In the late ‘90s and early 00s, there was arguably no bigger rage in the indie-rock scene than what was known as the Elephant 6 collective. Comprised of musicians and high school friends Bill Doss, Will Cullen Hart, Jeff Mangum, and Robert Schneider—members of which would go on to form beloved indie rock bands like Neutral Milk Hotel, The Olivia Tremor Control, The Apples In Stereo, Elf Power, Of Montreal and many more, the Elephant 6 became darlings of the music magazines like SPIN, Magnet and online sites like Pitchfork.
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While the Elephant 6 and its collective of bands never really broke big at the time— though their ramshackle lo-fi sound and recording techniques were considered pioneering at the time— all the E6 bands grew in cult status over the years, arguably culminating in popularity with Neutral Milk Hotel’s 2014 performance at Coachella. And their collective legacies and influences are being celebrated in the new doc, “The Elephant 6 Recording Co.”
Directed by C.B. Stockfleth and produced by filmmaker/cinematographer Lance Bangs— whose credits include videos for Nirvana, Odd Future, Neutral Milk Hotel, and many others, plus films and documentaries for Jackass, Pavement and more- “The Elephant 6 Recording Co,” is exec produced by Rob Hatch-Miller, who directed the documentary “Other Music.” “The Elephant 6 Recording Co.” also features never-before-seen footage of the bands shot by Bangs, as well as interviews. Notable fans of the groups featured in the film include Elijah Wood, David Cross, Danger Mouse, and James Mercer of The Shins.
Greenwich Entertainment announced the August 25 theatrical release of “The Elephant 6 Recording Co.” today, along with the release of a new trailer.
Here’s the official synopsis:
Around 1985, a group of Ruston, LA, area high schoolers began experimenting with whatever random instruments and gear they could lay their hands on. Fanning out across the country to locations like Denver, CO, and Athens, GA, their musical coming of age coincided with the new consumer availability of old-school four and eight-track recording technology and cassette tapes. Sharing like-minded sensibilities, influenced by past sounds and psychedelia, and with little to distract them, their efforts to create whole new musical worlds became the bands the Olivia Tremor Control, Neutral Milk Hotel, the Apples In Stereo, and many more. While the collective grew to a natural breaking point, its founding members overcame obstacles and remained closely bonded, reuniting for tours and still collaborating today.
The Elephant 6 Recording Co. provides insight into this revolutionary era of popular independent music in America, the defiant DIY spirit in music making, and champions the integrity of an authentic quest for artistic expressiveness over the more mainstream image of being a “successful” musician in our fame-obsessed times.
“The film is designed to capture an era and a movement and to honor the spirit of this circle of small-town artist friends,” says director C.B. Stockfleth. “Their art was made better because they did things collectively and gave each and every member a chance to share the spotlight.”
Dive into all the indie-rock nostalgia on August 25. In the meantime, watch the trailer below.