John Spiker
Encyclopedia
John Spiker is an American musician primarily known for being the bassist for Tenacious D
Tenacious D
Tenacious D is an American rock band that was formed in Los Angeles, California in 1994. Composed of lead vocalist and guitarist Jack Black and lead guitarist and vocalist Kyle Gass, the band has released two albums – Tenacious D and The Pick of Destiny...

 since 1999, and for the Industrial Rock band Filter
Filter (band)
Filter is a rock group formed in 1993 in Cleveland by singer Richard Patrick and guitarist/programmer Brian Liesegang. Filter has released five studio albums, the most recent being The Trouble with Angels, which was released on August 17, 2010....

 from 2008 to 2010. He currently plays guitars and keys with Ronnie Vannucci's band Big Talk
Big Talk
-Critical Reception:SPINs William Goodman wrote "While Brandon Flowers has been largely credited with the Killers' infectious rock melodies and hooks, it now appears that the band's secret weapon was sitting behind the drum kit." He continues that single "Getaways" is "an anthemic electro-rock jam...

.

Biography

Spiker was born and raised in Columbus, Ohio and graduated from Upper Arlington High School
Upper Arlington High School (Ohio)
Upper Arlington High School is the sole high school in the Upper Arlington City School District in Upper Arlington, Ohio, a northwest suburb of Columbus, Ohio. It receives students from Jones Middle School and Hastings Middle School. The principal of the high school is Mr. Kip Greenhill...

 in 1999. He got his start in music playing the piano and drums at a very young age. He has played guitar since age 12.

In 2011, Spiker joined Ronnie Vannucci's new band Big Talk
Big Talk
-Critical Reception:SPINs William Goodman wrote "While Brandon Flowers has been largely credited with the Killers' infectious rock melodies and hooks, it now appears that the band's secret weapon was sitting behind the drum kit." He continues that single "Getaways" is "an anthemic electro-rock jam...

. He plays keys, guitar, and sings backup vocals with Big Talk.
Spiker spent the beginning of 2011 touring with Disney Channel
Disney Channel
Disney Channel is an American basic cable and satellite television network, owned by the Disney-ABC Television Group division of The Walt Disney Company. It is under the direction of Disney-ABC Television Group President Anne Sweeney. The channel's headquarters is located on West Alameda Ave. in...

's Shane Harper
Shane Harper
Shane Steven Harper is an American actor, dancer and singer. He is best known for his recurring role as Spencer Walsh in the Disney Channel's teen sitcom Good Luck Charlie. His self-titled debut album was released on April 12, 2011....

. He played guitar and sang backup with Shane.
He has spent a good part of 2011 recording on the new Tenacious D
Tenacious D
Tenacious D is an American rock band that was formed in Los Angeles, California in 1994. Composed of lead vocalist and guitarist Jack Black and lead guitarist and vocalist Kyle Gass, the band has released two albums – Tenacious D and The Pick of Destiny...

 album. Spiker is engineering the new album, along with playing bass.
Spiker also Produced the new album for Brooks Wackerman
Brooks Wackerman
Brooks Wackerman is the current drummer for the American punk band Bad Religion and the younger brother of Chad Wackerman, formerly a member of Frank Zappa's band.-Career:...

's band, Kidneys, for which Spiker plays bass.

In 2010 Spiker toured with a few new bands, as well as doing session work as a guitarist, bassist, producer, and engineer. He recently played "Bonnaroo" with "Tenacious D
Tenacious D
Tenacious D is an American rock band that was formed in Los Angeles, California in 1994. Composed of lead vocalist and guitarist Jack Black and lead guitarist and vocalist Kyle Gass, the band has released two albums – Tenacious D and The Pick of Destiny...

" and "Wango Tango
Wango Tango
Wango Tango is an annual day-long concert produced on by local Los Angeles radio station KIIS-FM. The concert series has been staged at various venues around southern California including Dodger Stadium in Los Angeles, the Rose Bowl in Pasadena, Angel Stadium in Anaheim, Verizon Wireless...

" with "Justin Gaston
Justin Gaston
Justin Michael Gaston is an American singer-songwriter, model, and actor who was also a contestant on Nashville Star on season 6. He finished 10th overall out of 12 contestants.-Career:...

" as well as touring with "Trainwreck". Other bands he's playing with are "Abandoned Pools
Abandoned Pools
Tommy Walter is an American musician and songwriter, best known for his Alternative rock band, Abandoned Pools, as well as being the former bassist and one of the founding members of Eels....

", "Zac Poor", Brooks Wackerman
Brooks Wackerman
Brooks Wackerman is the current drummer for the American punk band Bad Religion and the younger brother of Chad Wackerman, formerly a member of Frank Zappa's band.-Career:...

's "Kidneys" and various up and coming acts.

John spent most of 2009 in the studio playing as a session bassist and guitarist on: the upcoming Filter
Filter (band)
Filter is a rock group formed in 1993 in Cleveland by singer Richard Patrick and guitarist/programmer Brian Liesegang. Filter has released five studio albums, the most recent being The Trouble with Angels, which was released on August 17, 2010....

 album, Jonas Brothers
Jonas Brothers
The Jonas Brothers are an American boy band. The band gained its popularity from the Disney Channel children's television network. From the shore region of New Jersey, the band consists of three brothers: Paul Kevin Jonas II , Joseph Adam Jonas , and Nicholas Jerry Jonas...

 tracks, Steve Earle
Steve Earle
Stephen Fain "Steve" Earle is an American singer-songwriter known for his rock and Texas Country as well as his political views. He is also a producer, author, a political activist, and an actor, and has written and directed a play....

's Townes
Townes (album)
Townes is a 2009 Steve Earle album on which he pays tribute to his friend and mentor, the late singer-songwriter Townes Van Zandt by covering his songs. According to a New West Records press release, "The songs selected for Townes were the ones that meant the most to Earle and the ones he...

, and Soundtracks for "The Runaways
The Runaways (film)
The Runaways is a 2010 American biographical film about the 1970s all-girl rock band of the same name. The film was written and directed by Floria Sigismondi, who based the screenplay on the book Neon Angel: A Memoir of a Runaway by the band's original lead vocalist Cherie Currie...

", "2012 (film)
2012 (film)
2012 is a 2009 American disaster film directed by Roland Emmerich. It stars John Cusack, Chiwetel Ejiofor, Amanda Peet, Oliver Platt, Thandie Newton, Danny Glover, and Woody Harrelson. It was produced by Emmerich's production company, Centropolis Entertainment and was distributed by Columbia Pictures...

", "Stepfather" and others.

In the spring of 2008, John Spiker joined the band Filter
Filter (band)
Filter is a rock group formed in 1993 in Cleveland by singer Richard Patrick and guitarist/programmer Brian Liesegang. Filter has released five studio albums, the most recent being The Trouble with Angels, which was released on August 17, 2010....

. After touring the majority of '08, they returned to Los Angeles to shoot a Live Concert DVD. Spiker played bass on Steve Earle
Steve Earle
Stephen Fain "Steve" Earle is an American singer-songwriter known for his rock and Texas Country as well as his political views. He is also a producer, author, a political activist, and an actor, and has written and directed a play....

's Washington Square Serenade
Washington Square Serenade
Washington Square Serenade is an album by alternative country singer Steve Earle. The album features the singer's wife, Allison Moorer on the track "Days Aren't Long Enough," and the Brazilian group Forro in the Dark on the track "City of Immigrants." The track "Way Down in the Hole," by Tom...

in 2007, which won a Grammy for Best Contemporary Folk Album. He also plays with Tenacious D
Tenacious D
Tenacious D is an American rock band that was formed in Los Angeles, California in 1994. Composed of lead vocalist and guitarist Jack Black and lead guitarist and vocalist Kyle Gass, the band has released two albums – Tenacious D and The Pick of Destiny...

, and has toured with them in North America, Europe and Australia. He recently played the UK's Reading and Leeds festivals
Reading and Leeds Festivals
The Reading and Leeds Festivals are a pair of annual music festivals that take place in Reading and Leeds in England. The events take place simultaneously on the Friday, Saturday and Sunday of the August bank holiday weekend, sharing the same bill. The Reading Festival is held at Little John's Farm...

 with the D in the Fall of 2008. He plays bass and sings in Kyle Gass
Kyle Gass
Kyle Richard Gass , also known as KG or Kage, is an American rock musician, singer-songwriter and actor. He is a member of the bands Tenacious D and Trainwreck. In Tenacious D , Gass plays lead guitar and sings backup vocals, and also plays the role of Black's comic foil in most of their comedy...

's side project Trainwreck
Trainwreck (band)
Trainwreck is an American rock band, a project of Kyle Gass' alter-ego, "Klip Calhoun". The band is described as being part of Tenacious D's family, in that Gass, Konesky and Spiker all play for Tenacious D. In addition, Jason Reed also played a fundamental role in Tenacious D's 2006-07 Tour...

.

Current happenings

  • Fall 2011: Spiker is currently touring with Ronnie Vannucci's new band Big Talk
    Big Talk
    -Critical Reception:SPINs William Goodman wrote "While Brandon Flowers has been largely credited with the Killers' infectious rock melodies and hooks, it now appears that the band's secret weapon was sitting behind the drum kit." He continues that single "Getaways" is "an anthemic electro-rock jam...

    . He is on keys, guitar, and backup vocals.
  • Fall 2011: John is recording with Tenacious D
    Tenacious D
    Tenacious D is an American rock band that was formed in Los Angeles, California in 1994. Composed of lead vocalist and guitarist Jack Black and lead guitarist and vocalist Kyle Gass, the band has released two albums – Tenacious D and The Pick of Destiny...

    . He is engineering the record, as well as playing bass.
  • Spring 2011: Spiker toured with Shane Harper
    Shane Harper
    Shane Steven Harper is an American actor, dancer and singer. He is best known for his recurring role as Spencer Walsh in the Disney Channel's teen sitcom Good Luck Charlie. His self-titled debut album was released on April 12, 2011....

     from Good Luck Charlie
    Good Luck Charlie
    Good Luck Charlie is an original Disney Channel television sitcom, which premiered April 4, 2010. The series was created by Phil Baker and Drew Vaupen, who wanted to create a program that would appeal to entire families, as opposed to children only...

    . They are on tour with Cody Simpson
    Cody Simpson
    Cody Robert Simpson is an Australian pop singer from Gold Coast, Queensland, who is currently signed to US record label Atlantic Records.-Early life:...

     and Greyson Chance
    Greyson Chance
    Greyson Michael Chance is an American pop rock singer and pianist whose April 2010 performance of Lady Gaga's "Paparazzi" at a sixth-grade music festival became a hit on YouTube, gaining over 43 million views. Two of his original compositions, "Stars" and "Broken Hearts", gained over 5 and 7...

    .

Appearances

Year Programme Band Performance
Television performances
2011 Jimmy Kimmel Live! Big Talk "Replica"
2008 Tonight Show with Jay Leno Tenacious D "Dude I Totally Miss You"
2008 BBC
BBC
The British Broadcasting Corporation is a British public service broadcaster. Its headquarters is at Broadcasting House in the City of Westminster, London. It is the largest broadcaster in the world, with about 23,000 staff...

Tenacious D Reading and Leeds Festivals
Reading and Leeds Festivals
The Reading and Leeds Festivals are a pair of annual music festivals that take place in Reading and Leeds in England. The events take place simultaneously on the Friday, Saturday and Sunday of the August bank holiday weekend, sharing the same bill. The Reading Festival is held at Little John's Farm...

2008 MTV Germany Filter Rock Am Ring
Rock am Ring
The Rock am Ring and Rock im Park festivals are two simultaneous rock music festivals held annually in Germany....

2006 Saturday Night Live
Saturday Night Live
Saturday Night Live is a live American late-night television sketch comedy and variety show developed by Lorne Michaels and Dick Ebersol. The show premiered on NBC on October 11, 1975, under the original title of NBC's Saturday Night.The show's sketches often parody contemporary American culture...

Tenacious D "Kickapoo" and "The Metal
The Metal
"The Metal" is a song by Tenacious D from their 2006 album The Pick of Destiny. The album was a soundtrack for the film. The song is played during the end credits of the film and is the final track on the album....

"
American Music Awards of 2006
American Music Awards of 2006
The 34th American Music Awards were held on November 21, 2006. They were hosted by Jimmy Kimmel. The awards recognized the most popular albums and artists from the year of 2005-2006. As usual, the ceremony was broadcast by ABC...

"POD
POD (song)
"POD" is a song by American rock band Tenacious D, featured on their 2006 second album The Pick of Destiny...

"
Jimmy Kimmel Live! "Beelzeboss (The Final Showdown)"
Friday Night with Jonathan Ross
Friday Night with Jonathan Ross
Friday Night with Jonathan Ross was a British comedy chat show presented by Jonathan Ross. It was first broadcast on BBC One on 2 November 2001. The programme featured Ross's take on current topics of conversation, guest interviews and live music from both a guest music group and the house band...

"POD"
Spike Video Game Awards "The Metal"
2004 Jimmy Kimmel Live! Trainwreck "TV Theme"
Movies/DVDs
2009 Live Concert DVD Filter Bass, Vocals
2008 The Complete Masterworks Part 2
The Complete Masterworks Part 2
The Complete Master Works 2 is a video album by American comedy rock band Tenacious D. Released on November 4, 2008, it features footage from the band's performances in Seattle, Washington on February 16 and 17, 2007, in addition to numerous bonus videos and D Tour: A Tenacious Documentary...

Tenacious D Live Concert & Documentary
2006 Tenacious D in The Pick of Destiny Vocals, Bass, Song Writer Various Songs
Other
2008 MTV
MTV
MTV, formerly an initialism of Music Television, is an American network based in New York City that launched on August 1, 1981. The original purpose of the channel was to play music videos guided by on-air hosts known as VJs....

 & MTV2
MTV2
MTV2 is a cable network that is widely available in the United States on digital cable and satellite television, and is progressively being added to analogue cable lineups across the nation...

Filter MTV News
2006 Making the Video
Making the Video
Making the Video is an MTV show, consisting of half-hour episodes, which chronicles the process of filming various music videos. Usually the director outlines the concept of the video and the show often includes light-hearted and humorous moments. It always concludes with a premiere of the...

 - "POD"
Tenacious D Pick of Destiny
2005 Current TV
Current TV
Current TV, or Current, is a media company led by former U.S. Vice President Al Gore and businessman Joel Hyatt. Comcast owns a ten percent stake of Current's parent company, Current Media LLC....

 Halloween special
Trainwreck Host

Music videos

  • "Getaways", Big Talk
    Big Talk
    -Critical Reception:SPINs William Goodman wrote "While Brandon Flowers has been largely credited with the Killers' infectious rock melodies and hooks, it now appears that the band's secret weapon was sitting behind the drum kit." He continues that single "Getaways" is "an anthemic electro-rock jam...

     (2011)
  • "Replica", Big Talk
    Big Talk
    -Critical Reception:SPINs William Goodman wrote "While Brandon Flowers has been largely credited with the Killers' infectious rock melodies and hooks, it now appears that the band's secret weapon was sitting behind the drum kit." He continues that single "Getaways" is "an anthemic electro-rock jam...

     (2011)
  • "Brodeo", Trainwreck (2010)
  • "Tim Blankenship", Trainwreck (2008)
  • "Soldiers of Misfortune
    Soldiers of Misfortune
    "Soldiers of Misfortune" is the lead single from Filter's fourth studio album, Anthems for the Damned. It premiered on Myspace on February 25, 2008 and was released to radio stations on March 18, 2008...

    ", Filter
    Filter (band)
    Filter is a rock group formed in 1993 in Cleveland by singer Richard Patrick and guitarist/programmer Brian Liesegang. Filter has released five studio albums, the most recent being The Trouble with Angels, which was released on August 17, 2010....

     (2008)
  • "Pick of Destiny
    POD (song)
    "POD" is a song by American rock band Tenacious D, featured on their 2006 second album The Pick of Destiny...

    ", Tenacious D
    Tenacious D
    Tenacious D is an American rock band that was formed in Los Angeles, California in 1994. Composed of lead vocalist and guitarist Jack Black and lead guitarist and vocalist Kyle Gass, the band has released two albums – Tenacious D and The Pick of Destiny...

     (2006)

Credits

  • Beyond Reality
    Beyond Reality
    Beyond Reality is the 2002 album of Dreamtale. Marco Hietala from Nightwish and Tarot sings on track number 4 and 5.- Tracklisting :#"Intro: The Dawn" - 4:06#"Memories of Time" - 4:47#"Fallen Star" - 4:46#"Heart's Desire" - 4:26...

    (1994) - Guitar, Lead Vocals
  • Guano
    Guano
    Guano is the excrement of seabirds, cave dwelling bats, and seals. Guano manure is an effective fertilizer due to its high levels of phosphorus and nitrogen and also its lack of odor. It was an important source of nitrates for gunpowder...

    (1995) - Guitar, Lead/Back-up Vocals
  • Dem Bones - NWCC Edition (1995) - Bass/Guitar
  • A day at the Park (1996) - Anonymous Boy
  • A Bad Dream
    A Bad Dream
    You might also be looking for Nightmare."A Bad Dream", often mistitled as "Bad Dream", is a song by English piano rock band Keane appearing as the fifth track on their second album, Under the Iron Sea. It was released on 22 January 2007 as the sixth and final single from the album...

    (1996) - Sleeping Boy/Boy who is shown the way
  • Drunk Driving PSA (1996) - Drinking/Drunk Boy #3
  • Evil Woods (1996) - Scared Boy
  • Caption: (1996) - Guitar
  • Guerolito
    Guerolito
    Guerolito is the first remix album by Beck, released in December 2005. It features all of the songs from regular edition of Guero in remixed forms by a variety of artists, with the addition of "Clap Hands", originally found on the special limited edition of Guero.Guerolito reached #191 on the...

    , Beck
    Beck
    Beck Hansen is an American musician, singer-songwriter and multi-instrumentalist, known by the stage name Beck...

     (2005) - Guitar, Modulator
  • Odelay - Deluxe Edition, Beck
    Beck
    Beck Hansen is an American musician, singer-songwriter and multi-instrumentalist, known by the stage name Beck...

     (2008) - Programing (uncredited)
  • The Pick of Destiny, Tenacious D
    Tenacious D
    Tenacious D is an American rock band that was formed in Los Angeles, California in 1994. Composed of lead vocalist and guitarist Jack Black and lead guitarist and vocalist Kyle Gass, the band has released two albums – Tenacious D and The Pick of Destiny...

     (2006) - Bass, Vocals (Background), Clavinet, Assistant Engineer
  • Washington Square Serenade
    Washington Square Serenade
    Washington Square Serenade is an album by alternative country singer Steve Earle. The album features the singer's wife, Allison Moorer on the track "Days Aren't Long Enough," and the Brazilian group Forro in the Dark on the track "City of Immigrants." The track "Way Down in the Hole," by Tom...

    , Steve Earle
    Steve Earle
    Stephen Fain "Steve" Earle is an American singer-songwriter known for his rock and Texas Country as well as his political views. He is also a producer, author, a political activist, and an actor, and has written and directed a play....

     (2007) - Bass [Grammy Winner, Contemporary Folk Album]
  • Whipped Cream & Other Delights Rewhipped, Herb Alpert
    Herb Alpert
    Herbert "Herb" Alpert is an American musician most associated with the group variously known as Herb Alpert & the Tijuana Brass, Herb Alpert's Tijuana Brass, or TJB. He is also a recording industry executive — he is the "A" of A&M Records...

     (2006) - Synthesizer, Bass, Piano, Ukulele, Clavinet, Bells, Shaker, Lap Steel Guitar, Wurlitzer
  • Hollywood, Little Birdy
    Little Birdy
    Little Birdy are an Australian indie rock band formed in Perth, Western Australia in 2002 by singer and guitarist Katy Steele, drummer Matt Chequer, guitarist and keyboardist Simon Leach, and bass guitarist Scott O'Donoghue...

     (2006) - Piano, Vocals, Assistant Engineer
  • Debut Solo Album, UK artist Laurance Traverso (2007) - Bass, Vocals (background)
  • "Boyz on Da Run, Disney Channel
    Disney Channel
    Disney Channel is an American basic cable and satellite television network, owned by the Disney-ABC Television Group division of The Walt Disney Company. It is under the direction of Disney-ABC Television Group President Anne Sweeney. The channel's headquarters is located on West Alameda Ave. in...

     - Performed All Vocals, Songwriter
  • ESPN Fantasy Baseball Commercial (2007) - Guitar
  • The Complete Masterworks Part 2
    The Complete Masterworks Part 2
    The Complete Master Works 2 is a video album by American comedy rock band Tenacious D. Released on November 4, 2008, it features footage from the band's performances in Seattle, Washington on February 16 and 17, 2007, in addition to numerous bonus videos and D Tour: A Tenacious Documentary...

    , Tenacious D
    Tenacious D
    Tenacious D is an American rock band that was formed in Los Angeles, California in 1994. Composed of lead vocalist and guitarist Jack Black and lead guitarist and vocalist Kyle Gass, the band has released two albums – Tenacious D and The Pick of Destiny...

     (2008) - Bass, Vocals
  • Remixes For The Damned, Filter
    Filter (band)
    Filter is a rock group formed in 1993 in Cleveland by singer Richard Patrick and guitarist/programmer Brian Liesegang. Filter has released five studio albums, the most recent being The Trouble with Angels, which was released on August 17, 2010....

     (2008) - Remixer
  • "Saw V
    Saw V
    Saw V is a 2008 Canadian-American horror film directed by David Hackl and written by Patrick Melton and Marcus Dunstan and stars Tobin Bell, Costas Mandylor and Scott Patterson...

     Soundtrack", Filter
    Filter (band)
    Filter is a rock group formed in 1993 in Cleveland by singer Richard Patrick and guitarist/programmer Brian Liesegang. Filter has released five studio albums, the most recent being The Trouble with Angels, which was released on August 17, 2010....

    /John Spiker (2008) - Remixer
  • "Live Concert DVD", Filter
    Filter (band)
    Filter is a rock group formed in 1993 in Cleveland by singer Richard Patrick and guitarist/programmer Brian Liesegang. Filter has released five studio albums, the most recent being The Trouble with Angels, which was released on August 17, 2010....

     (2009) - Bass, Vocals, Engineer
  • "Paper Heart Soundtrack" (2009) - Producer, Engineer
  • "Townes
    Townes (album)
    Townes is a 2009 Steve Earle album on which he pays tribute to his friend and mentor, the late singer-songwriter Townes Van Zandt by covering his songs. According to a New West Records press release, "The songs selected for Townes were the ones that meant the most to Earle and the ones he...

    , Steve Earle
    Steve Earle
    Stephen Fain "Steve" Earle is an American singer-songwriter known for his rock and Texas Country as well as his political views. He is also a producer, author, a political activist, and an actor, and has written and directed a play....

     (2009) - Bass, Electric
  • "Stepfather Soundtrack" (2009), Filter
    Filter (band)
    Filter is a rock group formed in 1993 in Cleveland by singer Richard Patrick and guitarist/programmer Brian Liesegang. Filter has released five studio albums, the most recent being The Trouble with Angels, which was released on August 17, 2010....

     - Co-Producer, Engineer, Bass, Guitars
  • "2012 (film)
    2012 (film)
    2012 is a 2009 American disaster film directed by Roland Emmerich. It stars John Cusack, Chiwetel Ejiofor, Amanda Peet, Oliver Platt, Thandie Newton, Danny Glover, and Woody Harrelson. It was produced by Emmerich's production company, Centropolis Entertainment and was distributed by Columbia Pictures...

     Soundtrack" (2009), Filter
    Filter (band)
    Filter is a rock group formed in 1993 in Cleveland by singer Richard Patrick and guitarist/programmer Brian Liesegang. Filter has released five studio albums, the most recent being The Trouble with Angels, which was released on August 17, 2010....

     - Engineer, Bass, Guitars
  • "Barry Munday
    Barry Munday
    Barry Munday is a 2010 American comedy film directed by Chris D'Arienzo; it is based on the novel Life is a Strange Place by Frank Turner Hollon. The film stars Patrick Wilson as the titular character, as well as Judy Greer, Malcolm McDowell, Chloë Sevigny, Cybill Shepherd, Billy Dee Williams,...

    Soundtrack" (2010) - Writer, Performer

External links

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