The Olivia Tremor Control was an Athens, Georgia indie rock band in the mid- to late 1990s and, along with The Apples in Stereo and Neutral Milk Hotel, was one of the three original Elephant Six projects. The band was founded by the remnants of the group Synthetic Flying Machine (Jeff Mangum, Bill Doss, and Will Cullen Hart) in 1994 and was disbanded in 1999.

The band's distinct sound is a mixture of Doss' pop leanings, and Hart's experimental tendencies. This chemistry is evident in their albums given that some tracks are 2-3 minute pop songs, while others are sound collages ranging in length from 2 seconds to 10 minutes, and differing in content from vibrant horns to near silence. The band was influenced by the odd quality inherent in dreams and asked their listeners to send in tapes describing their own, excerpts of which can be heard in the final track of Black Foliage in particular.

The members of The Olivia Tremor Control worked with a variety of different projects, some experimental (such as Frosted Ambassador and Black Swan Network), and others with established bands (such as Neutral Milk Hotel).

Members

• Bill Doss - guitar, cornet, percussion, songwriting, vocals (1994-1999)
• Peter Erchick - keyboards (1996-1999)
• John Fernandes - bass guitar, violin, saxophone, clarinet (1995-1999)
• Eric Harris - drums, theremin, guitar (1995-1999)
• Will Cullen Hart - guitar, vocals, songwriting (1994-1999)
• Jeff Mangum - drums, guitar, vocals (1994-1995)

Discography

Albums

• Music from the Unrealized Film Script, Dusk at Cubist Castle (Flydaddy; LP; (1996)
• Instrumental Themes and Dream Sequences (Flydaddy; LP; 1998)
• Animation Music Volume 1 (Flydaddy; LP; 1999)
• Peel Sessions (Self Released; LP; 2000)
• Singles and Beyond (Kindercore; LP; 2000)

EPs and singles

• California Demise (Elephant 6; EP; 1994)
• The Olivia Tremor Control/The Apples in Stereo (Small Fi; 7"; 1994)
• The Giant Day (Drug Racer; EP; 1996)
• The Opera House (Blue Rose; EP;1996)
• The Olivia Tremor Control Vs. Black Swan Network (Flydaddy; EP; 1998)
• Jumping Fences (Blue Rose; EP; 1998)
• Hideaway (Blue Rose; CD Single; 1998)

Compilation appearances

• "The Ships" on Succour (Flydaddy; CD; 1996)
• "The Late Music 2" on Treble Revolution Vol. 1 (Kindercore; Cassette; 1996)
• "Silverbug" on Treble Revolution Vol. 2 (Kindercore; CD; 1996)
• "Beneath the Climb" on Dreamboat (Cassiel; CD; 1996)
• "Collage #1" on Terrastock (Ptolemaic Terrascope; CD; 1997)
• "Christmas with William S." on Christmas in Stereo (Kindercore; CD; 1997)
• "I Won This Dog At The Driftwood Reunion Carnival 12/2/72" on Soundtrack To The Bible Belt Reunion Carnival (Anhedonia; CD; 1997)
• "Do You Like Worms? (Do You Dig Worms)" & "Little Pad" on Smiling Pets (Sony; CD; 1998)
• "Outside Explorations, Pt. 3" on More Music, Less Parking: WFMU Live From Jersey City (WMFU; CD; 2000)
• "European Son" on Rabid Chords 002: Tribute to the Velvet Underground (Victor; CD; 2000)
• "Glass Beard" on Keep Left Vol. 1 (Ace Fu; CD; 2000)
• "Hideaway (Remix)" on Kindercore Fifty (Kindercore; CD; 2000)

External link

• "The Olivia Tremor Control" at Elephant6.com

American musical groups | Peel Sessions artists | Georgia (U.S. state) musical groups | Indie rock groups