''Whomp That Sucker'' is the tenth

album An album is a collection of audio recordings issued on compact disc (CD), Phonograph record, vinyl, audio tape, or another medium such as Digital distribution#Music, digital distribution. Albums of recorded sound were developed in the early ...

by the American

rock Rock most often refers to: * Rock (geology), a naturally occurring solid aggregate of minerals or mineraloids * Rock music, a genre of popular music Rock or Rocks may also refer to: Places United Kingdom * Rock, Caerphilly, a location in Wales ...

band

Sparks Sparks may refer to: Places *Sparks, Georgia * Sparks, Kansas *Sparks, Kentucky *Sparks, Maryland * Sparks, Nebraska *Sparks, Nevada *Sparks, Oklahoma *Sparks, Texas * Sparks, Bell County, Texas * Sparks, West Virginia Books * ''Sparks'' (Raffi ...

, released in 1981.

History

Sparks had recorded '' No. 1 In Heaven'' and ''

Terminal Jive ''Terminal Jive'' is the ninth album by the American rock band Sparks and the second recorded with Giorgio Moroder. The album has a disco-vibe like its predecessor but featured fewer synthesizers, opting instead for more electric rock guitar, r ...

'' with

Giorgio Moroder Giovanni Giorgio Moroder (, ; born 26 April 1940) is an Italian composer, songwriter, and record producer. Dubbed the "Honorific nicknames in popular music, Father of Disco", Moroder is credited with pioneering euro disco and electronic dance mu ...

. Both had been relatively successful, but the brothers had found the electronic equipment they had adopted for their new sound too cumbersome to tour with. ''Whomp That Sucker'' was consequently recorded without

Musicland Studios Musicland Studios was a recording studio located in Munich, Germany. It was established by Italian record producer, songwriter and performer Giorgio Moroder in the early 1970s.

, Munich but still in association with Giorgio Moroder Enterprises. The next four albums were recorded as part of the same partnership. The producer for the album was Mack, who had recently produced

Queen Queen or QUEEN may refer to: Monarchy * Queen regnant, a female monarch of a Kingdom ** List of queens regnant * Queen consort, the wife of a reigning king * Queen dowager, the widow of a king * Queen mother, a queen dowager who is the mother ...

's album '' The Game''. The album marked Sparks' return proper to a

sound after their previous two

disco Disco is a genre of dance music and a subculture that emerged in the 1970s from the United States' urban nightlife scene. Its sound is typified by four-on-the-floor beats, syncopated basslines, string sections, brass and horns, electric pia ...

efforts. To complement the Mael Brothers the backing band Bates Motel was hired, consisting of guitarist Bob Haag, bassist

Leslie Bohem Leslie "Les" Bohem (born 1951) is an American screenwriter, television writer, and former bassist. He is the son of screenwriter Endre Bohem. Biography Bohem played bass in the 1980s with the pop groups Sparks and Gleaming Spires. Bohem's writi ...

, and drummer

David Kendrick David Kendrick (born March 23, 1955) is an American musician who is currently a member of the experimental pop band Xiu Xiu. A former member of Gleaming Spires and Devo, he has recorded and toured with Sparks, Andy Prieboy and Revolushn. He is ba ...

. Together this line-up would record the next four Sparks albums concluding with '' Music That You Can Dance To'' in 1986. Haag, Bohem and Kendrick also recorded on their own under the name

Gleaming Spires Gleaming Spires was an American new wave pop group in the 1980s. Background Performing as Bates Motel, they were enlisted by brothers Ron and Russell Mael to be a part of the 1981–85 incarnation of their band, Sparks. After completing demo ...

. The group recorded three studio albums in the early eighties and had a minor novelty new wave hit, "Are You Ready for the Sex Girls?", in 1981. Bohem later became a Hollywood screenwriter.

Release

''Whomp That Sucker'' was released by a number of different record labels; RCA in the US, Underdog in France, Ariola/Oasis in Germany and in the UK by the short-lived Why-Fi Records. The album was not a success in the UK but did fairly well in France coming as it did off the back of their 1980 French hit " When I'm with You". In the US the album reached #182 on the ''Billboard'' 200, becoming their first since '' Indiscreet'' to chart there. "Tips for Teens" and "Funny Face" were released as singles. In France "Funny Face" was the lead single, while in the UK "Tips for Teens" was. "Don't Shoot Me" was selected as the B-side for "Tips for Teens" in the UK.

Track listing

Personnel

Russell Mael Russell Craig Mael (born October 5, 1948) is an American singer best known as the lead singer for the band Sparks which he formed in 1971 with his elder brother Ron Mael. Mael is known for his wide vocal range, in particular his far-reaching fa ...

- vocals *

Ron Mael Ronald David Mael (born August 12, 1945) is an American musician, songwriter, composer and record producer. He is the keyboard player and principal songwriter in the band Sparks which he founded with vocalist, occasional songwriter and younger ...

- keyboards and synthesizers (

Yamaha CS80 The Yamaha CS-80 is an analog synthesizer released in 1977. It supports true 8-voice polyphony, with two independent synthesizer layers per voice each with its own set of front panel controls, in addition to a number of hardwired preset voice set ...

Polymoog The Polymoog is a hybrid polyphony (instrument), polyphonic analog synthesizer that was manufactured by Moog Music from 1975 to 1980. The Polymoog was based on Frequency divider, divide-down oscillator technology similar to electronic organs an ...

, Roland JP4, Yamaha Grand, Wurlitzer Electric), cover concept *

- bass guitar and additional background vocals * Bob Haag - guitar and additional background vocals *

- drums * Mack - synthesizer programming, glass shattering, production, engineering

References

{{Authority control Sparks (band) albums 1981 albums Albums produced by Reinhold Mack RCA Records albums Carrere Records albums Oglio Records albums Repertoire Records albums