41-576: The Elephant 6 Recording Company is a loosely defined musical collective from the United States. Notable bands associated with the collective include The Apples in Stereo , Beulah , Circulatory System , Elf Power , The Minders , Neutral Milk Hotel , of Montreal , and The Olivia Tremor Control . Although bands in Elephant 6 explore many different genres , they have a shared interest in psychedelic pop of
82-609: A band called the Synthetic Flying Machine. While in Athens, the group began collaborating with New York musician Julian Koster . In 1993, the Synthetic Flying Machine evolved into a band called the Olivia Tremor Control , and the band gained local attention for their psychedelic sound, which was in contrast to the prevalent grunge sound of the 1990s. In the 1990s, bands joined Elephant 6 through invitation. Inspired by
123-585: A communal compound in Athens. In 2012, the official Elephant 6 website read: "A collective, a label ... a cult? Elephant 6 may be all of these things or none of these depending on your point of view. And we're certainly not going to try to define what it is now!" Elephant 6 originated in Ruston, Louisiana , in the late 1980s. The name was occasionally used to denote home recordings made by four high school friends: Bill Doss , Will Cullen Hart , Jeff Mangum , and Robert Schneider . These recordings were circulated between
164-641: A musical level it's too soon to say. I mean, I don't want to say definitively that I don't want to make music again, but on a musical level there's no way to come to terms with the loss." The Olivia Tremor Control continued making music, and in 2017 Schneider confirmed he was producing unfinished recordings. Today, the Elephant 6 collective still exists, albeit on a much smaller scale. Bands like Elf Power and of Montreal continue to record music, and many bands have moved onto Elephant 6 offshoot labels such as Orange Twin Records and Cloud Recordings . Elephant 6 bands explore
205-484: A romantic relationship with them. “I have been the victim of intimidation, manipulation, and abuse by Nesey Gallons for many years,” he writes. "When the relationship began I was 28 and Nesey was 16, just before her 17th birthday," Koster continued. "Though this put her over Georgia's legal age of consent when our relationship began, it was wrong to allow the relationship to happen at all and I've apologized to Nesey many times for that. I should have been more responsible about
246-619: A variety of music genres , including indie rock , synth-pop , and twee pop . A common interest for nearly every associated band, however, is psychedelic pop of the 1960s. Bands such as the Beach Boys , the Beatles , and the Zombies are important influences for Elephant 6 groups like the Apples in Stereo , Beulah , and the Olivia Tremor Control . Elephant 6's de facto leader Robert Schneider notes
287-530: A wide range of musical expression, allowing for immediate and enduring growth, however loose the association." The collective has influenced many indie rock bands, including Arcade Fire , Franz Ferdinand , and Tame Impala . Chris Chu of the Canadian band the Morning Benders said: "Elephant 6 was the gateway for me. They seemed to be bridging that tradition from the 60s to a more modern, more indie approach. It
328-450: Is a phrase used to describe a group of musicians in which membership is flexible and creative control is shared. The concept is distinct from that of a traditional band in that musical collectives allow for flexibility in their rosters, and members are free to rotate in and out of the line-up. Collectives may exist in almost any genre of music, although they have been especially prominent in indie rock and hip hop . A musical collective
369-609: Is distinct from a musicians collective , such as the London Musicians Collective , which is an organization with more general aims and larger membership. Julian Koster Julian Koster (born July 26, 1972) is an American multidisciplinary artist. As a musician, he is a member of the Elephant 6 Collective , the leader of The Music Tapes , and a member of Neutral Milk Hotel . He is known for writing, directing, and acting in audio fiction The Orbiting Human Circus (of
410-406: Is happening now. But we're all just so happy." The Olivia Tremor Control reunited in 2009, and Mangum returned to the public eye with solo concerts over the next few years. On July 30, 2012, Doss died from a reported aneurysm . His death came as a shock to the collective, and stalled nearly all recordings at the time. Schneider said: "I can't say what it means for the Elephant 6 or the Apples ... On
451-466: Is noted flamenco guitarist Dennis Koster. Koster does not identify as straight. Koster is close friends with Hedwig and the Angry Inch co-creator John Cameron Mitchell , having contributed to early readings of the production and featured the character of Hedwig in some early tours with The Music Tapes. Mitchell is a cast member on Koster's Orbiting Human Circus podcast. On July 9, 2024, Koster
SECTION 10
#1732868617129492-518: The Surrealist Manifestos , members of the collective issued their own manifesto in small hand-drawn catalogs, found within early releases. According to Schneider: "We wanted [to find] these little pockets of people in different cities who listened to Pavement and the Beach Boys and were recording on 4-tracks." Schneider notes that another way a band may join is by simply having a similar sound. He uses Beulah as an example, and in reference to
533-489: The 1960s, with particular influence from bands such as the Beach Boys , the Beatles , and the Zombies . Their music sometimes features intentionally low fidelity production and experimental recording techniques. The collective started in Ruston, Louisiana in the late 1980s. The name was occasionally used to denote the home recordings made by four high school friends: Bill Doss , Will Cullen Hart , Jeff Mangum , and Robert Schneider . After high school, Schneider formed
574-428: The 1990s. Noel Murray and Marcus Gilmer of The A.V. Club note the difficulty in defining the exact parameters of the collective due to the multitude of associated acts. Each act has their own unique sound, and musicians are often members of multiple bands. This problem is compounded by the fact that members will sometimes obfuscate the truth, such as misleading a Rolling Stone reporter into believing they lived in
615-559: The Aereoplane Over the Sea , saying it "is the culmination of everything the [Elephant 6] collective was about in the mid-'90s: distinctive, ragged, catchy records ripped straight from their makers' veins." Many bands associated with the collective were formed during this period, and Athens became a major hub city. Elf Power , of Montreal , and Doss' solo project the Sunshine Fix were among
656-648: The Air) , and for performing with the theatrical troupe of the same name. He is also known for his heavy use of the musical saw in recordings, even releasing The Singing Saw at Christmastime , his only solo album released under his own name, in 2008. In 1989, Koster formed Miss America with Liza Wakeman , Alan Edwards , Paul Wells and Keith Block . After legal threats from Miss America , they became Chocolate USA. Chocolate USA released two albums on Bar/None before disbanding to follow other projects. Koster joined Jeff Mangum , Scott Spillane and Jeremy Barnes to record
697-418: The Apples in Stereo; Doss, Hart, and Mangum formed the Olivia Tremor Control; and Mangum independently formed Neutral Milk Hotel. These three bands would serve as the basis for Elephant 6, and soon, many other bands joined. Athens, Georgia , and Denver, Colorado , became major hub cities, and the mid-to-late 1990s represented the peak years of activity for the collective. Due to the confluence of new bands and
738-755: The EP Purim's Shadows in 2011, in 2012, The Music Tapes released their third full-length LP, Mary's Voice . On October 12, 2016, The Orbiting Human Circus (of the Air) podcast was released, with Koster starring as Julian the Janitor. Koster voiced Slime Boy in the animated series High Guardian Spice . In 2023, Koster started a new band, also called Orbiting Human Circus. They released their debut album, Quartet Plus Two , on November 17. The album featured contributions from Robbie Cucchiaro and Thomas Hughes, Koster's bandmates in The Music Tapes. Koster's father
779-484: The Unrealized Film Script: Dusk at Cubist Castle features recording techniques such as tape manipulation and sound collages . Schneider notes his hatred of both indie music and modern pop music, and said that his vision for Elephant 6 is a "perfect pop world," untarnished by commercial interests. Several journalists regard Elephant 6 as an important underground music movement, and a key contributor to
820-442: The age gap, but I deny all the other accusations she's made." Koster wrote in his statement, "Anyone who knows me now or knew me then understands that I always try with all my heart to approach people with empathy and love, including Nesey, and over the last few years I've been working hard to build a friendship and to listen to her and acknowledge the pain that she feels. My efforts have been met with increasingly disturbing behavior on
861-413: The album, they discussed new ideas, which in turn facilitated a need to make more music. The following year, Koster and Nesey Gallons organized the "Elephant 6 Holiday Surprise Tour," a short concert tour that featured fifteen artists and ten Elephant 6 bands. Koster said "Elephant 6 is back," and added: "Somehow, everything's happening for us now. I don't know why we were ever interrupted, and why all this
SECTION 20
#1732868617129902-429: The alternative rock and indie rock explosion in the 1990s. Lee M. Shook Jr. of Paste wrote: "The Elephant 6 Recording Company would raise the bar for wide-scale countercultural activity and underground pop art—both musical, visual and otherwise—well into the 21st century." Tom Murphy of Westword expanded on this statement, by writing: "It became a movement of sorts because the music was so accessible and inclusive of
943-457: The band's sound, he said: "This is a kindred spirit. This is Elephant 6." Schneider created a record label called the Elephant 6 Recording Company as a vehicle for the Apples music, and in 1993, the first recording released on the label was an extended play titled Tidal Wave . Around this time, Mangum left the Olivia Tremor Control, and became a vagabond. While living in Seattle , Mangum released
984-425: The dissolution of Neutral Milk Hotel and the Olivia Tremor Control, the collective stagnated in activity in the early 2000s. A brief resurgence in the late 2000s ended with the death of Doss, and in recent years the collective has remained relatively dormant. Journalists have described Elephant 6 as an important underground music movement, and a key contributor to the emergence of alternative rock and indie rock in
1025-589: The formerly reclusive Koster. Koster was a founding member of Major Organ and the Adding Machine . He appeared in the Major Organ and the Adding Machine film which was shown on the Holiday Surprise tour and was later released with an expanded edition of the 2001 album in 2009. In 2008, Koster released The Singing Saw at Christmastime , a collection of Christmas carols played on the singing saw . This
1066-406: The four friends graduated high school, they dispersed to different cities in the United States, but continued to mail tapes to each other. Schneider moved to Denver, Colorado and formed a band called the Apples in 1992 with Jim McIntyre , Hilarie Sidney and Chris Parfitt . Doss, Hart, and Mangum moved to Athens, Georgia . The three were drawn to the city's burgeoning music scene , and played in
1107-421: The four of them, and they did not seek approval from record labels or fanzines . Musician Laura Carter said: "They were just 13-year-old boys yelling, 'Fuck your mama,' and bashing on the drums as hard as they can. It was just kids having fun, and they would fill up a whole cassette tape with this." When the group decided to create an imaginary label for their music, Hart came up with the name Elephant 6. When
1148-475: The greatest amount of activity for the collective. The three main bands associated with Elephant 6 at the time–the Apples in Stereo, the Olivia Tremor Control, and Neutral Milk Hotel–grew in popularity, and each respectively released a notable album: Fun Trick Noisemaker , Music from the Unrealized Film Script: Dusk at Cubist Castle , and In the Aeroplane Over the Sea . The A.V. Club wrote highly of In
1189-630: The larger bands allowed the smaller bands to open for them. Denver was the smaller of the two hub cities. In addition to the Apples in Stereo, the major bands from Denver were the Minders , Dressy Bessy , and McIntyre's solo project Von Hemmling . The main draw for Elephant 6 bands in Denver was Pet Sounds Studio , a recording studio Schneider built in McIntyre's house. Many Elephant 6 albums were recorded at Pet Sounds, and were produced by Schneider. In addition to
1230-417: The members of the Olivia Tremor Control wanted to record their own solo music. Beulah member Pat Noel said many bands were dismayed at how journalists would " pigeonhole " them to the collective. "We kind of made a conscious decision to distance ourselves a little bit from the whole thing." Schneider took a break from producing albums, and the final album to be affixed with the Elephant 6 Recording Company logo
1271-546: The more notable Athens based groups. of Montreal frontperson Kevin Barnes said: "The heyday, most of the late 1990s, everyone was involved in each others lives, and we would collaborate more, have dinners where everyone would make something." Schneider compares this period to the Summer of Love , and said the driving force for many of the bands was "out-weirding [their] neighbor" with their music. Elephant 6 bands would tour with each other,
Elephant 6 - Misplaced Pages Continue
1312-573: The particular influence of the Beach Boys' unfinished album Smile , calling it the " Holy Grail " for many members of the collective. He notes how he and other members were obsessed with Beach Boys albums, and attempted to create the type of music they felt would have been included in Smile . Most Elephant 6 members are anti-consumerism and possess a DIY ethic . Their music sometimes features intentionally low quality production, and bands may experiment with unique recording methods; for example, Music from
1353-617: The second Neutral Milk Hotel album, In the Aeroplane over the Sea , on which he played banjo and singing saw . Koster also played bass guitar in the live band. The success of the album, however, took its toll on Mangum, and the band went on hiatus shortly after its release. They reunited in 2013 for a worldwide tour. After Neutral Milk Hotel , Koster began to concentrate on his own solo project, The Music Tapes , for which he contributed banjo , singing saw , chord organ , and vocals, among other instruments. 1st Imaginary Symphony For Nomad
1394-417: The song " Everything Is " on Cher Doll Records in 1994, and was the first member of the collective to have their music released on a mainstream label, although the release was not directly affiliated with the Elephant 6 collective and did not feature the Elephant 6 logo. Mangum released the song under the name Neutral Milk Hotel. The Apples were later known as the Apples in Stereo . The mid-to-late 1990s saw
1435-422: The time the Elephant 6 thing was getting out of hand, and we started seeing all of these bands that had little Elephant 6 logos on them all over the place" said Spillane. Bands began to tour more often, and the members had less time to interact with each other. Additionally, Neutral Milk Hotel and the Olivia Tremor Control went on hiatus. Mangum became reclusive as he struggled to cope with his newfound stardom, while
1476-692: The two main hub cities, Elephant 6 bands began forming in various cities in the United States, such as the Essex Green and the Ladybug Transistor in Brooklyn , and Beulah in San Francisco . In the early 2000s, Elephant 6 stagnated in activity. Neutral Milk Hotel member and the Gerbils frontman Scott Spillane identifies the sudden uptick of bands across the country as an important factor to this period. "At
1517-426: Was Cul-De-Sacs and Dead Ends by the Minders in 1999. The collective slowly dissipated, although bands like the Apples in Stereo, Elf Power, and of Montreal continued making music throughout the 2000s. The collective was relatively dormant until the release of New Magnetic Wonder , a 2007 album by the Apples in Stereo. New Magnetic Wonder featured all four of the collective's originating members. While recording
1558-589: Was accused by fellow Elephant 6 musician Nesey Gallons of grooming and sexual assault. Gallons alleged that the grooming began via email contact when Gallons was fifteen years old and turned physical in April 2001 when Gallons was sixteen. Gallons further alleges that Koster sexually assaulted them twice in the summer of 2005. In his own statement on Instagram, Koster confirms the relationship transpired but denies Gallons' other allegations, writing that Gallons and her spouse have been trying to coerce him into entering into
1599-474: Was exactly what I was looking for, a new take on that stuff." In 2022 a documentary was released called A Future History Of: The Elephant 6 Recording Co. On RottenTomatoes the film currently has a 100% positive review rate. The official Elephant 6 website lists forty-seven acts associated with the collective, although Shook Jr. reports there are more than fifty. Among the collective's more notable acts include: Musical collective Musical collective
1640-432: Was followed by a caroling tour, on which he played songs from The Singing Saw at Christmastime and selected tracks from Music Tapes for Clouds and Tornadoes for free wherever fans invited him to play. This evolved into an annual caroling tradition, which transformed into the "Lullabies at Bedsides" house tour of 2010–2011 and 2011–2012 which in turn gave way to the long-planned Traveling Imaginary of 2012–2013. After
1681-462: Was released in 1999. Koster, together with Brian Dewan , recorded the story album The 2nd Imaginary Symphony for Cloudmaking , which was distributed by Koster on CD but never officially released for 15 years. After this, nothing was released by The Music Tapes until 2008, when Music Tapes for Clouds and Tornadoes arrived, followed by extensive touring (including the Elephant 6 Holiday Surprise Tour) and an unprecedented level of public appearance by