Tyler Spencer (born January 22, 1972), also known as Dick Valentine, is an American singer, songwriter, musician, and author. He is best known as the lead vocalist, main lyricist, and co-founder of the rock band Electric Six.[1][2]

Tyler Spencer
Spencer in October 2010
Spencer in October 2010
Background information
Birth nameTyler Spencer
Also known asDick Valentine
Taylor Spencer
Jackson Pounder
Born (1972-01-22) January 22, 1972 (age 52)
Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, U.S.
OriginDetroit, Michigan, U.S.
GenresAlternative rock, dance-rock, dance-punk, folk, freak folk
Occupation(s)Singer, songwriter, musician, author
Instrument(s)Vocals, guitar, drums, keyboards
WebsiteOfficial website

Career

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Spencer founded Electric Six in 1996, at which time the band was named the Wildbunch, but this was changed because another band had the same name.[3] He is also one of the two members of the dance group Evil Cowards,[4] is one of the vocalists for hard rock band Bang Camaro, and was temporarily a member of the short-lived band The Dirty Shame. He released his first solo album, Destroy the Children, under the Dick Valentine pseudonym on May 14, 2012.[5]

Discography

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Electric Six

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The Dirty Shame

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  • Smog Cutter Love Story (2000)[6]

Evil Cowards

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Solo

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Bite Me

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Excluding appearances on other artists' songs, Dick Valentine's first solo venture was the soundtrack for Machinima original series Bite Me. Valentine's Evil Cowards bandmate, William Bates, scored the series, while Valentine wrote and performed a variety of original songs. Despite repeated claims that the songs would be made commercially available, Machinima are still yet to release any of them.[7]

On September 11, 2011, Machinima released a music video for Valentine's song "Zombie, Zombie Skeleton" to promote the release of Dead Rising 2.[8]

On June 14, 2012, Dick Valentine collaborated with Mighty Tiny to create The Dick Valentine Band. They performed a live show of the Bite Me soundtrack.[citation needed]

Albums

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Year Title Notes
2012 Destroy the Children Studio album
2013 Halloween Fingers Studio album
2015 Here Come the Bags! Studio album
2016 Quiet Time Studio album consisting of acoustic renditions of songs originally by Electric Six and Evil Cowards
The Dick Valentine Raw Collection Compilation album composed of demo material produced for Dick Valentine solo albums and Electric Six projects. Was released exclusively as a pledge gift for Electric Six's Kickstarter campaign relating to Roulette Stars of Metro Detroit.
2017 Robocalls Studio album
2019 Illuminati Bees Studio album
2019 Bite Me: Songs from a Zombie Show Studio album
2020 Parrot People Studio album
2021 Coma Watching Studio album
2023 This Is Hell! Studio album
2024 Do You Notice? Studio album

Singles and Appearances

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Year Title Project Vocals Writer
2000 "Private Affair"[9] Bantam Rooster song, released as a B-side on their single, "Big Mess" Yes No
2006 "Unstoppable"[10] TV Rock song featured on their album Sunshine City - credited as Tyler Spencer Yes No
2009 "Nuclear Cowboy" J-Lobster song featured on their album Mindless Pleasures[11] Yes No
"I'm a Vampire" Shitting Glitter single - credited as Rich N. Famous[12] Yes No
2012 "The Shrinking Planet" Single by Massive Horse, later included on their album About Last Night recorded under the new name of Nightmares from the Discothèque Yes No
2013 "He's a Freak"[13] Andy D song featured on album Warcries Yes No
"Last Christmas"[14] Cover version single by Fall On Your Sword Yes No
2017 "I Love You, I Steal Your Gas!" Single by Dick Valentine and Mark Mallman[15] Yes Yes
2020 "Summer Wine" Single by Victoria Liedtke & Dick Valentine - Cover of Nancy Sinatra & Lee Hazlewood song[16] Yes No

Bibliography

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Release Date Title Project
3 January 2014 "Residential Intruders in the 21st Century: Real Demons, Aliens and Monsters That Visit My Apartment" 5-page pamphlet on the "demons, monsters and aliens that constantly visit [Dick] in [his] home".[17]
13 May 2014 Chinatown Reacharound Pornographic thriller novella. The first book in the Bart Ducane trilogy.[18]
17 July 2014 "Dick Valentine's 2014 Party Planner" 41-page party planner.[19]
27 January 2015 "Dick Valentine's 2015 Party Planner Guide" 57-page party planner - an updated version of the 2014 Party Planner[20]
22 January 2016 Fairfax Facial Pornographic thriller novella. Sequel to Chinatown Reacharound and the second book in the Bart Ducane trilogy.[21]
30 January 2017 Glendale Glory Hole Pornographic thriller novella. Sequel to Fairfax Facial and the final book in the Bart Ducane trilogy.[22]

Filmography

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Year Title Project Writer Executive Producer Actor Role
2002 "Danger! High Voltage" Electric Six music video to promote Fire Yes (songwriter) No Yes Man
2003 "Gay Bar" Yes (songwriter) No Yes Abraham Lincoln
"Dance Commander" Yes (songwriter) No Yes Dick Valentine
2004 "Radio Ga Ga" Electric Six music video to promote Señor Smoke No No Yes Freddie Mercury
2006 "Mr. Woman" Electric Six music video to promote Switzerland Yes (songwriter) Yes Yes Dick Valentine
"I Buy the Drugs" Yes (songwriter) Yes Yes Dick Valentine
"Chocolate Pope" Yes (songwriter) Yes Yes Dick Valentine (voice)
"Rubber Rocket" Yes (songwriter) Yes Yes Singing Voice
2007 "Infected Girls" Yes (songwriter) Yes Yes Dick Valentine
"It's Showtime!" Electric Six music video to promote I Shall Exterminate Everything Around Me That Restricts Me from Being the Master Yes (songwriter) Yes Yes Singer's Voice
"Down at McDonnelzzz" Yes (songwriter) Yes Yes Centaur
"Randy's Hot Tonight" Yes (songwriter) Yes Yes Dick Valentine
2008 "One Gallon Axe" White Gold music video Yes (songwriter) No Yes Voice of White Gold
"Tame the White Tiger" Yes (songwriter) No Yes Voice of White Gold
"Is It Me Or Do You Love My Hair?" Yes (songwriter) No Yes Voice of White Gold
"There's Something Very Wrong With Us, So Let's Go Out Tonight" Electric Six music video to promote Switzerland Yes (songwriter) Yes Yes Grim Reaper
"Formula 409" Electric Six music video to promote Flashy Yes (songwriter) Yes Yes Dick Valentine
"Making Progress" Yes (songwriter) Yes Yes Singer
"Pulling the Plug on the Party" Electric Six music video to promote Switzerland Yes (songwriter) Yes Yes Singing Voice
2009 "Body Shot" Electric Six music video to promote KILL Yes (songwriter) Yes Yes Man
"Battle for Milkquarious" Promotional short film Yes (songwriter) No Yes (uncredited) Singing voice of White Gold
"Love Pigs" Evil Cowards music video to promote Covered in Gas Yes (songwriter) Yes Yes Evil Coward
2010 Starlight & Superfish Feature film No No Yes Bill Laserman
2011 "Zombie, Zombie Skeleton" Dick Valentine music video Yes (songwriter) No Yes Singing voice
"You're a Mean One, Mr. Grinch" Electric Six live performance video produced for The A.V. Club No No Yes Dick Valentine[23]
2012 "Psychic Visions" Electric Six music video to promote Heartbeats and Brainwaves Yes Yes Yes Dick Valentine
"That Voodoo You Do, or 'The Legba Luncheon'" Short film Yes Yes Yes Flatbrush Frank
"Bedford Avenue Wine Distributors" Evil Cowards music video to promote Moving Through Security Yes (songwriter) Yes Yes Evil Coward
"The Shrinking Planet" Massive Horse music video No No Yes The Colonel
2013 "Last Christmas" Fall On Your Sword music video No No Yes Singing Voice
2014 Absolute Treasure Electric Six concert film Yes Yes (uncredited) Yes Himself - Dick Valentine
2016 Roulette Stars of Metro Detroit Electric Six mockumentary feature film Yes Yes Yes Dick Valentine and Voice of Darren Nucleus?
2017 "I Love You, I Steal Your Gas" Dick Valentine and Mark Mallman music video Yes (songwriter) Yes Yes Dick Valentine
"I'll Be In Touch" Electric Six music video to promote Fresh Blood for Tired Vampyres Yes (songwriter) Yes Yes Dick Valentine
"I Got the Box" Yes (songwriter) Yes Yes Flatbrush Frank[24]
2018 Chill Out! Electric Six concert broadcast Yes Yes Yes Himself - Dick Valentine[25]

References

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  1. ^ "Electric Six to perform at St. Andrew's Hall in Detroit Saturday". Booth Newspapers. November 26, 2008. Retrieved August 5, 2010.
  2. ^ "MUSIC: SPINS; Burning Down the Garage". The New York Times. Retrieved October 15, 2011.
  3. ^ "Sax as a Weapon: You Didn't Know That Rock 'n' Roll Burned". Village Voice. April 1, 2003. Retrieved April 17, 2012.
  4. ^ "Electric Six Frontman Is An Evil Coward". College Music Journal. May 11, 2009. Retrieved August 5, 2010.
  5. ^ "The Politics Of Dancing: An Election Year Blog By Dick Valentine @ Antiquiet Blogs". Antiquiet.com. March 5, 2012. Retrieved April 2, 2013.
  6. ^ "Smog Cutter Love Story". Discogs.
  7. ^ "Other Bands". Electricsix.co.uk.
  8. ^ Zombie, Zombie Skeleton. YouTube. Archived from the original on September 21, 2011.
  9. ^ Discogs.com
  10. ^ AllMusic
  11. ^ Discogs
  12. ^ Reverbnation.com
  13. ^ Beatport.com
  14. ^ iTunes
  15. ^ Discogs
  16. ^ Discogs
  17. ^ Amazon.com
  18. ^ Electricsix.co.uk
  19. ^ Amazon.com
  20. ^ Amazon.com
  21. ^ Electricsix.co.uk
  22. ^ Amazon.com
  23. ^ The A.V. Club
  24. ^ Facebook.com
  25. ^ Kickstarter.com
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