Elephant 6 Collective

The Elephant 6 Collective is a collective of musicians hailing from Athens, Georgia. The collective is notable for spawning some of the most notable indie rock bands of the 90s, including Neutral Milk Hotel, Olivia Tremor Control, The Apples in Stereo, of Montreal, Beulah, Elf Power and Circulatory System. 

History

The Elephant 6 Collective was founded by childhood friends Robert Schneider, Bill Doss, Will Cullen Hart and Jeff Mangum. It began as these friends exchanging home made music tapes. In 1991, Robert Schneider founded the Elephant 6 Record Label to release their music. Robert Schneider founded the Apples in Stereo while he was in college in Denver, Colorado, and Bill Doss, Will Cullen Hart and Jeff Mangum relocated to Athens, Georgia, where they would form a band named Synthetic Flying Machine, which later became the Olivia Tremor Control. 

As the years passed and the collective grew, their reputation began to grow in the indie scene. Their 60s inspired experimental pop was unique at the time, and they began to get some attention. The collective continued until 2002, when they disbanded Elephant 6 due to the lack of organization with the growing membership. However, many of the bands continued to pursue their own projects, and some still identify with the collective. 

Notable Members

Elephant 6 members performing in 2008. In the picture: Bill Doss, Will Cullen Hart, Jeff Mangum, Julian Koster, Scott Spillane and John Fernandes, among others.

• Jeff Mangum
• Bill Doss
• Will Cullen Hart
• Robert Schneider
• Julian Koster
• Scott Spillane
• Jeremy Barnes
• Hillarie Sidney
• Kevin Barnes
• David Barnes
• Eric Harris
• Bryan Poole
• John Fernandes
• Derek Almstead
• Jill Carnes
• Laura Carter
• Peter Erchick
• Andrew Rieger

Notable Bands

Main Groups/Musical Acts

• The Apples in Stereo
• Beulah
• Black Swan Network
• Chocolate USA
• Circulatory System
• Dixie Blood Mustache
• Dressy Bessy
• Elf Power
• Essex Green
• Frosted Ambassador
• The Gerbils
• High Water Marks
• Major Organ and the Adding Machine
• Jeff Mangum (Solo)
• Marbles
• Minders
• The Music Tapes
• Neutral Milk Hotel
• Olivia Tremor Control
• Orchestre Fantastique
• Pipes You See, Pipes You Don't
• Secret Square
• The Sunshine Fix
• Ulysses
• Von Hemmling

Extended Family

• Bablicon
• Fablefactory
• Great Lakes
• A Hawk and a Hacksaw
• The Instruments
• Ladybug Transistor
• The Late B.P. Helium
• Marshmallow Coast
• Marta Tennae
• Midget and Hairs
• My First Keyboard
• of Montreal
• Thimble Circus
• Visitations