James Spooner

James Spooner was born in 1976 in Jersey City, New Jersey.^[1] His father, of Saint Lucian descent, was a professional bodybuilder and former Mr. America, while his mother was a special education teacher.^[1]

He grew up in Apple Valley, California and later in New York City.^[4][5] He attended Apple Valley High School and later LaGuardia High School of Music & Art and Performing Arts.^[6]

In his youth, Spooner was drawn to punk rock—listening to bands like the Sex Pistols, Black Flag, and Misfits—and started exploring the subculture at a young age.^[7]

Spooner founded the record label Kidney Room Records, which released several records including Frail’s Idle Hands Hold Nothing, a split single by Elements of Need and Jasmine, and a single from Swing Kids.^[8]

He also worked as a host at On!, a late-night event in New York City.^[9]

In 2021, he appeared in the Broad’s documentary series Time Decorated: The Musical Influences of Jean-Michel Basquiat.^[10]

Spooner directed Afro-Punk (2003), a documentary exploring race, identity, and punk subculture among Black Americans. The film premiered at the 2003 Toronto International Film Festival.^[11][12] In the spirit of DIY principles, Spooner toured the film extensively, screening it over 300 times at colleges and festivals across the U.S.^[13]

Following the documentary, Spooner co-founded the Afropunk Festival in 2005 with Matthew Morgan in Brooklyn.^[14][15] The festival expanded internationally, with editions in Atlanta, London, Paris, and Johannesburg.^[16]

In 2008, Spooner departed from the festival, citing philosophical and creative differences over its evolving direction.^[17][18]

He also directed the narrative film White Lies, Black Sheep (2007), which premiered at the Toronto International Film Festival.^[19][20]

In 2022, Spooner published his first graphic memoir, The High Desert: Black. Punk. Nowhere.^[21][22] The Washington Post named it among the "10 Best Graphic Novels of 2022."^[23] The memoir explores themes of identity, alienation, race, and the formative influence of punk culture in Spooner’s adolescence.^[24][25]

The High Desert received positive reviews from both mainstream and comics-focused outlets. The Los Angeles Times highlighted its depiction of cross-racial experiences in California and New York,^[26] while The Comics Journal praised its exploration of alienation and identity.^[27] ComicsBeat described the book as “an absolutely gorgeous memoir.”^[28]

Spooner also co-edited the anthology Black Punk Now (2023) with Chris L. Terry.^[29][30]

Spooner practices a vegan lifestyle and is known for pioneering vegan-friendly tattoo methods at his tattoo studio, Monocle Tattoo.^[31] He lives in Los Angeles with his partner, Lisa Nola, and his daughter.^[1]