Geologist (musician)

Last updated

Geologist
Geologist.png
Geologist performing live
Background information
Birth nameBrian Ross Weitz [1]
Born (1979-03-26) March 26, 1979 (age 45)
Baltimore, Maryland, U.S.
Occupation(s)Musician, environmental lobbyist
Instrument(s)Electronics, sampler, sequencer, vocals, percussion, synthesizer, hurdy gurdy

Brian Ross Weitz (born March 26, 1979), also known by his stage name Geologist, is a musician best known as a member of the experimental pop group Animal Collective. He provides electronic sound manipulations and samples for the band.

Contents

Weitz grew up in Philadelphia and Baltimore [2] and lives in Washington, DC. [3] His nickname comes from a friend mistaking his major in college, as well as the headlamp he wears in order to see his electronic equipment during live shows. [4]

Animal Collective

Geologist attended the Park School of Baltimore where he met future Animal Collective bandmates David Portner (aka Avey Tare) and Josh Dibb (aka Deakin). Avey Tare, Geologist and Deakin first started an indie-rock band called "Automine" with two other schoolmates. Deakin introduced his childhood friend Noah Lennox (aka Panda Bear) to Avey Tare and Geologist. Throughout their high school years and winter/summer college breaks, the four of them played music in different variations and often solo, swapping homemade recordings and sharing ideas.

Geologist went on to study at Columbia University, while Avey Tare went to NYU, Panda Bear to Boston University, and Deakin to Brandeis University. Avey Tare recorded tracks with Panda Bear which eventually became Spirit They're Gone, Spirit They've Vanished, which was released under "Avey Tare and Panda Bear" in August 2000. After Panda Bear and Deakin both left school and moved to New York in 2000, the group's music became more collaborative, and Avey and Panda began playing clubs around New York. Geologist soon began performing with the group who eventually became "Animal Collective." He first appeared on their 2001 release Danse Manatee , and has contributed to every Animal Collective recording to date, except for their 2004 Sung Tongs LP and their 2003 Campfire Songs LP (though he was present during the recording of the latter to operate the MiniDisc recorders). Before that time, Geologist had gone to Arizona for graduate school. [5]

When asked about his personal musical influences, he says "I was always inspired by horror soundtracks, things that use unconventional sounds and textures as music. I'm interested in how abstract sounds can have the same impact on the listener as traditional musical sounds. [2] "

Other musical projects

As well as performing various DJ sets, Geologist has released the track "Jailhouse" on Animal Collective's Keep Cassette, "Stretching Songs for Spring" on a digital split with Avey Tare entitled New Psycho Actives Vol. 1 and created the soundtrack for the Morphologic Studios short film Man O War. [6] [7] In April of 2018 he released the limited edition cassette Live in the Land of the Sky - his first proper solo release. [8]

He also hosts a monthly radio show on NTS Radio called The O'Brien System. [9]

Personal life

In addition to his musical career, Weitz also worked on ocean conservation and environmental policy. He has a BA from Columbia University in Environmental Science, and an MPA in Environmental Policy from Columbia University's School of International and Public Affairs. [10]

Weitz was married on Halloween in 2009. [11] He and his wife had a son in August 2010. [12]

Musical equipment

Related Research Articles

<i>Spirit Theyre Gone, Spirit Theyve Vanished</i> 2000 studio album by Avey Tare and Panda Bear (Animal Collective)

Spirit They're Gone, Spirit They've Vanished is the first collaborative studio album by Avey Tare and Panda Bear, released in August 2000. It was later retroactively classified as the debut album by Portner and Lennox's group Animal Collective. The album was first released as a CD on the band's own Animal label with only 2000 copies produced.

<i>Danse Manatee</i> 2001 studio album by Avey Tare, Panda Bear and Geologist (Animal Collective)

Danse Manatee is the first collaborative studio album between Avey Tare, Panda Bear, and Geologist, released in July 2001 on the label Catsup Plate. It was later retroactively classified as the second studio album by their band Animal Collective.

<i>Here Comes the Indian</i> 2003 studio album by Animal Collective

Here Comes the Indian, later reissued as Ark, is the first album by the American experimental pop band Animal Collective under that name, which released June 17, 2003 on Paw Tracks. It is the first release by the group on which all four members—Avey Tare, Panda Bear, Geologist, and Deakin —perform together. Three earlier albums released by various combinations of these musicians were not billed as Animal Collective until later, however the 2003 album is now considered the band's fourth.

<i>Campfire Songs</i> (Animal Collective album) 2003 studio album by Campfire Songs

Campfire Songs is the debut and only album by the American band Campfire Songs, released in March 2003. A collaborative work between Dave Portner, Noah Lennox, and Josh Dibb, it was later retroactively classified as the third studio album by their band Animal Collective.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Avey Tare</span> American musician (born 1979)

David Michael Portner, also known by his moniker Avey Tare, is a musician and songwriter who co-founded the American experimental pop band Animal Collective. He has released four solo albums, as well as three collaborative albums with Panda Bear which were later retroactively classified under Animal Collective's discography.

<i>Prospect Hummer</i> 2005 EP by Animal Collective feat. Vashti Bunyan

Prospect Hummer is an EP by Animal Collective released in May 2005. It is an accompaniment to Sung Tongs.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Who Could Win a Rabbit</span> 2004 single by Animal Collective

"Who Could Win a Rabbit" is the first single from experimental pop band Animal Collective's fifth album, Sung Tongs.

<i>Young Prayer</i> 2004 studio album by Panda Bear

Young Prayer is the second solo album by American experimental pop musician Panda Bear, released on September 28, 2004. It follows his debut solo album Panda Bear (1999). It is his first since co-founding Animal Collective.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Panda Bear (musician)</span> American musician (born 1978)

Noah Benjamin Lennox, also known by his moniker Panda Bear, is an American musician, singer-songwriter, multi-instrumentalist, and co-founding member of the band Animal Collective. In addition to his work with that group, Lennox has released six solo LPs since 1999, with his 2007 album Person Pitch inspiring the chillwave genre and numerous other acts. His subsequent albums Tomboy (2011) and Panda Bear Meets the Grim Reaper (2015) both reached the Billboard 200.

<i>Strawberry Jam</i> 2007 studio album by Animal Collective

Strawberry Jam is the seventh studio album by American experimental pop band Animal Collective. It was released in September 2007, the band's first on Domino Records. It was accompanied by the singles "Peacebone" and "Fireworks." The album was the band's first to chart on the Billboard 200, debuting and peaking at #72.

<i>Water Curses</i> 2008 EP by Animal Collective

Water Curses is an EP by Animal Collective released in May 2008 on compact disc. 12" vinyl format was released on June 3. Scott Colburn recorded the first three tracks during the band's Strawberry Jam sessions in January 2007. The EP's fourth and final track, "Seal Eyeing", was recorded at Nicolas Vernhes' Rare Book Room Studio in Brooklyn, New York. Vernhes was also charged with the mixing duties for all four tracks. According to a press release issued by the band, Water Curses "find[s] Animal Collective exploring strange new waters."

<i>Merriweather Post Pavilion</i> (album) 2009 studio album by Animal Collective

Merriweather Post Pavilion is the eighth studio album by American experimental pop group Animal Collective, released on January 6, 2009, through Domino Records. The group recorded the album as a trio featuring members Panda Bear, Avey Tare and Geologist, with co-production by Ben H. Allen. It is titled after the Maryland venue of the same name, where Portner and Weitz attended concerts in their youth.

<i>Animal Crack Box</i> 2009 live album by Animal Collective

Animal Crack Box is a live box set by American experimental music act Animal Collective. It was released in limited quantities on May 11, 2009 by Catsup Plate Records.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Deakin (musician)</span> American musician

Joshua Caleb Dibb, also known by his moniker Deakin, is an American musician who co-founded the experimental pop band Animal Collective. He is the most infrequent member of the collective appearing on only seven of the group's twelve studio albums. In 2016, he made his solo debut with the album Sleep Cycle. He also occasionally works as a carpenter during musical down time.

<i>Oddsac</i> 2010 video by Animal Collective

Oddsac is a visual album by Animal Collective, featuring psychedelic visuals directed and edited by Danny Perez.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Animal Collective</span> American experimental pop band

Animal Collective is an American experimental pop band formed in Baltimore, Maryland. Its members consist of Avey Tare, Panda Bear, Geologist, and Deakin. The band's work is characterized by an eclectic exploration of styles, including psychedelia, freak folk, noise, and electronica, with the use of elements such as loops, drones, sampling, vocal harmonies, and sound collage. AllMusic's Fred Thomas suggests that the group "defined the face of independent experimental rock during the 2000s and 2010s."

<i>Centipede Hz</i> 2012 studio album by Animal Collective

Centipede Hz is the ninth studio album by American experimental pop group Animal Collective, released on September 4, 2012 on Domino Records. The album marks the return of band member Deakin, who sat out of the recording and touring of the band's previous album, Merriweather Post Pavilion (2009). On the US Billboard 200, it peaked at No. 16.

<i>Painting With</i> 2016 studio album by Animal Collective

Painting With is the tenth studio album by American experimental pop band Animal Collective, released on February 19, 2016. The album is a follow-up to Centipede Hz (2012), and features contributions from John Cale and Colin Stetson. It peaked at No. 46 on the Billboard 200. Three singles were issued: "FloriDada" (2015), "Lying in the Grass", and "Golden Gal". A companion EP, The Painters, was released the following year.

<i>Tangerine Reef</i> 2018 video by Animal Collective

Tangerine Reef is the second visual album by American experimental pop band Animal Collective, released on August 17, 2018, through Domino. It is the band's first full-length release without Panda Bear, and was made in collaboration with art-science duo Coral Morphologic and in celebration of the International Year of the Reef. It was the band’s first visual album since 2010’s ODDSAC. The album is accompanied by a film, which premiered on the band's website upon release.

<i>Time Skiffs</i> 2022 studio album by Animal Collective

Time Skiffs is the eleventh studio album by American experimental pop band Animal Collective, released on February 4, 2022, on Domino. It is their first album in six years and marks the return of band member Deakin, who sat out of the recording and touring of the band's previous album, Painting With (2016). Time Skiffs was preceded by four singles: "Prester John", "Walker", "Strung with Everything", and "We Go Back".

References

  1. [ dead link ]
  2. 1 2 Animal Collective's Brian Weitz: The New Gay Interview, September 27, 2007
  3. Richards, Chris (September 30, 2012). "Animal Collective interview: Brian Weitz (Geologist) on living in D.C." via www.washingtonpost.com.
  4. WNYC's "Spinning on Air," July 30, 2004, second hour.
  5. "Animal Collective at Progressive Broadcasting Service". Archived from the original on July 22, 2008.
  6. "Keep + AC Cassette Tape". Keep.
  7. Tracy, Liz (April 21, 2011). "Animal Collective's Geologist Creates Original Soundtrack for Coral Morphologic". Miami New Times.
  8. "Live in the Land of the Sky". Discogs .
  9. https://www.nts.live/shows/geologist [ bare URL ]
  10. "Two If By Sea Grant Animal Collective's Avey Tare Reveals All About New EP, Film, Tour Hiatus" (PDF).
  11. Animal Collective's Avey Tare Reveals All About New EP, Film, Tour Hiatus. October 9, 2009.
  12. The Self Titled Interview: Avey Tare of Animal Collective Archived July 16, 2011, at the Wayback Machine October 19, 2010.
  13. "Interview: Geologist and Avey Tare of Animal Collective". Identity Theory. August 29, 2005.
  14. 1 2 3 4 "Geologist | Equipboard®". equipboard.com.