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PODCAST

The Burning of the Midnight Amp

Frode, Trond & Chris

Three Norwegian music enthusiasts delve into the rich tapestry of albums spanning genres and eras. Discover the stories behind the recordings, the artists who crafted them, and the tales their tracks tell. Connect with us on Instagram: @burningmidnightamp Facebook: @midnightamp Email: burningmidnightamp@gmail.com

music music commentary

All Episodes

17:26

057: Sparks - Whomp That Sucker (1981) - Wacky Woman

The Burning of the Midnight Amp ·

2025/11/04

The album closer on Whomp That Sucker goes out grinning and unhinged. “Wacky Women” is a fast, scrappy, punk-tinged romp where the whole band empties the tank—especially drummer David Kendrick, who drives the song through a series of stop-and-slam accents that cleverly land on the second beat. There’s a cartoony siren/ambulance imitation, manic call-and-response, and a pile-on of little arrangement gags that keep the last minute buzzing. It’s more “studio creation” than sing-around-the-campfire

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10:16

056: Sparks - Whomp That Sucker (1981) - That's Not...

The Burning of the Midnight Amp ·

2025/10/31

“That’s Not Nastassia” is one of the wildest moments on Whomp That Sucker. Built around the obsessive repetition of its title phrase, the song piles on layer after layer until it reaches a chaotic crescendo, only to twist back with a clever fake-out ending. Some of us found it a Sparks overload—too much, too insistent—while others adored its manic energy and sinister piano riff. It’s a track that splits opinion but demonstrates Sparks’ willingness to push their sound into excess. The Nastassia in

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06:30

055: Sparks - Whomp That Sucker (1981) - Suzie Safety

The Burning of the Midnight Amp ·

2025/10/28

“Suzie Safety” finds Sparks in lighter territory. The arrangement contrasts fuzzy guitars with a naïve, almost childlike piano line, giving the track an innocent, slightly whimsical air. Lyrically, it’s about a character who insists on rules — no smoking, no drinking — making the whole thing feel like a public safety jingle. The panel jokes it could easily fit on Sesame Street, and that’s not far off. While charming in its way, most of us found it one of the weaker songs on Whomp That Sucker —

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08:31

054: Sparks - Whomp That Sucker (1981) - Don't Shoot Me

The Burning of the Midnight Amp ·

2025/10/24

We move into the second half of Whomp That Sucker with “Don’t Shoot Me,” a track driven by what the panel dubs the “rhino beat” — a heavy, thumping rhythm that plods forward with almost animalistic determination. At first glance, it’s deceptively simple, but the layering and steady build give it a growing intensity that sneaks up on you. Lyrically, Sparks play with perspectives — from rhinos and hippos to hunters and their unfortunate outcomes — all filtered through Ron Mael’s trademark wit. Some of

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07:15

053: Sparks - Whomp That Sucker (1981) - The Willys

The Burning of the Midnight Amp ·

2025/10/21

Flipping to Side B, Sparks open with The Willys, a track that immediately divides opinion. Built around an endlessly repeated chorus, it straddles the line between playful earworm and deliberate annoyance. The song leans on a rock ’n’ roll and doo-wop feel, updated with Sparks’ usual eccentricity and a flurry of strange noises, clattering effects, and even a sudden drop into low-pitched vocals that could almost be Frank Zappa in miniature.For some in the panel, its sheer persistence makes it

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09:35

052: Sparks - Whomp That Sucker (1981) - I Married a...

The Burning of the Midnight Amp ·

2025/10/17

Side A closes with a small sci-fi epic: a big, stadium-ready groove wrapped around a B-movie love story. I Married a Martian pairs crisp new-wave drive with glinting arpeggios, stacked vocals, and a lyric that zips from Vegas chapels to alien domesticity (“Vive la différence”)—even sneaking in luxe fur (“ermine”) for good measure. It’s witty, cinematic Sparks: pomp and punch balanced by deadpan humor.Not released as a single, the track nevertheless became a KROQ favorite in Los Angeles in 1981, one

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10:46

051: Sparks - Whomp That Sucker (1981) - Upstairs

The Burning of the Midnight Amp ·

2025/10/14

With Upstairs, Sparks get playful, percussive, and just a little noisy. Recorded at Musicland Studios in Munich, the track layers pounding bass, quirky synths, and literal broken glass (credited to producer Reinhold Mack!) alongside pipes and metallic clatter. Some have called it a “precursor to industrial music,” though Sparks keep it danceable and witty rather than bleak. Lyrically cryptic—half metaphor, half literal stairwell—the song stands out as one of the more experimental cuts on Whomp That

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08:21

050: Sparks - Whomp That Sucker (1981) - Where's My Girl

The Burning of the Midnight Amp ·

2025/10/10

We head into the album cuts of Whomp That Sucker with Where’s My Girl—a deep track that many fans call one of Sparks’ hidden gems. With tempo shifts, organ-like keys, and sharp post-punk textures, it feels both timeless and of its 1981 moment, evoking Magazine or Public Image Ltd. while remaining unmistakably Sparks. Russell pushes into his higher register, the band leans into quirky rhythmic turns, and the lyrics—another classic tale of romantic frustration—wrap it all in trademark Mael wit. Never

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11:09

049: Sparks - Whomp That Sucker (1981) - Funny Face

The Burning of the Midnight Amp ·

2025/10/07

Sparks keep the momentum going with Funny Face, the album’s second single: a tight, mid-tempo new-wave earworm with Blondie/Bowie-ish guitar strums, a simple singalong chorus, and that cheeky call-and-response backing vocal. Lyrically it’s classic Mael—darkly comic and story-driven—ending as abruptly as it begins. We talk the sharp arrangement, the delightfully odd video (and the infamous prank cut they first sent RCA), and why L.A.’s KROQ put this one at #15 on its 1981 year-end list despite no

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16:45

048: Sparks - Whomp That Sucker (1981) - Tips for Teens

The Burning of the Midnight Amp ·

2025/10/03

We kick off Sparks’ band-reborn, new-wave era with “Tips for Teens,” the punchy opener and UK lead single from Whomp That Sucker. It’s classic Mael: a breathless hook, razor-sharp humor (“I’ve got a snapshot of your Aunt Maureen—she’s 90 and you’re a teen”), and a tight live-band snap from the Bates Motel lineup. We dig into the song’s arrangement (that frenetic keyboard break!), the boxing-themed video, and how KROQ airplay helped revive Sparks’ LA momentum even without a U.S. single. Plus: why

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30:17

047: Sparks - Whomp That Sucker (1981) - Album...

The Burning of the Midnight Amp ·

2025/09/30

Reset button: pressed. After two albums with Giorgio Moroder and a bruising experience on Terminal Jive, the Mael brothers walk away from Virgin and the Moroder machine, head back to L.A., and rebuild Sparks as a band. They befriend local outfit Bates Motel at the Farmers Market and recruit Bob Haag (guitar), Leslie Bohem (bass) and David Kendrick (drums), then spend six energetic weeks woodshedding new material—music first, lyrics (often) the night before recording.The sessions move to Musicland

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12:39

046: Sparks - Terminal Jive (1980) - The Greatest...

The Burning of the Midnight Amp ·

2025/09/26

We close out Terminal Jive (1980) with The Greatest Show on Earth, co-written by Ron and Russell Mael with Giorgio Moroder and Harold Faltermeyer. Propulsive bass, a sleek 80s sheen (remarkably forward-leaning for 1979 sessions), and a chorus that sticks make this a surprisingly radio-ready closer — arguably a smarter single choice than Young Girls. While it runs a touch long and never became a live staple, the track bridges Sparks’ Moroder era with their incoming 80s direction and lands, for many

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07:02

045: Sparks - Terminal Jive (1980) - Stereo

The Burning of the Midnight Amp ·

2025/09/23

As Terminal Jive (1980) nears its end, Sparks team up once more with Giorgio Moroder on Stereo. Unlike their earlier collaboration on No. 1 in Heaven, this track leans more toward rock textures than synth-heavy disco, yet it still delivers one of the album’s catchier moments.In this episode, we explore the song’s pulsing bassline, playful stereo-panning effects, and Ron Mael’s wry lyrics that can be read as both slyly ironic and oddly romantic. Fans often single it out, alongside When I’m With You,

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08:14

044: Sparks - Terminal Jive (1980) - Noisy Boys

The Burning of the Midnight Amp ·

2025/09/19

On Terminal Jive (1980), Sparks briefly opened the door to outside co-writers, and Noisy Boys is the result — a collaboration between Ron and Russell Mael, Harold Faltermeyer, and Keith Forsey. The track pairs bright 80s synth textures and tight drum breaks with lyrics that, on closer inspection, tread into unsettling “boys will be boys” territory.In this episode we debate whether the song’s catchy chorus and layered production are enough to outweigh its disturbing subtext. Some of us hear an

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09:58

043: Sparks - Terminal Jive (1980) - Young Girls

The Burning of the Midnight Amp ·

2025/09/16

Turning the record to side B of Terminal Jive (1980), Sparks present Young Girls — the album’s second single, though one that failed to make a dent on the charts. Written by Ron and Russell Mael, the track mixes bright, Eurovision-style choruses with lyrics that many listeners have since called “creepy as hell.”In this episode, we untangle the irony and intent behind the words: is Sparks mocking a certain rock tradition of serenading teenage girls, or indulging in it? We also look at how its

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08:41

042: Sparks - Terminal Jive (1980) - Rock 'n' Roll...

The Burning of the Midnight Amp ·

2025/09/12

With a title as tongue-in-cheek as Rock and Roll People in the Disco World, Sparks’ third track on Terminal Jive (1980) straddles irony and self-parody. Written by Ron and Russell Mael, it hints at the culture clash between rock and disco — and at Sparks’ own precarious place in that tension.In this episode we unpack its chugging riffs, repetitive lyrics, and playful chorus, weighing whether it’s a fun, catchy oddity or a song that quickly wears thin. Is it mocking rock fans who jumped on the disco

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07:02

041: Sparks - Terminal Jive (1980) - Just Because You...

The Burning of the Midnight Amp ·

2025/09/09

After the dazzling opener When I’m With You, Sparks take a sharp turn into simpler territory with Just Because You Love Me, the second track on Terminal Jive (1980). Written by Ron and Russell Mael, the song has drawn criticism for its repetitive lyrics and bubblegum simplicity, and even fans sometimes struggle to recall it.In this episode, we break down the track’s bombastic synths, repetitive chorus, and oddly restrained energy, debating whether it’s catchy in its own way or just bland. We explore

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24:41

040: Sparks - Terminal Jive (1980) - When I'm with You

The Burning of the Midnight Amp ·

2025/09/05

In this episode we kick off our track-by-track journey through Sparks’ Terminal Jive (1980) with “When I’m With You.” The only one of Ron Mael’s twenty proposed songs that Giorgio Moroder kept for the sessions, it went on to become Sparks’ biggest-selling single, topping the French charts for six weeks and selling over 750,000 copies.We discuss the song’s irresistible synth riff, Harold Faltermeyer’s keyboard work, and Ron’s typically awkward yet brilliant lyrics that twist a love song into

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24:28

039: Sparks - Terminal Jive (1980) - Album history...

The Burning of the Midnight Amp ·

2025/09/02

We’re back on the Sparks track! After a brief detour into Noël’s side project Is There More to Life Than Dancing?, Frode, Trond, and Chris return to the Mael brothers’ main discography to explore Terminal Jive (1980) — Sparks’ first album of the new decade.In this episode we discuss how the band followed up the groundbreaking No. 1 in Heaven with Giorgio Moroder’s team, why Harold Faltermeyer rather than Ron Mael handled the keyboards, and the curious story of “When I’m With You,” their most

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06:20

038: Noël (with Sparks) - Bonus track: Is There More...

The Burning of the Midnight Amp ·

2025/08/29

We wrap up our exploration of Noël’s Sparks-produced album with a real surprise: the bonus track “I Just Want to Be Seen With You.”Recorded in the same 1979 sessions but unreleased until 2024, this slower, more lyrically playful song stands out immediately. It trades the relentless disco pulse of the main album for something closer to Sparks’ No. 1 in Heaven style — sharp, quirky, and with flashes of their signature humor (“Crazy Jerry,” “Boris the Brain,” and other random name-drops make an

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