Elephant 6 Collective Leader Bill Doss is Dead

Singer-songwriter Bill Doss has died at the age of 43, according to representatives of his most well-known band The Olivia Tremor Control. In addition to being a central figure of that musical group he cofounded the band’s label, The Elephant 6 Recording Company. Doss helped OTC and E6 define psychedelic folk-pop as an important facet of modern American independent music.

OTC’s 1995 release Music from the Unrealized Film Script “Dusk at Cubist Castle” is recognized as a massive statement within the genre. As Doss’ label concurrently attempted to gain a foothold from their home base of Athens, Georgia, they spun off or influenced a number of significant acts. These included Neutral Milk Hotel (and their leader Jeff Mangum), Apples in Stereo, Dressy Bessy, of Montreal, and Elf Power.

OTC’s production dropped after 2000, but Doss reunited with them a few times through 2011 and continued to write and record with another band, The Sunshine Fix. And while E6 formally closed up shop in 2002, the surviving bands and their friends are referred to as The Elephant 6 Collective, often including the label’s logo on their releases.

The band reps’ statement also said, “Please respect the privacy of the Elephant 6 family at this time. Our hearts are with them, and we will release any further details and statements as it’s fit in the days to come.”