Forgive my ignorance if this has already been asked ..Kimono my house by Sparks a very Be bop sounding album ..where they an influence ?

Kimono My House by Sparks was the first album I bought = aged 8!! Am so proud of that!!

I met Ron and Russell Mael during a photo' session for the BBC's 'Radio Times' magazine. It was just after I'd ended the first line up of Be Bop Deluxe but had yet to put any new line up in place. I was basically 'solo' at that time.

The photo' shoot was for the 'Radio Times' Christmas issue and featured all the Radio One DJs standing with artists who they had chosen as their 'tip for the top.' It was a double page photo' with everyone lined up together.

John Peel had chosen Be Bop Deluxe as his pick but, as there was no band together due to me splitting up the first line up, I travelled to London to attend the photo' session on my own. I stood next to John Peel who said some very nice things about my guitar playing in the accompanying text.

Sparks were also in the photograph, along with several other artists that the various DJs had chosen. I can't recall which DJ had picked Sparks but Ron and Russell approached me after the shoot and asked if I'd be interested in joining them. I said I was very flattered by their offer but that I needed to write my own songs, rather than play someone else's. They said they understood but that I could collaborate on song writing with them too. But, I felt I had to follow my own path, for better or worse, so that was that.

Considering that I had no band at the time and had yet to put Simon, Charlie and Andy into the frame, some might have thought my decision was a bad one, but it wasn't the first, (or last,) time that I'd turn down an offer to join someone else's band.

As for being influenced by Sparks, while I think they're an extremely talented pair, my music wasn't influenced by them. But perhaps we both were influenced by a common interest in popular music of all kinds.

Wasn't Bill asked to join Sparks by the Mael brothers around this time ?

I don’t remember it being mentioned before either

I'll forgive your ignorance on Be Bop, but it's WERE they an influence????

Was released just one month before Axe Victim