In their first incarnation, Sparks were a quirky art-rock band from Los Angeles built around Russell Mael's operatic vocals and older brother Ron's oddball songwriting. In 1973, the Maels moved to London and reinvented themselves as glam rock stars. A late '70s collaboration with Giorgio Moroder made them one of the first rock bands to credibly embrace disco, followed by a stint as new wave synth-poppers. 2002's Lil' Beethoven fused minimalist repetition to the Maels' signature deadpan humor and idiosyncratic hooks, starting a new chapter of experimental releases.