Derek Almstead (born August 23, 1974) is an American musician and engineer closely tied to
The Elephant Six 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 (band), Beulah, Circulatory System (band), Circulatory System, Elf ...
.
Background
Born in
Lexington, Virginia
Lexington is an Independent city (United States)#Virginia, independent city in the Commonwealth of Virginia, United States. At the 2020 United States census, 2020 census, the population was 7,320. It is the county seat of Rockbridge County, Virg ...
, he spent his childhood in
Tishomingo, Oklahoma
Tishomingo is the largest city in, and the county seat of, Johnston County, Oklahoma, United States. The population was 3,101 as of the 2020 census, an increase of 2.2% over the population of 3,034 reported at the 2010 census. It was the fir ...
, and later
Manassas, Virginia
Manassas (), formerly Manassas Junction, is an independent city (United States), independent city in the Commonwealth (U.S. state), Commonwealth of Virginia, United States. The population was 42,772 at the 2020 Census. It is the county seat of ...
. In 1995 he moved to
Athens, Georgia
Athens is a consolidated city-county in the U.S. state of Georgia (U.S. state), Georgia. Downtown Athens lies about northeast of downtown Atlanta. The University of Georgia, the state's flagship public university and an Research I university, ...
, where he became involved with
Elephant 6
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, ...
. A multi-instrumentalist, Almstead also writes, records, engineers, and masters music from his own Pixel Studio.
Portfolio
Almstead is perhaps best known as a bass player. He has played or currently plays with the following bands:
Of Montreal
of Montreal is an American indie pop band from Athens, Georgia. It was founded by frontperson Kevin Barnes in 1996, named after a failed romance between Barnes and a woman "of Montreal". The band is identified as part of the Elephant 6 collec ...
(on drums and bass),
Destroyer
In naval terminology, a destroyer is a fast, maneuverable, long-endurance warship intended to escort
larger vessels in a fleet, convoy, or carrier battle group and defend them against a wide range of general threats. They were conceived i ...
Great Lakes
The Great Lakes, also called the Great Lakes of North America, are a series of large interconnected freshwater lakes spanning the Canada–United States border. The five lakes are Lake Superior, Superior, Lake Michigan, Michigan, Lake Huron, H ...
,
The Sunshine Fix
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 ...
,
Polaris
Polaris is a star in the northern circumpolar constellation of Ursa Minor. It is designated α Ursae Minoris (Latinisation of names, Latinized to ''Alpha Ursae Minoris'') and is commonly called the North Star or Pole Star. With an ...
Marshmallow Coast
Marshmallow Coast (also formerly known as M Coast), is an indie pop band associated with the Elephant Six Collective.
Background
Marshmallow Coast began in 1996 in Denver, Colorado, with a self released cassette recorded by singer/songwriter An ...
Major Organ and the Adding Machine
Major Organ and the Adding Machine is an Elephant 6 supergroup led by the elusive and possibly fictional Major Organ.Pipes You See, Pipes You Don't,
Circulatory System
In vertebrates, the circulatory system is a system of organs that includes the heart, blood vessels, and blood which is circulated throughout the body. It includes the cardiovascular system, or vascular system, that consists of the heart ...
Vic Chesnutt
James Victor Chesnutt (November 12, 1964 – December 25, 2009) was an American singer-songwriter from Athens, Georgia. His first album, Little (album), ''Little'', was released in 1990. His commercial breakthrough came in 1996 with the rele ...
,
Elf Power
Elf Power is an American indie rock band that originated in Athens, Georgia, United States. The line-up consists of guitarist/vocalist Andrew Rieger, keyboardist Laura Carter, guitarist Dave Wrathgabar, bassist Bryan Poole, and drummer Peter ...
The Olivia Tremor Control
The Olivia Tremor Control were an American Psychedelic music, psychedelic band from Athens, Georgia that released two studio albums, a bonus disc, a singles collection and a live album between 1996 and 2000. The main members were Will Cullen H ...
and the Glands. He released his solo project, Faster Circuits - Tunes of Glory, on June 25, 2013.
He also helped record and produce The Sleeping Flies (Electronic Watusi Boogaloo / Ultra Wide Band) with The Bill Doss for Kindercore in Athens
Marshmallow Coast
Marshmallow Coast (also formerly known as M Coast), is an indie pop band associated with the Elephant Six Collective.
Background
Marshmallow Coast began in 1996 in Denver, Colorado, with a self released cassette recorded by singer/songwriter An ...