Phil Elvrum

The Microphones (now Mount Eerie) is an Olympia, Washington-based indie pop band fronted by Phil Elverum. Elverum (who previously spelled his name as 'Elvrum'), is the prinicpal member of the band, but he has collaborated

The Microphones (now Mount Eerie) is an Olympia, Washington-based indie pop band fronted by Phil Elverum. Elverum (who previously spelled his name as 'Elvrum'), is the prinicpal member of the band, but he has collaborated with many other musicians on his records. In 2004, Elverum changed the name of his band from The Microphones to Mount Eerie.

Phil Elverum became involved in the Washington music scene while working at a record store in his home town of Anacortes in the mid-1990s. Elverum began experimenting with some recording equipment in the back of the record store, eventually drawing the attention of the store's owner, Bret Lunsford. Lunsford helped Elverum release two cassettes (Microphone and Wires and Cords) on his label, KNW-YR-OWN. These early cassettes were filled with simple, archaic songs and some strange sound collages, all, however, finely produced considering Elverum's lack of experience and outdated recording equipment. Elverum played drums in Lunsford's band, D+, for some time until he moved to Olympia.