James Wesley Marsters (born August 20, 1962 in Greenville, California) is an American actor and musician, best known for playing the popular platinum-blonde character Spike, a British vampire, in the television series Buffy the Vampire Slayer and its spin-off series Angel. James Marsters sang in the American rock band Ghost of the Robot on their album Mad Brilliant and the E.P. 'It's Nothing'. Since the band's break up he has released two solo albums, Civilized Man and Like a Waterfall, and has performed a number of live solo gigs.