Sparks co-founder Ron Mael spoke to Noise11 about the band’s Gorillaz collaboration, a career of unexpected partnerships, and their upcoming return to Australia, with Sparks promising a more regular touring cycle ahead.
by Paul Cashmere
Sparks co-founder Ron Mael talked about the band’s recent collaboration with Gorillaz during a wide-ranging conversation with Noise11, while also reflecting on a renewed commitment to touring Australia. The interview marks a rare deep dive into Sparks’ evolving creative partnerships and their plans to return more frequently after what Mael described as long gaps between visits, including the band’s first Australian performance only in 2000.
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Mael also addressed Sparks’ setlist challenges, their growing catalogue spanning more than 30 studio albums, and the balancing act between new material from Mad and fan expectations across decades of music.
The conversation underscores Sparks’ unusual position in contemporary music: a legacy act with sustained creative momentum and new-generation relevance. Their recent collaboration with Gorillaz reflects an ongoing pattern of cross-generational partnerships that has helped keep Sparks visible in modern pop discourse.
After sporadic touring history in the region, Mael indicated the band intends to shorten gaps between visits, signalling a more consistent presence in future international routing.
Mael told Noise11 that Sparks’ vast catalogue, stretching across decades, creates both opportunity and complexity when building setlists.
“It is a little bit of a blessing in a way because you have a lot of choices, but then it also is kind of overwhelming,” he said. “We try to play a fair representation of the new record, Mad, and then there are certain songs people expect, but we also try to include unexpected songs from the past.”
He noted that even recently, Sparks have introduced deeper catalogue cuts that may not be immediately familiar to audiences.
On Australia specifically, Mael acknowledged the band’s irregular touring history, admitting their first visit only occurred in 2000 despite the group forming in the late 1960s. He suggested that future visits would be more consistent, referencing a two-to-three-year cycle as a realistic expectation moving forward.
The interview also touched on Sparks’ collaborative history. Mael confirmed ongoing activity with Gorillaz, describing recent work and live performances with Damon Albarn’s project, and indicating further appearances in the United Kingdom.
“It’s really exciting, there’s always new people discovering what we’re doing through those collaborations,” he said.
Sparks, formed by brothers Ron and Russell Mael, have long occupied a singular position in rock and pop history. Emerging in the early 1970s, they first gained wider recognition after relocating to the United Kingdom, where their work with Island Records placed them alongside key acts of the era’s art-rock movement.
Their breakthrough came with Kimono My House and the international success of This Town Ain’t Big Enough For Both Of Us, a track that established their theatrical, synth-driven approach well ahead of its time. Over the following decades, Sparks built a reputation for stylistic reinvention, spanning glam, electronic pop, chamber pop, and operatic film work.
Recent years have seen a late-career resurgence, driven by the acclaimed documentary The Sparks Brothers and a renewed creative burst that includes Annette, the Mad album cycle, and collaborations with artists including Franz Ferdinand and Gorillaz.
Mael emphasised that this renewed attention has brought unexpected audiences back into their catalogue. He described the effect of digital discovery as allowing their entire discography to be reinterpreted as a single evolving body of work rather than isolated eras.
While Sparks’ collaborative approach is widely viewed as a strength, it also raises questions common to legacy acts with expansive catalogues: how to balance innovation with expectation.
Mael acknowledged the difficulty of managing fan demand for landmark tracks such as earlier hits that have not always appeared in recent setlists. He suggested that some audience expectations will not be met immediately, though certain songs may re-enter rotation in future touring cycles.
There is also the broader industry conversation around legacy acts maintaining relevance through collaborations with contemporary artists. While some purists view this as strategic positioning, Sparks’ long-standing history of artistic experimentation complicates that narrative. Their collaborations with Gorillaz and others can be read less as reinvention and more as continuity of an established creative model.
With a new album cycle underway, active collaborations continuing, and a clearer touring rhythm emerging, Sparks appear set to maintain their late-career momentum rather than wind it down.
For Australia, the key takeaway is the gap between visits is expected to shrink. Mael’s commitment to returning more regularly suggests Sparks’ next chapter will not only be about looking back across a vast catalogue, but about keeping it in constant motion.
Tour Dates
Sunday, May 25, Sydney, Joan Sutherland Theatre (Vivid Live)
Thursday, May 28, Melbourne, Palais Theatre
Saturday, May 30, Brisbane, Glasshouse, QPAC
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