The Olivia Tremor Control

Last updated

The Olivia Tremor Control
Olivia Tremor Control 2005.jpg
The Olivia Tremor Control performing in 2005
Background information
Origin Athens, Georgia
Genres
Years active
  • 1993–2000
  • 2009–present
Labels
Spinoffs Neutral Milk Hotel
Spinoff ofCranberry Lifecycle
Members Will Cullen Hart
Eric Harris
John Fernandes
Peter Erchick
Derek Almstead
Past members Bill Doss
Jeff Mangum
Website

The Olivia Tremor Control is an American psychedelic band from Athens, Georgia. The band's main line-up consists of Will Cullen Hart, Bill Doss, Eric Harris, John Fernandes, and Peter Erchick. The Olivia Tremor Control's music combines indie rock and neo-psychedelia, taking influence from psychedelic pop bands of the 1960s, such as the Beach Boys and the Beatles.

Contents

The Olivia Tremor Control originated as a band called Cranberry Lifecycle, which was formed in Ruston, Louisiana in the late 1980s by Hart and his high school friend Jeff Mangum. The two moved to Athens, and reworked Cranberry Lifecycle songs as a new band called Synthetic Flying Machine. After Doss joined, Mangum left the band to pursue a solo project that eventually became Neutral Milk Hotel. Doss and Hart then renamed the band to the Olivia Tremor Control, and recruited Fernandes, Harris, and Erchick. With this line-up, the Olivia Tremor Control released two albums: Dusk at Cubist Castle (1996) and Black Foliage (1999). Both albums received positive reviews from critics.

After the release of Black Foliage, tensions grew between Hart and Doss, and the Olivia Tremor Control broke up in 2000. Hart was hospitalized with multiple sclerosis in 2005, and when Doss went to visit him, the two reconciled and reunited the band in 2009. While recording a third album, Doss died of an aneurysm in 2012. The remaining band members decided to continue performing, and as of 2019 the Olivia Tremor Control's third album is still being recorded.[ needs update ]

History

Early years

The Olivia Tremor Control originated in the late 1980s as a psychedelic band called Cranberry Lifecycle, formed in Ruston, Louisiana. [1] It was one of many home recording projects created by high school friends Will Cullen Hart and Jeff Mangum with their friends Bill Doss and Robert Schneider. [2] The four friends exchanged homemade cassette tapes, branding them with an imaginary record label, Elephant 6, which eventually grew into a loose musical collective. [3] Musician Ross Beach, another Elephant 6 collaborator, describes Cranberry Lifecycle as the Elephant 6's "first collaboration of 'serious' songs." [4]

After graduating from high school, Hart and Mangum moved to Athens, Georgia to join the city's burgeoning music scene. [5] They formed a band called Synthetic Flying Machine, and reworked songs that were originally recorded as Cranberry Lifecycle. In the summer of 1993, Doss moved to Athens and joined Synthetic Flying Machine. [6] The lineup consisted of Hart on electric guitar, Doss on bass guitar, and Mangum on drums. [lower-alpha 1] [8] The band gained a small following due in part to the psychedelic-infused music, which differed from the prevalent grunge sound in the city. [8] Mangum left the group shortly after its formation to focus on a solo project, which eventually became the indie band Neutral Milk Hotel. [9] Doss and Hart renamed their group the Olivia Tremor Control, a surreal-sounding phrase with no further meaning, suggested by Mangum. [lower-alpha 2] [11]

The first Olivia Tremor Control release was the extended play (EP) California Demise in 1994, which introduced many of their signature elements, including guitar effects and vocal harmonization. [12] Although Mangum was no longer a part of the band, he still lived with Doss and Hart and was asked to play drums. [13] After California Demise, Hart moved to Denver, while Doss moved to New York to play in the band Chocolate USA. [14] By 1996, Doss was losing interest in Chocolate USA, and wanted to record more music with Hart. The two reconvened in Athens, and recruited multi-instrumentalists John Fernandes and Eric Harris. [15] During this period, the Olivia Tremor Control released the 1994 split single The Olivia Tremor Control/The Apples in Stereo with the Apples in Stereo, and the 1996 EP The Giant Day. [16]

Music from the Unrealized Film Script: Dusk at Cubist Castle

Doss and Hart had been working on songs for a studio album as early as 1993. [17] Doss' ideas were more pop friendly while Hart wrote more experimental songs. [18] Their dichotomous partnership during this era drew some comparisons to Lennon–McCartney of the Beatles, although Stereogum noted that both Fernandes and Harris retained creative input. [18] In 1995, the Olivia Tremor Control went to Denver, Colorado to record their debut album, Music from the Unrealized Film Script: Dusk at Cubist Castle (commonly shortened to Dusk at Cubist Castle). [18] It was recorded at Pet Sounds Studio, and was produced by Schneider. [18]

At 74 minutes in length with 27 songs, Dusk at Cubist Castle was a large undertaking. [19] It was purported to be the soundtrack to a fictional film, and covers a wide range of genres, including psychedelia, krautrock, noise music, and folk-rock. [20] Dusk at Cubist Castle was released on August 6, 1996, by Flydaddy Records. [21] The songs "The Opera House" and "Jumping Fences" were released as singles. [16] To promote the album, the Olivia Tremor Control served as an opener for Beck, and toured with Gorky's Zygotic Mynci in 1998. [22] Keyboardist Peter Erchick was brought on as the fifth band member while on tour. [23] Dusk at Cubist Castle received positive reviews from critics, who noted the intricate composition and judicious use of pop elements. [24] It ranked at number 37 on The Village Voice 's year-end Pazz & Jop critics' poll. [25]

Early CD pressings of Dusk at Cubist Castle included a companion album, Explanation II: Instrumental Themes and Dream Sequences , which had nine ambient songs. [16] The liner notes for Explanation II suggested that it should be played in synchronicity with Dusk at Cubist Castle to create quadraphonic sound, although the albums are different lengths, so the effect does not actually work. [26]

In 1997, the band appeared on John Peel's BBC Radio 1 show. Their entire appearance was recorded and released as an untitled four-track EP known as Those Sessions or John Peel Session 1997. It includes several renditions of existing songs as well as a lengthy improvised piece in a similar style to Explanation II. [27]

Black Foliage: Animation Music Volume One

In the liner notes for Dusk at Cubist Castle, the Olivia Tremor Control asked fans to mail the band cassette tapes of themselves describing their dreams. [28] These tapes served as the basis for band's second album Black Foliage: Animation Music Volume One (commonly shortened to Black Foliage). [29] The Olivia Tremor Control wanted to explore the concept of dreams, and the way they emulate life with unexpected deviations, such as going to work naked. [30] Black Foliage was recorded at Pet Sounds Studio, and Schneider once again served as the producer. [31]

Hart was influenced by the electronic sound of the 1969 White Noise album An Electric Storm , which led him to splice traditional compositions the band members had been writing with experimental electronic pieces. [31] These splices became an important musical motif for Black Foliage. [31] The album does not feature musical pauses or fade, and many songs eschew the standard verse–chorus form. [28]

Black Foliage was released by Flydaddy Records on March 23, 1999, to positive reviews. [32] Critics highlighted the juxtaposition of pop and experimental elements, as well as the richness of the sound. [33] To promote the album, the Olivia Tremor Control toured with opener band Bablicon, and then served as an opener for Stereolab. [34]

In 2000, the band wrote and recorded five songs with Japanese singer Kahimi Karie, released under her name as Once Upon a Time. [35]

Breakup, reunion, and the death of Doss

Bill Doss FYF 2010.jpg
Will Cullen Hart FYF 2010.jpg
Bill Doss (top) and Will Cullen Hart (bottom) performing with the Olivia Tremor Control at FYF Fest 2010

After the release of Black Foliage, tensions grew between Doss and Hart. [36] According to Doss, Hart wanted to take a hiatus from music, and was suffering from early symptoms of then-undiagnosed multiple sclerosis. [36] The two had a falling out, and the Olivia Tremor Control broke up in 2000. [37] The last album to be released during this period was Singles and Beyond , a compilation album featuring some of the band's rare and out of print songs. [38] Doss and Hart worked on other projects in the interim; Doss recorded music for his solo project The Sunshine Fix and was a member of the Apples in Stereo, while Hart formed the band Circulatory System. [39]

Around 2005, Hart's MS symptoms worsened, and he was admitted to a hospital. [36] After receiving the news, Doss decided to reconcile with Hart, and the members of Olivia Tremor Control started playing music with each other on a regular basis. [36] After a brief reunion performance at the 2005 All Tomorrow's Parties festival, the Olivia Tremor Control scheduled more concerts over the next few years. [40] Fernandes said: "When we got the offer to play [All Tomorrow's Parties] we were thinking about playing a few shows here and there, because everybody still lives here in town ... That went so well that we decided to do a few more." [7] The Olivia Tremor Control officially reunited in 2009, and released two new songs over the next two years: "North Term Reality" and "The Game You Play Is in Your Head, Parts 1, 2, & 3." [41]

On July 31, 2012, the band announced that Doss had died aged 43. [42] Atlanta later reported the cause of death as an aneurysm. [43] Prior to his death, the Olivia Tremor Control was recording music for an untitled album. [31] The remaining members decided to continue performing as the Olivia Tremor Control, and another album is still in the works as of late 2023. [44] [45] Hart stated it will be the band's final album, and said: "We have three sides worth of songs done, though they're not sequenced properly yet to run three sides." [31]

Artistry

The Olivia Tremor Control's music combines indie rock and neo-psychedelia. [46] In addition to traditional pop and rock instruments such as guitars and drums, the band members also play the clarinet, flute, saxophone, theremin, violin, and xylophone. [10] While discussing the band's dynamic sound, Paul Thompson of Pitchfork called it "some unthinkable matchup of Revolver -era Beatles or Smile -era Beach Boys, the tornado-alley skronk of 1980s Flaming Lips and Butthole Surfers, and the surreal wooze of post-Reichian tape manipulation." [47] Music critic Nig Hodgkins notes that the Olivia Tremor Control incorporate many elements found in psychedelic music of the 1990s, including backwards guitar echo, phasing, dreamlike vocals, and electronic sound effects. [22]

The Olivia Tremor Control was inspired by psychedelic pop bands of the 1960s, especially the Beach Boys and the Beatles, for their singing style and the way they "blended trickery and interesting sounds with pop", according to Hart. [48] Hart notes that the band attempted to expand on the sound of 1960s psychedelic pop with modern recording technology, creating more holistic songs and avoiding what he called "hippie jam sessions." [48] Other influences include the recording techniques used by musique concrète musicians like Pierre Henry and John Cage, as well as 1990s indie rock bands like Pavement and Sebadoh. [36] Doss said he wanted the Olivia Tremor Control's music to instill a sense of "mystery or happiness" in listeners. "I'm sending out a positive message, because the world needs it ... We're reaching for something that's hard to explain." [49]

Members

Current members
Former members

Discography

Notes

  1. ↑ Beach also identifies Hart's then-girlfriend as a member of the band, but did not specify her role. [7]
  2. ↑ Doss offered a different explanation of the band name in 1998, stating: "It refers to two friends, Jacqueline and Olivia, who were separated during the California earthquake of 1906 and have been searching for each other ever since, across different dimensions of time and space." [10]

Footnotes

  1. ↑ Cooper 2005, pp. 9–10.
  2. ↑ Cooper 2005, p. 9.
  3. ↑ Shook 2013; Heater 2006
  4. ↑ Cooper 2005, p. 10.
  5. ↑ Clair 2022, Chapter 7 (Search phrase "Years earlier, listening to Pylon together on a drive out to a water park in Shreveport, Will, Jeff, and Robert decided they'd live in Athens together someday").
  6. ↑ Clair 2022, Chapter 7 (Search phrase "Bill got out of the National Guard in 1993, and by the summer, he, Will, and Jeff reconvened in Athens").
  7. 1 2 Heater 2006.
  8. 1 2 Cooper 2005, p. 18.
  9. ↑ Clair 2022, Chapter 7 (Search phrase "Synthetic Flying Machine didn’t last very long").
  10. 1 2 Holmes 1998, p. 03.
  11. ↑ Clair 2022 , Chapter 7 (Search phrase "Will and Bill felt like a name change was in order"); Kramer n.d. , p. 3
  12. ↑ Kitching 2019; Buckley 2003 , p. 749
  13. ↑ Clair 2022, Chapter 7 (Search phrase "It was just us. We just wanted to make a record. And Jeff's on California Demise").
  14. ↑ Clair 2022, Chapter 10 (Search phrase "Meanwhile, Bill found himself losing interest in playing with Chocolate USA").
  15. ↑ Clair 2016; Clair 2022 , Chapter 10 (Search phrase "Meanwhile, Bill found himself losing interest in playing with Chocolate USA").
  16. 1 2 3 Anon. (a) n.d.
  17. ↑ Anon. 1996; Clair 2016.
  18. 1 2 3 4 Clair 2016.
  19. ↑ Clair 2016; Houle 2011.
  20. ↑ Ankeny n.d.
  21. ↑ Anon. 2021; Clair 2016.
  22. 1 2 Buckley 2003, p. 749.
  23. ↑ Clair 2022, Chapter 14 (Search phrase "But that fall, not long after Dusk was released, the band needed a keyboard player").
  24. ↑ Clair 2016; Kitching 2019; Cohen 1996; Cox n.d.
  25. ↑ Anon. 1997.
  26. ↑ Anon. 1998; Houle 2011.
  27. ↑ Bjorge n.d.; Mason n.d.
  28. 1 2 Deusner 2019.
  29. ↑ Jacks 1998, p. 59.
  30. ↑ Kramer n.d., p. 4.
  31. 1 2 3 4 5 Kitching 2019.
  32. ↑ Anon. 2020 , p. 2; Anon. (b) n.d.
  33. ↑ Deusner 2019; Hermes 1999; Kot n.d.
  34. ↑ Clair 2022, Chapter 21 (Search phrase "They headlined most of it with Bablicon opening for them, until they reached the West Coast, where they played eight shows opening for Stereolab").
  35. ↑ Mills, Ted. "Once Upon a Time". AllMusic.
  36. 1 2 3 4 5 Allen 2011.
  37. ↑ Allen 2011; Bogdanov, Erlewine & Woodstra 2001 , p. 292.
  38. ↑ Bogdanov, Erlewine & Woodstra 2001, p. 292.
  39. ↑ Shook 2013.
  40. ↑ Thiessen 2009.
  41. ↑ Breihan 2010; Fitzmaurice 2011.
  42. ↑ Battan 2012.
  43. ↑ Peisner 2018.
  44. ↑ WCullenHart (2023-09-01). "A few people have as…". r/indieheads. Retrieved 2024-04-02.
  45. ↑ Kitching 2019; Shook 2013.
  46. ↑ Bogdanov, Erlewine & Woodstra 2001 , p. 292; Clair 2016; Houle 2011.
  47. ↑ Thompson 2011.
  48. 1 2 Kramer n.d., p. 1.
  49. ↑ Vaziri 1997, p. 283.

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Elephant 6</span> American musical collective

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 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.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Neutral Milk Hotel</span> American indie rock band

Neutral Milk Hotel was an American band formed in Ruston, Louisiana, by musician Jeff Mangum. They were active from 1989 to 1998, and then from 2013 to 2015. The band's music featured a deliberately low-quality sound, influenced by indie rock and psychedelic folk. Mangum wrote surreal and opaque lyrics that covered a wide range of topics, including love, spirituality, nostalgia, sex, and loneliness. He and the other band members played a variety of instruments, including non-traditional instruments like the singing saw and uilleann pipes.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Jeff Mangum</span> Neofolk musician from the United States

Jeffrey Nye Mangum is an American singer, songwriter, and musician who gained prominence as the founder, songwriter, vocalist and guitarist of Neutral Milk Hotel, as well for his co-founding of The Elephant 6 Recording Company. Mangum is characterized for his complex, lyrically dense songwriting, exemplified on the critically lauded album In the Aeroplane Over the Sea, as well as for his public image as a recluse associated with his extended periods of musical inactivity and minimal press interaction. An article published in Slate described Mangum as the "Salinger of Indie Rock." In 2023 Jeff Mangum received a Grammy award nomination for "Best Boxed Or Special Limited Edition Package".

<i>In the Aeroplane Over the Sea</i> 1998 studio album by Neutral Milk Hotel

In the Aeroplane Over the Sea is the second and final studio album by American band Neutral Milk Hotel, released on February 10, 1998, by Merge Records. The album is predominantly indie rock and psychedelic folk and is characterized by an intentionally low-quality sound. Traditional indie rock instruments like the guitar and drums are paired with less conventional instruments like the singing saw and uilleann pipes. The lyrics are surrealistic and opaque, exploring themes that range from nostalgia to love. An important influence for the album was The Diary of a Young Girl, a book of writings from the diary of Anne Frank.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">The Apples in Stereo</span> American pop/rock band

The Apples in Stereo are an American indie rock band associated with Elephant 6 Collective, a group of bands also including Neutral Milk Hotel, the Olivia Tremor Control, Elf Power, Of Montreal, and Circulatory System. The band is largely a product of lead vocalist/guitarist/producer Robert Schneider, who writes the majority of the band's music and lyrics. Currently, The Apples in Stereo also includes longstanding members John Hill and Eric Allen (bass), as well as more recent members John Dufilho (drums), John Ferguson (keyboards), and Ben Phelan (keyboards/guitar/trumpet).

<i>On Avery Island</i> 1996 studio album by Neutral Milk Hotel

On Avery Island is the debut studio album by American rock band Neutral Milk Hotel, released on March 26, 1996, by Merge Records. At the time, Neutral Milk Hotel was a solo project of American musician Jeff Mangum, who recorded the album with producer Robert Schneider from February to May 1995. On Avery Island is an indie rock and psychedelic folk album, with a lo-fi sound.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Will Cullen Hart</span> American musician (born 1971)

William Cullen Hart is an American pop musician. He was a co-founder of The Elephant 6 Recording Company, as well as the rock band The Olivia Tremor Control. Following that band's breakup, Hart and several other former members regrouped to create Circulatory System.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Robert Schneider</span> American musician

Robert Peter Schneider is an American musician and mathematician. He is the lead singer, songwriter, guitarist and producer of rock/pop band the Apples in Stereo and has produced and performed on albums by Neutral Milk Hotel, the Olivia Tremor Control and a number of other psychedelic and indie rock bands. Schneider co-founded The Elephant 6 Recording Company in 1992. He received a PhD in mathematics from Emory University in 2018. As of September 2022, he is an Assistant Professor of Mathematical Sciences at Michigan Technological University.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Bill Doss</span> American musician (1968–2012)

Bill Doss was an American rock musician. He co-founded The Elephant 6 Recording Company in Athens, Georgia and was a key member of The Olivia Tremor Control. Following the band's breakup, he led The Sunshine Fix and later became a member of The Apples in Stereo. Doss was married to freelance photographer Amy Hairston Doss, whom he met while both were attending Louisiana Tech University.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Circulatory System (band)</span> American psychedelic rock band

Circulatory System is a psychedelic rock musical ensemble formed by musician/painter Will Cullen Hart, and featuring Derek Almstead, Suzanne Allison, Peter Erchick, John Fernandes, Charlie Johnston, and Heather McIntosh.

<i>Music from the Unrealized Film Script: Dusk at Cubist Castle</i> 1996 studio album by The Olivia Tremor Control

Music from the Unrealized Film Script: Dusk at Cubist Castle is the debut studio album by American band the Olivia Tremor Control, released on August 6, 1996, by Flydaddy Records. It is an eclectic album that encompasses a variety of genres, including indie pop, neo-psychedelia, and psychedelic pop. The first half of the album features songs that are influenced by bands of 1960s and 1970s, such as the Beach Boys and the Beatles. The second half features more experimental songs, including two long instrumental songs influenced by drone music and musique concrète. Dusk at Cubist Castle purports to be the soundtrack to an unfinished film, and the lyrics focus on surrealist imagery.

<i>Circulatory System</i> (album) 2001 studio album by Circulatory System

Circulatory System is the first album by the American music ensemble Circulatory System. It was released on August 28, 2001, on musician John Fernandes' Cloud Recordings label.

Black Swan Network is a musical side project of The Olivia Tremor Control. With contributions from Neutral Milk Hotel members Jeff Mangum and Julian Koster, as well as individual contributions from J. Kirk Pleasant of Calvin, Don't Jump! and fablefactory's Roxanne Martin, it was intended to be an experimental project in ambient music. After their releases, the band members became busier with their other projects, and Black Swan Network appears to be on permanent hiatus.

The Sunshine Fix was an American indie rock group that released three albums from 1993 to 2004. Their main singer and songwriter was Bill Doss, known from The Olivia Tremor Control. The name predated the Olivia Tremor Control and remained in use until Doss's 2012 death.

<i>Black Foliage: Animation Music Volume One</i> 1999 studio album by The Olivia Tremor Control

Black Foliage: Animation Music Volume One is the second studio album by American indie rock band The Olivia Tremor Control, released in 1999 through Flydaddy Records. It was re-released on vinyl in November 2011 through Chunklet.

<i>Explanation II: Instrumental Themes and Dream Sequences</i> 1998 studio album by The Olivia Tremor Control

Explanation II: Instrumental Themes and Dream Sequences is an album by American indie rock band The Olivia Tremor Control, initially released as a bonus CD with the first few thousand copies of their 1996 debut album Music from the Unrealized Film Script: Dusk at Cubist Castle. It consists of nine tracks of ambient sounds, recorded by The Olivia Tremor Control, and it has been claimed that the album will produce quadraphonic sound when played in synchronicity with Dusk at Cubist Castle. Explanation II was later re-released on its own by Flydaddy Records in 1998.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">John Fernandes</span> American multi-instrumentalist musician

John Kiran Fernandes is an American multi-instrumentalist musician.

<i>The Olivia Tremor Control / Black Swan Network</i> 1997 studio album by The Olivia Tremor Control/The Black Swan Network

The Olivia Tremor Control/The Black Swan Network is an LP released by The Olivia Tremor Control. Within some of these tracks are extracts from The Black Swan Network's dream appeal — taped audio contributions from fans of dreams they've had or would like to have. Also known as the Tour EP or Olivia Tremor Control Vs. Black Swan Network, Flydaddy labelled the record without the band's permission. The band have always called it "Color Squares.

Calvin, Don't Jump! started as the solo recording project of J. Kirk Pleasant, a musician with extensive connections to the Elephant 6 Collective. Before moving to Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada, he contributed to releases from bands like the Olivia Tremor Control, Black Swan Network, and Pipes You See, Pipes You Don't. His own albums have featured contributions from musicians like Scott Spillane, Jeremy Barnes, John D'Azzo, as well as Peter Erchick, Eric Harris, and John Fernandes.

<i>Smiling Pets</i> 1998 compilation album by various artists

Smiling Pets is a multi-artist tribute album consisting of experimental/alternative cover versions of Beach Boys songs from Pet Sounds (1966) and the never-finished Smile project. It was released exclusively in Japan by Sony Records in March 1998.

References

This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.