Since its formation in 1995 the Disco Biscuits have fused rock, techno, jazz, soul, blues, and classical elements into a sound that rapidly elevated them within the jam-roots-groove world. Jon "The Barber" Gutwillig, Marc Brownstein, Sam Altman, and Aron Magner first connected on the University of Pennsylvania campus and launched the group in late 1995. Early performances centered on Philadelphia frat parties before the quartet shifted to area nightclubs. Their independent debut, Encephalous Crime, appeared in 1996. Beyond headlining dates they supported Merl Saunders, the Black Crowes, the Jerry Garcia Band, and Morphine on the road. Guitarist and lead vocalist Jon Gutwillig has stated that the goal of the group is to create the wildest (or craziest) music of all time, a high-energy approach labeled “trance fusion” that some observers liken to Frank Zappa, although the members themselves reject the comparison. Extended rock improvisations sometimes incorporate passages from classical repertoire or vintage jazz. Material is composed expressly for the stage, with studio recordings emerging afterward rather than the reverse. Hydrophonics Records signed the band in 1998, issuing the second album, The Uncivilized Area. Their third release, They Missed the Perfume, reached stores in 2001. Continued evolution produced the more organic Señor Boombox in fall 2002. After Altman’s departure in 2005, Allen Aucoin joined on drums and the lineup persisted, also organizing the annual electronic-music event Camp Bisco. Two live documents followed in 2006: the two-disc The Wind at Four to Fly and the single-disc Rocket 3. Recording of a fifth studio album began in 2009.
