Spencer Smith | |
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Born | Spencer James Smith September 2, 1987 [1] Denver, Colorado, U.S. |
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Spouse | Linda Ignarro (m. 2016) |
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Origin | Las Vegas, Nevada, U.S. |
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Formerly of | Panic! at the Disco |
Website | panicatthedisco |
Spencer James Smith (born September 2, 1987) is an American talent agent and former musician and songwriter. He is best known as a co-founding member and the former drummer of the rock band Panic! at the Disco. [2] He recorded four studio albums with the band: A Fever You Can't Sweat Out (2005), Pretty. Odd. (2008), Vices & Virtues (2011), and Too Weird to Live, Too Rare to Die! (2013). The band's debut album went triple platinum and charted at No. 13 on the US Billboard 200, spearheaded by the hit single "I Write Sins Not Tragedies", which peaked at No. 7 in the Billboard Hot 100.
After recording four albums with the band, he announced his departure from Panic! on April 2, 2015 via the band's official website, citing a need to settle his drug issues. [3] As of February 7, 2018, Smith works as an official manager and talent finder at DCD2 Records. [4]
Born in Colorado, Smith was raised in Las Vegas, Nevada and attended Bishop Gorman High School, [5] with former bandmate Ryan Ross.
Spencer Smith was the drummer for American rock band Panic! at the Disco, formed in 2004. Fall Out Boy bassist Pete Wentz discovered the band through the Internet and quickly signed them to his Decaydance Records label before the band had even played a single show. Smith has played the percussion parts on the band's first four studio albums, A Fever You Can't Sweat Out (2005), Pretty. Odd. (2008), Vices & Virtues (2011) and Too Weird to Live, Too Rare to Die! (2013). A Fever You Can't Sweat Out has sold over two million units worldwide, spurred on by the lead single "I Write Sins Not Tragedies" which became the band's second most successful song, reaching #7 on the US Billboard Hot 100 chart and becoming the band's mainstream breakthrough so early in their career. The 2008 album Pretty. Odd. debuted at #2 on the Billboard 200, however it was less widely received in comparison to Fever and quickly fell off the charts.[ citation needed ]
In 2007, members of The Cab sent Smith a demo and he helped sign them to Pete Wentz's record label, Decaydance. [6] Smith appears in the music videos "What a Catch, Donnie" and "Headfirst Slide into Cooperstown on a Bad Bet" by Fall Out Boy, and also appears in the Gym Class Heroes video for the song "Clothes Off!!" alongside bandmate Brendon Urie, and former Panic! at the Disco band members Ryan Ross and Jon Walker. The members are seen dancing in animal costumes, Smith being in a seal suit. In 2010, Smith and bandmate Brendon Urie appeared in Butch Walker's music video "Pretty Melody", appearing as ninjas. [7]
In 2009, founding member and guitarist Ryan Ross and bassist Jon Walker left the band, leaving Smith and vocalist Brendon Urie as the sole remaining members. [8] [9] Smith completed work on Panic! at the Disco's third studio album Vices & Virtues with bandmate Brendon Urie, which was released in March 2011. Prior to the release of Vices & Virtues, Smith co-starred with Brendon Urie in a seven-minute short film, called The Overture, directed by Shane Drake. [10] The short film addressed the departure of two former Panic! at the Disco members, founding member and guitarist Ryan Ross and bassist Jon Walker. [10]
In an April 2011 interview with Blogcritics , Smith revealed plans to expand Panic! at the Disco from the current duo with the addition of new band members saying, "We knew it would be just me and Brendon, but we have also left the option open to work with other people." [9] Smith also stated that being on tour is his favorite part of the musical process, though that would be impossible without work in the recording studio. [9]
On August 2, 2013, he released an open letter to his fans, coming clean about his battle with alcohol and prescription pills. [11] On August 7, 2013, Brendon Urie announced via the band's website that Smith would no longer be taking part in the tour, stating that "He is away getting the help that he needs." [12] On April 2, 2015, Smith announced his departure from Panic! at the Disco.
Panic! at the Disco is an American pop rock formed in Las Vegas, Nevada in 2004 by childhood friends Ryan Ross, Spencer Smith, Brent Wilson, and Brendon Urie. Following several lineup changes, Panic! at the Disco operated as the solo project of frontman Urie from 2015 until its discontinuation in 2023.
A Fever You Can't Sweat Out is the debut studio album by American pop rock band Panic! at the Disco. Produced by Matt Squire, the album was released on September 27, 2005, through Decaydance and Fueled by Ramen. The group formed in Las Vegas in 2004 and began posting demos online, which caught the attention of Fall Out Boy bassist Pete Wentz. Wentz signed the group to his own imprint label, Decaydance, without them having ever performed live. It is the only album released during original bassist Brent Wilson's time in the band, but the exact nature of his involvement in the writing and recording process became a source of contention upon his dismissal from the group in mid-2006.
George Ryan Ross III is an American musician, singer, and songwriter best known for his work as the former lead guitarist, backing and lead vocalist, and primary songwriter of the American rock band Panic! at the Disco before his departure in 2009. He alongside former Panic! bassist Jon Walker formed the Young Veins later that same year, in which Ross was the lead vocalist and guitarist. They broke up in 2010.
"But It's Better If You Do" is a song by American rock band Panic! at the Disco, released on May 1, 2006, as the third single from their debut album A Fever You Can't Sweat Out (2005). Taking its title from a quote said by Natalie Portman's character in the 2004 film Closer, the song was written by band members Ryan Ross, Brendon Urie and Spencer Smith, and is about being in and not enjoying the location of a strip club. "But It's Better If You Do" failed to recreate the success the previous single "I Write Sins Not Tragedies" had in the United States but found chart prominence in Europe and Oceania, peaking at number 10 in New Zealand, number 15 in Australia and number 23 in the UK. The accompanying music video for the song, directed by Shane Drake, features the band performing at a masquerade-style strip club.
"Build God, Then We'll Talk" is the fifth and final official single from Panic! at the Disco's 2005 album A Fever You Can't Sweat Out, including the radio-only single "The Only Difference Between Martyrdom and Suicide Is Press Coverage".
Brendon Boyd Urie is an American singer, songwriter, and musician who is best known as the former lead vocalist and frontman of Panic! at the Disco, the only constant member throughout the band's 19-year run.
Pretty. Odd. is the second studio album by American pop rock band Panic at the Disco, first released in the Netherlands on March 21, and released in the US on March 25, 2008 by Decaydance and Fueled by Ramen. Recorded at the Studio at the Palms in Paradise, Nevada with additional production at Abbey Road Studios in London with producer Rob Mathes, the album was inspired by baroque pop and the works of the Beach Boys and the Beatles, with its psychedelic-styled rock sound differing greatly from the techno-influenced pop-punk of the band's previous album A Fever You Can't Sweat Out (2005). It is the band's only major release to not feature an exclamation point in their name, being credited as "Panic at the Disco" for all major activities until summer the following year.
"Northern Downpour" is a song by American rock band Panic! at the Disco from their second studio album, Pretty. Odd. (2008). The song was released on November 14, 2008, as the fourth and final single from the album. The song was written by guitarist Ryan Ross and bassist Jon Walker, and was their final single with the band.
"Headfirst Slide into Cooperstown on a Bad Bet" is a song by the American rock band Fall Out Boy from their fourth studio album Folie à Deux (2008). It was initially released as a digital single as part of the buildup to the new album on iTunes on October 7, 2008. The song impacted United States modern rock radio on June 15, 2009.
"What a Catch, Donnie" is Fall Out Boy's second digital download single and third radio single from their fourth studio album Folie à Deux (2008). It was first released as part of the buildup to the new album on iTunes on October 14, 2008, and charted on the US and Canadian singles charts. The track features numerous musicians performing cameo appearances in the song, singing lines from past Fall Out Boy songs. Bassist and lyricist Pete Wentz has said that he wrote the song to remind himself of vocalist and guitarist Patrick Stump. Fall Out Boy played the song live on Late Night with Jimmy Fallon.
...Live in Chicago is a live album and concert film by American pop rock band Panic at the Disco. Released on December 2, 2008, it documents the band's performances at the Congress Theater in Chicago, Illinois, on May 23 and 24 on the 2008 Honda Civic Tour. At the time of its release the band dropped the exclamation mark from its band name; this would be the last release by the band with the exclamation name dropped.
"New Perspective" is a song by American rock band Panic! at the Disco, released on July 28, 2009, as a single promoting the film Jennifer's Body. Vocalist Brendon Urie began writing the song two years prior to its recording regarding a lucid dream he had. The song was completed in the summer of 2009, and was co-written by producer John Feldmann. "New Perspective" was Panic! at the Disco's first single in aftermath of the departure of guitarist Ryan Ross and bassist Jon Walker, both of whom had no involvement in the track. It also saw the return of the exclamation point in their name, after it was retired during the Pretty. Odd. era.
Dallon James Weekes is an American singer, songwriter, musician, and record producer. He was a member of Panic! at the Disco from 2009 to 2017, performing in the band as a bassist, keyboardist, and backing vocalist. He was also the frontman of the indie band and later solo musical project The Brobecks. Weekes currently performs as the frontman of I Dont Know How But They Found Me.
Vices & Virtues is the third studio album by American pop rock band Panic! at the Disco, released on March 22, 2011, by Fueled by Ramen. Produced by John Feldmann and Butch Walker, the album was recorded as a duo by vocalist and multi-instrumentalist Brendon Urie and drummer Spencer Smith, following the departure of lead guitarist, backing vocalist and primary lyricist Ryan Ross and bassist/backing vocalist Jon Walker in July 2009.
"The Ballad of Mona Lisa" is a song by American alternative rock band Panic! at the Disco, released February 1, 2011, as the first single from the group's third studio album, Vices & Virtues (2011). Vocalist Brendon Urie wrote the song to express personal struggles and convictions many years prior to its official production for Vices & Virtues. The song impacted radio on February 15, 2011. The song has received positive critical reviews upon its release and reached number 89 on the Billboard Hot 100.
"Let's Kill Tonight" is a song by the American rock band Panic! at the Disco, released on August 29, 2011, as the third and final single from their third studio album, Vices & Virtues (2011). The band released a tour video on August 23, 2011. The song was first revealed along with three other songs from the album on February 1, 2011, when the band performed at the Bowery Ballroom in Manhattan. The studio version made its debut in the band's short film The Overture, released 9 days before the album.
Too Weird to Live, Too Rare to Die! is the fourth studio album by American pop rock band Panic! at the Disco. The album was released on October 8, 2013 by Decaydance and Fueled by Ramen. Recorded as a trio, the album was produced by Butch Walker, and is the only album to feature bassist Dallon Weekes since he officially joined the band in 2010. This was also the final album to feature drummer Spencer Smith, thus making this Panic!'s final album as a rock band, with further releases being made as a solo project fronted by Brendon Urie.
Death of a Bachelor is the fifth studio album by Panic! at the Disco, and their first as a solo project, released on January 15, 2016 by Fueled by Ramen and DCD2. It is the follow-up to the band's fourth studio album, Too Weird to Live, Too Rare to Die! (2013), with the entire album written and recorded by vocalist/multi-instrumentalist Brendon Urie, who collaborated with other writers including Jake Sinclair, Morgan Kibby, Lolo, and Sam Hollander. It is the band's first album to not feature drummer Spencer Smith and also follows bassist Dallon Weekes' departure from the official line-up, subsequently becoming a touring member once again.
"King of the Clouds" is a song by Panic! at the Disco released on June 18, 2018 as the second promotional single from their sixth studio album, Pray for the Wicked, through Fueled by Ramen and DCD2 Records.
Viva Las Vengeance is the seventh studio album by American pop rock solo project Panic! at the Disco, released on August 19, 2022, through Fueled by Ramen and DCD2 Records. It is their first studio album in 4 years since their 2018 album, Pray for the Wicked, marking their longest gap between studio albums, and the last album prior to the project's disbandment. It was announced alongside the release of the lead single and title track "Viva Las Vengeance" on June 1, 2022, and was supported by a tour that began in North America in the third quarter of 2022, and ended in Europe in March 2023. The tour included support from Jake Wesley Rogers, Marina and the Diamonds, and Beach Bunny in the United States, and Fletcher on international dates. The tour saw Urie perform the album in its entirety, along with greatest hits. The tour sold out several venues worldwide and earned the band's highest grossing concert of all time at their Madison Square Garden show.