SPARKS BASSIST using 4003 FG on this tour

12stringbassist · Post by **12stringbassist** » Wed Feb 15, 2006 1:50 pm

Steve McDonald, who is doing this Sparks tour was spotted toting a 4003 FG this evening at their show at The Lowry in Salford.

An excellent evening.

12stringbassist · Post by **12stringbassist** » Fri Feb 17, 2006 10:37 am

Not MY pic, but... http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v292/ilovemyprobe/Sparks%20Leicester%202006/DSC00102.jpg

rickaddict · Post by **rickaddict** » Fri Feb 17, 2006 11:59 am

Its not easy to tell from that photo, but that looks like a skunk-striper 4001. The FG looks like 70's FG.

chucksimms · Post by **chucksimms** » Fri Feb 17, 2006 12:42 pm

I remember thinking the bass player on 'Kimono My House' had the coolest looking Rick, and what a sound! What was his name? They've always had great bands, but those three English albums (Propaganda, Indiscreet and the aforementioned Kimono) are classics. I'd love to have those on cd.

rickcrazy · Post by **rickcrazy** » Fri Feb 17, 2006 1:20 pm

Yeah, what a sound. Martin Gordon. He only played on 'Kimono' though.

12stringbassist · Post by **12stringbassist** » Sun Feb 19, 2006 2:45 am

The replacement bassist, Ian Hampton, used a similar (or the same) Ric for the remainder of the Island label albums.

Martin Gordon continued to use the Ric with The Radio Stars and always had a really fabulous sound. check out the track 'Rock and roll (for the time being)'

12stringbassist · Post by **12stringbassist** » Sun Feb 19, 2006 2:46 am

The albums mentioned above have all been reissued on CD with the b-side tracks added in as extras.

bob_atherton · Post by **bob_atherton** » Sun Feb 19, 2006 3:07 am

My band back in 1975 or '76 did a support for Sparks. I had a '74 JG but I don't remember the Sparks bassist with a RIC...?

Mind you, I wasn't really looking.

chucksimms · Post by **chucksimms** » Sun Feb 19, 2006 11:32 am

Well, just found 'Indiscreet' on CD, with the very cool addition of their string laden mid 70s disco-fied 'I Wanna Hold Your Hand'. I listened to it on the two hour drive back from my gig. Great record! Now to track down the other Island albums...

rickcrazy · Post by **rickcrazy** » Sun Feb 19, 2006 3:59 pm

Ian Hampton used a Fender J-Bass, not a Rick.

12stringbassist · Post by **12stringbassist** » Mon Feb 20, 2006 4:45 am

I may be corrected - I have a Music Laden show on VCD and thought it was a Ric he used. Could be wrong, though.

rickcrazy · Post by **rickcrazy** » Mon Feb 20, 2006 11:50 am

Sorry. I meant to say Ian Hampton used a J-Bass on record. He could have played a Rick for the Musikladen show.

cwk · Post by **cwk** » Mon Feb 20, 2006 8:32 pm

Didn't The Sparks play in Hitchcock's Rollercoaster
movie?That might be something to look at.

12stringbassist · Post by **12stringbassist** » Tue Feb 21, 2006 8:34 am

Yes they did.

12stringbassist · Post by **12stringbassist** » Sun Mar 19, 2006 5:15 am

http://youtube.com/watch?v=ej1GL9_vb3o

Look looks looks on Supersonic at YouTube.
This looks (looks looks) very much like a Fireglo Ric 4001 to me.