Geologist (musician)
Encyclopedia
Geologist is a founding member of Animal Collective
. He provides electronic sound manipulations and samples for the band.
Geologist grew up in Philadelphia and Baltimore and currently lives in Washington DC.
The Geologist's nickname comes from the caving headlamp he wears in order to see his electronic equipment during live shows.
where he met future Animal Collective bandmates David Portner
(aka Avey Tare) and Josh Dibb
(aka Deakin). Avey Tare, Geologist and Deakin first started an indie-rock band called "Automine" with two other schoolmates. Deakin introduced his childhood friend Noah Lennox
(aka Panda Bear) to Avey Tare and Geologist. Throughout their high school years and winter/summer college breaks, the four of them played music in different variations and often solo, swapping homemade recordings and sharing ideas.
Geologist went on to study at Columbia University
, while Avey Tare went to NYU, Panda Bear to Boston University
, and Deakin to Brandeis University
. Avey Tare recorded tracks with Panda Bear which eventually became Spirit They're Gone, Spirit They've Vanished, which was released under "Avey Tare and Panda Bear" in August 2000. After Panda Bear and Deakin both left school and moved to New York in 2000, the group's music became more collaborative, and Avey and Panda began playing clubs around New York. Geologist soon began performing with the group who eventually became "Animal Collective." He first appeared on their 2001 release Danse Manatee
, and has contributed to every Animal Collective recording to date, except for their 2004 Sung Tongs
LP. Before that time, Geologist had gone to Arizona for graduate school.
When asked about his personal musical influences, he says "I was always inspired by horror soundtracks, things that use unconventional sounds and textures as music. I'm interested in how abstract sounds can have the same impact on the listener as traditional musical sounds."
Weitz was married on Halloween in 2009. He and his wife had a son in August 2010.
Animal Collective
Animal Collective is an experimental psychedelic band originally from Baltimore, Maryland, currently based in New York City. Animal Collective consists of Avey Tare , Panda Bear , Deakin , and Geologist...
. He provides electronic sound manipulations and samples for the band.
Geologist grew up in Philadelphia and Baltimore and currently lives in Washington DC.
The Geologist's nickname comes from the caving headlamp he wears in order to see his electronic equipment during live shows.
Animal Collective
Geologist attended the Park School of BaltimorePark School of Baltimore
The Park School of Baltimore is a private, co-educational K-12 school located in Brooklandville, Maryland, USA, just north of the city of Baltimore. The campus lies to the south of Old Court Road in Baltimore County...
where he met future Animal Collective bandmates David Portner
Avey Tare
Avey Tare is a musician and founding member of Animal Collective. Portner lives in Brooklyn, NY.-Animal Collective:...
(aka Avey Tare) and Josh Dibb
Deakin (musician)
Deakin is an avant-garde musician and a founding member of Animal Collective.-Animal Collective:Josh Dibb began writing and recording music with childhood friend Noah Lennox in 1991. While at The Park School in Baltimore, Josh met David Portner and Brian Weitz when they asked him to join their...
(aka Deakin). Avey Tare, Geologist and Deakin first started an indie-rock band called "Automine" with two other schoolmates. Deakin introduced his childhood friend Noah Lennox
Panda Bear (musician)
Noah Benjamin Lennox also known as Panda Bear, is an experimental musician and a founding member of Animal Collective.-Early life:...
(aka Panda Bear) to Avey Tare and Geologist. Throughout their high school years and winter/summer college breaks, the four of them played music in different variations and often solo, swapping homemade recordings and sharing ideas.
Geologist went on to study at Columbia University
Columbia University
Columbia University in the City of New York is a private, Ivy League university in Manhattan, New York City. Columbia is the oldest institution of higher learning in the state of New York, the fifth oldest in the United States, and one of the country's nine Colonial Colleges founded before the...
, while Avey Tare went to NYU, Panda Bear to Boston University
Boston University
Boston University is a private research university located in Boston, Massachusetts. With more than 4,000 faculty members and more than 31,000 students, Boston University is one of the largest private universities in the United States and one of Boston's largest employers...
, and Deakin to Brandeis University
Brandeis University
Brandeis University is an American private research university with a liberal arts focus. It is located in the southwestern corner of Waltham, Massachusetts, nine miles west of Boston. The University has an enrollment of approximately 3,200 undergraduate and 2,100 graduate students. In 2011, it...
. Avey Tare recorded tracks with Panda Bear which eventually became Spirit They're Gone, Spirit They've Vanished, which was released under "Avey Tare and Panda Bear" in August 2000. After Panda Bear and Deakin both left school and moved to New York in 2000, the group's music became more collaborative, and Avey and Panda began playing clubs around New York. Geologist soon began performing with the group who eventually became "Animal Collective." He first appeared on their 2001 release Danse Manatee
Danse Manatee
Danse Manatee is the second album by Baltimore based band Animal Collective, released in July 2001 on Catsup Plate under the name Avey Tare, Panda Bear and Geologist. Only 1000 copies were made for the Catsup Plate release, but it has since been re-released as a double CD along with Spirit They're...
, and has contributed to every Animal Collective recording to date, except for their 2004 Sung Tongs
Sung Tongs
Sung Tongs is the fifth album by Baltimore-based band Animal Collective, released on May 3, 2004 by Fat Cat Records.Despite the name 'Animal Collective' attached to this album, only two of the band's four members play on it: Avey Tare and Panda Bear . As a result, Sung Tongs is a more...
LP. Before that time, Geologist had gone to Arizona for graduate school.
When asked about his personal musical influences, he says "I was always inspired by horror soundtracks, things that use unconventional sounds and textures as music. I'm interested in how abstract sounds can have the same impact on the listener as traditional musical sounds."
Other musical projects
As well as performing various DJ sets, Geologist has released the track "Jailhouse" on Animal Collective's Keep Cassette and created the soundtrack for the Morphologic Studios short film Man O War.Personal life
In addition to his musical career, Weitz also worked on ocean conservation and environmental policy. He has a BA from Columbia University in Environmental Science, and an MPA in Environmental Policy from Columbia University's School of International and Public Affairs.Weitz was married on Halloween in 2009. He and his wife had a son in August 2010.
Musical equipment
- MiniDiscMiniDiscThe disc is permanently housed in a cartridge with a sliding door, similar to the casing of a 3.5" floppy disk. This shutter is opened automatically by a mechanism upon insertion. The audio discs can either be recordable or premastered. Recordable MiniDiscs use a magneto-optical system to record...
- sample playback - Kaoss PadKaoss PadThe Kaoss Pad is a touchpad MIDI controller, sampler, and effects processor for audio and musical instruments, made by Korg.The Kaoss Pad's touchpad can be used to control its internal effects engine, which can be applied to a line-in signal or to samples recorded from the line-in...
- effects - Roland SP-555Roland SP-555The Roland SP-555 is a music sampler. It has many new features that set it aside from its predecessors. The sampler has 37 built in effects that can be assigned to any of the 16 pressure-sensitive pads. It also has a microphone input that accepts 1/4 inch phone type, XLR type, Hi-Z, and has...
- sampler - Roland SP-404Roland SP-404The Roland SP-404 is a digital sampler made by Roland Corporation. It features:*12 large pads, three control knobs, a display, similar operation as the Roland SP-303*29 effects, including Subsonic, BPM Looper, among others*Built-in microphone for sampling...
- SamplerSampler (musical instrument)A sampler is an electronic musical instrument similar in some respects to a synthesizer but, instead of generating sounds, it uses recordings of sounds that are loaded or recorded into it by the user and then played back by means of a keyboard, sequencer or other triggering device to perform or... - Moog Taurus 3 Pedals