Released in October 1976, after Ron and Russell had moved from the UK back to the US, ‘Big Beat’ left their established backing band behind, ditching the baroque stylings of Indiscreet for something all-together more back-to-basics, with the recording overseen by producer Rupert Holmes. Still three years away from topping the US chart with his single ‘Escape (The Piña Colada Song)’, 1976 also saw him contributing to Barbra Streisand’s multi-million selling soundtrack to The Star Is Born. Quite where an energetic and muscular Sparks’ collection that sat closer to the emerging Punk scene sits in all of this is open to debate.
