Barry Sparks

Barry Sparks (born June 20, 1968 in Lucasville, Ohio) is an American rock bassist and guitarist for artists such as Yngwie Malmsteen, the Michael Schenker Group, UFO, Dokken, and Ted Nugent, among others. Currently Sparks is part of the touring band for the Japanese rock group B'z, and has also contributed to many of their albums and singles.
History
Barry Sparks first began to make a name for himself as the bass player for former MCA recording artist Guy Mann-Dude with whom he toured and recorded the 1991 Mannic Distortion release. This led to Sparks landing the bass gig with Swedish guitarist Yngwie Malmsteen in time for The Seventh Sign tour in 1994, followed by a four-year on-and-off stint with German guitarist Michael Schenker, starting with the 1996 Written in the Sand album.
In 1997, Sparks and Michael Schenker Group drummer Shane Gaalaas teamed up with guitarist Jeff Kollman to form the all-instrumental fusion trio Cosmosquad with whom Sparks recorded three albums before exiting. The trio also backed vocalist John West on his 1998 sophomore release, Permanent Mark. In 1998, Sparks became a touring musician with pop singer Billie Myers of "Kiss the Rain" fame, doing television and radio station appearances and playing worldwide, including Good Morning America and Top of the Pops in England. They also supported tours with Bob Dylan in Europe, Savage Garden and many others.
In the late 1990s Sparks guested on albums by former Loudness vocalist Michael Vescera and then Helloween guitarist Roland Grapow, toured with future UFO bandmate Vinnie Moore, and recorded and toured with ex-Scorpions guitarist Uli Jon Roth.
In 2001, Sparks released his acoustic guitar based solo debut album, Glimmer of Hope, on his own Moonbeam Music label. A second album, Can't Look Back, with special guest appearances by ZZ Top's Billy Gibbons (on "Breathe") and Ted Nugent (on "Liberty"), followed in 2004. Sparks began working with Nugent on the "Beer Drinkers & Hell Raisers" U.S. summer tour of 2003.
In 2001, Sparks became the bass player for Dokken, an affiliation that lasted until 2010 and produced four studio albums. During this time, Sparks and Dokken drummer Mick Brown also played with Ted Nugent, documented on the 2008 live release Sweden Rocks.
In 2004, Sparks was called to record bass tracks for the Scorpions' Unbreakable album. That same year, Sparks filled in for one of his all-time bass heroes, Pete Way of UFO, on the You Are Here U.S. tour. He last toured with the group in 2011.
After previously touring with the band in 2003 for their Big Machine album, Sparks was again recruited by Japanese superstars B'z for their 2008 "Glory Days" tour, re-teaming with his former Yngwie Malmsteen, MSG and Cosmosquad rhythm partner, drummer Shane Gaalaas. He remained a touring member through 2019 during which time he also recorded many albums and singles with the band.
In 2013, Sparks re-connected with his former Yngwie Malmsteen band mate, vocalist Mike Vescera, in Riot On Mars. The project released their debut album, First Wave, on Zain Records in Japan in 2015. Guest musicians on the album include drummers BJ Zampa and Shane Gaalaas as well as vocalist Dan McCafferty of Nazareth fame who contributes vocals on a cover of the Nazareth song, "Beggars Day".
Select Discography
Solo
Glimmer of Hope (2001)
Can't Look Back (2004)
with Riot On Mars
First Wave (2015)
with B'z
B'z Live-Gym Pleasure 2008: Glory Days (Live DVD) (2009)
Magic (2009)
B'z Live-Gym 2010 Ain't No Magic (Live DVD) (2010)
C'mon (2011)
B'z Live-Gym 2011 C'mon (Live DVD) (2012)
B'z "Into Free" (2012)
B'z Live Gym 2008 "Action" (Live DVD) (2013)
B'z "The Best 1988-1998" (Bonus tracks)(2013)
B'z "The Best 1999-2012" (2013)
Epic Day (2015)
Dinosaur (2017)
with Ted Nugent
Love Grenade (2007)
Sweden Rocks (2008)
with Scorpions
Unbreakable (on tracks 2 and 4) (2004)
with Dokken
Long Way Home (2002)
Hell To Pay (2004)
Lightning Strikes Again (2008)
Greatest Hits (2010)
with Tony MacAlpine
Chromaticity (2001)
Collection: The Shrapnel Years (2006)
with Uli Jon Roth
Transcendental Sky Guitar (2000)
Legends of Rock: Live at Castle Donington (2002)
with Vinnie Moore
Live! (1999)
Collection: The Shrapnel Years (2006)
with Roland Grapow
Kaleidoscope (1999)
with MVP (Mike Vescera Project)
Windows (1997)
with John West
Mind Journey (1997)
Permanent Mark (1998)
with Cosmosquad
Cosmosquad (1997)
Squadrophenia (2001)
Live at the Baked Potato (2002)
Best of Cosmosquad (2003)
with Miloš Dodo Doležal
Dodo hraje Hendrixe (1997)
with Michael Schenker Group
Written in the Sand (1996)
The Michael Schenker Story Live (1997)
The Unforgiven World Tour (2000)
Live in Tokyo 1997 (2000)
Dreams and Expressions (2000)
Universal (2022)
with Yngwie Malmsteen
I Can't Wait (1994)
Magnum Opus (1995)
with Guy Mann-Dude
Mannic Distortion (1991)
References
External links
Barry Sparks official website
1968 births
Living people
People from Lucasville, Ohio
American heavy metal bass guitarists
American rock bass guitarists
Dokken members
Michael Schenker Group members
American male bass guitarists
20th-century American bass guitarists
Ted Nugent Band members
Guitarists from Ohio
20th-century American male musicians
Yngwie J. Malmsteen's Rising Force members