Sparks refuse to “rely on [their] past”.

The ‘This Town Ain’t Big Enough for the Both Of Us’ hitmakers – comprising brothers Russell and Ron Mael – have released 76 singles to date and they have no plans on stopping making new tunes anytime soon.

Russell told Big Issue magazine: “At this point, we really feel more urgent than ever.

“We’re even more motivated to prove a point – that you don’t have to fall into that trap of relying on your past.

“What you’re doing now has got to be compelling and modern and forward-thinking.

“And if it isn’t, then there’s no reason to even be doing it.”

The brothers believe they are still “musically strong” and offer something different to other artists.

Asked why they keep going, Ron said: “We always feel that what we’re doing is something both musically strong and unlike a lot of other things that are going on at the time.

“We feel that our music and our presentation is interesting, but it’s not trying to be quirky or oddball and all.”

Cate Blanchett appears in Sparks’ recent music video for their new album’s title track, ‘The Girl Is Crying in Her Latter’, and they explained they first met the ‘Tar’ actress when she knocked on their dressing room door at the Cesar Awards last year to say she was a fan, an encounter they described as “mind-blowing”.

Russell recalled: “I thought, ‘Maybe she’s in the wrong dressing room or something.’

“But she just came to introduce herself and said that she was a fan of the band.

“It was pretty mindblowing to both of us.”