Sparta's Jim Ward talks John Candy, writing setlists, and birthday parties
Photo courtesy of Sparta, shot by John Carluccio
Written by Chris Hislop
Despite the scuttlebutt about the band becoming the next Nirvana after releasing their seminal record, “Relationship of Command,” At the Drive-In shocked the music world by breaking up in 2001. But instead of cracking like a broken heart, the band split like an amoeba into two killer spin-offs: members Cedric Bixler-Zavala and Omar Rodriguez-Lopez went on to form the prog-rock group The Mars Volta, while Paul Hinojos, Tony Hajjar, and Jim Ward formed Sparta. The Mars Volta gained pretty serious worldwide notoriety for testing the bounds of jagged, psychedelic, polyrhythmic sounds, while Sparta went on to record a post-punk masterpiece in “Wiretap Scars.”
At the Drive-In would reunite in 2012 and 2016, but the 2016 incarnation took a new shape after the band let Ward go. Ward has gone on record claiming that, as painful as it was being kicked out of the band he helped start, it was a blessing in disguise. It helped him figure out who he was as a person and artist, and he put all his energy into Sparta, for which he serves as lead singer and guitarist. The band is now on the road in support of its new blisteringly blissful album, “Cut a Silhouette.”
Though the band has always been deeply political, its current approach toward addressing global suffering has evolved. Rather than relying on simple slogans (think “F*** T***p”), they focus on constructive messaging from the stage. Sparta acknowledges that during these painful times, extending love and empathy at every opportunity is the key to creating a better world. This is a mindset that’s worth subscribing to, and we all ought to consider being in the room when Sparta visits the Portland House of Music on Saturday, Sept. 19.
The following is a conversation with Ward himself in between swings of the current world tour.
Let’s start with the umbrella question. Why music? Why do you seek it? Why do you create it? (OK, I guess that’s actually three questions. You’ll quickly notice a trend …)
I don't think that music was the plan. I didn’t train at all early in life. I can’t read or write music, and I know very little theory. It sort of came as a package deal with skateboarding and the folks around me at the time. I started on bass, learning punk songs for a few months, and then started writing music with friends in basements — never looked back. I make music because it is in my head every second of every day. It is always there, and it needs to come out.
“Cut a Silhouette” borrows its title from a quote about John Candy, touching on the idea of leaving a distinct mark. Looking back across three decades — from sub-100-capacity basement shows to major-label budgets and back to independent DIY roots — what does “cutting a silhouette” mean to you right now as a musician?
I wanted this album to leave a mark. I think there is a point as an artist where you can start living off the past, and I am not interested in that. I have zero concept of legacy or whatever people call it. I think my journey is to write songs and, if possible, bring joy.
I have to know … What are your top three John Candy movies?
“Planes, Trains and Automobiles,” “Spaceballs,” “Splash.”
You forgot “Uncle Buck.” But I’ll let it slide …
You’ve mentioned before that looking back at photos from the high-flying major-label era of Sparta felt like “wearing someone else’s clothes.” What did it take to shed that outfit and feel comfortable in your own musical skin again?
I think it just takes time and distance. I have always stepped away from the career when I felt like I needed a break. I have never had enough success that I had to keep going in order to keep going. I did other things, and I enjoyed being away. When I came back, I just couldn't wear those clothes anymore.
On this new record, you brought in collaborators like J. Robbins and Brooks Harlan (Jawbox). How did stepping outside your usual solitary or core-band workflow change the energy and urgency of these songs?
It was the single best thing I could have done. It woke up a part of me that had been sleeping for a while.
Speaking of Robbins, “Cut a Silhouette” was tracked fast — just seven days in Baltimore at Magpie Cage with him. Do you find that forcing a tight clock keeps you from second-guessing your instincts, or is it a nerve-wracking way to capture a record?
We had the capability of going longer. I like setting a schedule and trying to get it, but I don’t sacrifice the work. So it is a good guidepost but always movable.
After doing anniversary tours for “Wiretap Scars” and “Porcelain,” it’s easy to get trapped in nostalgia. How do you balance honoring the classic tracks that people scream every night with pushing forward with new material that reflects where your head is in 2026?
I love doing what I do, but if it ever feels like a job, then I walk away. I have done that many times, and I am totally comfortable with it. I love bringing joy to people, so playing the songs they love is easy. But I balance it with what is bringing me joy as well, which is mixing it up.
You’ve mentioned in the past that you don’t write with a preset genre or style in mind — you just let the song tell you what it wants to be. When writing “Cut a Silhouette,” did any of these tracks pull you in a direction that surprised you, where the song took over and pushed you out of your comfort zone?
Everything on the record wanted to be there (there were 20 songs that didn’t). Those guys get a second look now, and we’ll see if they want to join LP eight [a potentially forthcoming album]. Sometimes they want to be in another band, and that tends to happen. I don’t force anything in my life.
Early in a career, success gets measured by chart positions, record deals, and tour sizes. At this stage in your life and career, how do you personally define whether an album is a success before anyone else even hears a single note?
The minute I approve the master, I let go. It is no longer mine. There have been times that I scrap a whole record after mixing and start again, so success to me is approving the master. Whatever happens after that has not much to do with me.
You’re heading to Portland, Maine, on the release tour. Playing an intimate room like Portland House of Music offers a very specific, direct connection with the crowd. How does the exchange of energy in a room like that differ for you today compared to when you were touring in your 20s?
To me, music has always been about the journey, both artistically and literally. Maine is the last continental state for me to play. I would do it on a street corner. The size and money and fame and all that has never had a direct link to my happiness, so as long as I am finding joy, I am OK.
You've always had an open, vulnerable relationship with your listeners about self-doubt and the impulse to keep creating. When you stand on stage, what is the core emotion you hope people take out the door with them?
Joy.
From top to bottom, “Cut a Silhouette” is very strong. For me, the track “Without Your Hands” immediately found itself on repeat. I noticed that it’s not getting a ton of love on the road. (At least based on the setlists I’ve perused thus far.) Any reason you’re not taking that one for a more consistent ride? What makes a great setlist?
It should be coming out for this run. We have to balance a lot of things, so some songs come in when we can get there. I love that song and look forward to playing it live.
What can folks expect when they come out to see Sparta play on Sept. 19?
A birthday party.
For tickets and more information about the show, please visit Portland House of Music.