Russell Craig Mael (born October 5, 1948) is an American singer, songwriter and record producer best known as the lead singer and occasional songwriter for the band Sparks which he formed in 1971 with his elder brother, keyboardist and main songwriter Ron Mael. Mael is known for his wide vocal range, in particular his far-reaching falsetto. He has a flamboyant and hyperactive stage presence which contrasts sharply with Ron Mael's deadpan scowling. The band released an album with British rock band Franz Ferdinand, as the supergroup FFS, titled FFS, released in 2015. The Mael brothers are the founders of Lil' Beethoven Records.