Duke Erikson

American musician, screenwriter, and film producer

Duke Erikson

Duke Erikson performing with Garbage at The Shrine Auditorium in Los Angeles, 2019

Background information
Birth name| Douglas Elwin Erickson
Born|  (1951-01-15) January 15, 1951 (age 74)
Lyons, Nebraska, U.S.
Genres| Rock, alternative rock
Occupation(s)| Musician, songwriter, screenwriter, film producer, record producer
Instrument(s)| Guitar, keyboards, vocals
Years active| 1974–present
Labels| Geffen Records
A&E Records
Atlantic Records

Musical artist

Douglas Elwin "Duke" Erikson (born January 15, 1951) is an American musician, songwriter, screenwriter, film producer and record producer, best known as a co-founder and guitarist of the alternative rock band Garbage. Garbage has sold more than 17 million albums worldwide.[1]

Erikson's musical career began in 1974 following the establishment of Spooner with Butch Vig, who he would later join in the bands Fire Town and Garbage. Spooner's debut album, Every Corner Dance, was released in 1982 and was followed by 1984's Wildest Dreams.[2] In 1986, Erikson, together with Vig, formed Fire Town, releasing their debut album In the Heart of the Heart Country in 1987, before releasing their second and final album, The Good Life, in 1989.[3][4] In 1993, Erikson, Vig and Steve Marker formed Garbage, recruiting Scottish singer Shirley Manson to join the band following an appearance by her band Angelfish on MTV's 120 Minutes.[5]

Their debut album was released in 1995 and achieved considerable worldwide success, spawning the successful singles "Stupid Girl" and "Only Happy When it Rains". They followed this success with their critically acclaimed second album, Version 2.0 in 1998, before writing and recording the theme song for the James Bond film The World Is Not Enough in 1999. Garbage continued to record and tour throughout the early 2000s, releasing their third album, Beautiful Garbage in 2001, and their fourth, Bleed Like Me in 2005 before entering an "indefinite hiatus". They briefly regrouped in 2007 to release the compilation album Absolute Garbage and lead single "Tell Me Where It Hurts". They regrouped in 2010 to begin recording their fifth album, Not Your Kind of People (2012), and subsequently releasing Strange Little Birds (2016), No Gods No Masters (2021) and Let All That We Imagine Be the Light (2025).[6]

## Early life

[edit]

Duke Erikson was born in Lyons, a small rural community in Nebraska.[7] His first musical instrument was the piano, and his second was the guitar.[8] At the age of 16 he joined his first band, The British, which was inspired by his passion for the British beat movement.[9] Erikson operated the light show for The British which was constructed out of a cigar box and door hangers. "I ran that with my left hand while I played Farfisa organ with my right," he commented.[8]

When Erikson completed high school, he attended Wayne State College where he studied drawing and painting, ultimately becoming a teaching assistant.[8][10]

## Musical career

[edit]

### 1974–1985

[edit]

Erikson formed the rock band Spooner in 1974 with two fellow musicians in Madison, Wisconsin. Erikson sang lead vocals, played keyboards and guitar, and became the band's principal songwriter, his compositions being described by City Lights as "strangely seductive" and "immediately draw[ing] in the listener".[11] Spooner became a quartet when Butch Vig joined them on drums.[12] Spooner released two well-received albums, Every Corner Dance and The Wildest Dreams, and toured across the Midwest.[2] Rolling Stone magazine called their debut album "a convincing collection of sparkling pop music", to which "Erikson's edgy, poetic slice-of-small-town-life lyrics add a genuine, idiosyncratic touch".[13]

In 1983, Erikson helped Vig and Steve Marker establish Smart Studios in Madison, where he helped to design the studio interior and where he has carried out engineering, production and remixing work for a series of local and international rock artists.[14][15]

### 1986–1993

[edit]

In 1986, Erikson collaborated again with Vig to form the garage-rock band Fire Town, in which he played guitar and contributed vocals.[16] The band released two albums, In the Heart of the Heart Country and The Good Life, the latter on Atlantic Records.[17] Rolling Stone praised their debut as "a striking, thoughtful album" with "killer harmonies".[18]

While Fire Town had disbanded by 1989,[16] Spooner had an unexpected late resurgence: their single "Mean Old World" became a hit, prompting them to re-form, make a new album – The Fugitive Dance – and embark on a tour before they disbanded in 1993.[17]

### 1994–present

[edit]

Erikson (right) with Garbage touring bassist Eric Avery, 2021

After Marker saw singer Shirley Manson performing with her band Angelfish on MTV's 120 Minutes in 1994, he persuaded Erikson and Vig that they should audition her for their new band, which became Garbage.[19] Erikson co-wrote the band's seven albums, contributing guitar, keyboards, and bass.[20] The albums have sold more than 17 million copies worldwide.[1]

In a major feature on the band for The Sunday Times in 1998, the British journalist Tony Barrell described Erikson's persona in Garbage as "the cool dude with the goatee and the Mr Spockish demeanour".[21] Though sometimes a taciturn presence in the band, Erikson has been known to contribute an air of dry humour to media interviews. During a discussion in 1996 about the interpersonal chemistry within Garbage, he deadpanned: "We have a little room where we go and cry."[22]

Erikson's other projects include the production of other artists. He produced the single "If You Go" by the Greenlandic singer Simon Lynge, which received regular airplay in Britain during 2011 after being added to the BBC Radio 2 playlist.[23]

Erikson is on the board of directors of the acclaimed UK independent record label Lo-Max Records, which is home to The Wrens, The Go-Betweens, Kevin Ayers, and Simon Lynge. In 2017 he co-produced and worked extensively on sound restoration for the American Epic series as well as co-producing the music for The American Epic Sessions.[24][25]

Erikson's daughter, Roxy Erickson, is a photographer based in London, England.[26]

## Discography

[edit]

### Spooner

[edit]

* Cruel School E.P. (1979)
* Every Corner Dance (1982)
* Wildest Dreams (1985)
* The Fugitive Dance (1990)

### Fire Town

[edit]

* In the Heart of the Heart Country (1987)
* The Good Life (1989)

### Garbage

[edit]

Studio albums

* Garbage (1995)
* Version 2.0 (1998)
* Beautiful Garbage (2001)
* Bleed Like Me (2005)
* Not Your Kind of People (2012)
* Strange Little Birds (2016)
* No Gods No Masters (2021)
* Let All That We Imagine Be the Light (2025)

Compilation albums

* Special Collection (2002)
* Absolute Garbage (2007)
* Anthology (2022)
* Copy/Paste (2024)

Main article: Garbage discography

|

## Film career

[edit]

In 2006 Erikson co-founded Lo-Max Films and was the co-creator, producer and co-writer of the Emmy Award nominated American Epic documentary film series.[27][28] The films covered the first recordings of roots music in the United States during the 1920s and their cultural, social and technological impact on North America and the world.[29] The series involved ten years of field research[30] and has been cited as one of the best music documentaries ever made.[31][32][33][34][35]

Erikson co-produced and co-wrote The American Epic Sessions, an award-winning musical film, directed by Bernard MacMahon, in which an engineer restores the fabled long-lost first electrical sound recording system from 1925, and twenty contemporary artists pay tribute to the momentous machine by attempting to record songs on it for the first time in 80 years.[27][29][34] The film starred Steve Martin, Nas, Elton John, Alabama Shakes, Willie Nelson, Merle Haggard, Jack White, Taj Mahal, Ana Gabriel, Pokey LaFarge, Rhiannon Giddens and Beck.[29]

In September 2017 the University of Chicago Laboratory Schools announced a nine-month preschool to high school educational program based on Erikson’s American Epic films beginning on 6 October 2017.[36] The school, founded by American educator John Dewey in 1896, has over 2,015 students enrolled in 15 grades.[37]

Erikson is a member of the Academy of Television Arts & Sciences, the Writers Guild of America West. He is the co-founder of Lo-Max Films, along with film director Bernard MacMahon and producer Allison McGourty.[38]

### Awards and honors

[edit]

Erikson’s American Epic documentary series and The American Epic Sessions have received numerous awards, including the Foxtel Audience Award at the Sydney Film Festival,[39] the Audience Award at the Calgary International Film Festival[40] and a nomination for a Primetime Emmy.[41] On April 23, 2018, the Focal International Awards nominated Erikson for Best Use of Footage in a History Feature and Best Use of Footage in a Music Production.[42]

Award  | Category  | Recipients and nominees  | Result  | Ref.

|
|
|
|

Calgary International Film Festival | Audience Award  | The American Epic Sessions | Won  | [43]
Sydney Film Festival | Foxtel Audience Award  | American Epic | Won  | [44]
Primetime Emmy Award | Outstanding Music Direction | The American Epic Sessions | Nominated  | [45]
Hawaii International Film Festival | Halekulani Golden Orchid Award  | American Epic: Out of the Many the One | Nominated  | [46]
Tryon International Film Festival | Best Documentary  | American Epic | Won  | [47]
Tryon International Film Festival | Best Overall Picture  | American Epic | Won  | [47]
Focal International Awards | Best Use of Footage in a History Feature  | Duke Erikson  | Nominated  | [48]
Focal International Awards | Best Use of Footage in a Music Production  | Duke Erikson  | Nominated  | [48]

### Filmography

[edit]

Year | Film | Writer | Score | Producer | Appears in

|
|
|
|
|

2017  | American Epic: The Big Bang | Yes  | Yes  | Yes  |
2017  | American Epic: Blood and Soil | Yes  | Yes  | Yes  |
2017  | American Epic: Out of the Many the One | Yes  | Yes  | Yes  |
2017  | The American Epic Sessions | Yes  | Yes  | Yes  | Yes

## References

[edit]

1. ^ a b Baltin, Steve. "Garbage Might Be The Coolest Band In Rock". Forbes. Retrieved May 7, 2019.
2. ^ a b "Welcome to Spooner Town", by Andy Davis, Record Collector, issue No. 209, January 1997
3. ^ Sutton, Michael. "Fire Town - Biography and History". Allmusic.com. Retrieved October 9, 2020.
4. ^ "Gone Digital: Fire Town, Red Kross, Denzil, Francis Dunnery, and The Wild Swans". Rhino.com. Rhino. July 14, 2020. Retrieved April 27, 2023.
5. ^ Jim Forbes (narrator) (March 31, 2002). "Garbage". Behind The Music. VH1.
6. ^ Skinner, Tom (February 27, 2025). "Garbage announce new album 'Let All That We Imagine Be The Light': "Searching for love, searching for all the good things in the world"". NME. Retrieved April 2, 2025.
7. ^ Stellmon, Andrew (July 8, 2016). "Q&A with Garbage bassist Duke Erikson; Better Friend releases emotionally chaotic video, heads out on tour; Sights On Sounds features Adam Goldstein doc". Hear Nebraska. Retrieved May 7, 2019.
8. ^ a b c Wolgamott, L. Kent (August 9, 2012). "Maha show brings Nebraska native back home". JournalStar.com. Retrieved May 7, 2019.
9. ^ Coffey, Kevin (July 7, 2016). "Midwest work ethic drives Garbage". Omaha.com. Retrieved May 7, 2019.
10. ^ Coffey, Kevin (March 6, 2013). "Homer's is one of Garbage's favorite record stores". Omaha.com. Retrieved May 7, 2019.
11. ^ "Spooner Waxes A Winner". City Lights. November 19, 1982. Archived from the original on October 2, 2012. Retrieved May 22, 2011.
12. ^ "Spooner Waxes A Winner". City Lights, November 19, 1982 issue. Archived from the original on October 2, 2012. Retrieved March 11, 2011.
13. ^ Lloyd Sachs (March 7, 1983). "Every Corner Dance". Rolling Stone. Archived from the original on May 3, 2010. Retrieved March 11, 2012.
14. ^ "Butch Vig | Encyclopedia.com". www.encyclopedia.com. Retrieved May 7, 2019.
15. ^ "Garbage's Duke Erikson on the band's Aug. 1 Central Park show, what's ahead for Garbage, and more". Downtown Magazine. July 28, 2016. Retrieved May 7, 2019.
16. ^ a b "Fire Town | Biography & History". AllMusic. Retrieved May 7, 2019.
17. ^ a b 1. Thompson, Dave 2000, p. 384
18. ^ David Wild (July 16, 1987). "In The Heart of the Heart Country". Rolling Stone. Archived from the original on May 3, 2010. Retrieved March 11, 2012.
19. ^ Callwood, Brett (September 13, 2016). "It's Almost Garbage Day in Denver". Westword. Retrieved May 7, 2019.
20. ^ Menasché, Emile (July 6, 2016). "Partners in Grime: Garbage's Duke Erikson and Steve Marker". www.premierguitar.com. Retrieved May 7, 2019.
21. ^ Tony Barrell (May 17, 1998). "Shirley Bossy". The Sunday Times. Retrieved September 27, 2014.
22. ^ Tim Sismey (April 10, 1996). "Garbage Interview". Retroactive Baggage. Archived from the original on February 6, 2012. Retrieved March 13, 2012.
23. ^ "Simon Lynge: News". Archived from the original on January 21, 2012. Retrieved March 11, 2012.
24. ^ Savage, Adam. "Restoring a vintage 1920s recording system for 'American Epic'". OldPhono.com. Retrieved May 7, 2019.
25. ^ Dalton, Stephen (October 12, 2015). "'The American Epic Sessions': London Review". The Hollywood Reporter. Retrieved May 7, 2019.
26. ^ "Roxy Erickson". Retrieved March 11, 2012.
27. ^ a b "AMERICAN EPIC - A Journey Through the Music that Transformed America | PBS About". AMERICAN EPIC - A Journey Through the Music that Transformed America | PBS About. Retrieved May 7, 2019.
28. ^ "University of Chicago Laboratory Schools announce 9-month educational program based on the "American Epic" films, music and book". www.prnewswire.com (Press release). Retrieved May 7, 2019.
29. ^ a b c "BBC - Arena: American Epic - Media Centre". www.bbc.co.uk. Retrieved May 7, 2019.
30. ^ Lewis, Randy (April 18, 2017). "'American Epic' documentary on birth of recorded music to premiere May 16". Los Angeles Times. Retrieved May 7, 2019.
31. ^ Bradley, Mike (June 4, 2017). "Arena: American Epic". The Observer.
32. ^ Jackson, Blair (May 15, 2017). "Don't Miss PBS' Roots Music Documentary Series 'American Epic'!". acousticguitar.com. Retrieved May 7, 2019.
33. ^ Watts, Michael (May 20, 2017). "The first time America heard itself sing". The Economist. Retrieved May 7, 2019.
34. ^ a b Boyd, Joe (May 19, 2017). "How the record industry crisis of 1925 shaped our musical world". The Guardian. ISSN 0261-3077. Retrieved May 7, 2019.
35. ^ Webster, Jonathan (June 16, 2017). "American Epic - Reviving Record Production's Past". Long Live Vinyl. Retrieved May 7, 2019.
36. ^ "News Detail - University of Chicago Laboratory Schools". www.ucls.uchicago.edu. Retrieved May 7, 2019.
37. ^ "University of Chicago Laboratory Schools announce 9-month educational program based on the "American Epic" films, music and book". www.prnewswire.com (Press release). Retrieved February 12, 2018.
38. ^ "Allison McGourty's major new TV series kicks off Perth's Southern Fried Festival". dailyrecord. July 25, 2016. Retrieved May 7, 2019.
39. ^ "63rd Sydney Film Festival Complete Foxtel Movies Audience Award Announced" (PDF). sff.org.au. June 22, 2016. Archived from the original (PDF) on March 18, 2018. Retrieved September 3, 2019. [verification needed]
40. ^ "And the Winners are… | Calgary International Film Festival". www.calgaryfilm.com. Retrieved March 25, 2018. [verification needed]
41. ^ "Nominees/Winners". Television Academy. Retrieved March 25, 2018. [verification needed]
42. ^ "Production Nominations". FOCAL INTERNATIONAL AWARDS. April 17, 2018. Archived from the original on April 25, 2018. Retrieved April 25, 2018. [verification needed]
43. ^ "And the Winners are… | Calgary International Film Festival". www.calgaryfilm.com. Retrieved May 7, 2019.
44. ^ Shedden, Iain (July 14, 2017). "Stars out for American Epic". www.theaustralian.com.au. Retrieved May 7, 2019.
45. ^ "Nominees/Winners". Television Academy. Retrieved May 7, 2019.
46. ^ "Hawaii International Film Festival (2015)". IMDb. Retrieved May 7, 2019.
47. ^ a b ""American Epic" filmmakers return to Tryon for special event - The Tryon Daily Bulletin". The Tryon Daily Bulletin. December 8, 2016. Retrieved May 7, 2019.
48. ^ a b "Focal International Awards 2018" (PDF). Focal International Awards.

### Bibliography

[edit]

1. Thompson, Dave. Alternative Rock: Third Ear - The Essential Listening Companion. London. Backbeat, 2000. ISBN 978-0879306076

## External links

[edit]

Wikiquote has quotations related to Duke Erikson.

* Duke Erikson at IMDb
* Garbage - official website
* American Epic - official website

* v
* t
* e

Garbage

* Duke Erikson
* Shirley Manson
* Steve Marker
* Butch Vig

Studio albums|

* Garbage
* Version 2.0
* Beautiful Garbage
* Bleed Like Me
* Not Your Kind of People
* Strange Little Birds
* No Gods No Masters
* Let All That We Imagine Be the Light

Compilation albums|

* Absolute Garbage
* The Absolute Collection
* Version 2.0: The Official Remixes
* Anthology
* Copy/Paste

Extended plays|

* This Is the Noise That Keeps Me Awake
* Witness to Your Love
* Lie to Me
* copy/paste vol.1 (abridged)

Singles|

* "Vow"
* "Subhuman"
* "Queer"
* "Only Happy When It Rains"
* "Stupid Girl"
* "Supervixen"
* "Milk"
* "#1 Crush"
* "Push It"
* "I Think I'm Paranoid"
* "Special"
* "The Trick Is to Keep Breathing"
* "When I Grow Up"
* "You Look So Fine"
* "The World Is Not Enough"
* "Temptation Waits"
* "Androgyny"
* "Cherry Lips (Go Baby Go!)"
* "Breaking Up the Girl"
* "Shut Your Mouth"
* "Why Do You Love Me"
* "Bleed Like Me"
* "Sex Is Not the Enemy"
* "Run Baby Run"
* "Tell Me Where It Hurts"
* "Blood for Poppies"
* "Battle in Me"
* "Automatic Systematic Habit"
* "Big Bright World"
* "Control"
* "Because the Night"
* "Girls Talk"
* "The Chemicals"
* "Empty"
* "Even Though Our Love Is Doomed"
* "Magnetized"
* "No Horses"
* "Destroying Angels"
* "The Men Who Rule the World"
* "No Gods No Masters"
* "Wolves"
* "Witness to Your Love"
* "There's No Future in Optimism"
* "Get Out My Face AKA Bad Kitty"

Home video|

* Garbage Video
* Absolute Garbage
* One Mile High... Live

Books|

* This Is the Noise That Keeps Me Awake

Concert tours|

* Garbage tour
* Version 2.0 World Tour
* Beautiful Garbage World Tour
* Bleed Like Me World Tour
* Not Your Kind of People World Tour
* 20 Years Queer
* Strange Little Birds Tour
* Rage and Rapture Tour
* 20 Years Paranoid
* Garbage & Noel Gallagher's High Flying Birds: Live in Concert
* Garbage 2024
* Happy Endings tour

Additional personnel|

* Billy Bush
* Eric Avery
* Matt Walker

Related articles|

* Discography
* Awards and nominations
* Smart Studios
* Spooner
* Fire Town
* Shirley Manson discography
* Goodbye Mr Mackenzie
* Angelfish (album)
* "Korean Bodega"
* The Jump with Shirley Manson

* Category

Authority control databases

International|

* VIAF
* WorldCat

National|

* United States
* Czech Republic

Artists|

* MusicBrainz

*[Ref.]: Reference(s)
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