Sparks - This Town Ain't Big Enough for the Both of Us

Led by brothers Ron Mael (keyboards) and Russell Mael (vocals), Sparks first hit the music scene in 1968 under the name Halfnelson. Their first album, a self-titled effort produced by Todd Rundgren for Bearsville records, sold poorly. The Maels changed the band's name to Sparks after signing to Warner Brothers in 1971. This Town Ain't Big Enough for the Both of Us is the first song I heard by Sparks in a performance on the old Don Kirshner's Rock Concert, a syndicated television show that ran from 1973 to 1981. Ron Mael in particular was (and still is) a blast to watch...his expressions are priceless and so out of sync with the music that they end up being perfect for each musical moment. The performance above is from the German program Disco, broadcast in 1974.