The Microphones

The Microphones is the name of a project that Anacortes, WA’s Phil Elverum has headed since the late 90s. Its sound is best described as lo-fi “fuzz folk,” ranging from drum-crashing, bass-thrashing sonic freakouts, strummy classical guitar love songs, angelic vocal choirs, and almost-whispered vocals over harmoniums and bell kits. In 2004, Elverum abandoned the “Microphones” name to begin recording as Mount Eerie. But in December 2006, he began selling a new 7” single by the Microphones (“Don’t Smoke” / “Get Off The Internet”) on his website and at concerts, suggesting that the project is not yet over. Microphones members/collaborators include Karl Blau, Dennis Driscoll, Kyle Field aka Little Wings, Mirah, Khaela Maricich aka The Blow, Adrian Orange aka Thanksgiving, Adam Forkner and K Records’ founder, Calvin Johnson of Beat Happening and The Halo Benders.

quote: “In school one of the outlets I found was music. Making tapes and loud noise and staying up late and getting into coffee and cookies. Anacortes is (to me) in a beautiful place and I have always loved it here, and been creeped out in a really good way in the black forest at night. Once I realized that it was possible to make songs and books and pictures about this sweet creepiness, and not do any other “work”, my life got hyperactive. Beginning in 1995 I recorded tapes by myself on borrowed machines and got deeper into the world. In 1997 I moved to Olympia Wash. and did the same thing and lived among friends who were all older than me. For 5 years I stayed there, living in different houses and always recording at the Dub Narcotic studio in the K compound. The idea that I could also travel around and sing and dance in front of people, and get enough money to live did not occur to me. I traveled around a lot anyway, and I got enough money to live. I ate dinner with my friends every single night. I worked on albums for 1 year each before releasing them, usually beginning work at dawn. I did 4 albums in this way under the band name “the Microphones”, and also many other more marginal music projects and books and souvenirs. This all culminated in the “death” themed album “Mount Eerie”. In 2002 I went on an endless tour and stopped for the winter in northern Norway and died. The next spring I returned and pretended I was a different person and a different “band” and “artist” and “singer” and everything. I began calling my songs “Mt. Eerie” songs and working slowly on a new idea: dark mountain, mount eerie, cold songs, grandmother’s face, and so on. I moved back to Anacortes where a renaissance had begun again (finally!). Now I live here and I am enjoying it. I am still constantly traveling, playing weird shows everywhere, and making up songs. I also am recording and releasing records by my friends, whose music I love.”