* En anglais uniquement
The Athens, Georgia-based
Gerbils emerged as part of the second wave of bands linked to the Elephant 6 Recording Company collective, a coterie of like-minded, lo-fi indie groups -- including the Apples (in stereo),
Neutral Milk Hotel and the
Olivia Tremor Control -- who shared musicians, ideas and sensibilities. The Gerbils comprised singer/guitarist Scott Spillane, drummer John D'Azzo and bassist Will Westbrook, who together attended grade school in the Elephant 6 breeding grounds of Ruston, LA;
Spillane and D'Azzo first joined forces in 1992 in the group Smilin' Joe Fission, which also included violinist John Fernandes (later a member of
Olivia Tremor Control) and guitarist
Ross Beach. After a series of roster changes, the original
Gerbils lineup -- a five-piece also featuring Beach and future
Azalia Snail cellist Penny Burbank -- recorded its first demo; slimming down to a trio, they released a series of singles on indie labels like Spare Me and Earworm before signing to Hidden Agenda to issue their 1998 full-length debut Are You Sleepy?
Spillane, D'Azzo and
Westbrook all additionally pulled double duty as reserve members of both
Neutral Milk Hotel and the
Olivia Tremor Control. ~ Jason Ankeny