Derek Almstead (born August 23, 1974) is an American musician/engineer closely tied to
The Elephant Six Collective.
Background
Born in
Lexington, Virginia
Lexington is an independent city in the Commonwealth of Virginia. At the 2020 census, the population was 7,320. It is the county seat of Rockbridge County, although the two are separate jurisdictions. The Bureau of Economic Analysis combines ...
, 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 3,034 at the 2010 census, a decline of 4.1 percent from the figure of 3,162 in 2000. It was the first capital of the Chic ...
, and later
Manassas, Virginia
Manassas (), formerly Manassas Junction, is an independent city in the Commonwealth of Virginia, United States. The population was 42,772 at the 2020 Census. It is the county seat of Prince William County, although the two are separate jurisd ...
. In 1995 he moved to
Athens, Georgia
Athens, officially Athens–Clarke County, is a consolidated city-county and college town in the U.S. state of Georgia. Athens lies about northeast of downtown Atlanta, and is a satellite city of the capital. The University of Georgia, the st ...
, 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 Hote ...
. 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 (on drums and bass),
,
Summer Hymns Summer Hymns is a band based in Athens, Georgia.
Summer Hymns was formed in 1997 by singer/guitarist Zachary Gresham and drummer Philip Brown, both formerly of mid-1990s Athens favorites, Joe Christmas. Guitarist Bren Mead, of Masters of the He ...
,
Visitations,
Great Lakes
The Great Lakes, also called the Great Lakes of North America, are a series of large interconnected freshwater lakes in the mid-east region of North America that connect to the Atlantic Ocean via the Saint Lawrence River. There are five la ...
,
The Sunshine Fix,
Polaris
Polaris is a star in the northern circumpolar constellation of Ursa Minor. It is designated α Ursae Minoris ( Latinized to ''Alpha Ursae Minoris'') and is commonly called the North Star or Pole Star. With an apparent magnitude that ...
, Mary Jane,
The Genius Test,
Marshmallow Coast, Daisy,
The Imperial Teeth,
Major Organ and the Adding Machine,
Pipes You See, Pipes You Don't
Pipes You See, Pipes You Don't is a project of The Olivia Tremor Control keyboardist Peter Erchick. Conceived in the early 1990s, their first album was not released until July 2001. The band's name may be from a chapter in a children's encyclope ...
,
Circulatory System
The blood circulatory system is a system of organs that includes the heart, blood vessels, and blood which is circulated throughout the entire body of a human or other vertebrate. It includes the cardiovascular system, or vascular system, tha ...
,
The Instruments,
M Coast,
The 63 Crayons,
Vic Chesnutt
James Victor Chesnutt (November 12, 1964 – December 25, 2009) was an American singer-songwriter from Athens, Georgia. His first album, ''Little'', was released in 1990. His commercial breakthrough came in 1996 with the release of '' Sweet ...
,
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 A ...
,
E6 Holiday Surprise Orchestra, Space Trucks,
The Olivia Tremor Control
The Olivia Tremor Control is an American psychedelic band from Athens, Georgia. The band's main line-up comprised Will Cullen Hart, Bill Doss, Eric Harris, John Fernandes, and Peter Erchick. The Olivia Tremor Control's music encompasses a wide ...
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
Personal
He was married in 2005 to
Emily Growden, also of
Marshmallow Coast.
References
1974 births
Living people
The Elephant 6 Recording Company artists
People from Manassas, Virginia
The Olivia Tremor Control members
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