# Charlie Looker

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> Markdown URL: https://mediated.wiki/source/Charlie_Looker.md
> Source: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Charlie_Looker
> Source revision: 1327677936
> License: Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/)

{{Short description|American musician}}
{{Infobox musical artist
| name            = Charlie Looker
| image           = Charlie Looker Ensemble 2017.jpg
| image_size      =
| landscape       = yes
| alt             =
| caption         = The Charlie Looker Ensemble performing at Knockdown Center in Queens, 2017
| birth_name      = Charles Andrew Looker
| birth_date      = {{Birth date and age|1980|5|23}}
| birth_place     = New York City
| origin          =
| death_date      =
| death_place     =
| genre           =
| occupation      =
| instrument      = {{hlist|Vocals|guitar|keyboards}}
| years_active    = <!-- YYYY–YYYY (or –present) -->
| label           = {{hlist|[Northern Spy](/source/Northern_Spy_Records)|[Profound Lore](/source/Profound_Lore_Records)|Last Things|[Astral Spirits](/source/Astral_Spirits_Records)}}
|current_member_of = [Extra Life](/source/Extra_Life_(band))
|past_member_of = [Zs](/source/Zs_(band)), Psalm Zero, [Dirty Projectors](/source/Dirty_Projectors)
| associated_acts = [Extra Life](/source/Extra_Life_(band)), [Zs](/source/Zs_(band)), [Dirty Projectors](/source/Dirty_Projectors)
| website         = {{URL|charlielooker.com}}
}}

'''Charles A. Looker'''<ref>{{Cite web |title=BIO / DISCOGRAPHY |url=https://www.charlielooker.com/bio-discography |access-date=September 27, 2023 |publisher=Charlie Looker}}</ref> (born May 23, 1980) is an American composer, improviser, vocalist, and guitarist known for his work in [experimental metal](/source/Avant-garde_metal),<ref name="Pitchfork Solo 2018">{{cite web |last1=O'Connor |first1=Andy |title=Charlie Looker: Simple Answers |url=https://pitchfork.com/reviews/albums/charlie-looker-simple-answers/ |website=Pitchfork |access-date=9 February 2021 |date=26 June 2018}}</ref> [contemporary classical](/source/Contemporary_Classical_Music),<ref>{{cite web |last1=Walls |first1=Seth Colter |title=Oh! Oh! Ojai: The Week in Classical Music |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2018/06/15/arts/music/oh-oh-ojai-the-week-in-classical-music.html |website=The New York Times |access-date=9 February 2021 |date=15 June 2018}}</ref> [avant-jazz](/source/avant-garde_jazz), and [Renaissance](/source/Renaissance_music) and [Medieval](/source/Medieval_music) musical forms.<ref name="Village Voice Feature 2013">{{cite web |last1=Sharp |first1=Elliott |title=Exit Interview: Charlie Looker on the Life and Death of Extra Life |url=https://vvstaging.villagevoice.com/2013/01/18/exit-interview-charlie-looker-on-the-life-and-death-of-extra-life/ |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230527214806/https://vvstaging.villagevoice.com/2013/01/18/exit-interview-charlie-looker-on-the-life-and-death-of-extra-life/ |url-status=dead |archive-date=May 27, 2023 |website=The Village Voice |access-date=9 February 2021 |date=18 January 2013}}</ref>

== Education and career ==

Looker is a graduate of [Wesleyan University](/source/Wesleyan_University), where he studied with [Anthony Braxton](/source/Anthony_Braxton) and [Alvin Lucier](/source/Alvin_Lucier).<ref>{{cite web |last1=Margasak |first1=Peter |title=Tirra Lirra, Extra Life, Cool Memories |url=https://www.chicagoreader.com/chicago/tirra-lirra-extra-life-cool-memories/Event?oid=1485029 |website=The Chicago Reader |date=23 September 2009 |access-date=10 February 2021}}</ref>

Alongside his work as a solo artist,<ref name="Pitchfork Solo 2018" /> Looker also leads an Early/Renaissance-music inspired project, Seaven Teares;<ref>{{cite web |last1=Gompers |first1=Sjimon |title=Stream: Seaven Teares, Power Ballads |url=https://imposemagazine.com/bytes/new-music/stream-seaven-teares-power-ballads |website=IMPOSE Magazine |access-date=10 February 2021}}</ref> performs improvised "death-jazz" with Period, whose rotating cast includes [Darius Jones](/source/Darius_Jones_(saxophonist)), Chuck Bettis, and [Mike Pride](/source/Mike_Pride_(musician));<ref>{{cite web |last1=Cohan |first1=Brad |title=Zevious |url=https://www.villagevoice.com/2014/08/20/zevious/ |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201031171422/https://www.villagevoice.com/2014/08/20/zevious/ |url-status=dead |archive-date=October 31, 2020 |website=The Village Voice |access-date=10 February 2021 |date=20 August 2014}}</ref> played in Sculptress, a duo with [Chuck Stern](/source/Chuck_Stern);<ref name="Village Voice 2011">{{cite web |last1=Weingarten |first1=Christopher |title=Download: Tracks By Charlie Looker's Extra Life And Sculptress |url=https://www.villagevoice.com/download-tracks-by-charlie-lookers-extra-life-and-sculptress/ |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20231219195355/https://www.villagevoice.com/download-tracks-by-charlie-lookers-extra-life-and-sculptress/ |url-status=dead |archive-date=December 19, 2023 |website=The Village Voice |access-date=19 December 2023 |date=21 June 2011}}</ref> and leads the [industrial-metal](/source/industrial-metal) duo Psalm Zero, formerly alongside [Castevet](/source/Castevet)'s Andrew Hock.<ref name="SPIN PZ 2016">{{cite web |last1=O'Connor |first1=Andy |title=Review: Psalm Zero Put the Power in Corruption and Lies on 'Stranger to Violence' |url=https://www.spin.com/2016/07/review-psalm-zero-stranger-to-violence/ |website=SPIN |access-date=9 February 2021 |date=22 July 2016}}</ref> He is the songwriter, guitarist, and lead vocalist for avant-rock band [Extra Life](/source/Extra_Life_(band))<ref>{{cite web |last1=Cohan |first1=Brad |title=Q&A: Extra Life's Charlie Looker On Dream Seeds, Being A Music Schoolteacher And Thinking Antony Is Awesome |url=https://www.villagevoice.com/2012/05/04/qa-extra-lifes-charlie-looker-on-dream-seeds-being-a-music-schoolteacher-and-thinking-antony-is-awesome/ |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180912074425/https://www.villagevoice.com/2012/05/04/qa-extra-lifes-charlie-looker-on-dream-seeds-being-a-music-schoolteacher-and-thinking-antony-is-awesome/ |url-status=dead |archive-date=September 12, 2018 |website=The Village Voice |access-date=9 February 2021 |date=4 May 2012}}</ref> and a former member and co-founder of [avant-garde](/source/Avant-garde_music) band [Zs](/source/Zs_(band)).<ref name="Pitchfork Zs 2009">{{cite web |last1=Powell |first1=Mike |title=Zs: Music of the Modern White |url=https://pitchfork.com/reviews/albums/13128-music-of-the-modern-white/ |website=Pitchfork |access-date=10 February 2021 |date=29 June 2009}}</ref> He worked with [Dirty Projectors](/source/Dirty_Projectors) and appears on their record ''[Rise Above](/source/Rise_Above_(Dirty_Projectors_album))''.<ref>{{cite web |last1=Carlson |first1=Jen |title=Charlie Looker, Extra Life |url=https://gothamist.com/arts-entertainment/charlie-looker-extra-life |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230201063837/https://gothamist.com/arts-entertainment/charlie-looker-extra-life |url-status=dead |archive-date=February 1, 2023 |website=Gothamist |access-date=10 February 2021 |date=22 October 2008 }}</ref> Other collaborators include [M Lamar](/source/M_Lamar),<ref>{{cite web |title=Listen: M. Lamar, Charlie Looker & Mivos Quartet |url=https://www.newsounds.org/story/listen-m-lamar-charlie-looker-mivos-quartet/ |website=New Sounds |publisher=New York Public Radio |access-date=10 February 2021 |date=28 April 2016}}</ref>
[Mariel Roberts](/source/Mariel_Roberts), [Ty Braxton](/source/Ty_Braxton),<ref>{{cite web |title=Charlie Looker (Seaven Teares, Psalm Zero, ZS) begins residency at NY's The Stone this month, premieres Twin Peaks cover song |url=https://www.tinymixtapes.com/news/charlie-looker-begins-residency-at-the-stone-premieres-twin-peaks-cover-song |website=Tiny Mix Tapes |access-date=10 February 2021 |date=6 January 2015}}</ref> [Mary Halvorson](/source/Mary_Halvorson), [Mick Barr](/source/Mick_Barr), [Tim Berne](/source/Tim_Berne), [Nat Baldwin](/source/Nat_Baldwin),<ref>{{cite web |title=Extra Life: "I'm really into a certain amount of artifice in music." |url=https://www.tinymixtapes.com/features/extra-life |website=Tiny Mix Tapes |access-date=10 February 2021 |date=5 May 2009}}</ref> [Earle Brown](/source/Earle_Brown), [Sam Mickens](/source/The_Dead_Science), [Kelly Moran](/source/Kelly_Moran_(musician)), [Dax Riggs](/source/Dax_Riggs), [Lingua Ignota](/source/Lingua_Ignota_(musician)),<ref name="Chicago Reader 2020">{{cite web |last1=Collo-Julin |first1=Salem |title=Sparta marks a new beginning for NYC's Psalm Zero |url=https://www.chicagoreader.com/chicago/sparta-marks-a-new-beginning-for-nycs-psalm-zero/Content?oid=77969054 |website=The Chicago Reader |access-date=10 February 2021 |date=21 February 2020}}</ref> [Matthew Welch](/source/Matthew_Welch),<ref>{{cite web |title=Matthew Welch: Ceol Nua |url=https://www.allmusic.com/album/ceol-nua-mw0000221260/credits |website=AllMusic.com |access-date=10 February 2021}}</ref> Stu Watson, [William Parker](/source/William_Parker_(musician)),<ref>{{cite web |last1=Puccio |first1=Michael |title=Mike Pride: Scrambler / Bartlomiej Brat Oles: Free Drum Suite |url=https://www.allaboutjazz.com/mike-pride-scrambler-bartlomiej-brat-oles-free-drum-suite-by-michael-puccio.php |website=All About Jazz |access-date=10 February 2021 |date=22 January 2006}}</ref> and [Glenn Branca](/source/Glenn_Branca).

He founded Last Things Records, a label that has released recordings by Extra Life, [Larkin Grimm](/source/Larkin_Grimm), [Parenthetical Girls](/source/Parenthetical_Girls),  Psalm Zero, and Sculptress.

In 2011, Looker was named one of [NPR Music](/source/NPR_Music)'s "Top 100 Composers Under 40".<ref>{{cite web |title=The Mix: 100 Composers Under 40 |url=https://www.npr.org/2011/04/23/135473622/the-mix-100-composers-under-40 |website=NPR |access-date=10 February 2021 |date=17 April 2011}}</ref>

==Discography==

===As leader===

{| class="wikitable sortable"
|-
! Year !! Artist !! Title !! Label
|-
|2002
|Lavender
|''Get Your Eye''<ref>{{cite web |last1=Kendrick |first1=Monica |title=Spot Check |url=https://www.chicagoreader.com/chicago/spot-check/Content?oid=909353 |website=The Chicago Reader |access-date=10 May 2021 |date=8 August 2002}}</ref>
|Newsonic
|-
|2006
|[Extra Life](/source/Extra_Life_(band))
|''Three-Song EP''
|FuckingA
|-
|2008
|Extra Life
|''A Split'' (EP)<ref name="Village Voice Feature 2013" />
|Shatter Your Leaves
|-
|2008
|Extra Life
|''Secular Works''<ref>{{cite web |last1=Roesgen |first1=Jeff |title=Extra Life: Secular Works |url=https://www.tinymixtapes.com/music-review/extra-life-secular-works |website=Tiny Mix Tapes |access-date=10 May 2021}}</ref>
|Planaria / I & Ear / [LOAF](/source/Lo_Recordings)
|-
|2010
|Extra Life
|''[Made Flesh](/source/Made_Flesh)''<ref>{{cite web |last1=Galil |first1=Leor |title=Reviewed: Extra Life's Made Flesh |url=https://washingtoncitypaper.com/article/433975/reviewed-extra-lifes-made-flesh/ |website=Washington City Paper |access-date=10 May 2021 |date=25 March 2010}}</ref>
|LOAF / Africantape
|-
|2011
|Extra Life
|''Ripped Heart'' (EP)<ref>{{cite web |last1=Louche |first1=Liz |title=Former Zs member releases Ripped Heart EP with his new(ish) band Extra Life |url=https://www.tinymixtapes.com/news/former-zs-member-releases-ripped-heart-ep-his-newish-band-extra-life |website=Tiny Mix Tapes |access-date=10 May 2021 |date=22 February 2011}}</ref>
|Last Things
|-
|2012
|Extra Life
|''Dream Seeds''<ref>{{cite web |last1=Cohan |first1=Brad |title=Q&A: Extra Life's Charlie Looker On Dream Seeds, Being A Music Schoolteacher And Thinking Antony Is Awesome |url=https://www.villagevoice.com/2012/05/04/qa-extra-lifes-charlie-looker-on-dream-seeds-being-a-music-schoolteacher-and-thinking-antony-is-awesome/ |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180912074425/https://www.villagevoice.com/2012/05/04/qa-extra-lifes-charlie-looker-on-dream-seeds-being-a-music-schoolteacher-and-thinking-antony-is-awesome/ |url-status=dead |archive-date=September 12, 2018 |website=The Village Voice |access-date=10 May 2021 |date=4 May 2012}}</ref>
|[Northern Spy](/source/Northern_Spy_Records)
|-
|2013
|Seaven Teares
|''Power Ballads''<ref>{{cite web |last1=Roesgen |first1=Jeff |title=Seaven Teares Power Ballads |url=https://www.tinymixtapes.com/music-review/seaven-teares-power-ballads |website=Tiny Mix Tapes |access-date=10 May 2021}}</ref>
|Northern Spy
|-
|2014
|Psalm Zero
|''The Drain''<ref>{{cite web |last1=Currin |first1=Grayson Haver |title=Psalm Zero: The Drain |url=https://pitchfork.com/reviews/albums/19070-psalm-zero-the-drain/ |website=Pitchfork |access-date=10 May 2021 |date=18 March 2014}}</ref>
|[Profound Lore](/source/Profound_Lore_Records)
|-
|2016
|Psalm Zero
|''Stranger to Violence''<ref>{{cite web |last1=Reyes-Kulkarni |first1=Saby |title=Psalm Zero: Stranger to Violence |url=https://pitchfork.com/reviews/albums/22133-stranger-to-violence/ |website=Pitchfork |access-date=10 May 2021 |date=30 July 2016}}</ref>
|Profound Lore
|-
|2018
|Charlie Looker
|''Simple Answers''<ref name="Pitchfork Solo 2018" />
|Last Things
|-
|2019
|Nothing Human
|''[Five Bandcamp singles]''
|-
|-
|2020
|Psalm Zero
|''Sparta''<ref name="Chicago Reader 2020" />
|Last Things
|-
|2020
|Charlie Looker
|''Pleasures Of A Normal Man''
|Last Things
|-
|2020
|Seaven Teares
|''Older Than Love''
|
|-
|2022
|Extra Life
|''Secular Works, Vol. 2''<ref>{{cite web |last1=Hudson |first1=Nick |title=Extra Life – Secular Works, Vol. 2 |url=https://theprogressiveaspect.net/blog/2022/09/05/extra-life-secular-works-vol-2/ |website=Toilet ov Hell |access-date=25 May 2023 |date=5 September 2022}}</ref>
|Last Things
|-
|2024
|Extra Life
|''The Sacred Vowel''<ref>{{cite web |title=Nine Songs I Liked This Week in List Form |url=https://machinemusic.net/2024/03/30/nine-songs-i-liked-this-week-in-list-form-mar-24-mar-30/ |website=Machine Music |access-date=31 March 2024 |date=30 March 2024}}</ref>
|Last Things
|}

=== As co-leader===

{| class="wikitable sortable"
|-
! Year !! Artist !! Title !! Label
|-
|2000
|[Daniel Carter](/source/Daniel_Carter_(musician)) / Charlie Looker / Greg Stare
|''Light''
|Aristocracy Communication
|-
|2003
|[Zs](/source/Zs_(band))
|''Zs''
|Troubleman Unlimited
|-
|2005
|Zs
|''Buck''<ref name="TMT Zs 2013">{{cite web |last1=Allen |first1=Clifford |title=2002-2007: Zs Score: The Complete Sextet Works 2002-2007 |url=https://www.tinymixtapes.com/delorean/zs-score-the-complete-sextet-works-2002-2007 |website=Tiny Mix Tapes |date=4 January 2013}}</ref>
|Folding Cassettes
|-
|2005
|Zs
|''Karate Bump'' (EP)<ref name="TMT Zs 2013" />
|Planaria
|-
|2006
|PERIOD
|''PERIOD''
|FuckingA
|-
|2006
|Seductive Sprigs
|''Seductive Sprigs''<ref>{{cite web |title=Seductive Sprigs |url=https://www.wnyc.org/story/61955-seductive-sprigs/ |website=WNYC |access-date=10 May 2021 |date=11 June 2006}}</ref>
|FuckingA
|-
|2007
|Zs
|''Arms''<ref>{{cite web |last1=Mackey |first1=Robbie |title=Zs: Arms |url=https://pitchfork.com/reviews/albums/11063-arms/ |website=Pitchfork |access-date=10 May 2021 |date=25 January 2008}}</ref>
|Planaria
|-
|2008
|Zs
|''The Hard'' (EP)
|Three One G
|-
|2011
|Sculptress
|''Cuckold''
|Last Things
|-
|2012
|Zs
|''The Complete Sextet Works 2002-2007''<ref name="TMT Zs 2013" />
|Northern Spy
|-
|2014
|PERIOD
|''PERIOD 2''<ref>{{cite web |last1=Eidenberger |first1=Julian |title=Period – 2 (Public Eyesore, 2014) ***½ |url=https://www.freejazzblog.org/2014/09/period-2-public-eyesore-2014.html?m=1 |website=The Free Jazz Collective |access-date=10 May 2021 |date=17 September 2014}}</ref>
|Public Eyesore
|-
|2021
|[Jeremiah Cymerman](/source/Jeremiah_Cymerman) / Charlie Looker
|''A Horizon Made of Canvas''<ref>{{cite web |title=AMN Reviews: Jeremiah Cymerman / Charlie Looker – A Horizon Made Of Canvas (2021; Astral Spirits) |url=https://avantmusicnews.com/2020/12/12/amn-reviews-jeremiah-cymerman-charlie-looker-a-horizon-made-of-canvas-2021-astral-spirits/ |website=Avant Music News |access-date=10 May 2021 |date=12 December 2020}}</ref>
|[Astral Spirits](/source/Astral_Spirits_Records)
|}

===As sideperson===

{| class="wikitable sortable"
|-
! Year !! Artist !! Title !! Label
|-
|2002
|[Alvin Lucier](/source/Alvin_Lucier)
|''Vespers and Other Early Works''
|[New World Records](/source/New_World_Records)
|-
|2002
|[Matthew Welch](/source/Matthew_Welch)
|''Ceol Nua''
|[Leo Records](/source/Leo_Records)
|-
|2005
|[Mike Pride](/source/Mike_Pride_(musician))
|''Scrambler''<ref>{{cite web |title=Mike Pride: Scrambler |url=https://m-etropolis.com/blog/mike-pride-scrambler-nottwo-records/ |website=M.etropolis |date=7 January 2011 |access-date=10 May 2021}}</ref>
|Not Two Records
|-
|2006
|[Earle Brown](/source/Earle_Brown)
|''Folio and Four Systems''
|[Tzadik](/source/Tzadik_Records)
|-
|2007
|[Dirty Projectors](/source/Dirty_Projectors)
|''[Rise Above](/source/Rise_Above_(Dirty_Projectors_album))''
|Dead Oceans
|-
|2016
|Tredici Bacci
|''Amore Per Tutti''<ref>{{cite web |last1=Schneider |first1=Meredith |title=Tredici Bacci Rolls Out Imaginary Cinematic Masterpiece in Amore Per Tutti |url=https://imposemagazine.com/features/tredici-bacci-rolls-out-imaginary-cinematic-masterpiece-in-amore-per-tutti |website=Impose Magazine |access-date=1 November 2023}}</ref>
|NNA
|-
|2017
|[M Lamar](/source/M_Lamar)
|''Surveillance Punishment and the Black Psyche''<ref>{{cite web |title=Listen: M. Lamar, Charlie Looker & Mivos Quartet |url=https://www.wqxr.org/story/listen-m-lamar-charlie-looker-mivos-quartet/ |website=WQXR |publisher=New Sounds Live |access-date=7 March 2021 |date=28 April 2016}}</ref>
|Negrogothic
|-
|2021
|[Xiu Xiu](/source/Xiu_Xiu)
|''[OH NO](/source/Oh_No_(Xiu_Xiu_album))''
|[Polyvinyl](/source/Polyvinyl_Record_Co.)
|-
|2023
|Xiu Xiu
|''[Ignore Grief](/source/Ignore_Grief)''
|Polyvinyl
|}

==References==
{{Reflist}}

{{Authority control}}

==External links==
* [https://charlielooker.bandcamp.com Charlie Looker Bandcamp]
* [https://www.allmusic.com/artist/charlie-looker-mn0000014223/credits AllMusic.com credits]

{{DEFAULTSORT:Looker, Charlie}}
Category:Dirty Projectors members
Category:Musicians from New York City
Category:Wesleyan University alumni
Category:Living people
Category:1980 births

---
Adapted from the Wikipedia article [Charlie Looker](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Charlie_Looker) by Wikipedia contributors ([contributor history](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Charlie_Looker?action=history)). Available under [Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International](https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/). Changes may have been made.