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1975 - Spooner forms in Madison, WI
with Doug Erikson on guitar and organ, Bill Roberts on lead guitar, Dave
Benton on Bass and Butch Vig on Drums.
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1977 - 1978 - Bill Roberts leaves
Spooner, Joel Tappero joins on Bass guitar. Dave Benton moves to guitar and
Jeff Walker comes in on keyboards. Joel commutes twice weekly
from his home in Milwaukee for rehearsals, for the first two years.
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1979 - Butch, Bob Bartel & Steve
Scharch travel to LA to peddle a demo tape at the major labels, an A&R Man
by the name of Bud Scoppa at Arista likes what he hears and it leads to
further visits by Arista rep Bob Fieden.
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1979 - The release of their first
record, "Cruel School", a four song EP, on the band's own label, Boat
Records, recorded at Hedden West Studios in Chicago, and
produced by Gary Klebe, John Murphy, and Jeff Murphy of Shoes
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1979 - Showcase for Clive Davis of
Arista Records at Gaspar's in Chicago. During the showcase the band's amps
continue to pickup a local ham radio operator's broadcast. Clive offers the band
a deal to record some demos in NY to be produced by Robert "Mutt" Lange.
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1980 - Showcase for Maxanne Sartori,
A & R for Elektra Records at Headliner's in Madison. The band puts the Arista deal on hold while Elektra deal is being negotiated.
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1980 - Release of the second
record, "Where You Gonna Run/You're The Lucky One" on Boat Records,
also recorded at Hedden West with Shoes producing.
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1980 - The Elektra deal falls
through after six months of negotiations and Clive Davis withdraws the
Arista deal. The band is at an all time low after the experience with major
labels, but is determined to continue.
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1981 - Rolling Stone features
profile on band entitled "Spooner's Midwest Pop".
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1982 - Release of the first
full-length album entitled "Every Corner Dance" on Mountain Railroad
Records. Press notices are positive including a 3.5 star review in Rolling
Stone and 4 stars in Musician Magazine.
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1983 - Band signs management deal
with Ken Adamany/Mid Coast Artists who also manage Cheap Trick. The
relationship ends 9 months later.
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1984 - Release of second album,
"Wildest Dreams", on Boat Records. Recorded and
self-produced on eight-track at the newly opened Smart Studios. Butch's
career as a producer also commences around this time, as he does sessions
with Killdozer and the Tar Babies.
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1984 Butch and Doug
compose and record an instrumental score for the Troma Films release,
"Dreams Come True". The full band appear in the film in a bar scene, and the
soundtrack music is credited to Spooner. The film had a limited run in
arthouse theaters, and then disappeared. The music was never released on
record or CD.
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1985 - Tour to East Coast with gig
at the famed Peppermint Lounge in NYC.
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1986 - Release of fifth record,
"Mean Old World/Walking With An Angel", on Boat Records. Band continues to
be a top drawing act in the Madison, Milwaukee and Chicago markets.
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1987 - Chameleon Records licenses
the first two Spooner albums for reissue on vinyl and CD.
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1989 - Spooner is fully signed to
Chameleon Records.
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1990 - Release of the third and
final Spooner album, "The Fugitive Dance". The first single, "Tomorrow Never
Comes", gets wide College Radio airplay and charts on CMJ. The Band has a
sold-out show at the Barrymore Theater in Madison and embarks on a tour to
promote the album.
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1991 - 1993 Butch Vig's success as
a producer take interests down other roads.
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1993 - The Band plays its final
show in Madison and quietly disbands.
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