Biography
Gary Olson played a defining role in indie pop not merely through his position as vocalist and co-founder of the Elephant 6 outfit the Ladybug Transistor, but equally through his engineering and production contributions to numerous releases by younger acts that pursued the direction he and his group had established. His work as songwriter, vocalist, and trumpeter helped form the chamber-pop textures associated with the Ladybug Transistor, textures he later refined into still more delicate and layered instrumental settings on the self-titled solo album he issued in 2020.
Born in Brooklyn, Olson launched the Ladybug Transistor in 1994 alongside Julia Rydholm and a handful of other musicians. Rydholm and Olson remained the steady center of the lineup through the following two decades, even as other members rotated in and out. While continuing to issue occasional Ladybug Transistor albums, he also built a career as a studio engineer in Brooklyn, handling sessions for Crystal Stilts, Pale Lights, Hamish Kilgour of the Clean, and dozens more artists. His first solo release arrived in 2018 as the 7-inch single “The Old Twin” on a small German independent label. Two years later came his debut full-length collection of solo songs, the self-titled album, which appeared in May 2020 and emphasized rich string arrangements together with luminous melodies.
Born in Brooklyn, Olson launched the Ladybug Transistor in 1994 alongside Julia Rydholm and a handful of other musicians. Rydholm and Olson remained the steady center of the lineup through the following two decades, even as other members rotated in and out. While continuing to issue occasional Ladybug Transistor albums, he also built a career as a studio engineer in Brooklyn, handling sessions for Crystal Stilts, Pale Lights, Hamish Kilgour of the Clean, and dozens more artists. His first solo release arrived in 2018 as the 7-inch single “The Old Twin” on a small German independent label. Two years later came his debut full-length collection of solo songs, the self-titled album, which appeared in May 2020 and emphasized rich string arrangements together with luminous melodies.
Albums
Singles
