Who

Spooner is the hyper-dramatic frontman of electropop group Fischerspooner.

Backstory

Georgia native Spooner formed Fischerspooner with art school classmate (and classically-trained musician) Warren Fischer in 1999. The two originally teamed up to work on a TV pilot. When it fell through, they turned to music and held their first show at the Astor Place Starbucks, with Spooner performing a half-baked song called "Indian Cab Fever" backed only by a boom box. The group soon grew in size (as many as 20 backup singers and dancers) and Spooner and Fischer elected to forgo the club circuit, staging their over-the-top performances at art galleries like SoHo's Deitch Projects instead. Fischerspooner was already an art-world sensation by the time their eponymous debut came out in 2000; in 2002, they signed with U.K.-based Ministry of Sound for a reported $2 million. They've since released three albums—each on a different label.

Of note

While Spooner and Fischer were once frequently lumped in with the electroclash movement, a scene that quickly crumbled under its own hype, Fischerspooner has proved more durable. Their New Wave/dance sounds remain popular with club crowds and their live shows, which involve multimedia, dancing, and performance art, still attract an audience thanks to Spooner's flair for the dramatic—and despite the fact that he unapologetically lip-synchs his way through many of the band's gigs.

In person

Spooner's reputation for being difficult has led to more than a few conflicts. He once called the music mag NME and demanded, "Whose cock do I have to suck to get on the cover?"

Personal

Spooner, who lives in Williamsburg, once dated R.E.M. frontman Michael Stipe.