The rock band Spooner, which includes members Duke Erikson and Butch Vig of Garbage, formed in Madison and celebrated their 50th anniversary with a show at Atwood Music Hall.
In 1985, Cap Times weekender rock columnist John Kovalic wrote, “For those of you who are new to Madison, let me just start by asserting — flatly and without qualification — that Spooner is the greatest band in town.”
The group, which also includes Dave Benton and Joel Tappero, played their first show together in 32 years — reuniting in the city whose music scene they once dominated — at Atwood Music Hall this past weekend. They were joined by percussionist Pauli Ryan and keyboard player Alex Drossart, along with special guests Kelly Maxwell (backup vocals), Joel Tappero’s son Jeremy Tappero (bassist for Soul Asylum), Frank Anderson (Appleton-based pedal steel guitarist) and Eric Koppa (saxophone).
Spooner formed in Madison 50 years ago, and Kovalic wrote that the Madison music scene would be “difficult to imagine” without their energetic music, which he described as “pop as it should be performed.”
Erikson and Vig would go on to form other bands, including Garbage, who are currently on tour and stopping in Madison to perform on Oct. 3. Vig would also go on to open a recording studio on East Washington Avenue, Smart Studios, and to produce classic albums like Nirvana’s “Nevermind” and the Smashing Pumpkins’ “Siamese Dream.”…