Conor Oberst

Conor Mullen Oberst (born February 15, 1980) is a musician, best known for his work in Bright Eyes. He has also played in several indie rock bands, including Desaparecidos, Commander Venus and Park Ave., and is co-founder and executive partner in the independent record labels Team Love and Saddle Creek Records.

[edit] About

Oberst was born and raised in Omaha. He was born to Matthew Oberst, Sr., an information manager for Mutual of Omaha, and Nancy Oberst, a an inner-city elementary school principal. He grew up with two older brothers, Justin Oberst, a lawyer, and Matthew Oberst, Jr., a musician best known for his band Sorry About Dresden. Oberst's mother claims that he was banging on a piano since he was two years old. Besides his brother Matt, Oberst's father was also a musician who played guitar and piano for various cover bands in his youth, and together they began teaching Conor to play guitar at the age of 10. By the time he knew about the tragedies of life, he was already writing songs. Around that time, he also found the Antiquarium, a record store in Omaha that served as a Mecca for other musicians.

[edit] Background

Oberst began his musical career at age 13 while attending 7th grade at St. Pius X. He was in the showchoir and other musical groups at the school. One night in 1992, Ted Stevens (of Mayday and Cursive) invited Oberst onstage to close his set. Bill Hoover, who was in attendance, invited Oberst to come back to play with him a couple of weeks later. In that short amount of time, Oberst wrote enough songs to fill out the set, establishing himself as a songwriter and performer. Shortly thereafter, Oberst began committing his new repertoire to tape in his parents' basement with his father's four track cassette recorder and an acoustic guitar.

In mid-1993, Oberst self-released his debut album Water on cassette tape. The release of the album was financed by Oberst's brother Justin on what they called Lumberjack Records, the very same indie label that would become Saddle Creek, making them founders and present day executives of the label.

Shortly after his two solo recordings, Oberst began playing with Tim Kasher (of Cursive and The Good Life), Robb Nansel and Todd Fink (of The Faint). The four formed Commander Venus in mid-1995.

Here's to Special Treatment was followed by 1996's The Soundtrack to My Movie, a cassette only released on Sing Eunuchs!. Kill the Monster Before It Eats Baby, a split 7" vinyl with Bill Hoover, was also released around this time.

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