Warren Zanes

Warren Zanes was only 17 when he joined college roots rockers the Del Fuegos, the band led by his older brother, Dan. The group had a short, sharp run in the mid- to late '80s, but then vanished off the map. Zanes followed a similarly obscure path, pursuing his bachelor's degree, and then, bit by the bug of academia, continuing on to earn two master's degrees and a doctorate. (He earned a Ph.D. in visual and cultural studies in 2002 from the University of Rochester, and would eventually land a teaching spot at Manhattan's School of Visual Arts.) Amid his academic endeavors, ...