Britt Daniel
(born 1971) is the co-founder, lead singer and guitarist of the Austin, Texas, rock band Spoon.
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BRITT DANIEL TICKETS
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Biography
Britt Daniel was born in
Galveston, Texas, and grew up in
Temple, Texas, in a household of five children.
His father, a neurologist, was an aficionado of
the Beatles and
the Rolling Stones and a collector of classic guitars;
Daniel has stated he had "a well-rounded musical upbringing."
[1] Daniel himself reportedly picked up the guitar in high school after his college-bound girlfriend ended their relationship.
Britt Daniel's musical career began in 1990, when he formed his first band,
Skellington, while a student at the
University of Texas.
[3] After self-releasing two cassette
EPs and a cassette
LP, the band dissolved in 1992. The following year, Daniel joined a three-piece
rockabilly band named
The Alien Beats.
During a 1993 Alien Beats recording session, computer-chip designer and percussionist
Jim Eno was brought in as a substitute drummer, but he was later added as the permanent drummer.
From these recording sessions came the album
Cavin' In
; however, The Alien Beats disbanded soon after its release.
In the years that followed, Daniel wrote and recorded solo material under the pseudonym
Drake Tungsten [4] (Daniel has since abandoned this name and plays solo shows under his own name). In 1993, he teamed back up with ex-Alien Beats drummer
Eno, as well as guitarist Greg Wilson and bassist Andy McGuire, to form
Spoon. Spoon has served as Daniel's primary musical focus, though his resume also includes the following side projects:
- In 1999, Daniel played bass in the glam rock supergroup Golden Millennium, composed of fellow Peek-A-Boo Records labelmates. [5]
- In 2002, Daniel worked with Bright Eyes on the fourth volume of Post-Parlo's Home Series.
- Daniel has produced songs for the bands I Love You But I've Chosen Darkness and Interpol.
- In 2004, Daniel remixed Interpol's "Slow Hands," which appears on the "Slow Hands" single.
- He previously worked as a composer for the computer game company Origin Systems. [6]
- In 2006, Daniel teamed up with Brian Reitzell and helped create some of the original music for the film Stranger Than Fiction
. [7]
- He also appeared in the Veronica Mars
episode "Rashard and Wallace Go to White Castle", air date February 1, 2006, in which he sang a karaoke version of Elvis Costello's "Veronica."
- In 2009, he produced the White Rabbits album It's Frightening.
Daniel has not recorded a solo album since self-releasing 1994's
Clocking Out is for Suckers
under the name Drake Tungsten. However, he has begun setting aside songs for a possible solo album, including "New York Kiss" and "Telephone My Heart,"
[8] which he has been performing at solo shows since at least early 2006 (see ).
Discography
Skellington
- This Town's Gone Dry
(1991) Self-Released
- Skellington EP
(1992) Self-Released
- Skellington Rex
(1992) Self-Released
The Alien Beats
- Cavin' In
(1993) Syncretic Records
Drake Tungsten
- Clocking Out is for Suckers
(1994) Self-Released
- Six Pence for the Sauces
(1996) Peek-A-Boo Records
- Dozy Vs. Drake
(1998) Revival Records
Golden Millennium
- Golden Millennium
(1999) Peek-A-Boo Records
Spoon
- Telephono
(1996) Matador Records
- Soft Effects
(1997) Matador Records
- A Series of Sneaks
(1998) Elektra Records
- The Agony of Laffitte
(1998) Saddle Creek
- Love Ways
(2000) Merge Records
- Girls Can Tell
(2001) Merge Records
- Kill the Moonlight
(2002) Merge Records
- Gimme Fiction
(2005) Merge Records
- Ga Ga Ga Ga Ga
(2007) Merge Records
Solo recordings
- Home: Volume IV
(2002) Post-Parlo
References
- 'Sup Magazine, "The Biography of Britt Daniel of Spoon As Told Through Music", December 2005. Retrieved October 11, 2007.
- Laura Hightower, "Spoon Biography", retrieved October 11, 2007.
- Raoul Hernandez, "Drake Tungsten and his Boy Skellington", ''Austin Chronicle'', January 25, 1999.
- Peek-A-Boo Records Drake Tungsten Bio Page, PeekABooRecords.com, retrieved October 11, 2007.
- Peek-A-Boo Records Golden Millennium Bio Page, PeekABooRecords.com, retrieved October 11, 2007.
- Origin Systems Inc. Developer Bio, MobyGames.com, retrieved October 11, 2007.
- Columbia Records, Stranger Than Fiction Soundtrack, ColumbiaRecords.com, retrieved October 11, 2007.
- Sean O'Neal, "Britt Daniel of Spoon," July 19, 2007. Retrieved October 12, 2007.