sparks’ dressing room at Japan’s EX Theater last year, I’ve been thinking of arranging a discussion with all four of you. Thank you for taking the time today.

 Ron: You’re welcome. We’re really happy to be here, too. Thank you.

 —When I asked Jin how he first discovered Sparks, he told me the first song he heard was This Town Ain’t Big Enough For Both Of Us on the radio. He said it felt like an opera drifting in from another planet, and that the hard guitar was totally to his taste. Right after that, he went to an import record store in Shinjuku to buy Kimono My House, but found their new album Propaganda. Not only were both the front and back covers cool, but he was also blown away by the artwork—specifically the photo on the inner sleeve showing the two of them tied up on a bed, and the sticker on the cover. He said, “I became obsessed with those songs and lyrics. They took such wild and unexpected turns, and I listened to them every day.” He became so enamoured with it that he wanted to read the liner notes and lyrics in Japanese translation, and eventually bought the Japanese edition when it came out.

 Ron: Thanks, Jin, I’m so happy to hear you say that. Naturally, our main focus is the music, but we’ve also come to realize that the visual aspect isn’t just for selling albums, it’s essential for conveying the band’s sensibility. That’s why we’ve put a lot of time and effort into our album covers as well as our performances onstage. I’m really happy that the demand for vinyl is on the rise again. When you compare it to the CD era, the importance of the artwork is increasing.

 —Jin, you mentioned that you were also influenced by Sparks’ fashion. You said you looked for sunglasses similar to the ones Ron was wearing on the Propaganda cover, and you copied Russell’s hairstyle at the time, and wore white baggy pants like his. I heard you also copied the riding boots Russell was wearing on the back cover of Indiscreet.

 Ron: (laughs)

Jin: After I discovered Sparks, my fashion changed drastically from what I’d been wearing before. I’d look at album covers and magazine photos and think, “That’s so cool.” There was a period where I spent quite a bit of time looking for clothes like the ones they wore and dressing like them. I even happened to find a pair of sunglasses in Shibuya that looked just like the ones Ron was wearing on Propaganda, and I bought them.

 —That just goes to show how distinctive Sparks’ personality was, not just in their music but also in their artwork and fashion sense.

 Ron: It’s strange… We’re obviously American, but our fashion back then was heavily influenced by British bands. We didn’t dress like your average American band. In fact, even in America, people thought we were from abroad. But from our perspective, we just thought it looked cooler than what American bands were wearing, so that’s why we dressed that way.

 Russell: We were just talking about album covers, but as an extension of that, fashion is so tied to the pop music we love. You can’t separate fashion from music; it adds so much depth to it. What’s important to us is that all these elements—the stage production, the fashion, album art, music videos—are all what make up our band’s identity. I think that’s how it should be. And it still is today.

When I look at groups that came up around the same time as us, fashion and live show production should still be just as important to them today. But maybe they think that being stylish implies there’s no substance to the music, so they end up neglecting style. But for us, how we present ourselves is still a crucial element, and we enjoy doing it. Especially when we perform live, we think it’s important to be onstage dressed differently from the audience, rather than just showing up in regular clothes. We place a lot of importance on the visual aspect when it comes to expressing our music. We’ve always been particular about that, and we seeing it as elevating the music even more. Oh, and I still have those riding boots Jin mentioned earlier (laughs).

 Ron: I think Keigo (Cornelius) would agree with that attitude. I don’t mean to speak for him, but he seems to value those things too.

 —What first introduced you to Sparks, Cornelius?

Cornelius: At first, it was probably Kimono My House. That was around the late 90s. I’d seen the cover a lot in record stores, but it took me quite a while to actually listen to it. I also thought Sparks were a British band at first. Since I’m from the New Wave era, I saw Sparks as being the roots of that.

Also, I heard that someone on the Kimono My House cover spoke Japanese on a David Bowie album, so I got interested for that reason, too (Michi Hirota, who posed for the Kimono My House cover, did the narration for “It’s No Game (Part 1)” on Bowie’s Scary Monsters album).

The album covers really made an impact every time, so I was always curious about them. Then I started listening to their work from the late 70s to the early 80s. I think I started around No. 1 In Heaven.

 Russell: “Better late than never,” as they say (laughs). You discovered and listened to our 70s stuff in the 90s, and what we’re most proud of is that our early work—I mean also including the stuff from the 90s when Keigo started listening—is music that still holds up today. It’s not bound to those times, and continues living on. Our music hasn’t tended to have elements that pinpoint a specific era so much. Sparks have always existed in a world of our own, and we hope that the music we made in the 70s remains modern and still works even now.

Cornelius: You know, I recently listened to your song Computer Girl from 1967 on Spotify, and it’s really amazing—it’s hard to believe it’s from ’67. It’s also pretty incredible that they made a song titled “Computer Girl” back in ’67 (laughs). The arrangement is really unique, too; it surprised me.

 Russell: Even we don’t know why we were already talking about computers back in the 60s (laughs). We were also surprised when we made it. I think it was one of the first things we ever recorded. Back then, there was a small studio in Los Angeles where you’d pay and they’d let you record whatever you wanted for an hour. That’s where we recorded it. They’d give you an acetate disc so you could take the recording home. Back then, that was the only way to easily listen back to what you’d recorded. I was surprised when the “Computer Girl” demo turned up in our archives. That was before personal computers even existed, so I don’t even remember how we came up with the idea of falling in love with a computer.

 Ron: Plus, back then we didn’t really know anything about how to structure a song. Listening to it after the fact, it might sound like we intentionally made it that way, but that wasn’t the case—it was just the result of us desperately trying to make something that sounded like a song.

—In Japan, there wasn’t much information available about Sparks, so from the mid-80s onward, Salon Music served as a sort of gateway to introducing them. I assumed that Jin had really pushed Cornelius to listen to Sparks, but apparently that wasn’t the case, right?

Jin: That’s right. A long time ago, I wrote a column for a magazine recommending background music for driving, and I think Sparks were included in that list. Later, I heard from one of the original members of Flipper’s Guitar that they’d read that column and decided to contact Salon Music.

Cornelius: That was probably me (laughs). It was in a magazine called Player, in a feature like “Salon Music’s Picks for Driving Music,” and there was a list of cassette labels. When I saw that, I thought, “Oh, these guys might have similar tastes to us.” I remember that.

 Ron: I’m honored to have played matchmaker for the two of you (laughs). I also knew that Jin produced Flipper’s Guitar. I thought it was a perfect match in terms of musical sensibilities. Jin and I first met in 1984 when he and Hitomi (Hitomi Takenaka of Salon Music) interviewed us in Japan. That was my first trip to Japan, and it was another 17 years before we were able to play a show there for the first time. Jin and Hitomi were the first Japanese musicians I connected with. Of course, I love their music, but it’s wonderful that we’ve remained friends ever since we first met.

 —And it’s not just that you’re friends; both Ron and Russell also appeared on a Salon Music album, didn’t they? Could you tell us about that?

Jin: We set up our own studio in ’86 and started producing there. That’s when we made the album THIS IS SALON MUSIC (1987). I wanted Russell to sing on it, so I reached out to him, but Sparks were really busy in the middle of a promo tour in Europe. Still, he managed to work it out and come over. Ron was too busy to make it at the time, but Russell and I watched the new Tora-san movie and went to Shibamata (laughs) while we were recording.

 The following year, in ’87, the two of them came over on vacation, so we thought, “Since they’re here anyway…,” and had them join us at the last minute for the recording of O BOY (1988). I remember having Ron listen to the song right there on the spot and recording it right away. We spent a lot of time together with the two of them during our downtime, too—we went to Kamakura, went to Kanda to eat soba, and went to all sorts of places.

 Ron: I still remember that, of course. Jin took me in his car to the Yokohama Ramen Museum, right? You can eat ramen in this area that’s a recreation of old timey streets. It’s a great memory. That was the first time I rode in a Japanese car, and I remember realizing that cars there are made for skinny people (laughs).

Russell: I’ve gotten to ride in both Jin’s car and Keigo’s car. Ron wasn’t there at the time, it was just me, right? It was a real honor to have Jin and Keigo personally drive me around Japan. About that, my memory’s a little fuzzy; did we tell Jin that we liked the Tora-san movies and that’s why we went to Shibamata?

Jin: Oh we already knew you two liked Tora-san, so we realized we totally had to take you there (laughs).

 Ron: I forget the name of the area, but you also took us to a place where they sell lots of plastic food samples.

 —That’s Kappabashi, right? It was during your first visit to Japan in ’84, when I was doing the interview for Takarajima magazine.

 Ron: I still have all the food samples I bought back then, carefully stored away. They’re perfect for my art hobby (laughs).

Jin: Sparks were in town for promotion or something at the time, and after the Takarajima interview was over, a staff member was like, “They say they want to buy some food samples—do you know where you can get those?” So we took them to Kappabashi. That’s what first brought us together.

Cornelius: Ahh (laughs).

 —In Japan, Russell’s cover of Soft Cell’s “Say Hello, Wave Goodbye,” which he sang on Salon Music’s O BOY, is really popular with DJs, and the price of the vinyl record has skyrocketed.

 Russell: You mean the version I sang? Aw I’m glad. I really like that cover. Hitomi and Jin invited me for that recording, and I got to visit this wonderful place, Shimokitazawa—that was a really special experience. It really deepened my connection with Japan and made me feel much closer to it. That’s all thanks to Salon Music. And that connection has never gone away. When I go to Japan, I feel so at home, and I love so many different aspects of the country. I’m really grateful to Jin for making that possible.

[ Meeting up by way of Towa Tei and Edgar Wright]

 —I heard the reason you came to remix Sparks’ “Do Things My Own Way” was because of Edgar Wright, director of The Sparks Brothers. Is that right?

Cornelius: Edgar was the one who first introduced us. We’d known each other for a while because he’d come to see me live. When Sparks came to Japan, Edgar was there too—I think Hajime Tachibana was there as well? We had a chance to go out to dinner together then. I picked them up at the hotel in my car, and I think that’s when I gave Russell that ride (laughs).

 But, while Edgar was the catalyst for us meeting properly, I’d actually run into Sparks before that. I went to a party that Towa Tei was hosting in Harajuku, and Yukihiro Takahashi was there too. Then Sparks appeared! Maybe they came to see Yukihiro? I actually have a photo from that time. I think it was about 10 years ago, but I feel like that was my first encounter with Sparks.

Russell: Right, right. It’s a little complicated but I remember it all. It was a small club in Omotesando, wasn’t it? When I went back later, it was gone. Back then, I just happened to be walking by and saw a sign that said, “Towa Tei is performing tonight.” So we were like, “Let’s try and go in.”

 —So it was a coincidence!

Russell: But yeah, I remember it being insanely hot. By the time I got inside the club, I was drenched in sweat. It was one of those humid summer days that are so common in Japan. I remember it so well. Also, speaking of Edgar Wright, who directed the documentary, he and I went to a live show where Cornelius was performing. I’ve forgotten who else was playing, but I think it was an outdoor show. A small outdoor stage.

Cornelius: Maybe Fuji Rock? Edgar came to see me at Fuji Rock, right?

 Russell: No, this time was a much smaller event. I went to see the show with Edgar, and we met you while we were there. Then I think we went to Edgar’s hotel and went out to eat.

 —Ron and Russell, how do you see Jin and Keigo’s work? If you have any favorite songs, I’d love to hear them.

Ron: Of course I do have favorite songs, but the thing I like and relate to the most is how they surprise people with each new project. For a musician, I think that’s really important. Thinking about the context your music is used in, I’m also drawn to the fact that Keigo makes music for installations. I feel like it requires a different way of thinking than when you make a movie soundtrack or your own albums. Even with his albums, he doesn’t repeat what he’s done before; while staying true to himself he always challenges himself to try new things. It’s interesting that he explores not just the music itself, but also how it’ll be used, which is different from working on a conventional album.

Russell: He’s found a way to merge visuals and music, taking his music to a whole other dimension. Like Ron said, that applies to his installations, but I also feel this strong attention to detail in the visual presentation of his live shows. He projects beautiful visuals that complement the music and breathe new life into it.

What’s striking about Cornelius is that, while obviously he has beautiful songs, the ones I really connect to are the ones that have an emphasis on concept. For example, the typewriter song (“Typewrite Lesson”). It’s a track that reads like a typewriter manual. I feel like there are new possibilities for music there. Of course, in a broad sense, it’s pop music, but he’s exploring the possibilities of the form itself, asking like, “What is pop music?”

In that song, a narrator explains typewriters in English. We have songs with a similar approach. Our song, Your Call’s Very Important To Us, Please Hold, has the kind of automated voice you hear when you call a call center. We write songs based on high-concept ideas—simple, powerful concepts that convey the content and appeal in a single phrase. Keigo has a few songs like that too. They’re songs that don’t quite fit within the framework of traditional pop music. We’re drawn to artists who try to explore new forms of pop music like that.

 Ron: Cornelius’ ‘Mic Check’ is another example. It’s based on the idea of taking a non-musical act—something you just do as part of being a band—and deliberately turning it into a song.

 Russell: He also did a fantastic remix of “Do Things My Own Way” for Sparks. It’s a real honor to have a Cornelius remix of our song.

[Looking Forward to the Double Headliner Show]

 —I’d also like to ask Jin and Cornelius for their thoughts on seeing Sparks’ live show last year.

Jin: Their live shows are always exciting to watch. It’s like I go back to being just a fan—like forgetting the fact that we’re friends—I always watch them with the same excitement as a fan. Last year’s show was amazing, again.

Cornelius: They’re both incredibly energetic (laughs). I’m almost 60 now, and even though they’ve been performing since before I was born, they’re more energetic than I am. The vocal range is also so high—I don’t think there are many people at this age who can still sing in the same key they did when they were young. I thought it was a really wonderful show.

 Russell: Thank you! As an artist, I feel it’s my duty to deliver a performance that meets the audience’s expectations. As you get older, your vocal range narrows. It’s a physical problem, so there’s nothing you can do about it, but I always want to fight against it as much as possible. Even with the early songs on Kimono My House, I want to use falsetto to sing them properly in their original keys. If you lower the key and rearrange them, the feeling of the song changes. That’s why I’m so particular about sticking with the original keys. Maintaining my voice is a never-ending battle (laughs). But at this point, I also have a sense of pride—I don’t wanna disappoint the fans.

 —What kind of performance can we expect at the May concert? Is there the possibility of a collaboration onstage together?

 Russell: We haven’t reached that topic yet. Keigo, I’ll call you later so we can talk about it (laughs).

 Ron: I mean, we’d love to perform together. Maybe you should check with Keigo and his legal team (laughs).

 Russell: It would be cool if we could do something together. Right now, the only thing confirmed is that Cornelius and Sparks will each be doing their own shows, but if we can work out a collaboration between now and early May, we’d be absolutely thrilled.

 Ron: Since we’d be performing on the same stage, the logistics for the equipment shouldn’t be too much of a hassle.

 Russell: It’d be fun to have Keigo dance for us, right!

Cornelius: Yeah! (laughs). It would be great if we could do something together. I’m actually thinking of doing a little tribute to Sparks during my set.

 Russell: That would be an honor. We’re definitely gonna be watching.

 — We’re looking forward to it! Kind of related to that, when I asked Jin, who’s currently working as a producer, "If you had the chance to produce Sparks, what kind of work would you create?" he replied, "It’s a hard question, but I’d want to make the best possible work—something that resonates not just now, but with music lovers hundreds of years into the future."

 Russell: Wow. Tell me what that sound would be like!

 Ron: From right now we’re gonna start aiming for it.

 Jin: (laughs)

 Russell: I’m so happy about that comment. It’s also why we love Jin and Keigo… and this isn’t just us being full of ourselves—we never cut corners, and we’re always aiming to create music that will still be meaningful 100 years from now. Keigo is the same way, and Jin has been active as a producer for years, always trying to do something new within the framework of pop music. You can really tell from the bands Jin produces and the music he loves that he genuinely loves pop music. And his attitude toward pioneering new forms of pop hasn’t changed. That’s true for both us and Keigo. We always have this drive to try something experimental.

 —I completely agree. Before this interview, I reread that article from 1984 where Salon Music interviewed Sparks, and even back then, Jin wrote that you guys were “health conscious”. In the ’80s, the rock world was full of musicians living decadent lifestyles, but I realized once again that one of the secrets to Sparks’ longevity is that they’ve continued to stick to their own principles, regardless of that stereotype of the musician lifestyle.

 Ron: That’s right. We’ve always tried to express our individuality through our music, not through our lifestyle. We never realized that it would be the very reason we’d be able to make music for so long. But we try not to talk about how boringly we care about our health. If possible, I’d like people be interested in our music rather than in our boring way of life.

 —Of course! Thank you so much for taking the time today.

 Russell: It was great to see you all. I was so happy to see you, Keigo and Jin. I’m looking forward to seeing you again in May. It’s coming up soon—I’m getting excited. It was a great interview. Thank you! Let’s meet again in Tokyo.