Britt Daniel
John Britt Daniel (born April 14, 1971) is an American musician. He is the co-founder, lead singer and guitarist of the indie rock band Spoon, as well as the co-founder, guitarist, bassist, and singer of the band Divine Fits. Daniel also founded numerous other bands in the early 1990s.[1]
Britt Daniel | |
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Daniel in 2023 | |
| Background information | |
| Birth name | John Britt Daniel |
| Born | April 14, 1971 Galveston, Texas, U.S. |
| Genres | Indie rock |
| Occupation(s) |
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| Instrument(s) | |
| Years active | 1991–present |
| Labels |
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Early life Edit
Britt Daniel was born in Galveston, Texas, and grew up in Temple, Texas, a city about an hour north of Austin. Daniel is the oldest of three children from his parents' marriage.[2] 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;[3] Daniel himself reportedly picked up the guitar in high school after his college-bound girlfriend ended their relationship.[4]
Career Edit
In 1988, Britt Daniel formed his first band, The Zygotes, while in high school. In 1990, while a student at the University of Texas at Austin, Daniel formed his second band, Skellington, with Travis Hartnett, Mac Stringfellow, Paul Cannon, and Mike Hurewitz.[3] 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.[3]
The following year, Daniel joined a three-piece rockabilly band named The Alien Beats with Brad Shenfeld.[3] During a 1993 Alien Beats recording session, computer-chip designer and percussionist Jim Eno was brought in as a substitute drummer, and was later made the permanent drummer.[3] The Alien Beats released a 7" single in May 1993, disbanding soon after.[3]
On 5 May 2018, Daniel appeared on NPR's news quiz show Wait Wait... Don't Tell Me! for the regular celebrity question segment "Not My Job".
Spoon Edit
In 1993, Daniel and ex-Alien Beats drummer Eno, along with guitarist Greg Wilson and bassist Andy McGuire, formed Spoon. Spoon has served as Daniel's primary musical focus.
Drake Tungsten Edit
(aka Britt Daniel)
Drake Tungsten was the pseudonym which Daniel performed under from 1994 to 1996 as a solo artist.[5] When The Alien Beats disbanded in 1993, he decided to focus his music career on solo material that he had written over the previous years - songs that were more experimental and unfit for the styles of bands that he had previously played. Rather than releasing them under his proper name, Daniel decided to release them under the pseudonym Drake Tungsten. His first such album, Clocking Out Is For Suckers, was released in 1994 on cassette, and was distributed around his home town of Austin, Texas. Two years later, Tungsten released the five-song EP Six Pence for the Sauces on local label Peek-A-Boo Records. Also in 1996, Daniel began working again with drummer Jim Eno (previously from The Alien Beats) and began writing music under the moniker Spoon.[6] Five tracks that were released by Tungsten were later re-recorded and re-release by Spoon: "I Could Be Underground" on the 30 Gallon Tank EP; "Chicago At Night" on the Girls Can Tell LP; and "All the Negatives Have Been Destroyed", "Dismember", and "I Wanted To Be Your Friend" on Telephono.
Britt Daniel stopped using this pseudonym in 1996, and has not recorded a solo album since self-releasing of Six Pence for the Sauces. However, he has begun setting aside songs for a possible solo album, including "New York Kiss" and "Telephone My Heart,"[7] which he has been performing at solo shows since at least early 2006 (see [1]).
The pseudonym "Drake Tungsten" appears to be an homage to Episode 410 (first airing in 1992) of the comic television series Mystery Science Theater 3000. "Drake Tungsten" was one of several "tough guy names" proposed by the characters to fit the model of a monosyllabic first name followed by a metal or hard surface as a last name. Others included "Nick Pigiron" and "Russ Tilefloor."
Solo work Britt Daniel Edit
Daniel has reportedly begun setting aside songs for a possible solo album, including "New York Kiss" and "Telephone My Heart,"[7] which he has been performing at solo shows since at least early 2006.[8]
Divine Fits Edit
From 2011 to 2013, Daniel was 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 Edit
- In 1999, Daniel played bass for two gigs in the glam rock supergroup Golden Millennium, composed of fellow Peek-A-Boo Records labelmates.[9]
- In 2002, Daniel worked with Bright Eyes on the fourth volume of Post-Parlo's Home Series.
- In 2002, Daniel recorded bass, keyboards and backing vocals on the first Sally Crewe & The Sudden Moves album, "Drive It Like You Stole It" (12XU).
- 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 sound designer and composer for the computer game company Origin Systems.[10]
- In 2006, Daniel teamed up with Brian Reitzell and helped create some of the original music for the film Stranger Than Fiction.[11]
- 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.
- In 2015, he collaborated with Austin band Sweet Spirit on the song "Have Mercy" and a cover of Spoon's Paper Tiger.[12]
- In 2022, he sings harmonies with Conrad Keely on the song "Growing Divide" by the band ...And You Will Know Us by the Trail of Dead, from the album XI: Bleed Here Now.
Discography Edit
Skellington Edit
- The Town's Gone Dry (1991) Self-Released
- Skellington EP (1992) Self-Released
- Skellington Rex (1992) Self-Released
The Alien Beats Edit
- Cavin' In (1993) Syncretic Records
Drake Tungsten Edit
- Clocking Out Is For Suckers LP (1994, self-released)
- Six Pence for the Sauces EP (1996, Peek-A-Boo Records)
- "Dozy Vs. Drake - Upon Further Consideration" Single (1998, Revival Records)
- A song entitled "This is a Whipping" appeared on the Peek-A-Boo Records 1995 Compilation Bicycle Rodeo Bicycle Rodeo.[13]
Golden Millennium Edit
- Golden Millennium (1999) Peek-A-Boo Records
Spoon Edit
- 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
- Transference (2010) Merge Records
- They Want My Soul (2014) Loma Vista Recordings
- Hot Thoughts (2017) Matador Records
- Lucifer on the Sofa (2022) Matador Records
Divine Fits Edit
Solo recordings Edit
- Home: Volume IV (2002) Post-Parlo
See also Edit
References Edit
- ^ Mike DaRonco, "Drake Tungsten Biography", Allmusic, retrieved March 11, 2008.
- ^ Maron, Marc (16 April 2015). "Episode 594 - Britt Daniel / Jon Ronson" (Audio podcast interview). WTF with Marc Maron. Retrieved 18 April 2015.
- ^ a b c d e f Raoul Hernandez, "Drake Tungsten and his Boy Skellington", Austin Chronicle, January 25, 1999
- ^ 'Sup Magazine, "The Biography of Britt Daniel of Spoon As Told Through Music" October 14, 2007, at the Wayback Machine, December 2005. Retrieved October 11, 2007.
- ^ Peek-A-Boo Records Drake Tungsten Bio Page, PeekABooRecords.com. Retrieved October 11, 2007.
- ^ Raoul Hernandez, "Drake Tungsten and His Boy Skellington." The Austin Chronicle, January 25, 1999.
- ^ a b Sean O'Neal, "Britt Daniel of Spoon," March 6, 2008, at the Wayback Machine July 19, 2007. Retrieved October 12, 2007.
- ^ "Britt Daniel Live at Swedish American Hall on 2006-03-29". Internet Archive.
- ^ 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 October 12, 2007, at the Wayback Machine, ColumbiaRecords.com. Retrieved October 11, 2007.
- ^ "Sweet Spirit & Britt Daniel – "Paper Tiger" (Spoon Cover)". Stereogum.
- ^ Artist Bio: "Drake Tungsten", Peek-A-Boo Records, retrieved March 7, 2008.
External links Edit
- Britt Daniel collection at Internet Archive live music archive
- Peek-A-Boo Records: Drake Tungsten page
- Spoon Official Website