Neil Sparkes

It’s very tough, so soon after the sad news of Yanka Rupkina, to have lost another key character in the Transglobal Underground story. Neil Sparkes was the band’s regular MC, percussionist and onstage raconteur in the bands early years. But perhaps he was most important as the motivator, the enthusiast and a man who could always lead from the front. He was also a writer, poet, artist and illustrator, and became perhaps best known as a festival MC, doing great work at WOMAD and Musicport. He passed away this month after a few months of illness. It’s hard to imagine someone with his energy gone. RIP.