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Britt Daniel

From Alfawiki
Britt Daniel
Born (1971-04-14) April 14, 1971 (age 55)
Galveston, Texas, U.S.
Occupation(s)Musician, singer-songwriter
Years active1988–present
Known forCo-founder, lead vocalist, and guitarist of Spoon; member of Divine Fits; solo project Drake Tungsten

John Britt Daniel (born April 14, 1971) is an American artist recognized as the co-founder, lead vocalist, and guitarist of the indie rock ensemble Spoon. Additionally, he co-initiated the group Divine Fits, where he contributed guitar, bass, and vocal performances. During the early 1990s, Daniel also launched several other musical projects.[1]

Early life

Daniel was born in Galveston, Texas and raised in Temple, Texas, close to Austin. As the oldest of three siblings, his father—a neurologist and avid guitar collector—played a significant role in sparking his musical interests. Following a personal challenge during high school, Daniel began learning to play the guitar.[2]

Career

Daniel’s initial band, The Zygotes, was formed in 1988. While attending the University of Texas at Austin in 1990, he created Skellington alongside Travis Hartnett and others. Skellington independently released This Town's Gone Dry (1991) and the Skellington EP (1992), with some songs later re-recorded for Spoon’s first album Telephono.[3]

In 1993, Daniel became a member of the rockabilly band The Alien Beats alongside Brad Shenfeld. During recording sessions, Jim Eno substituted on drums and was soon made a permanent member. The Alien Beats released a 7" single before disbanding shortly after.[3]

On May 5, 2018, Daniel participated as a guest on NPR’s quiz show Wait Wait... Don't Tell Me! in the celebrity segment titled "Not My Job".

Spoon

In 1993, Daniel teamed up with former Alien Beats drummer Eno, guitarist Greg Wilson, and bassist Andy McGuire to establish Spoon, which has since been Daniel’s main creative endeavor.

Drake Tungsten

Between 1994 and 1996, Daniel performed solo under the alias Drake Tungsten. Following the dissolution of The Alien Beats in 1993, he produced more experimental solo recordings under this moniker. His debut album, Clocking Out Is For Suckers, was released locally on cassette in Austin in 1994. In 1996, he issued a five-track EP titled Six Pence for the Sauces via Peek-A-Boo Records. That same year marked his reunion with drummer Jim Eno and the beginning of writing material as Spoon.

Divine Fits

From 2011 until 2013, Daniel was involved with Divine Fits, a collaborative band featuring members from Spoon, Wolf Parade, and New Bomb Turks. Their first album, A Thing Called Divine Fits, was launched on August 28, 2012 through Merge Records. The lead single "My Love Is Real" debuted on July 10, 2012.

Collaborations

  • In 1999, Daniel played bass during two performances with glam rock supergroup Golden Millennium, formed by Peek-A-Boo Records labelmates.
  • He worked with Bright Eyes in 2002 on Post-Parlo’s Home Series volume four release.
  • That same year, he contributed bass guitar, keyboards, and backing vocals to Sally Crewe & The Sudden Moves’ debut album "Drive It Like You Stole It" (12XU).
  • Daniel has produced tracks for acts such as I Love You But I've Chosen Darkness and Interpol.
  • In 2004, he created a remix of Interpol’s "Slow Hands" for their single release.
  • Earlier in his career, he worked as a sound designer and composer for the computer game company Origin Systems.
  • In 2006, Daniel collaborated with Brian Reitzell to compose original music for the film Stranger Than Fiction.
  • He made an appearance in the Veronica Mars episode "Rashard and Wallace Go to White Castle" (2006), performing a karaoke rendition of Elvis Costello’s "Veronica".
  • In 2009, he produced the album It's Frightening by the band White Rabbits.
  • In 2015, Daniel partnered with Austin-based Sweet Spirit on their track "Have Mercy" and recorded a cover of Spoon’s "Paper Tiger".
  • Most recently in 2022, he provided vocal harmonies alongside Conrad Keely on "...And You Will Know Us by the Trail of Dead"'s song "Growing Divide" from their album XI: Bleed Here Now.

Skellington

  • The Town's Gone Dry (1991) Independently Released
  • Skellington EP (1992) Independently Released
  • Skellington Rex (1992) Independently Released

The Alien Beats

  • Cavin' In (1993) Syncretic Records

Drake Tungsten

Golden Millennium

Spoon

Divine Fits

Solo recordings

See also

External links

  1. ↑ Mike DaRonco, [[[:Template:AllMusic]] "Drake Tungsten Biography"], Allmusic, retrieved March 11, 2008.
  2. ↑ 'Sup Magazine, "The Biography of Britt Daniel of Spoon As Told Through Music", December 2005.
  3. ↑ 3.0 3.1 Raoul Hernandez, "Drake Tungsten and his Boy Skellington", Austin Chronicle, January 25, 1999
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