--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: If there is such a thing for Sparks as a…" description: "\"If there is such a thing for Sparks as a mission statement, it's more general in that we want each new album to be musically and lyrically provocative...." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/0dc/russell-mael-5251_be-the-first_if-there-is-such-a-thing-for-sparks-as-a_1977387.jpg" --- # If there is such a thing for Sparks as a mission… ![“If there is such a thing for Sparks as a mission statement, it's more general in that we want each new album to be musically and lyrically provocative. We want to really go at it as though this might be the first album that anyone will ever hear of Sparks.” quote by Russell Mael](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/0dc/russell-mael-5251_be-the-first_if-there-is-such-a-thing-for-sparks-as-a_1977387.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/0dc/russell-mael-5251_be-the-first_if-there-is-such-a-thing-for-sparks-as-a_1977387.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/0dc/russell-mael-5251_be-the-first_if-there-is-such-a-thing-for-sparks-as-a_1977387.jpg) > “If there is such a thing for Sparks as a mission statement, it's more general in that we want each new album to be musically and lyrically provocative. We want to really go at it as though this might be the first album that anyone will ever hear of Sparks.” [Russell Mael](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/russell-mael/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Describes the band's aim to create provocative, groundbreaking music, treating each album as a fresh, bold statement. **In simple terms:** Sparks seeks to be daring and original with each album. Key Takeaway Embrace bold, innovative creativity. Themes music art creativity innovation branding Mood inspirational ambitious Type musical marketing When to use this quote - album releases - songwriting - marketing strategies Key Concepts provocative art mission statement Questions to Reflect On - How will you measure provocation? - What risks are worth taking? A Different Perspective It may overpromise and underdeliver. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Be the first](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/be-the-first/) [Goals](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/goals/) [Hear Sparks](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/hear-sparks-3355357/) [Lyrically](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/lyrically/) [Lyrically Provocative](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/lyrically-provocative-3355356/) [Mission](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/mission/) [Mission statement](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/mission-statement/) [More](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/more/) [Musically Lyrically](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/musically-lyrically-1881549/) [New](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/new/) [Sparks Mission](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/sparks-mission-3355355/) [Will](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/will/) ## Related quotes > [I just don't write musically, but lyrically, yeah I write.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-araya/i-just-don-t-write-musically-but-lyrically-yeah-i-write/) [Tom Araya](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-araya/) > [Berlin's great secret is that he says exactly what he means; sometimes he hits a gigantic line both musically and lyrically -- almost Wagnerian…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/oscar-hammerstein-ii/berlin-s-great-secret-is-that-he-says-exactly-what-he-means-sometimes/) [Oscar Hammerstein II](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/oscar-hammerstein-ii/) > [It's always my mission to try to do something that hasn't been done before, whether that's musically, lyrically or in terms of mixing.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rostam-batmanglij/it-s-always-my-mission-to-try-to-do-something-that-hasn-t-been-done/) [Rostam Batmanglij](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rostam-batmanglij/) > [If you're going through a difficult time, and there's a piece of music that speaks to you - be it musically or lyrically or…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ben-gibbard/if-you-re-going-through-a-difficult-time-and-there-s-a-piece-of-music/) [Ben Gibbard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ben-gibbard/) > [Fleetwood Mac were really accessible musically, but lyrically and emotionally, we weren't so easy. And it was our music that helped us survive. But…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mick-fleetwood/fleetwood-mac-were-really-accessible-musically-but-lyrically-and/) [Mick Fleetwood](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mick-fleetwood/) > [Each one of us in Café Tacvba is a composer and we come to the group with songs written out, musically and lyrically. Occasionally,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ruben-isaac-albarran-ortega/each-one-of-us-in-caf-tacvba-is-a-composer-and-we-come-to-the-group/) [Ruben Isaac Albarran Ortega](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ruben-isaac-albarran-ortega/) > [As I've grown as an artist, I've learned that my mission statement is really self-expression. I don't want anybody to classify my music. I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kendrick-lamar/as-i-ve-grown-as-an-artist-i-ve-learned-that-my-mission-statement-is/) [Kendrick Lamar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kendrick-lamar/) > [That's in the mission statement when you're part of 'Trek.' It's our job to try to be bold and push forward. You have to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/justin-lin/that-s-in-the-mission-statement-when-you-re-part-of-trek-it-s-our-job/) [Justin Lin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/justin-lin/) > [I never start anything with a really overt, political, or even exactly artistic mission statement.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lena-dunham/i-never-start-anything-with-a-really-overt-political-or-even-exactly/) [Lena Dunham](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lena-dunham/) > [Every cabinet minister gets a mission statement from the Prime Minister.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brian-mulroney/every-cabinet-minister-gets-a-mission-statement-from-the-prime/) [Brian Mulroney](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brian-mulroney/) > [“Without a vision and a mission, your company can be termed as a ‘Bull’ set free in the busy streets of the corporate world”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henrietta-newton-martin-author-industrial-relations-today-2/without-a-vision-and-a-mission-your-company-can-be-termed-as-a-bull/) [Henrietta Newton Martin Author Industrial Relations Today](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henrietta-newton-martin-author-industrial-relations-today-2/) > [The mission statement was ordered, and it sent the 800th MP Brigade, effective the first of July, up to Baghdad. I joined my brigade…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/janis-karpinski/the-mission-statement-was-ordered-and-it-sent-the-800th-mp-brigade/) [Janis Karpinski](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/janis-karpinski/) > [Well, the mission statement of Heart of David is that we're a ministry of evangelism and encouragement. Evangelism meaning that I evangelize I travel…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ted-dibiase-sr/well-the-mission-statement-of-heart-of-david-is-that-we-re-a-ministry/) [Ted DiBiase Sr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ted-dibiase-sr/) > [“A visionary company is one which is seen growing in a consistent pattern by being goal oriented driven by a vision and a mission”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henrietta-newton-martin-author-industrial-relations-today/a-visionary-company-is-one-which-is-seen-growing-in-a-consistent/) [Henrietta Newton Martin- Author Industrial Relations Today](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henrietta-newton-martin-author-industrial-relations-today/) > [Some have said I focus on marginalized communities, but it's not like that was my mission statement. I've just told stories that interest me,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sean-baker/some-have-said-i-focus-on-marginalized-communities-but-it-s-not-like/) [Sean Baker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sean-baker/) ## More by Russell Mael > [There are all these safety nets in pop music.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/russell-mael/there-are-all-these-safety-nets-in-pop-music/) [Russell Mael](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/russell-mael/) > [Occasionally and all-too-infrequently a song comes along that jolts you and you prick up your ears.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/russell-mael/occasionally-and-all-too-infrequently-a-song-comes-along-that-jolts/) [Russell Mael](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/russell-mael/) > [The unfortunate thing with COVID is that Ron's been working separately from me, but it hasn't stopped the flow of things.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/russell-mael/the-unfortunate-thing-with-covid-is-that-ron-s-been-working/) [Russell Mael](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/russell-mael/) > [I sing and Ron doesn't want to be the singer of the band, he's the keyboard player and predominant writer of the band. There's…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/russell-mael/i-sing-and-ron-doesn-t-want-to-be-the-singer-of-the-band-he-s-the/) [Russell Mael](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/russell-mael/) > [We loved the Beach Boys, bands like that, but our originality came out of our lack of ability as copiers. They did mostly complicated,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/russell-mael/we-loved-the-beach-boys-bands-like-that-but-our-originality-came-out/) [Russell Mael](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/russell-mael/) > [A lot of people build up a backlog of songs and you can kind of go, 'Let's explore that song we did six years…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/russell-mael/a-lot-of-people-build-up-a-backlog-of-songs-and-you-can-kind-of-go/) [Russell Mael](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/russell-mael/) > [I like when somebody is able to create their own universe, have a consistency to it and not break from character - that's something…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/russell-mael/i-like-when-somebody-is-able-to-create-their-own-universe-have-a/) [Russell Mael](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/russell-mael/) > [There are still some people - it's hard to believe - that aren't aware yet of Sparks. So we still kind of go at…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/russell-mael/there-are-still-some-people-it-s-hard-to-believe-that-aren-t-aware/) [Russell Mael](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/russell-mael/) > [There was nothing radically different about what we were doing musically or image-wise, and yet in L.A. there'd been total indifference, so to come…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/russell-mael/there-was-nothing-radically-different-about-what-we-were-doing/) [Russell Mael](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/russell-mael/) > [Having an image was really important to us and that was kind of contrary to the bands in L.A. that we had grown up…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/russell-mael/having-an-image-was-really-important-to-us-and-that-was-kind-of/) [Russell Mael](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/russell-mael/) > [As long as it elicits some kind of thought on the listener's part, that's good. If no one's paying attention to the lyrics it's…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/russell-mael/as-long-as-it-elicits-some-kind-of-thought-on-the-listener-s-part/) [Russell Mael](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/russell-mael/) > [Bands can get lazy after 20 albums. But that's not us.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/russell-mael/bands-can-get-lazy-after-20-albums-but-that-s-not-us/) [Russell Mael](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/russell-mael/) > [We'd been approached various times during our career about a documentary, but we always hesitated to say yes, because what we do musically speaks…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/russell-mael/we-d-been-approached-various-times-during-our-career-about-a/) [Russell Mael](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/russell-mael/) > [A lot of times people ask about Sparks songs: are they autobiographical in a way? And we don't think so much that they are;…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/russell-mael/a-lot-of-times-people-ask-about-sparks-songs-are-they/) [Russell Mael](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/russell-mael/) > [Yeah, we've been offered lots of advice over the years about not moving on from something that is successful, but it's just in our…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/russell-mael/yeah-we-ve-been-offered-lots-of-advice-over-the-years-about-not/) [Russell Mael](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/russell-mael/) [Explore all 102 Russell Mael quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/russell-mael/) ## More Be the first quotes > [I thought I'd be the first to introduce herbal tea to Patna. White tea, ginger tea, rooibos, camomile. No one touched it. On subsequent…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/amitava-kumar/i-thought-i-d-be-the-first-to-introduce-herbal-tea-to-patna-white-tea/) [Amitava Kumar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/amitava-kumar/) > [I wanna be myself and be the first Jason Jordan. I don't wanna be the second Kurt Angle.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jason-jordan/i-wanna-be-myself-and-be-the-first-jason-jordan-i-don-t-wanna-be-the/) [Jason Jordan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jason-jordan/) > [As a big, you don't want to be the first one to shoot.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kevon-looney/as-a-big-you-don-t-want-to-be-the-first-one-to-shoot/) [Kevon Looney](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kevon-looney/) > [I'll be the first to say our military should always be fully funded.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lauren-boebert/i-ll-be-the-first-to-say-our-military-should-always-be-fully-funded/) [Lauren Boebert](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lauren-boebert/) > [Of course, I want to be the first pick. That's every kids' dream.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joe-burrow/of-course-i-want-to-be-the-first-pick-that-s-every-kids-dream/) [Joe Burrow](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joe-burrow/) > [My mother had a saying: 'Kamala, you may be the first to do many things, but make sure you're not the last.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kamala-harris/my-mother-had-a-saying-kamala-you-may-be-the-first-to-do-many-things/) [Kamala Harris](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kamala-harris/) > [Hublot has always been happy to be different, unique and they want to be the first to do things - and they certainly have…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-clarke/hublot-has-always-been-happy-to-be-different-unique-and-they-want-to/) [Michael Clarke](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-clarke/) > [You can be anything. You could be the President of the United States or the inventor of the next Internet or a ninja cardio-thoracic…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cameron-russell/you-can-be-anything-you-could-be-the-president-of-the-united-states/) [Cameron Russell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cameron-russell/) > [I would sacrifice 1,000 yards rushing to win a Super Bowl. But I want to be the first back to have back-to-back 2,000-yard seasons.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/adrian-peterson/i-would-sacrifice-1-000-yards-rushing-to-win-a-super-bowl-but-i-want/) [Adrian Peterson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/adrian-peterson/) > [India, Pakistan, China, Singapore and South Korea are heavily investing in nuclear arms. Since 21st century is the century of Asia, Asian countries should…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/scar-arias/india-pakistan-china-singapore-and-south-korea-are-heavily-investing/) [Óscar Arias](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/scar-arias/) > [It's a real honour to be the first comedian to play the O2 which will be the single biggest gig of my career.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lee-evans/it-s-a-real-honour-to-be-the-first-comedian-to-play-the-o2-which-will/) [Lee Evans](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lee-evans/) > [To be the first to do something is huge - all eyes are on you. You just don't know how people are going to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rachel-lindsay/to-be-the-first-to-do-something-is-huge-all-eyes-are-on-you-you-just/) [Rachel Lindsay](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rachel-lindsay/) > [To be the first player in the world to take part in three successive World Cup finals is very important.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cafu/to-be-the-first-player-in-the-world-to-take-part-in-three-successive/) [Cafu](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cafu/) > [But, no, I don't think there will be any kind of problem as far as setting up to be competitive, but you've got to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dan-wheldon/but-no-i-don-t-think-there-will-be-any-kind-of-problem-as-far-as/) [Dan Wheldon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dan-wheldon/) > [To be the first Puerto Rican to win a world title in four divisions would be an achievement. Gomez, Benitez, there have been a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/miguel-cotto/to-be-the-first-puerto-rican-to-win-a-world-title-in-four-divisions/) [Miguel Cotto](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/miguel-cotto/) [Browse all 191 Be the first quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/be-the-first/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "If there is such a thing for Sparks as a mission statement, it's more general in that we want each new album to be musically and lyrically provocative. 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