The Grammys

Nov 24, 2023

Photo: Amy Hairston

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The Louisiana label birthed Neutral Milk Hotel, Olivia Tremor Control, Apples In Stereo, Of Montreal, and other amazing psych acts. 'The Elephant 6 Recording Co.' tells their stories.

It’s easy to underestimate the reach and influence of the Elephant 6 Recording Company. After all, bands like the Apples In Stereo and the Olivia Tremor Control aren’t exactly household names. And yet, for indie rock fans, the little label that could typically conveys not just musical excellence but also true artistic passion.

Born in Ruston, Louisiana in the late ‘80s, Elephant 6 has always been part label, part ethos, and part art collective, birthing intertwined psych pop acts like Neutral Milk Hotel, Elf Power, Of Montreal, and the Minders. It’s intimately associated with both the Denver and the Athens, Georgia music scenes, and it’s inspired acts like Arcade Fire, the Shins, and Tame Impala.

It’s also the subject of a new documentary, The Elephant 6 Recording Co., which hits streaming VOD on Sept. 1. Directed by C.B. Stockfleth, the film attempts to sum up 30-odd years of musical achievement and growth in under two hours, interweaving personal dramas, harrowing tales of awful apartments, and talking head appearances from people like Elijah Wood and David Cross.

It’s a beautiful and deeply intimate look at the collective, as well as a crash course on all of E6’s most beloved and influential recordings. Here are eight cool things we took away from the movie.

Growing up in Ruston, Louisiana in the ‘80s, Bill Ross, Will Cullen Hart, Jeff Mangum, and Robert Schneider didn’t have a whole lot to do. When they were bored they’d go goof around at the local music shop, and they all took lessons from the same long-haired hippie guitar teacher. Mangum eventually got a gig working at Louisiana Tech’s college radio station, and, like his three friends, dove headfirst into listening to, sharing, and creating music.

That quartet began to share tapes of songs they made on four-track recorders, forming de facto bands to open for acts like Sebadoh who’d come through town looking for living room shows. In the doc, E6 members say that in Ruston they learned to be each other’s support system, saying that "kids in places like that tend to get deeper into the things they love… [in order to] escape into something."

When the group decided to release some of the music they’d made as 7-inch records, they knew they needed a name. They went with Elephant 6 after Hart misread the name of a Max Ernst painting, "The Elephant Celebes." Hart designed the group’s logo, which seems inspired by the swoopy, psychedelic art that was popular in the ‘60s.

Much of E6’s early output was self-recorded on four- and eight-track recorders, with band members manipulating found sounds and offbeat instruments to create the tones they wanted. Hart says the Beatles’ "Tomorrow Never Knows" was an inspiration for some of "super layered" tracks he loved, while Doss — a much more meticulous performer — says in the doc that he’s a fan of the distinct sound you get from recording on actual tape.

Schneider also says in the doc that he’s always been passionately committed to "not being slick," and says that, for a lot of members of the collective, a slick veneer just isn’t an option.

Eventually, Schneider moved to Denver while Ross, Hart, Mangum, and about 17 or so other Rustonians moved to Athens, Georgia. They knew from watching acts like R.E.M. and Pylon that the college town had a supportive music scene, calling it a "beacon for weirdos" and a "comfortable fit" for people moving from a small Southern town.

In Denver, Schneider formed the Apples In Stereo after meeting Jim McIntyre on a city bus and striking up a chat about the Beach Boys. The group produced fun, melodic music that got noticed by indie tastemakers like the creators of the Nickelodeon show "The Adventures Of Pete And Pete," and eventually, in 1995, released a full-length LP, the much-loved Fun Trick Noisemaker. Schneider calls that record "Pavement crossed with the Beach Boys crossed with Interstellar Overdrive," but notes that the band also called itself a psych act.

Schneider also opened Pet Sounds Studio in Denver66, and Mangum would often swing through to stay and work through musical ideas.

In a way, The Elephant 6 Recording Co. feels like a bit of a love letter to Athens, Georgia, the kooky little town that helped pave the way for so much musical experimentation.

The town, E6 members say, was cheap enough that you could work part time and get by, sharing a run-down old house with the rest of your band. Bands could spend hours upon end working through ideas and playing together, in part because they loved it but also because they were all dirt poor and didn’t have much else to do.

All of that combined into a stew that yielded inspiring, interesting music, with one E6 member remarking in the doc that, "there are certain records you can’t make in New York City."

Mangum and the rest of Neutral Milk Hotel recorded In The Aeroplane Over The Sea with Schneider at Pet Sounds Studio. (Schneider says he was also working on the Minders’ Hooray For Tuesday around the same time.) The sessions seem to have been fairly quick and magical, with Mangum nailing all of "Oh Comely" in one take.

When Mangum brought the record back to Athens and played it for friends, he told them he wanted Hart to lay cool electronic blips and bleeps over parts of the record. The friends, who had been stunned into silence after hearing the record, strongly advised against it, saying "No, this is the record." Even now, In The Aeroplane is considered an indie masterpiece.

While indie scenes in cities like Chicago and New York were rife with infighting, the Elephant 6 gang in Athens kept things friendly. One member said that their biggest problem was "how do we get all seven bands on the same bill."

That friendliness ultimately led to E6’s power being diluted, as more and more indie pop and psych bands around the country sought out and were permitted to put the collective’s logo on their records. What was once a mark of a tight group of friends and collaborators became more of a vibe and, in the early ‘00s, the collective became artistically stagnant.

There’s a lot of footage of Bill Doss in the documentary — both in solo interviews and in tandem with OTC bandmate Will Hart. Unfortunately, though, Doss died suddenly of an aneurysm in 2012, throwing the members of the collective into a bit of an emotional tailspin.

The film documents his beautiful musical memorial at the 40 Watt Club in Athens, and features footage of Hart and Schneider trying to finish up the unreleased third OTC record in Doss’ honor. Hart has since gone on to focus mainly on his work in other bands like the Circulatory System, while Schneider got a doctorate in mathematics and now works as a professor in Michigan.

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Rock Band Network Launches Music StoreGaming developer Harmonix and MTV Games have launched the Rock Band Network Music Store, which allows independent artists to submit their music as downloadable, add-on content to the game without a formal licensing process. Artists will choose their own price points with MTV retaining 70 percent of all sales. A beta trial was released earlier this year and has since acquired more than 100 songs available for "Rock Band" owners to purchase from artists including the Hold Steady, Of Montreal, the Shins, and Steve Vai, among others. (3/4)

UN Labor Agency Honors ShakiraTwo-time GRAMMY-winning and seven-time Latin GRAMMY-winning artist Shakira was honored Wednesday in Geneva with a medal from the United Nations labor agency for her work to help impoverished children. The artist was recognized for her involvement with the ALAS Foundation, UNICEF and for helping to provide nutrition to more than 6,000 children in Colombia through her Barefoot Foundation. (3/4)

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Welcome to The Set List. Here you'll find the latest concert recaps for many of your favorite, or maybe not so favorite, artists. Our bloggers will do their best to provide you with every detail of the show, from which songs were on the set list to what the artist was wearing to which out-of-control fan made a scene. Hey, it'll be like you were there. And if you like what you read, we'll even let you know where you can catch the artist on tour. Feel free to drop us a comment and let us know your concert experience. Oh, and rock on.

By Jenna GoodeChicago

For many, the Pitchfork Music Festival has become a journey toward music discovery, which these days can be a daunting task, with so much music available at our fingertips. Now in its ninth year, Chicago's Pitchfork Music Festival has been helping music fans discover new music, and artists get discovered with a curated lineup that includes numerous genres, indie artists, established artists, and local bands.

The biggest draws at this year's installment, taking place July 18–20, included GRAMMY-winning producer Giorgio Moroder, GRAMMY winner Beck, indie rockers Neutral Milk Hotel, and GRAMMY-nominated hip-hop artist Kendrick Lamar.

Friday drew in yuppies like me who skipped the last few hours of the work week to cut loose and enjoy the perks of a Chicago summer — music, food, art, and sunshine. I began my day at the record market, where I was in vinyl heaven. There were rare albums, discounts and plenty of people passionate about collecting to chat with. In the distance I heard the soothing sounds of Sharon Van Etten's raspy voice while I browsed.

My first day at the festival was spent like many attendees, sitting on a blanket in the field with a view of both of the main stages while children played with footballs and Frisbees and adults enjoyed their beverages and conversation, occasionally interrupting to applaud the current performer. This unassuming, welcoming and laid-back atmosphere sets Pitchfork apart from other festivals.

Day one of the festival closed with a set from Moroder, who had the crowd grooving to his Daft Punk collaboration, "Giorgio By Moroder." Then came Beck, who demonstrated the diversity and depth of his lengthy discography as he performed a few tracks from his forthcoming album, Song Reader. His eccentric, and sometimes erratic, dance moves brought an immense energy to the set. "Loser" was clearly a crowd favorite as nearly everyone belted out in Spanish, "Soy un perdedor." For the encore performance Beck busted through the caution tape strung across the stage and dove into an impressive harmonica solo before singing the comical "Debra."

Day two was notably the most fashionable day of the festival. I saw numerous women rocking heels and platforms well over three inches. Mesh shirts, sun dresses and cutout clothes were also popular attire. Women were not the only ones getting into the fashion; men also sported designer labels and carefully manicured beards.

The elusive Jeff Magnum performed that evening with Neutral Milk Hotel. The anticipation for this set was high since many have waited nearly a decade to see the band live. The TV screens were shut off and the band asked the audience not to photograph during the set, which consisted mostly of songs from their 1998 album, In The Aeroplane Over The Sea. The crowd swayed and nodded to the catchy "The King Of Carrot Flowers" before they closed their set with the sweet yet haunting "Oh Comely," during which many couples slow danced.

And for those who didn't come with a significant other, event sponsor Goose Island printed and posted missed connections from Craigslist.com on a missed connections board at the festival. A typical post read: "You had pigtails and a floral skirt. I was wearing a Death Grips R.I.P. shirt. Call me."

Lamar was clearly the most anticipated artist of day three as fans pushed their way up to the front more than an hour before his start time. He began fashionably late, but to no one's dismay. Hitting the stage with a full backing band, Lamar was sharp and flew through most of the tracks off his GRAMMY-nominated album Good Kid, M.A.A.D City. His encore performance included the crowd favorite "A.D.H.D," during which fans enthusiastically responded "f* that" back to Lamar during each verse. The crowd left on a high from his performance. Not even the crowded Green Line trains could kill our vibe.

(Jenna Goode is the Project Coordinator for The Recording Academy Chicago Chapter. Goode has interviewed artists such as Tame Impala, Daniel Lanois and Born Ruffians. She has also covered music festivals such as Electric Forest, Lollapalooza, and Pitchfork. Her work has been previously featured on the Chicago Chapter's GRAMMYPro.com page, GRAMMY.com and Loud Neighbor Music Blog.)

Photo: Courtesy of Cody Carnes

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On the lead single from his new album, "Firm Foundation (He Won't)," contemporary worship singer Cody Carnes finds solace in his relationship with Jesus Christ, even during the most unprecedented times.

The past few years have been anything but ordinary. But even in the height of mayhem, contemporary worship singer Cody Carnes has leaned on Jesus. If anything, his faith and comfort in God — the "Firm Foundation" in his life — have only gotten stronger.

"I've still got joy in chaos/ I've got peace that makes no sense," Carnes sings in the first verse of "Firm Foundation (He Won't)." "So, I won't be going under/ I'm not held by my own strength/ 'Cause I build my life on Jesus/ He's never let me down."

In this episode of Positive Vibes Only, Carnes delivers a stripped-down performance of "Firm Foundation" from an open field at dusk.

"Firm Foundation," which he originally released in 2021, inspired his upcoming live album of the same name, which just arrived on Aug. 25. On Instagram, Carnes revealed, "These songs were written in uncertain times in the last few years, but they contain the certain hope of Jesus."

Later this year, Carnes will join his wife, Kari Jobe, and Christian rock musician Martin Smith on The Blessing Tour through Europe. The shows will begin on Oct. 20 in Rotterdam, the Netherlands, and end on Nov. 19 in Stockholm, Sweden.

Press play on the video above to watch Cody Carnes's soothing performance of "Firm Foundation (He Won't)," and check back to GRAMMY.com every Sunday for more new episodes of Positive Vibes Only.

Herbal Tea & White Sofas: Dermot Kennedy Can't Go On Stage Without This Sentimental Cup

Photo: Louis Nice

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With his new, self-titled album, Zach Bryan looks to continue growing his unprecedentedly massive career — one built from little more than pure passion.

In a few short years, Zach Bryan has taken the country and Americana worlds by storm. And he's ready to do it again with his self-titled album.

Zach Bryan follows the wildly popular singer/songwriter's 2022 major label debut American Heartbreak, a sprawling triple album of raw country and roots songs that elevated Bryan from something of a cult favorite on the fringes of the genre to a full-blown superstar.

Bryan's latest record showcases his ever-evolving talent as both a singer and a songwriter; his singular voice shines, aching and gritty with a touch of soul and no shortage of twang. The album's 16 tracks incorporate a bit more of his own taste, too, as he taps several guests to join him on the LP, including Kacey Musgraves and The War and Treaty.

What remains most true with Zach Bryan is that the star is still doing things his own way. Bryan wrote and produced the LP himself, releasing it under his own Belting Broncos imprint in partnership with Warner Records, through whom he also signed the imprint's first artist, Levi Turner, in June.

And while Zach Bryan is likely to be a hit, the notoriously fame agnostic artist — a 2022 profile in the New York Times called him "music's most reluctant new star" — isn't concerned with sales or accolades. As he declared on social media, "I've got no grand explanation for these songs, I got no riddle in reasoning behind writing them, I don't have a bullshit roll-out plan to stuff it in front of as many people as I can. I just wrote some poems and songs that I want to share because I think they're special."

Rejection of the traditional album roll-out model is in line with Bryan's DIY ethos, the very philosophy that helped catapult him from an active duty member of the Navy to arena-packing superstar in just a few short years. Accordingly, the only press Bryan did in advance of the new LP was an interview on "The Joe Rogan Experience" podcast. As he's done for most of his career, Bryan likes to let his music speak for itself.

As Bryan kicks off his next chapter, check out six ways Bryan is singlehandedly changing the country music industry.

Bryan is part of a new generation of country stars who built fan bases themselves before attracting the attention of the Music Row machine. He posted his earliest songs to YouTube before finding even greater success on TikTok, and released two albums independently prior to his breakout LP American Heartbreak: 2019's DeAnn, named for his late mother, and 2020's Elisabeth, named for his ex-wife. What's more, he's toured relentlessly over the years, drawing a rabid following to his lively, rowdy shows.

And that spirit hasn't seemed to wane in the wake of releasing Zach Bryan, as he wrote the following Instagram caption when sharing the record's track list: "really proud to call the writing and production on somethin' all mine, thank y'all for your patience, I didn't make this album to appease people who will never be happy anyways, I made it for my people."

Anyone who's tried to buy a concert ticket in recent years knows how difficult the secondary market has made it for regular fans to afford to see their favorite artists live. With his rabid following, Bryan would be a prime target for resellers if he hadn't taken proactive steps to ensure that tickets land in the hands of actual fans, not scalpers. For his 2023 Burn Burn Burn Tour, Bryan partnered with AXS to prevent for-profit resale, and also made sure that all tickets were reasonably priced — the most expensive ticket available cost $156, a far cry from the several hundreds of dollars fans typically have to drop on concerts now.

And if that weren't enough, in 2022 Bryan dropped a live EP called All My Homies Hate Ticketmaster, making plain how he feels about the monopoly currently controlling much of the live ticketing market.

A post shared by Zach Bryan (@zachlanebryan)

Country music has strong ties to the military, but few modern stars have actually served in some capacity. Prior to pursuing music full time, Bryan served as an Aviation Ordnanceman in the Navy, having enlisted at the age of 17.

While serving, he completed tours in Djibouti and Bahrain, stealing pockets of free time to work on his songwriting. He soon found fans after posting music online and, after eight years of service, was honorably discharged in 2021 upon signing a record deal with Warner Records.

When announcing his discharge on social media, Bryan shared, "If it was my decision, I would never get out of the world's greatest Navy, but here I am and they kindly honorably discharged me to go play some music. Can't tell if I'm a coward or if I'm chasing a dream but regardless, the best eight years of my life were spent serving the best country in the whole damn world."

Military service runs in Bryan's family, as both his father and his late mother served in the Navy. Bryan was actually born in Japan while his father was stationed there. The family moved around throughout Bryan's young life, making him a Navy brat.

Bryan's songs are honest and confessional, but he famously shares little about his personal life outside of what he reveals in his music. The songwriter rarely gives interviews, speaking with the media even less since seeing his star rise after the success of American Heartbreak. And most of his social media posts are about music and touring, occasionally sharing candid snaps with friends or photos of his dog, fittingly named Jack Daniel's.

Though many country stars find themselves, willingly or not, involved in the current culture wars, Bryan (so far) has managed to stay removed — with the occasional exception, like when hecalled out Travis Tritt for removing Bud Light from his tour rider in the wake of the beer brand's involvement with trans social media personality Dylan Mulvaney.

When Bryan posted the track listing for Zach Bryan on Aug. 18, many fans took to the comments to lament songs they love that didn't make the cut. The top comment on Bryan's Instagram post of the track listing reads, "zachary lane we are BEGGING for deep satin," with over three thousand likes emphasizing the sentiment.

Other fans are hoping for "Somebody," an especially raw love song that namechecks Tracy Chapman, and the wistful "Screen Door." That passion from fans for unreleased music is yet another indication that Bryan is far from your average artist.

Sure, Bryan can pen a hit song, but he also helped the Oakland Athletics win a baseball game.

On Aug. 21, the team was playing the Kansas City Royals and found the game tied in the bottom of the ninth inning. Oakland left fielder Brent Rooker was itching to finish the game so he could head across the street to Bryan's concert at the Oakland Arena, so he took matters into his own hands, hitting a two-run homer to end the game and clinch the victory for his team. Rooker not only made it to Bryan's show, but got to join the star on stage to sing together.

Other prominent sports figures who have gotten into the action at Bryan's shows include WWE stars Brock Lesnar and Braun Strowman, Oklahoma State University football coach Mike Gundy and San Francisco 49ers running back Christian McCaffrey. And in a particularly funny, quintessentially Zach Bryan moment, New York Giants quarterback Daniel Jones joined him during a tour stop in Queens — but Bryan, an avowed Philadelphia Eagles fan, quickly took back the mic to yell, "Go Birds!"

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