There are times when there’s no room for doubt: Box of Letters is undeniably a great album. sparkle*jets u.k. receives praise not only for the quality of their songs but also for the variety of styles they explore. Michael Simmons explains that the band’s eclectic sound wasn’t a deliberate attempt to showcase pop in various forms, but rather a result of their impatience and desire to work quickly. And, once again, that approach succeeds—big time!

---

You can find ‘Princess Needy’ showcased on the Best Power Pop of 2024 Spotify Playlist.

---

Congratulations on the new album. Not being consistent in style has resulted in a wonderfully exciting and powerful album. When did you realize that during the making? Was there a preconceived plan, or did the sound emerge during the recording? Or is the comment about using different styles completely untrue?

Since we have always had the ability to make our recordings on our own, we never really work in the traditional way people expect. We don’t arrive at a studio with a bunch of demos to get ‘made’ into anything; it’s just write a song, record it. For me, often on the same day. I often compose directly into my recording software, writing lyrics in the note field. So, there’s never really an opportunity for ’sameness’ even if we wanted it, stylistically or sonically. I just basically think, ‘What would I like here?’ and try to make it do that thing or sound that way.

I’m also impatient, so if I can’t find just the right sound or don’t think of it in that moment, it doesn’t happen. I often realize, ‘This would have been great with strings,’ or ‘This could have had more production.’ I’d like things to have even more crazy textures and styles, but as I said, I’m too impatient. Songs are often done and waiting for the other band members to add their special signatures.

So, to answer your question, no, there’s never a plan! That’s because we don’t really have a ‘style.’ Sometimes I might steer toward one, but it’s on a song-by-song basis. I wish I had the foresight and patience to really plan something. I really want to do that, but I’m a slave to my impetuousness in that regard. We definitely have a ‘sound,’ though, and that comes from our personalities and specific physicality.

A five-star review in Shindig Magazine. That’s still exciting, I think?

Oh my goodness, yes! It’s a weird time and place we are in for so many reasons. We are achieving things right now that, had we done so 30 or 40 years ago, we might really have made a splash. Of course, we may have not had that chance. Every part of the music business machine is either gone or severely altered right now. And nobody really knows how to game the system in any lasting way. But we are so thankful to the folks at Shindig and people like you who are trying to shine a little light our way.

Anything to break out of our own online echo chamber is a massive gain. It’s been an exciting few weeks thus far!

I think one of your superpowers is that you and Susan sound so young when you sing. Do you hear that often?

I’ve always thought that. If you think we sound young now, listen to the first album! It’s comical to me now, and I was about 25-27 when I did those vocals. I’m much better at it now, and I sing or play only when I need to, which isn’t very often. I haven’t worn out my instrument.

I’m also a classroom teacher, so I’ve had to develop quite a bit of power in my voice over the years. I can silence an entire room with very little effort. Susan, on the other hand, is just gifted with a very special instrument. She grew up loving the Jackson Five, so she can sing like a very soulful pre-pubescent boy, or switch to Ethel Merman, Musical Theatre, or Ann Wilson in an instant.

We both have a pretty broad range, so we usually have no problem doing harmonies and we blend well. On top of that, and this is important, we also have the added bonus of a third voice via the lovely and talented Tisha Boonyawatana. If there is ever a need for a third vocal part, I make sure she does it! She is an indispensable part of our live blend, obviously, and for this record, I made sure that she sang on every single track. Jamie has really been working on his vocal chops too for a high-profile cover band he’s in that demands complex harmonies. So, he’s a secret weapon going forward.

We have a rehearsal tonight to see if we can pull off ‘I Can’t Wait for Summer’ on stage, something we’ve never attempted. Wish us luck!

What song has undergone the biggest transformation from first draft to final product? And how did that come about?

Hmm… I don’t do a lot of ‘drafts’ of my stuff. I write it, I make it, it’s done… but for the other writers, it definitely transpires that way. Songs like ‘Goodbye X3,’ ‘Box of Letters,’ and ‘One Two Tango’ started with Jamie, who comes up with music first. Usually riffs and complicated jazz chords I don’t understand or know how to play. He will write some of the lyrics or have Susan write them. Then he brings it to me, and I try to break it down into something I can do. That usually knocks some of the edges off and adds new ones. He might come to me with a song that sounds like a beautiful horse riding through a meadow in slow motion. I’ll turn that into Godzilla smashing a city. Metaphorically. Susan usually has bits of crazy lyrics, a bit haphazard, and a couple of chords. I filter that through the Beatles songwriting framework, get the lyrics nice and tidy with matching meter, add a few chords or a bridge, and she provides the Godzilla part. To answer your question, if I can, ‘One Two Tango’ and ‘Box of Letters’ changed a lot. They were just riffs, and at that time, we were woodshedding songs as an entire band, quite unusual for us. They just kinda morphed from there. ‘Tango’ had some lyrics that were very nasty and biting, and that song sat unfinished for a very, very long time. When I dusted it off, I added the ‘I’m counting on you’ line because we needed something there. It has nothing at all to do with the rest of the song, lyrically… but because it’s a positive message, it contrasts with the nastiness in the verses. That’s also one of the songs where the last line of the song negates the message of everything before it, so it goes (metaphorically) from a ‘go sleep on the couch’ fight to an offer of make-up sex! You don’t get that in too many songs.

Do you still dream of touring the world to let everyone hear things they may not have noticed before?

Well, yeah. Realistically, even if that were actually on offer, I doubt it could happen. We’ve got mortgages, families, and real jobs. But yeah, any songwriter wants their songs to get heard. I like performing in the moment, but the preparation is torture for me. I hate it. Then the show happens, and everything works out. Then you start thinking, yeah, I could do that again. What if this happened? Oh, that would be good. Then the opportunity comes, and you say yeah, let’s do it. Then you realize… oh no, I have to do this! And it’s hell and anxiety up until the show. It’s a cycle. I’d LOVE to have more frequent opportunities or to get back on the road like the old days… getting into the rhythm of it where it’s second nature and you are sounding great and the work is paying off. Unfortunately, our shows are so infrequent that over the years, every show feels like starting from scratch, and that’s tough.

I’d LOVE to get out and play a month of shows. Don’t know if my body could take it, but that’s really the only way to fly. And I’d love to play the songs we haven’t done before. I have a great many of them that have never had the chance to spread their wings. It’s the hope that keeps you going, and as you know, it’s also the hope that kills you. I’m fine either way.

But really, making records is by far why I learned to play at all. It’s what I’m in it for. And as our streaming numbers go up, it’s a realization of that dream. I wish I was in the room with everyone as they listen, that would be beautiful. Thank you for listening; it means everything, really.