Spencer Albee | |
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Birth name | Spencer Aaron Albee |
Born | Dover, New Hampshire | May 31, 1976
Origin | Portland, Maine |
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Years active | 1995–present |
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Spencer Aaron Albee (born May 31, 1976) is an American musician, singer and songwriter from Portland, Maine. Albee has been part of the Portland music scene for over two decades. [1] [2] Previously, Albee fronted As Fast As and was the keyboardist and backup singer for the band Rustic Overtones. Albee released the solo album Spencer in July 2013.
Albee was born in Dover, New Hampshire, and raised in the town of York, Maine, where he was influenced at an early age by his grandfather, a banjo player and music enthusiast. Early groups that influenced Albee included Paul McCartney, Harry Nilsson, Brian Wilson and David Bowie. In particular, Beatles bass player Paul McCartney left an indelible mark on Albee's musical development. [3] [4]
Albee was first introduced to the piano by his parents, and without much formal training picked up the instrument mostly by ear. From there he dabbled in guitar (playing right-handed despite being a natural lefty), bass, tuba, recorder, harmonica, and accordion. He also developed his voice by singing in his school's chorus.
At the age of 18, Albee dropped out of the University of Southern Maine to join the regionally popular Rustic Overtones as their keyboard player. His relationship with the band would last several years and give him the opportunity to work with the likes of David Bowie, Funkmaster Flex and Imogen Heap.
After Rustic Overtones broke up, Albee formed a solo effort he dubbed "The Popsicko", under the pseudonym "Frankenstein". Due to a variety of circumstances, the band Albee had assembled for the project only played a few gigs, and broke up quietly just months after inception. Albee's next endeavor was the much more successful Rocktopus, which recorded two albums and toured extensively. After the band's second album, Something Fierce , Albee changed the band's name to As Fast As. As Fast As released the critically acclaimed Open Letter to the Damned on A&M Octone Records and toured steadily behind it, crisscrossing the U.S. and Canada from 2004 to 2007.
Beginning in July 2007, Albee played with the reunited Rustic Overtones at concerts around New England following the independent release of Light at the End . [5] On August 15, 2008, the Portland Phoenix reported that Albee had parted ways with Rustic Overtones, telling the paper, "I need a change of pace, as well as clarity and perspective. Since 1995, I've been on tour and making records constantly, and now I find myself seeking respite." [6]
After the dissolution of As Fast As and his departure from Rustic Overtones, Albee formed Spencer and the School Spirit Mafia, and released "Candy, Cake and Ice Cream", followed by Space versus Speed's self-titled record. Then, in 2013, he released his first solo record Spencer.
In the fall of 2014 Albee released the solo EP Love is Not Enough. [7]
His sophomore solo album Mistakes Were Made was released on April 28, 2015. [8]
The soundtrack of Albee's song, Wait For The War, is played during the closing credits of the movie Night of the Living Deb (2015). [9]
His third solo album Relentlessly Yours was released on May 16, 2017. [10]
With Rustic Overtones
Title | Release date | Label |
Long Division | 1995 | Ripcord Records |
Rooms by the Hour | 1998 | Ripcord Records |
¡Viva Nueva! | 2001 | Tommy Boy/Warner Bros. |
Light at the End | 2007 | Velour |
With Rocktopus/As Fast As
Title | Release date | Label |
I Love You! Good Morning! | 2002 | Independent |
Something Fierce | 2003 | Independent |
Open Letter to the Damned | 2004 | Independent |
Open Letter to the Damned(re-release) | 2006 | A&M Octone Records |
Destroy the Plastique Man | 2008 | Independent |
AFA for Effort | 2009 | Independent |
Solo
Title | Release date | Label |
The Popsicko Vol. 1 | 2000 | Independent |
Spencer | 2013 | Independent |
Signature Half-Step a Retrospective 2000-2014 (Compilation) | 2014 | Independent |
Love is Not Enough (EP) | 2014 | Independent |
Mistakes Were Made | 2015 | Independent |
Relentlessly Yours | 2017 | Independent |
The Popsicko, Vol. 2 | 2020 | Independent |
With Spencer and the School Spirit Mafia
Title | Release date | Label |
Candy, Cake, & Ice Cream | 2009 | Independent |
With Space Versus Speed
Title | Release date | Label |
Space Versus Speed | 2010 | Independent |
With Bell Systems
Title | Release date | Label |
Three Songs to Dance To. (EP) | 2019 | Independent |
Better Now (Single) | 2020 | Independent |
With Palomino Motel
Title | Release date | Label |
Make This Easy (Single) | 2022 | Independent |
The Beatles were an English rock band formed in Liverpool in 1960, comprising John Lennon, Paul McCartney, George Harrison and Ringo Starr. They are regarded as the most influential band of all time and were integral to the development of 1960s counterculture and the recognition of popular music as an art form. Rooted in skiffle, beat and 1950s rock 'n' roll, their sound incorporated elements of classical music and traditional pop in innovative ways. The band also explored music styles ranging from folk and Indian music to psychedelia and hard rock. As pioneers in recording, songwriting and artistic presentation, the Beatles revolutionized many aspects of the music industry and were often publicized as leaders of the era's youth and sociocultural movements.
Beatles for Sale is the fourth studio album by the English rock band the Beatles. It was released on 4 December 1964 in the United Kingdom on EMI's Parlophone label. The album marked a departure from the upbeat tone that had characterised the Beatles' previous work, partly due to the band's exhaustion after a series of tours that had established them as a worldwide phenomenon in 1964. Beatles for Sale was not widely available in the US until 1987, when the Beatles' catalogue was standardised for release on CD. Instead, eight of the album's fourteen tracks appeared on Capitol Records' concurrent release, Beatles '65, issued in North America only.
Paul McCartney and Wings, often billed simply as Wings, were an English-American rock band formed in 1971 in London by former Beatles bassist, guitarist and singer Paul McCartney, his wife Linda McCartney on keyboards, session drummer Denny Seiwell, and former Moody Blues guitarist Denny Laine. Wings were noted for their commercial successes, musical eclecticism and frequent personnel changes; going through three lead guitarists and four drummers. However, the core trio of the McCartneys and Laine remained intact throughout the group's existence.
"Helter Skelter" is a song by the English rock band the Beatles from their 1968 album The Beatles. It was written by Paul McCartney and credited to Lennon–McCartney. The song was McCartney's attempt to create a sound as loud and dirty as possible. It is regarded as a key influence in the early development of heavy metal. In 1976, the song was released as the B-side of "Got to Get You into My Life" in the United States, to promote the Capitol Records compilation Rock 'n' Roll Music.
Band on the Run is the third studio album by the British–American rock band Paul McCartney and Wings, released by Apple on 30 November 1973. It was McCartney's fifth album after leaving the Beatles in April 1970. Although sales were modest initially, its commercial performance was aided by two hit singles – "Jet" and "Band on the Run" – such that it became the top-selling studio album of 1974 in the United Kingdom and Australia, in addition to revitalising McCartney's critical standing. It remains McCartney's most successful album and the most celebrated of his post-Beatles works.
Rustic Overtones is an American rock band from Maine, United States, active between 1993 and 2002 and from 2007 to the present. They were the first group to perform live on XM Satellite Radio, and their 2007 album Light at the End was the fastest-selling local disc ever in the state of Maine.
¡Viva Nueva! is the fourth album by the Rustic Overtones, released in 2001 before their highly publicized breakup a year later. With 16 tracks, the album has the most songs of any Rustic Overtones album to date. Tommy Boy Records distributed the album after relations soured between the Rustic Overtones and major label Arista Records. The group produced a (supposedly) million-dollar record with Arista, then found themselves in trouble with the label after playing an extraordinarily hardcore set. It is said that an Arista representative was heard to admonish the group, yelling "We thought you were going to be like the Dave Matthews Band!" The group claimed that they had made no such promise, and Arista allowed them to take the record with them when they left. This album was then given to Tommy Boy for release, with the approval their fans. In December, 2009, the Portland Phoenix ranked ¡Viva Nueva! the tenth greatest local album of the decade, saying that, "The fact that the vagaries of the music business beat them back doesn't diminish its greatness," and called it "Maine's first real major-league rock album."
As Fast As, formerly known as Rocktopus, is an alternative rock/power pop band from Portland, Maine, USA which formed in 2001. The band was formed as Rocktopus and released two albums under that name before changing their name to As Fast As.
Long Division is the second album by the Rustic Overtones, originally released on November 17, 1995. At one hour and seven minutes, the album remains the band's longest release to date. "Simple Song", the second track from the album, received extensive airtime from Portland alternative station WCYY, and is largely responsible for the band's rise to prominence on the Portland music scene. The album remains a fan favorite, and was re-released in a special edition format with three bonus tracks in 2008.
Paul Is Live is a live album by Paul McCartney, released in 1993 during his New World Tour in support of his studio album Off the Ground, released that same year. Paul Is Live contains live recordings of McCartney and his touring band—which at the time included his then-wife Linda and guitarist Robbie McIntosh—performing songs by McCartney's former bands The Beatles and Wings, as well as songs from his solo career. The tracks included on the album were recorded at various concerts during his New World Tour, in several American cities and in Australia.
"I've Just Seen a Face" is a song by the English rock band the Beatles. It was released in August 1965 on their album Help!, except in North America, where it appeared as the opening track on the December 1965 release Rubber Soul. Written and sung by Paul McCartney, the song is credited to the Lennon–McCartney partnership. The song is a cheerful love ballad, its lyrics discussing a love at first sight while conveying an adrenaline rush the singer experiences that makes him both enthusiastic and inarticulate.
"She's a Woman" is a song by the English rock band the Beatles, written primarily by Paul McCartney and credited to Lennon–McCartney. It was released on a non-album single in November 1964 as the B-side to "I Feel Fine", except in North America, where it also appeared on the album Beatles '65, released in December 1964. Though it was the B-side, it charted in the US, reaching number four on the Billboard Hot 100 and number eight on the Cash Box Top 100. The song originated in McCartney's attempt to write a song in the style of Little Richard. The lyrics include the first reference to drugs in a Beatles song, with the line "turn(s) me on" referring to marijuana.
Wings University Tour was an impromptu UK concert tour by Paul McCartney & Wings in 1972, shortly after the band's formation and initial album release, Wild Life. Wings' lineup for the tour was Paul and Linda McCartney, Denny Laine, Henry McCullough, and Denny Seiwell.
"Band on the Run" is a song by the British–American rock band Paul McCartney and Wings, the title track to their 1973 album Band on the Run.
Something Fierce is the second album by Rocktopus, produced by Spencer Albee and Steve Drown, and released in 2003. The songs "Vacation" and "Something Fierce" received airplay on New England rock radio stations such as WFNX.
Light at the End is a 2007 studio album by the Portland, Maine band Rustic Overtones, the first album by the band since its break-up in 2002. The album was recorded in spring 2007 and released on July 24, 2007. It has become the fastest-selling local disc ever in the state of Maine. Songs on the album include the title track as well as the new song "Troublesome" and the previously unreleased fan favorite "Rock Like War", both of which were premiered on WCYY the day that the band announced their first patio show since their break-up. With only eleven tracks and a length of just over 40 minutes, the album is the band's shortest to date.
Sir James Paul McCartney is an English singer, songwriter and musician who gained worldwide fame with the Beatles, for whom he played bass guitar and shared primary songwriting and lead vocal duties with John Lennon. One of the most successful composers and performers of all time, McCartney is known for his melodic approach to bass-playing, versatile and wide tenor vocal range, and musical eclecticism, exploring genres ranging from pre–rock and roll pop to classical, ballads, and electronica. His songwriting partnership with Lennon is the most successful in modern music history.
The New Way Out is the sixth studio album by the Portland, Maine, band Rustic Overtones, released on November 11, 2009. Recorded throughout 2008 and 2009, the album is the band's first since the departure of keyboard player Spencer Albee, and their first full-length release of all-new material since ¡Viva Nueva!. With just over an hour of music, the album is the band's second longest after Long Division and features the most experimental work of their career.
Spencer is the debut solo album and fourteenth studio album release overall by Spencer Albee. The album was announced in the summer of 2012 with a PledgeMusic campaign, and the track listing was announced on June 19, 2013. The album was released on July 9, 2013.
Relentlessly Yours is the third solo album and sixteenth studio album release overall by Spencer Albee. The album was released in stores on May 16, 2017, with a release party at Port City Music Hall on June 2, 2017. A limited edition compilation EP featuring four unreleased B-side tracks from the Mistakes Were Made recording sessions was released on April 22, 2017.