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Britt Daniel

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Britt Daniel
Britt Daniel performing live
Background information
Birth nameJohn Britt Daniel
BornGalveston, Texas, United States
OccupationSinger-Songwriter
Instruments
Years active1991–present
Labels
Websitespoontheband.com

John Britt Daniel is the co-founder, lead singer and guitarist of the Austin, Texas, rock band Spoon and the co-founder, guitarist, bassist, and singer of the band Divine Fits.

Early life

Britt Daniel was born in Galveston, Texas and grew up in Temple, Texas, a town of 50,000 people about an hour north of Austin. Daniel is the oldest of three children from his parents' marriage.[1] He also has two younger half-siblings. His father, a neurologist, was a fan of the Beatles and the Rolling Stones and a collector of guitars;[2] Daniel himself reportedly picked up the guitar in high school after his college-bound girlfriend ended their relationship.[3][4]

Career

In 1988 Britt Daniel formed his first band The Zygotes while in high school. In 1990 Daniel formed his second band, Skellington, while a student at the University of Texas. After Skellington was formed by Daniel in 1990 at Austin, Texas with Travis Hartnett, Mac Stringfellow, Paul Cannon and Mike Hurewitz.[2] The band released three cassettes before disbanding in 1992. Later, Britt would go on to form Spoon. Skellington recorded and self-released This Town's Gone Dry in 1991, and the Skellington EP was released a year later in 1992. Before breaking up, the band released Skellington Rex, which contained songs that were re-recorded on Spoon's debut album Telephono.[2]

The following year, Daniel joined a three-piece rockabilly band named The Alien Beats with Brad Shenfeld.[2] 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.[2] The Alien Beats released a 7" single in May 1993; however, the band disbanded soon after its release.[2]

Spoon

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:

Drake Tungsten

In the years that followed, Daniel wrote and recorded solo material under the pseudonym Drake Tungsten[5] (Daniel has since abandoned this name and plays solo shows under his own name).

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,"[6] which he has been performing at solo shows since at least early 2006.[7]

Divine Fits

Daniel has been involved in a new band called Divine Fits, consisting of members from Spoon, Wolf Parade and New Bomb Turks. The group's debut, A Thing Called Divine Fits, was released on August 28, 2012 through Merge Records. The first single from the album, "My Love Is Real", was released on July 10, 2012.

Collaborations

Discography

Skellington

  • The 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

Spoon

Divine Fits

Solo recordings

See also

References

  1. ^ Maron, Marc (16 April 2015). "Episode 594 - Britt Daniel / Jon Ronson" (Audio podcast interview). WTF with Marc Maron. Retrieved 18 April 2015.
  2. ^ a b c d e f Raoul Hernandez, "Drake Tungsten and his Boy Skellington", Austin Chronicle, January 25, 1999
  3. ^ 'Sup Magazine, "The Biography of Britt Daniel of Spoon As Told Through Music", December 2005. Retrieved October 11, 2007.
  4. ^ Laura Hightower, "Spoon Biography". Retrieved October 11, 2007.
  5. ^ Peek-A-Boo Records Drake Tungsten Bio Page, PeekABooRecords.com. Retrieved October 11, 2007.
  6. ^ Sean O'Neal, "Britt Daniel of Spoon," July 19, 2007. Retrieved October 12, 2007.
  7. ^ "Britt Daniel Live at Swedish American Hall on 2006-03-29". Internet Archive.
  8. ^ Peek-A-Boo Records Golden Millennium Bio Page, PeekABooRecords.com. Retrieved October 11, 2007.
  9. ^ Origin Systems Inc. Developer Bio, MobyGames.com. Retrieved October 11, 2007.
  10. ^ Columbia Records, Stranger Than Fiction Soundtrack, ColumbiaRecords.com. Retrieved October 11, 2007.
  11. ^ "Sweet Spirit & Britt Daniel – "Paper Tiger" (Spoon Cover)". Stereogum.