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Music

Dick Valentine

born 1972 · singer, songwriter

Detroit-based frontman and lyricist of Electric Six, the band he co-founded in the city in 1996, known for "Danger! High Voltage" and "Gay Bar."

Born

Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania
age 54
Birth name
Tyler Spencer
Detroit years
1990s–present
Field
Music

01 / The Detroit story

The Detroit story

Tyler Spencer was born in Pittsburgh and made his career in Detroit, where in 1996 he co-founded a band first called the Wildbunch; when another group turned out to own that name, it became Electric Six. As singer and main lyricist under the pseudonym Dick Valentine, he gave the band its deadpan, over-the-top persona, mixing disco, garage rock and heavy riffs. In the early 2000s the Detroit band broke through internationally with "Danger! High Voltage" and "Gay Bar," both of which received heavy radio and MTV play, especially in the United Kingdom. Electric Six has kept up a prolific release schedule ever since, and Spencer has also worked with the synth-pop group Evil Cowards and the hard-rock band Bang Camaro and has released solo albums since 2012. He remains based in Detroit.

Highlights

  1. Co-founded Electric Six in Detroit in 1996
  2. Hits "Danger! High Voltage" and "Gay Bar" in the early 2000s
  3. Solo albums since 2012
  4. Also works with Evil Cowards and Bang Camaro