{{Short description|American rock and pop band}} {{Use mdy dates|date=January 2020}} {{Infobox musical artist | name = Casper & the Cookies | image = | alt = | caption = | image_size = | alias = | origin = [[Athens, Georgia]], U.S. | genre = Rock, [[power pop]], [[New wave music|new wave]] | years_active = {{Start date|1998}}–present | label = Wild Kindness, [[Happy Happy Birthday to Me Records|Happy Happy Birthday to Me]], People in a Position to Know, Waikiki (Japan) | associated_acts = | website = {{URL|http://casperandthecookies.com/}} | current_members = * Jason NeSmith * Kay Stanton * Davy Gibbs * AJ Griffin | past_members = * Christo Harris * Ben Spraker * [[Kenny Howes]] * Phil Stockman * Paul Walker * Tim Schreiber * Suzanne Allison * [[Bryan Poole]] (aka [[The Late BP Helium]]) * Peter Alvanos * Jason Gonzales * Joe Rowe * Jim Hicks * Gregory Sanders }}
'''Casper & the Cookies''' is an American rock and pop band from [[Athens, Georgia]], United States.
== History == Multi-instrumentalist and singer Jason NeSmith (pronounced "KNEE-smith," no relation to [[Michael Nesmith]] of [[the Monkees]]),<ref>{{usurped|1=[https://web.archive.org/web/20071010180344/http://harpmagazine.com/articles/detail.cfm?article_id=5509 "In The Mix: Casper & the Cookies"]}} ''Harp Magazine'', April 25, 2007, {{usurped|1=[https://web.archive.org/web/20071010180344/http://harpmagazine.com/articles/detail.cfm?article_id=5509 archived]}} from the original at the [[Wayback Machine]] October 7, 2007.</ref><ref>Serena Markstrom, [https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=Q2BWAAAAIBAJ&sjid=dfADAAAAIBAJ&pg=3905,208547&dq=jason-nesmith+casper+michael-nesmith&hl=en "Casper Striving To Be Edgy But Fun"], ''[[The Register-Guard]]'', September 1, 2006.</ref> began using the pseudonym Casper Fandango in 1996 as a moniker for his solo [[Multitrack recording|four-track]] recordings. NeSmith was given the name by fellow Atlanta musician David Dault while playing together in the band Feyerabend.<ref name="Allmusic">[{{AllMusic|class=artist|id=p822047/biography|pure_url=yes}} AllMusic entry on Casper & the Cookies], [[AllMusic]]</ref>
Casper Fandango released two [[DIY]] cassettes in the late 1990s, originally as Casper Fandango & the Knees and subsequently Casper Fandango & His Tiny Sick Tears.
The Cookies came into existence in 1998 as NeSmith's live band. They have three CDs released on [[Happy Happy Birthday to Me Records]], ''Oh!'' (2004), ''The Optimist's Club'' (2006), and ''Modern Silence'' (2009).<ref name="Allmusic"/> After many lineup changes the band consists of NeSmith, Kay Stanton, Davy Gibbs, and AJ Griffin.<ref name="loafing">[http://atlanta.creativeloafing.com/gyrobase/Content?oid=oid%3A107432 "C is for Casper: Casper & the Cookies bake an album with love"] {{webarchive |url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070212104925/http://atlanta.creativeloafing.com/gyrobase/Content?oid=oid%3A107432 |date=February 12, 2007 }} ''Creative Loafing'', August 9, 2006</ref>
NeSmith was a member of [[Of Montreal]] for the ''Satanic Panic in the Attic'' tour of 2004 and some of the ''Sunlandic Twins'' tour of 2005, eventually leaving to focus on his own band.<ref>[http://www.relix.com/Features/Bands_On_the_Verge/CASPER_&_THE_COOKIES,_Athens,_GA_200706202368.html "Bands On The Verge: Casper & the Cookies: Cookie Monsters"] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20071128125136/http://www.relix.com/Features/Bands_On_the_Verge/CASPER_%26_THE_COOKIES%2C_Athens%2C_GA_200706202368.html |date=November 28, 2007 }} ''Relix Magazine'', June 21, 2007</ref> (Kay and Jason are also in [[Supercluster]], the side project of [[Vanessa Briscoe Hay]] of [[Pylon (band)|Pylon]].) NeSmith has also been a member of [[Kenny Howes]] & the Yeah!, [[Orange Hat]], the Visitations, [[the Late BP Helium]] and [[the Sunshine Fix]]. He also owns and operates a commercial recording facility, Bel*Air Studio.<ref name="loafing"/>
Casper & the Cookies served as the backing band for [[Daniel Johnston]] at the 2007 Athens Pop Fest. Also in 2007, the Cookies went on a nationwide tour supporting [[the Apples in Stereo]].<ref>[http://www.www.tinymixtapes.com/The-Apples-in-Stereo-Casper-the Tiny Mix Tapes show review] {{webarchive |url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070322135731/http://www.www.tinymixtapes.com/The-Apples-in-Stereo-Casper-the |date=March 22, 2007 }} February 15, 2007</ref>
== Members == '''Current''' * Jason NeSmith (aka Casper Fandango) * Kay Stanton * Davy Gibbs * AJ Griffin
'''Former''' {{Div col| colwidth=15em}} * Christo Harris * Ben Spraker * [[Kenny Howes]] * Phil Stockman * Paul Walker * Tim Schreiber * Suzanne Allison * Bryan Poole (aka [[the Late BP Helium]]) * Peter Alvanos * [[Jason Gonzales]] * Gregory Sanders * Joe Rowe * Lucas Jensen * Jim Hicks {{div col end}}
== Discography == === Albums === *''Consumer'' (cassette; as Casper Fandango & the Knees) – Lookit Meee! – 1996 *''How's Your Hand?'' (cassette; as Casper Fandango & His Tiny Sick Tears) – Lookit Meee! – 1997 *''How's Your Hand?'' (CD; as Casper Fandango & His Tiny Sick Tears) Lookit Meee! / AAJ – 2000 *''Oh!'' (CD) – Happy Happy Birthday to Me Records [HHBTM] / Waikiki Record – 2004/ 2005 (Japan) *''The Optimist's Club'' – (CD/LP) – HHBTM / People in a Position to Know {PIAPTK] – 2006 and Waikiki Record – 2008 *''Modern Silence'' – (CD/LP) – HHBTM / People in a Position to Know {PIAPTK] – 2009 *''Volatile and Erogenous: The Best of Casper & The Cookies'' – (CD) HHBTM / People In A Position to Know – 2011 (The album was given away for free on the Facebook page of the band and custom made by drummer Gregory Sanders) <ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.facebook.com/casperandthecookies |title=Casper & the Cookies | Facebook |website=www.facebook.com |access-date=27 January 2022 |archive-url=https://archive.today/20120730000920/http://www.facebook.com/casperandthecookies |archive-date=30 July 2012 |url-status=dead}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.mediafire.com/file/sigkbwfmedtlmll/Casper-Cookies_Volatile-Erogenous.zip/file|title=Casper-Cookies_Volatile-Erogenous|website=MediaFire.com|accessdate=2020-03-31}}</ref> *''Ice Mattress'' – (digital only release) – Self-Released – 2011 *''Dingbats'' – (LP/CD/cassette) – Wild Kindness Records – 2014
=== Singles and EPs === *''The Band That Shouted Love at the Heart of the World (CD-r)'' – Lookit Meee! – 2004 *''Overly Optimistic'' (CD-r) – HHBTM – 2006 *''3 ½ Stars'' (CD-r) – HHBTM – 2007 *''"Power Stupid"'' (split with Keith John Adams) 8” – PIAPTK – 2007 *''"Jennifer’s House"'' / “Huff” (split with Marbles) 7” – HHBTM – 2007 *''"Kiss Me Beneath the Christmas Tree"'' (digital only) – HHBTM – 2007 *"Wolf Of White Columns" - 2020
== References == {{reflist}}
== External links == * [{{AllMusic|class=artist|id=p822047/biography|pure_url=yes}} All Music Guide entry on Casper & the Cookies] * [http://www.casperandthecookies.com/ Casper & the Cookies website]
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{{DEFAULTSORT:Casper and the Cookies}} [[Category:American pop rock music groups]] [[Category:Musical groups established in 1998]] [[Category:Elephant 6 artists]] [[Category:Musical collectives]] [[Category:Indie pop groups from Georgia (U.S. state)]]