Sparkstember Day 19:

OK so this one's a little tenuous, but follow me here... I was researching different editions of Lil' Beethoven and I saw there was a deluxe version of the album with a CD-ROM component, even boasting a Lil' Beethoven SCREENSAVER.

So what if Sparks had fully embraced the CD-ROM era and released AFTER SPARKS: the official screensaver collection...?

Sparks Lil' Beethoven: Live in Stockholm DVD cover and booklet

(scanned by me)

My very first bowgart was named Lil Beef

I can’t believe you all. It was his 20th birthday yesterday and everyone forgot!

Just wanted to represent my art on here as I’ve improved a lot and have even set up my own Etsy shop! I make a lot of digital and physical art and I only have a few listings at the moment but my most successful piece is currently Sparks Through The Years. I’m still rolling some stuff out too!

From Record Collector Magazine, June 2022

Fjsjfdjfj sorry for posting a ton of stuff and for having literally no organization to it cos it was 3am and my brain did not have the energy to sort out what was Sparkstember stuff I needed to catch up on and what I could queue. But I'm pretty sure I'm caught up on Sparkstember stuff for now so yay :D

Anyway, since I didn't have time for a Lil' Beethoven post of my own (I had an idea for Hello Young Lovers and was barely able to finish that for today) I just wanted to say how much I LOVE this album. It's probably the most unique and ambitious work I've ever heard, and it's such an incredible statement from Sparks as artists. I won't even try to do it justice with my words bc I know that my two brain cells rn won't be able to, but that's okay--the music speaks for itself. And that's not just an opinion; based on the sentiments I saw here, clearly this gem of an album says SOMETHING. I so enjoyed everyone's posts, from learning that it takes approximately 75(!) Russells to build an army-of-Russells choir, to sharing in the sentiment that if you opened me up you might find a copy of Lil' Beethoven instead of a heart, lol. I can't even definitively say that it's my *favorite* Sparks album (after nearly 6 months, I'm beginning to think that there will never be just ONE answer to that question), but there's undeniably a part of me that's latched onto it in some way that I can't explain, and I would probably jump to its defense faster than for any other Sparks album.

Funny, considering that I didn't even like "My Baby's Taking Me Home" at first. (Sacrilege, I know. I'm very ashamed to admit it.) It took a live recording of it to make me appreciate it, but that's when it suddenly clicked. I can't claim that I read any deeper meaning into it, but still... To have a song that transcends the surface-level fact that it's just the title sung over and over, that evolves to evoke different emotions over its course, that becomes a mantra--heck, even just to have a song that repeats the same line for nearly 5 minutes and doesn't get boring--is pure genius. It's since become one of my absolute favorite Sparks songs, and one of the ones I most hope I get to see performed live someday.

Sparkstember Day 19 invites you to the nuptials of the millennium!

I'm certain this idea of using the Angst cover to portray I Married Myself has been used in a previous fan art attempt, so PLEASE share those if they do indeed exist!

put Lil Beethoven on a pride flag bc it's like what else am i doing with my life fjkgdjkgjdk

and then i also made Lil Slaythoven bc again, i've got time fjkj

Happy Beefday everyone, be sure to leave a glass of motor oil and plate of cookies on your doorstep so he can feast

SO YEAAH! THIS BATCH HAS THE BEST PROMPT LIST NO CONTEST. I’m unsure if I’ve ever explicitly said it here but 21st century Sparks like. totally dwarfs 20th century Sparks in terms of quality. Sure, the 20th century has a lot of great moments, but the 21st just feels so much better to listen to. 4/6 of these featured albums I would consider favorites. That’s so impressive holy shit. Also, special thanks to my friend Cupid who helped with the alt text on some of these.

previous posts: 1,2,3 next: 5

3 of the new Sparks reissues arrived today!