Ronald David Mael, born on August 12, 1945, in Culver City, California, is an American musician, composer, and songwriter renowned for his innovative contributions to pop and rock music.
As the elder brother in the iconic duo Sparks, Ron Mael has spent over five decades crafting a distinctive sound that blends glam rock, new wave, synth-pop, and operatic elements.
Raised in the affluent Pacific Palisades neighborhood of Los Angeles alongside his family, Mael pursued studies in cinema and graphic arts at UCLA, influences that would later infuse his multimedia approach to music.
Though details of his personal life remain largely private, Mael’s enigmatic persona, complete with his signature mustache and stoic demeanor reminiscent of silent film icons like Charlie Chaplin.
Siblings
Ron’s only sibling is his younger brother, Russell Craig Mael, born on October 5, 1948, in Santa Monica, California, just three years after Ron.
The two brothers shared a close-knit upbringing in Pacific Palisades, shaped by their parents: their father, Meyer Mael, a graphic designer and caricaturist for the Hollywood Citizen-News who passed away when Russell was eight years old, and their mother, Miriam (née Moskowitz), a librarian of Polish Jewish descent.
Meyer himself hailed from Russian and Austrian Jewish immigrant roots, though the brothers were not raised in a religious household and have distanced themselves from identifying strongly with their heritage.
As children, both Ron and Russell modeled for mail-order catalogs and enjoyed typical Westside Los Angeles activities like surfing and football, with Russell even excelling as a quarterback in high school, before channeling their creative energies into music.
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Career
Ron’s professional journey began in earnest during the late 1960s at UCLA, where he immersed himself in cinema and graphic arts, laying the groundwork for his visually driven songwriting.
In 1968, he and Russell formed their first band, Halfnelson, which evolved into Sparks by 1971, marking the start of a prolific career that has spanned 27 studio albums as of 2025.
As Sparks’ principal songwriter and keyboardist, Mael has been the architectural force behind their genre-defying output, from the glam-infused breakthrough Kimono My House (1974), which spawned the UK Top 10 hit “This Town Ain’t Big Enough for Both of Us,” to experimental forays like the orchestral Lil’ Beethoven (2002) and the recent MAD! (2025), their 28th album released via Transgressive Records.
The duo’s early years saw them navigating the Los Angeles scene amid influences from British prog and glam rock, leading to a relocation to the UK in the 1970s that boosted their international profile.
Beyond Sparks, Mael has composed for films, including work related to Telex’s 1981 album Sex and contributions to Edgar Wright’s 2021 documentary The Sparks Brothers, which chronicles their longevity.
In 2021, the brothers expanded into cinema with Annette, a musical drama directed by Leos Carax, where they co-wrote the screenplay and original music, starring Adam Driver and Marion Cotillard.
Accolades
In 2021, their work on Annette earned the Cannes Soundtrack Award for Best Composer, followed by a César Award for Best Original Music in 2022 and a Lumière Award for Best Music, marking their first major film accolades.
The Edgar Wright documentary The Sparks Brothers further amplified their legacy, receiving multiple wins and numerous nominations, including recognition from the Chicago Film Critics Association.
On the music front, Sparks claimed the Outstanding Contribution to Music at the 2024 AIM Independent Music Awards, where they announced their signing to Transgressive Records amid a standing ovation at London’s Roundhouse.
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