[Granite-and-tumble] Elephant Six is Caput?

[Bill Hub]

Pitchfork media reported today that The Elephant Six Collective is
officially caput.  To be honest, I am not even sure what this means or if I
should be disappointed.
For those of you unfamiliar with the Elephant Six Collective or Elephant Six
Recording Company, it was a fictions record recording company created by
four high school friends:  Robert Schneider, Bill Doss, Will Cullen Hart,
and Jeff Magnum.     In high school, they all played in lots of various
bands and when they created tapes in their parent's basement they would put
an Elephant Six Logo on the tapes.

So, why in the hell is this even newsworthy?  Well these high school friends
did eventually become indie rock stars:  Robert Schneider founded the Apples
in Stereo, Bill Doss and Will Cullen Hart founded the Olivia Tremor Control,
and Jeff Magnum founded Neutral Milk Hotel.   These bands became true
powerhouses, and released many albums on various record labels:  FlyDaddy,
Emperor Norton, Merge, SpinART, Sire, and the Elephant Six record label.
Most of the releases that everyone knows were not released on an Elephant
Six label; in fact Neutral Milk Hotel and the Olivia Tremor Control never
released a full length on the Elephant Six record label.

As fame grew for these three aforementioned bands, the scene grew more
popular; and the fictions label blossomed into something real releasing many
fine records, including albums from the Secret Squares, Beulah, and the
Marbles.  Concurrently, their buddies were forming even more bands and
generating more great albums for other record labels, but still loosely
considered part of the Elephant Six Collective.  Bands like Elf Power, the
Gerbils, and Of Montreal were the largest of these friend bands that put out
great records for different labels, but are still part of the Elephant Six
Collective.

Clearly, this collective has put out lots of good material, but I am
confused as to what is going caput.   Neutral Milk Hotel unfortunately
disbanded years ago, however many of these other bands are currently on tour
and have released albums this year.    So, perhaps it is just the record
label that is going caput.  If that is the case, BFD; all the bands worth
liking have moved to other labels.

Perhaps, this is one last ploy by those wacky HS chums to inspire
conversation ultimately leading to more album sales.   Even assuming that is
what is going on, I will still fall hook, line and sinker and strongly
recommend some E6 albums.   I know most of you probably own at least a dozen
CDs from the Elephant Six collective; but for those of you who do not; I
will recommend by five favorite albums from different bands within the
Elephant Six Collective:

1. Neutral Milk Hotel's In the Areoplane Over the Sea
2. Beulah's Handsome Western States (actually on the record label)
3. The Gerbils' Are You Sleepy
4. The Olivia Tremor Control's Singles and Beyond
5. Elf Power's A Dream In Sound

If you want to read more about the collective and see a comprehensive list
of the bands involved; check out http://www.elephant6.com/