Spark Of Life Teamed Up With Fred Armisen For That Dog Cover “Never Say Never”

Southern California post-hardcore outliers Spark of Life are set to release their long-awaited sophomore album, Plagued By The Human Condition, on May 30 via New Age Records. The LP sees the band pushing their sonic boundaries while maintaining the raw energy and emotion that have defined their sound since day one.

As part of the album’s rollout, Spark of Life have unveiled their latest single, a cover of “Never Say Never” by ’90s cult favorites That Dog. The track features a special collaboration with longtime friend and comedian/musician Fred Armisen (SNL, Portlandia), who played drums on the cover.

Reflecting on the collaboration, Armisen shared his excitement:
“I loved working with Spark of Life on Never Say Never. We are all That Dog fans, so there was a general feeling of wanting to honor the song as best as we could. I don’t think it took us that many takes. For me, it’s always fun to play drums with this band.”

Spark of Life’s Steve Jennings also spoke about the project, emphasizing their shared admiration for That Dog: “Working on a That Dog cover with Fred was awesome! Fred is a true professional and a great friend of the band. We both had a mutual fondness for That Dog, so it just made sense when we decided to cover Never Say Never to have Fred come play on it. I love that we did this song, because it is out of character for the band, and I think it is going to catch some people off guard.”

The inspiration for covering “Never Say Never” dates back to the late ’90s when guitarist Nick Piscitello and Steve Jennings spent their late nights skateboarding and grabbing Taco Bell while blasting That Dog’s Retreat From The Sun. Their deep connection to the album made this cover an inevitable tribute, and when the opportunity arose to have Armisen join them in the studio, they jumped at the chance.

Plagued By The Human Condition promises to be a bold evolution for Spark of Life, and their rendition of “Never Say Never” is just a taste of what’s to come.

The album drops May 30 on New Age Records. Stay tuned for more updates, and in the meantime, check out “Never Say Never” wherever you stream music.

Upcoming Shows:

April

16- Orlando, FL The Spot (w/ Worst Ways, Fortitude)

17- Melbourne, FL The Abra (w/ Worst Ways, Fortitude)

18- Tampa, FL Deviant Libation (w/ Worst Ways, Fortitude)

19- Gainesville, FL The Atlantic (w/ Worst Ways, Fortitude)