Sam Spiegel

Sam Spiegel is an American DJ, producer, composer, and director from Rockville, Maryland who grew up in Bethesda, Maryland.

As a child, Spiegel studied classical voice, cello, and flute. By his teens, he enjoyed hip hop music.

In addition to creating his own material, Spiegel has worked with musicians such as Kanye West, Ben Lee, Maroon 5, Del tha Funkee Homosapien, and the Yeah Yeah Yeahs. He has scored commercials for companies including Converse, Levi's, Reebok, ESPN, T Mobile, Jose Cuervo, and Saturn. His production company scored the video game Skate 2. Though he attempts to create music free of record label restraints, Spiegel also licenses his songs whenever possible so as to maximize exposure for his work. He produces albums under the name Squeak E. Clean.

Spiegel is the brother of film director Spike Jonze. They collaborated on the Adidas TV commercial Hello Tomorrow, for which Spiegel created the score sung by Karen O. The titular song briefly reached No. 1 on the iTunes singles chart. Spiegel also wrote the score for Jonze's 2010 short film I'm Here, and produced an original song with Ape Drums featuring Assassin for Jonze's Kenzo World advertisement.

2009 saw the release of one of Sam's music projects, N.A.S.A.’s (North America South America) landmark debut LP, The Spirit of Apollo. Created with long time Brazilian music partner DJ Zegon.

The Spirit of Apollo includes Kanye West, Karen O and Nick Zinner of Yeah Yeah Yeahs, Lykke Li, John Frusciante of Red Hot Chili Peppers, Tom Waits, Nina Persson of The Cardigans, George Clinton, David Byrne, M.I.A., RZA, Method Man, Ghostface Killah, and Ol' Dirty Bastard of Wu-Tang Clan while the corresponding music videos feature animated/live action collaborations by visual artists including Shepard Fairey, Sage Vaughn, Marcel Dzama, and The Date Farmers. Such collaborations earned Spiegel the title "King Sam" on Rolling Stone's annual "Hot List" in 2008. The album was "a conscious effort by NASA to show how people can be brought together by music and art."

Spiegel's project, Maximum Hedrum, brought him together with Harold Faltermeyer and Derrick Green (of Sepultura). In 2011 "Keep In Touch (Feel Me)" feat. George Clinton, was licensed to a BlackBerry commercial. In November 2012 "Keep In Touch (Feel Me)" and "Synthesize", two tracks from the upcoming album, were released commercially on iTunes and Amazon.com, as well as via free download from SoundCloud and Facebook. "Synthesize" was featured in Girl Skateboards film, Pretty Sweet.

in 2016, Spiegel began releasing music under his own name, Sam Spiegel. The first release under this new moniker was "Mutant Brain (feat. Assassin)" which he produced with Miami-based DJ and producer, Ape Drums and released through Interscope Records. "Mutant Brain" was featured in the Spike Jonze-directed short film, "Kenzo World, A New Fragrance", for the French brand Kenzo.

This music went on to win gold for the Use of Original Music in Film Craft at the Cannes Lions, as well as winning the Best Music category at the AICP One Show and Best Use of Original Music by a Music House at the Guild of Music Supervisors Awards.

In addition, Sam has been working intensely with artist Jean Paul Goude in creating music for Jean Paul's work with Chanel, Lacoste, Kenzo X H&M, Roger Vivier, and Pompidou.

Sam continues to release his own music, produce for other artists while directing and growing Squeak E. Clean Productions.

2015 saw Sam take on directing. His self funded music video for the final N.A.S.A. song, “Jihad Love Squad” was shot in India and directed and produced by Spiegel himself. Following the release of the “Jihad Love Squad” video, Sam signed to Hey Wonderful, a division of RSA Films, as a director. This led to Sam directing two National Geographic short films as well as CNN's first live commercial, which aired at 11:35 Eastern on New Year's Eve, 2017, during CNN's NYE Countdown and received nearly 3.3 million live viewers. Sam has continued his passion for directing into the 2018 year, with an Instagram interview campaign shot in May 2018 for Pride Month featuring LGBTQ advocates and their role models. In September Sam also conceptualized, directed and wrote “Wu-Tang in Space Eating Impossible Sliders” a branded content mini web series starring Wu-Tang Clan flying through space and postulating on the universe. The series highlighted the new partnership between Impossible Foods and White Castle.

On August 18, 2010, the Standard New York Hotel was the setting for a harmonically synchronized light and sound show produced by Spiegel. The Target Kaleidoscopic Fashion Spectacular featured a fashion show on the street level, while inside the hotel, 66 dancers performed choreography synchronized with fast-paced lighting patterns set to Spiegel's music score in 150 different rooms, using the glass walls of the hotel to display a multi-floor show, highlighting that year's fall styles.

Spiegel was pivotal to the project as he not only created the score but brought together many of the other contributing artists as well. The show featured the creative direction of Mother New York, the directors at LEGS, lighting choreographers at Bionic League (who have worked with Daft Punk and Kanye West), and the dance choreographer Sir Ryan Heffington.

Spiegel was the music director for Kanye West's critically acclaimed 2008 world Glow in the Dark Tour.

Spiegel also worked on a “psycho-opera”, entitled Stop The Virgens, spearheaded by his good friend, and front woman of the Yeah Yeah Yeahs, Karen O. The show is self-described as “an assault on the tragic joys of youth.” The opera premiered at St. Ann's Warehouse in Brooklyn, New York, on October 12, 2011, and hosted eight performances, concluding on October 22, 2011. It was produced by The Creators Project and directed by Adam Rapp. The opera served as a live version of the songs from an album that Spiegel produced and wrote with Karen O. Spiegel, along with the guitarist from the Yeah Yeah Yeahs, Nick Zinner, served as musical directors. Also contributing to the “original live xperience” were musicians Money Mark, Brian Chase, Jack Lawrence and Patrick Keeler of the Greenhornes/Racanteours. Also credited for his work with the sound design of the project was Andrés Velásquez.

Yeah Right! by Girl Skateboards
Release date: 2003
Directors: Spike Jonze and Ty Evans
Original music: Sam Spiegel

Hot Chocolate by Chocolate Skateboards
Release date: 2004
Directors: Spike Jonze, Ty Evans, Cory Weincheque
Original music: Sam Spiegel

Pretty Things
Release date: 2005
Director: Liz Goldwyn
Original music: Sam Spiegel

Warren Miller's City. Park City.
Release date: 2006
Directors: Jim Mangan and Whitey McConnaughy
Original music: Sam Spiegel

Warren Miller's Off The Grid
Release date: 2006
Director: Max Bervy
Original music: Sam Spiegel

Warren Miller’s Playground
Release date: 2007
Director: Max Bervy
Original music: Sam Spiegel and 2Mex

The Boys & Girls Guide to Getting Down
Release date: September 11, 2007
Director: Paul Sapiano
Starring: Cricket Leigh, Kat Turner, and John McGarr
Music: In the Hall of the Mountain King cover by Sam Spiegel

Fully Flared by Lakai
Release date: December 7, 2007
Directors: Ty Evans, Spike Jonze, Cory Weincheque
Original music: Sam Spiegel and Koool G Murder

Beautiful Losers
Release date: August 2, 2008
Directors: Aaron Rose, Joshua Leonard
Starring: Thomas Campbell, Shepard Fairey, Jo Jackson, Harmony Korine
Original music: Sam Spiegel and Koool G Murder

We Were Once A Fairytale
Release date: June 24, 2009
Director: Spike Jonze
Starring: Kanye West
Original music: Sam Spiegel and Koool G Murder

Whip It
Release date: October 2, 2009
Director: Drew Barrymore
Starring: Ellen Page, Drew Barrymore, and Kristen Wiig
Music: "Lollipop" (Squeak E. Clean/Desert Eagles Mix) by The Chordettes

Cop Out
Release date: February 26, 2010
Director: Kevin Smith
Starring: Bruce Willis and Tracy Chapman
Original music: Sam Spiegel and Harold Faltermeyer

Absolut - "I'm Here"
Release date: January 21, 2010
Director: Spike Jonze
Starring: Andrew Garfield, Sienna Guillory
Original music: Sam Spiegel and Brent Nichols

Jackass 3D
Release date: October 15, 2010
Director: Jeff Tremaine
Starring: Johnny Knoxville, Bam Margera, Steve-O
Music: "If You're Gonna Be Dumb, You Gotta Be Tough" (cover by Sam Spiegel and Karen O) by Roger Allan Wade, "Corona" (Jackass Opera Mix by Sam Spiegel) by The Minutemen

Mourir Aupres De Toi
Release date: 2011
Directors: Spike Jonze and Simon Cahn
Writer: Olympia Le-Tan
Starring: Spike Jonze, Pierre Le-Tan, and Soko
Original music: Sam Spiegel and Koool G Murder

Jackass Presents: Bad Grandpa
Release date: October 25, 2013
Directors: Jeff Tremaine
Writer: Jeff Tremaine, Johnny Knoxville and Spike Jonze
Starring: Johnny Knoxville and Jackson Nicoll
Original music: Sam Spiegel and Koool G. Murder

Booksmart
Release date: May 24, 2019
Director: Olivia Wilde
Starring: Kaitlyn Dever, Beanie Feldstein
Music: "To Whom It May Concern" by Sam Spiegel featuring Ceelo Green, Theophilus London and Alex Ebert

EA Skate Mike Carrol Video by Girl Skateboards
Release date: September 14, 2007
Production company: Black Box
Music: Squeak E. Clean

Skate 2
Release date: January 21, 2009
Production company: Black Box
Music: Squeak E. Clean

Blitz: The League
Music: Fatlip “Today’s Your Day (Whachagonedu?)” (produced by Sam Spiegel)

Squeak E. Clean presents Bald Head Slick (aka Guru)/2Mex "I Win, U Lose"/"Once-Again" (single)
Release date: March 1, 2005
Label: Dim Mak Records
Producer: Sam Spiegel

Fatlip - "The Loneliest Punk"
Release date: October 25, 2005
Label: Delicious Vinyl
Producer, “Today’s Your Day” and “Freaky Bumps”: Sam Spiegel

Yeah Yeah Yeahs - "Show Your Bones"
Release date: March 28, 2006
Label: Interscope Records
Producer: Sam Spiegel

Donavon Frankenreiter - "Move By Yourself"
Release date: June 6, 2006
Label: UMG Recordings, Inc.
Producer, “Turn On Your Heart” (single): Sam Spiegel

Swollen Members - "Black Magic"
Release date: September 12, 2006
Label: Battle Axe Records
Producer, “Go To Sleep”: Sam Spiegel

Crystal Castles - "Crystal Castles"
Release date: March 18, 2008
Label: Lies Records
Producer, “Courtship Dating”, Through the Hosiery”, “Black Panther”: Sam Spiegel

Donavon Frankenreiter - "Pass It Around"
Release date: August 19, 2008
Label: UMG Recordings, Inc.
Producer, “Life, Love, and Laughter”: Sam Spiegel

Adidas - "Hello Tomorrow"
Release date: 2005
Agency: TBWA\Chiat\Day SF
Director: Spike Jonze
Original music: Sam Spiegel and Karen O
Awards: Gold Lion for Best Music at Cannes 2005, Best Original Music at AICP 2006

Target Kaleidoscopic Fashion Spectacular
Event date: August 18, 2010
Agency: Mother NY
Director: LEGS
Original score: Sam Spiegel
VFX: Bionic League
Choreographer: Ryan Heffington

Sci-fi Channel - "Human Suit"
Production company: RSA Films
Director: Albert Kodagolian
Original music: Sam Spiegel, Kelley Logsdon, and Brent Nichols
Awards: Silver Clio for Original Music at the Clio Awards 2006