Izzy Sparks

Izzy Sparks
First Appearance	Guitar Hero
Genre	Glam Metal, Glam Rock, Hard Rock, Heavy Metal
Likes	Zebra print, arenas, pouting, hairspray
Dislikes	Irony, tour managers, alimony
Highway	A heart stabbed by a knife in the middle of thorny vines (GH1) An inverted pentagram and a rose (GH2, GHE:R80s) A severed hand making the "devil horns" gesture, with an eye tattooed on its wrist (GH3, GHA) Glam Highway (GHWT, GHM)
Nationality	American

Izzy Sparks is a playable character in the Guitar Hero series. He first appeared with the Grim Ripper as one of two unlockable characters in Guitar Hero, and has appeared as a regular starting character in each game in the series until Warriors of Rock, where he once again was an unlockable character. He was named after Izzy Maxwell of the Sound Mixing Department at Harmonix, the developer of Guitar Hero, Guitar Hero II, and Guitar Hero Encore: Rocks the 80s.

Biography

• Izzy is known for his wild hair, wilder outfits, and even wilder parties - and of course for his crankin' guitar. He says he needs to customize his guitars to accommodate his ultra fast technique. Changing bands like other people change shoes, Izzy has played for dozens of bands including Arsenic, Gold Rush, Medusa's Hair, and Gang of Two. Press and fans alike can't get enough of his bad-boy antics and monster chops. Izzy named his last album "Banned in Seven States", which was true - three states ago. Though most venues cite his unruly stage presence as reason to keep him out, Izzy claims that he gets barred because his guitar "makes girls think impure thoughts." He recently customized his amps to match his outfits. Says friend and band mate Jax Hummer, "you have to be damn good to get away with that kind of behavior. And he is." - Guitar Hero manual bio
• A wild man on and off the stage, Izzy is famous for his guitar playing and infamous for his hard partying ways. The press can't get enough of this bad boy, who never leaves a crowd unhappy or a hotel room un-trashed. - Guitar Hero in-game bio
• Got any hair spray? King of the insane solo and full-on party animal, Izzy lives and breathes rock 'n roll. - Guitar Hero Unlock Shop description
• A real crowd pleaser, Izzy thrills all with his energetic onstage showmanship while delighting the media with his offstage debauchery, Izzy's fan base is even bigger than his hair. - Guitar Hero II in-game bio.
• Media darling and pop culture icon, Izzy Sparks is living the rock and roll dream and every mother's nightmare. With his love of legato and leopard skin, Izzy brings metal to the mainstream masses. - Guitar Hero Encore: Rocks the 80s in-game bio
• Daughters, lock up your mothers... Sunset has not fallen upon the Strip! Izzy returns with the flair and the hair, and isn't stopping until your ears bleed pure rock. Glam never tasted so good. - Guitar Hero III: Legends of Rock, Guitar Hero World Tour, and Guitar Hero Metallica in-game bio
• Fame and fortune can't buy you happiness... But it certainly can pay for a new liver or two! Izzy is back on tour after the astonishingly fresh sound of his new party album Live'r Let Die. - Guitar Hero 5 in-game bio.

Outfits

Guitar Hero

Izzy wears a black spandex top with a harness of yellow belts, a variety of wristbands on both arms, black fingerless gloves and a piece of chainmail covering his right arm, topped by a steel shoulder pad. He also wears a skull-shaped codpiece over black leather pants, white shoes, and has the left leg protected by a large white shinguard and kneeguard. His makeup consists of a series of red flashes painted across his face, and he wears a black headband underneath his fringe.

Guitar Hero II

Codpiece

As the name suggests, it is an outfit largely similar to his original one: Izzy wears a black-and-yellow spandex top with a harness of red belts, a variety of wristbands (notably a spiked one on each arm), black fingerless gloves and a yellow resin pad on his right shoulder. He wears the same skull codpiece over black leather pants with yellow details, with one red belt on each thigh and black platform boots protected by spiked shinguards. He wears more subdued "linebacker" makeup.

Top Hat

• Not everybody can pull off a top hat and feather boa. Izzy is not afraid to subvert the dominant paradigm in this ultra-glam ensemble. - Shop description

Izzy wears a white top hat, a black feather boa as a vest, black fingerless gloves, black-and-white striped tight pants and white low boots.

Guitar Hero Encore: Rocks the 80s

Izzy wears a jaguar-print headband, a pink sleeveless shirt with a neckerchief, tight black leather pants and boots.

Guitar Hero III: Legends of Rock

The Rockstar

Izzy's standard outfit follows the hair metal motif from Rocks the 80s. He wears a spandex suit which is opened at the torso, an armband and a wristband on each arm, with a bandanna tied at the left wrist and hoop bracelets on the right one; a neckerchief over a choker, an eye necklace and a fang necklace, fingerless gloves, an assortment of belts over his thighs and lace-up boots.

• Leopard: The spandex is colored in standard leopard print. Headband is red with spots in a lighter red, the same shade of which is the neckerchief. Yellow boots.
• Lizard: The spandex is colored in green leopard print. Yellow headband, green neckerchief, aqua boots.
• Zebra: The spandex is vertically striped in white and black. Black headband, deep red neckerchief, white boots.
• Menagerie: Rainbow snakeskin spandex, rainbow headband and neckerchief, black boots with purple buckles. He also has hair of an iridescent shade of brown.
• Bluebird (Guitar Hero: Aerosmith only): Blue spandex and sky blue hair.
• Sea Urchin (Guitar Hero: Aerosmith only): Purple spandex, black headband, and blonde hair.
• Viper (Guitar Hero: Aerosmith only): Red spandex, white scarves, and blonde hair. He strongly resembles Shawn Michaels.

The Peacock

• In case you thought Izzy's other outfit was a bit too subtle, Izzy puffs himself up with an ensemble inspired by one of the most beautiful creatures in the animal kingdom. - Shop description

Izzy wears a ruffled jacket with feathers over the left shoulder, netting fingerless gloves, tight lurex pants and buckled boots with ruffled edges. He has teased hair falling over his left eye, and wears a different headband from standard.

• Fantasy: Main colors blue and purple. Hair is bleached blonde with a yellow headband.
• Florid: Main colors white, red and purple. Hair is light blone with a red headband.
• Starry Night: Main colors purple and yellow, with a stars motif. Hair is purple with a black headband.
• Neon Knight: Main colors shocking pink and lime green, with a subtle neon tiger motif. Hair is violet with a white headband.
• Cock 'O The Walk (Guitar Hero: Aerosmith only): Yellow jacket, red and yellow pants, red and white feathers, and blonde hair.
• Magniloquent (Guitar Hero: Aerosmith only): Pink jacket, red and white pants, blue feathers, and blonde hair.
• Grandiose (Guitar Hero: Aerosmith only): All black with red details and white feathers, and blonde hair.

Guitar Hero World Tour

Torso: Leftovers

Pants: Cuffs and Stripes

Shoes: You've Been 86ed

Accessories: Demo Wrap (left arm), Leathery Spike (right arm)

Guitar Hero Metallica

Izzy by default looks similar to his appearance in World Tour, except that he is wearing a black vest with black pants and white sneakers. Like many of the other Guitar Heroes, this is to make him look more Metal. Torso: Gilded Glam Pants: Hurricane Chaps Shoes: Deez Sneakers Accessories: Wrist Snuggler (left arm) and Xcessive Rings (right arm)

Guitar Hero Smash Hits

Same as World Tour.

Guitar Hero 5

Izzy has new outfits in this game:

• Glam Tease: This outfit shows him with his usual, more outrageous style: he has white blonde hair that reaches his shoulders with a section of it sticking up diagonally. He wears a zebra print jumpsuit with gold fur trim.
• Sideshow: This outfit shows him with hair that is black on his right side with pink on his left side. He wears yellow vest with black shoulder guards, black pants and yellow hightops.
• Stiki: This outfit shows him with black hair, black lipstick, red jacket, and black pants.
• The Immpresario: This outfit shows him with blonde short hair that shades over one eye. He wears a black trench coat with a large amount of black fur trim and red pants.

Band Hero

Izzy has two outfits at the beginning of the game, and one can be unlocked in career. His first outfit called "10 Minutes Till Pluto" looks a lot different than his usual appearance; he has black hair in a style the game calls "The Catolano". He wears a blue shirt under a black vest with scribbled writing covering it, accessorized with a yellow bandana. He wears purple pants with purple and green socks and white sneakers that have scribbles all over them. He wears a wristband on his right arm and his arms have many tattoos.

Songs associated with Izzy Sparks

Guitar Hero II Quickplay Songs

• "Shout at the Devil" - Mötley Crüe
• "Tonight I'm Gonna Rock You Tonight" - Spinal Tap
• "Cherry Pie" - Warrant
• "Trippin' On A Hole in a Paper Heart" - Stone Temple Pilots
• "Jordan" - Buckethead
• "Trogdor" - Strong Bad

Trivia

• Izzy's signature guitar is a Custom Rising Sun Gibson Explorer, which was made for him in GH1.
• Izzy Sparks is one of two characters that you can see, without buying them. (Along with Grim Ripper).
• In the PS2/Wii version of Guitar Hero III: Legends of Rock, Izzy has slightly a darker skin tone.
• In one of Casey Lynch's Guitar Hero Aerosmith outfit descriptions, it states that the two of them are “good friends.”
• Interestingly, Izzy Sparks' default outfit in Guitar Hero II appears as his outfit in Guitar Hero: Warriors of Rock.
  • Izzy Sparks is unlockable as a bonus character in Quickplay+ in Warriors of Rock by reaching rank 28.
• His appearance in GH5 might have been based on that of the late singer David Bowie, who was also a Glam Rocker.
  • Izzy's hair in GH5 is called Hooligan and looks a lot like David Bowie's 1970s alter ego, Ziggy Stardust's hairstyle.
• While not appearing in the game physically, Izzy's name is shown to be one of the nine opponents in GHTV's Premium Shows in Guitar Hero Live.
• Rumors say the stars shown on Izzy are a symbol of his wife whose name starts with the letter *S*

Gallery

Izzy as he appears in the first game

Select screen icon from the first game

Model from the first game (was used as a placeholder in GH2 and Rocks the 80s)

Izzy as he appears in GH2 (default "Codpiece" outfit)

Izzy as he appears in GH2 ("Top Hat" outfit)

In-game footage of Izzy from GH2 ("Top Hat" outfit)

GHh80s.jpg

Izzy Sparks (left) on the cover of Rocks the 80s

Izzy as he appears in GH Rocks the 80s

Concept art for GH3

Izzy's palettes for "The Rockstar" outfit in GH3
(L-R) Leopard, Lizard, Zebra and Menagerie

Izzy's palettes for "The Peacock" outfit in GH3
(L-R) Fantasy, Florid, Starry Night and Neon Knight

Default outfit in World Tour

Default outfit in Metallica