ad supplied by Sarah Harvey. Group photo: Sparks in AVRO’s TopPop (Dutch television show) in 1974. Source: Beeld En Geluid Wiki – Gallerie: Toppop 1974
Chris Meachen….The older brother in Sparks was just SO weird…. (In real life too, not just an act..) All I can say of Sparks is the taller one was the weirdest & most unresponsive individual I ever encountered backstage on the pier.. He just stared, without speaking,with a look that suggested you were something he just stepped in… Even backstage he maintained the emotionless, slightly manic stare that I’d imagined was just his public persona.. very creepy guy…
Alan Esdaile….Yes agree agree agree, one of the weirdest guys I ever met. The other brother was fine and had a good chat but when his brother appeared I spoke to him and all I got for a reply was an icy stare and his head moving from side to side, the same as he appeared on Top Of The Pops. Well creepy!
Mick O’Dowd….Biggest egotists going. Bomb scare half way through Pilots act(they were actually higher in the charts that week than Sparks) wouldn’t come back to Pier. Had to keep audience amused until they did. Very scary! Pilot were brilliant that night. After the bomb scare cleared the Pier Pilot insisted on finishing their set when play resumed,It gave time to coax the dynamic duo back from their hotel where they had been since the bomb scare was first announced.
Bernard Jeffery….I went to this gig I thought sparks were very ordinary, the support band was Pilot I think, they had a hit with January and were the better band. Magic! that was the single January was later