Britt Daniel

Spoon's journey from obscure indie darling to festival heavyweight probably happened overnight for everyone but Britt Daniel and drummer Jim Eno, who have both spent most of the last decade perpetually on the brink of breaking out—complete with a famously brief, dark stint on Elektra—only to have success snatched away from them time and again. Major label or not, Spoon got the last laugh by turning out some of the best albums of the decade. Now, the breakout success that always seemed just around the corner has finally caught up with the band, which has garnered a reputation as one of the most respected groups working today. The A.V. Club recently spoke with Daniel to get the backstory on Spoon's sixth and newest album, his "lonely" writing process, and why he's burned through so many bass players.