The son of photographer Dennis Dilley, he left home at age 19, spending many years in Asia.

Bannon publishes on grief, art, history, culture, and translation, as well as delivering lectures at libraries, museums and conferences.

Bannon writes and speaks[7] on art,[8] history,[9] culture,[10] computer technology,[11] business[12] and translation.

[24] His original Korean-language poems[25] and translations of Korean poetry and spirituality texts have appeared in consumer magazines,[26] trade publications[27][28] and academic journals.

[35] Bannon was arrested in Boulder, Colorado, on January 27, 2006, on the charges of criminal impersonation, computer crime, and attempted theft.

[36] His guilty plea was made in exchange for prosecutors dropping the additional charges of computer crime and attempted theft.