Fischerspooner

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Fischerspooner
Fischerspooner in concert, 2005.
Background information
Origin	New York, NY, USA
Genres	Electroclash Electronica
Years active	1998 - present
Labels	Ministry of Sound Capitol Kitsune International Deejay Gigolo Records
Website	http://www.fischerspooner.com/
Members
Warren Fischer Casey Spooner

Fischerspooner is an electroclash duo and performance troupe formed in 1998 in New York. The name is a portmanteau of the founders' last names, Warren Fischer and Casey Spooner. Spiking retro electropop tendencies (arguably similar to Kraftwerk, early Depeche Mode, and Gary Numan) Fischerspooner utilizes a modern approach to programming.

Career

Originally a duo formed by classically trained musician Warren Fischer and video-artist and experimental theater performer Casey Spooner for an impromptu rendition of their makeshift track "Indian Cab Driver" at the Astor Place Starbucks, the group grew to over 20 performers, most of whom are dancers and guest vocalists. "We started as a performance art piece about entertainment that ultimately became legitimate entertainment^[1]," said Casey Spooner, when talking about the group's origins in an April 2009 interview.

#1 or Best Album Ever (2001)

Their debut album, #1, originally titled Best Album Ever, has been released on several record labels, including International DJ Gigolo, Ministry of Sound and Capitol Records, and includes their hit singles "Sweetness", "Emerge", and a cover of Wire's "the 15th". In the final months of 2004, Fischerspooner opened up their FS Studios in New York City to the public for a few hours once a week, allowing people to meet the band and production team, as well as preview new video, music and dance projects that they were working on.

Odyssey (2005)

In 2005, Odyssey, the band's second album, was released to critical acclaim. The album featured more structured songs that weren't really electroclash, but more accurately electropop. "Odyssey was really about being on Capitol, which was this icon of classic American music, trying to embrace that cliché and find a way to embody it and infiltrate it and take it apart at the same time^[2]," says Spooner.

The lead single, "Just Let Go", featured live drums and guitars, a very different sound than heard on their first album. It was featured on Season 2 Episode 15 of Nip/Tuck as was "All We Are" on Season 3, Episode 1. The second single, "Never Win", went on to become the album's biggest hit, and was well received in both clubs and radio, as well as being used in the 2005 Happy Madison movie, Grandma's Boy. "A Kick in the Teeth" was rumored to be the album's third, and possibly final, single but was only pressed on 12" that included a remix by Tiefschwarz. This was followed quietly by a 12" of "We Need a War" with a mix by DJ Hell. Other remixes believed to have been done are of "All We Are" and "Get Confused".

After the album's release, Fischerspooner toured a new, more elaborate show in Europe, however the band found themselves without the funds to tour the show fully in North America. "I was incredibly frustrated because I had worked two years on this huge record and I was only able to perform for three months^[3]," recalls Spooner, who subsequently retreated to his theatrical roots, joining experimental New York performance ensemble The Wooster Group. During this period it was unclear whether the band would record together again, and in May 2007 they were released from their Capitol Records recording contract.

Entertainment (2009)

Early European gig recordings of "The Best Revenge" surfaced on the internet during summer 2007. "The Best Revenge" was released on January 14th 2008 with French label Kitsune Music. The track includes a remix package from the likes of Autokratz, Tocadisco, Alex Gopher, The Passions and Tony Senghore. Fischerspooner also released "Danse en France" as a single on the Kitsuné label.

Warren and Casey subsequently began to work on more material for a new album while Casey was performing the role of Ophelia's brother Laertes in The Wooster Group's production of Hamlet (Fischerspooner also contributed two original songs to the production). Released in North America via the band's own label FS Studios on May 4th, 2009, Entertainment is their third full-length album and was produced by Jeff Saltzman (The Killers, The Black Keys, The Sounds).

Band members

• Warren Fischer (composer)
• Casey Spooner (songwriter/vocals)
• Sam Kearney (Guitar)
• Peanuts, aka Jeremiah Clancy (attendant to Casey/actor)
• Cindy Greene (vocals)
• Lizzy Yoder (vocals)
• Ian Pai (Musical Director/Drums)
• Vanessa Walters (Choreographer/Dancer)
• Stephanie Dixon (Dancer)

A full list of members, including those behind the camera can be found here.

Discography

Albums

• Bootleg (self-titled, with PS1 Cover Artwork) (1998)
• Fischerspooner (2000) - "For Those Who Know" release
• #1 or Best Album Ever, originally titled Best Album Ever, "International DJ Gigolos" release in 2001, Ministry of Sound release in 2002, Capitol Records reissue with DVD in 2003
• Odyssey (2005) US #172
• Entertainment (2009)

Singles

• #1 Supplement EP (2001)
• "Emerge" (2002) UK #25
• "The 15th" (2002)
• "L.A. Song" / "Sweetness" (2003)
• "Just Let Go" (2005)
• "Never Win" (2005) UK #55
• "A Kick In The Teeth" / "All We Are" (2005)
• "We Need A War" (2006)
• "The Best Revenge" (2008)
• "Danse En France" (2008)
• "Supply & Demand" (2009)

Music videos

• "Emerge" - Original version (2000)
• "Emerge" - Skin version (2003)
• "The 15th" (2003)
• "Sweetness" (2003)
• "Just Let Go" (2005)
• "Never Win" (2005)
• "Never Win" - Mirwais version (2005)
• "All We Are" (made for a Coca-Cola project by Rex & Tennant) (http://www.them5.com) (2006)
• "Get Confused" (2008)
• "We Are Electric" (2009)

References

External links

Wikimedia Commons has media related to: Fischerspooner

• Fischerspooner official website