Panda Bear (musician)
Encyclopedia
Noah Benjamin Lennox also known as Panda Bear, is an experimental
Experimental music
Experimental music refers, in the English-language literature, to a compositional tradition which arose in the mid-20th century, applied particularly in North America to music composed in such a way that its outcome is unforeseeable. Its most famous and influential exponent was John Cage...

 musician and a founding member of Animal Collective
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...

.

Early life

Lennox grew up in the Roland Park section of Baltimore, Maryland
Maryland
Maryland is a U.S. state located in the Mid Atlantic region of the United States, bordering Virginia, West Virginia, and the District of Columbia to its south and west; Pennsylvania to its north; and Delaware to its east...

, and attended high school at Kimberton Waldorf School in Chester County, Pennsylvania. As a child and teenager, he played sports, mainly soccer and basketball. He also studied piano until he was eight, then cello, and later on he sang tenor
Tenor
The tenor is a type of male singing voice and is the highest male voice within the modal register. The typical tenor voice lies between C3, the C one octave below middle C, to the A above middle C in choral music, and up to high C in solo work. The low extreme for tenors is roughly B2...

 in his high school chamber choir
Chamber choir
A chamber choir or group of chamber singers is the choral equivalent of a chamber ensemble, using voices instead of instruments. This prestigious choir will usually consist of 20-40 elite and dedicated singers. Several chamber choir formats exist, ranging from barbershop groups to exclusively...

.

Though he and his family have never been very religious, Lennox briefly attended 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...

 where he majored in Religion because of his interest "in the concept of God". While a student at the University, Lennox starred in three student short films: Fish Sticks and Fecal Matters, both directed by Andrew Drazek; and Appy Halloween, directed by Black Nasty.

Animal Collective

As a teen, Lennox began listening to electronic music styles such as house
House music
House music is a genre of electronic dance music that originated in Chicago, Illinois, United States in the early 1980s. It was initially popularized in mid-1980s discothèques catering to the African-American, Latino American, and gay communities; first in Chicago circa 1984, then in other...

 and techno
Techno
Techno is a form of electronic dance music that emerged in Detroit, Michigan in the United States during the mid to late 1980s. The first recorded use of the word techno, in reference to a genre of music, was in 1988...

 and artists such as Aphex Twin
Aphex Twin
Richard David James , best known under the pseudonym Aphex Twin, is an Irish-born electronic musician and composer described as "the most inventive and influential figure in contemporary electronic music"...

, all of which became a huge influence on his later work. He recorded and performed music—solo and with friends. Lennox started using the name "Panda Bear" because he drew pictures of pandas
Giant Panda
The giant panda, or panda is a bear native to central-western and south western China. It is easily recognized by its large, distinctive black patches around the eyes, over the ears, and across its round body. Though it belongs to the order Carnivora, the panda's diet is 99% bamboo...

 for the artwork of his recordings.

Lennox had been friends with Deakin
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...

 (Josh Dibb) since the second grade. Deakin introduced Lennox to his high school friends Avey Tare
Avey Tare
Avey Tare is a musician and founding member of Animal Collective. Portner lives in Brooklyn, NY.-Animal Collective:...

 (Dave Portner) and Geologist
Geologist (musician)
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....

 (Brian Weitz). For years, the four of them swapped homemade recordings, shared musical ideas and performed in different group configurations. Lennox, along with Deakin moved to New York in 2000. The band then became more collaborative in nature and they finally settled on the name "Animal Collective". Lennox and Avey Tare are the only members who have contributed to all of the band's releases.

Since the 2007 releases of Panda Bear's Person Pitch
Person Pitch
Person Pitch is the third solo album released by Animal Collective member Noah Lennox , released on March 20, 2007. The album was released to high critical acclaim....

and Animal Collective's Strawberry Jam
Strawberry Jam
Strawberry Jam is the seventh studio album by American indie rock band Animal Collective. It was released in September 2007, the band's first on Domino Records. The title and track listing were revealed by band member Geologist on the Collected Animals message board on May 16, 2007...

, he has focused more on using samplers and other electronics in their shows. He has named Black Dice
Black Dice
Black Dice is an experimental electronic music group currently based in Brooklyn, New York, USA.-Early years:Black Dice formed in spring 1997 soon after guitarist Bjorn Copeland met drummer Hisham Bharoocha and bassist Sebastian Blanck when they were students at the Rhode Island School of Design...

 as a major influence stating "Black Dice took us on our first tour and I feel like the wisest things I’ve learned about being in a band I learned by watching them." and that he looks to Black Dice "as a model for a band. [...] I feel like as a band, I can't speak for the other guys [of Animal Collective], but certainly for myself, like I modelled the way I approach to everything with the band watching the way Black Dice did it." In addition to singing, Lennox played drums and occasionally guitar in Animal Collective's live performances. (He cites Stewart Copeland
Stewart Copeland
Stewart Armstrong Copeland is an American musician, best known as the drummer for the band The Police. During the group's extended hiatus from the mid-1980s to 2007, he played in other bands and composed soundtracks...

 as the biggest influence on his drumming style.)

Solo work

Lennox's debut album Panda Bear
Panda Bear (album)
Panda Bear is the first solo album released by Animal Collective member Panda Bear at the age of 20 on the label Soccer Star Records, which was run by himself and Animal Collective member Deakin and initially founded only to release this album...

was released in 1998 on Soccer Star Records
Paw Tracks
Paw Tracks is an independent record label based in Washington, D.C. The label's website features artwork by Abby Portner ....

. After focusing more on touring and recording with Animal Collective
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 released the follow-up Young Prayer
Young Prayer
Young Prayer is the second solo album released by Animal Collective member Noah Lennox The album was a critical success, even being labeled "Best New Music" by Pitchfork. Notably, none of the songs on the album has a title because Lennox wanted the album to be "one nugget of sound...

in 2004 and the highly acclaimed third solo album Person Pitch
Person Pitch
Person Pitch is the third solo album released by Animal Collective member Noah Lennox , released on March 20, 2007. The album was released to high critical acclaim....

in 2007. Of his songwriting style, Lennox says "I get impatient writing songs, I can't spend more than a couple of hours before I get frustrated. So I got to kind of spit it out real fast. My favorite songs are the ones where I worked really really fast on, when it comes all out in like two hours or something."

Lennox's fourth album Tomboy
Tomboy (album)
-Mixing:In an interview with NYCTaper in September 2010, Josh Dibb of Animal Collective revealed that he and fellow bandmate Dave Portner had been requested to mix the album on its completion...

 was due to be released "near the end of 2010". He started performing material from Tomboy on December 5, 2008 at a show with No Age
No Age
No Age is a two-person American indie rock group consisting of guitarist Randy Randall and drummer/vocalist Dean Allen Spunt. The band is based in Los Angeles and is currently signed to Sub Pop records...

 in Miami, FL. During a brief European tour in January 2010, he played three shows consisting almost entirely of new material. On March 7, 2010, a tour setlist with titles for ten of the new songs was posted on Panda Bear's MySpace
MySpace
Myspace is a social networking service owned by Specific Media LLC and pop star Justin Timberlake. Myspace launched in August 2003 and is headquartered in Beverly Hills, California. In August 2011, Myspace had 33.1 million unique U.S. visitors....

 blog. Panda Bear has also played Primavera Sound Festival
Primavera Sound Festival
San Miguel Primavera Sound, commonly known as Primavera Sound or simply Primavera, is an annual music festival which takes place in Barcelona, Spain in late May and, in some years, early June...

 in 2010. The single "Tomboy" and the b-side "Slow Motion" were released in July 2010. It was announced in August that singles "You Can Count on Me" and "Alsatian Darn" would be released via Domino on September 28. The limited 500 copies of "You Can Count On Me" sold out in less than a day. The single "Last Night at the Jetty" was released December 2010. The single "Surfer's Hymn" was released March 28, 2011. Panda Bear's fourth album "Tomboy" was released April 12, 2011 on his own label, Paw Tracks.

His song "Comfy In Nautica" appears in ABC's 2010 global warming movie Earth 2100
Earth 2100
Earth 2100 is a television program that was presented by the American Broadcasting Company network on June 2, 2009 and was aired on the History channel in January 2010 and will continue to be shown through 2010...



Lennox has been chosen by Jeff Mangum
Jeff Mangum
Jeff Mangum is a musician best known for being the lyricist, vocalist and guitarist of the band Neutral Milk Hotel, as well as being one of the cofounders of The Elephant 6 Recording Company. Mangum, along with the other founding members of the Elephant 6, attended Ruston High School in the late...

 of Neutral Milk Hotel
Neutral Milk Hotel
Neutral Milk Hotel was an American indie rock band formed by singer, guitarist and songwriter Jeff Mangum in the early 1990s. The band was noted for its experimental sound, obscure lyrics and eclectic instrumentation....

 to perform at the All Tomorrow's Parties
All Tomorrow's Parties (music festival)
All Tomorrow's Parties is a music festival which takes place at Camber Sands holiday camp in East Sussex and Butlin's holiday camp in Minehead, Somerset, England....

 festival that he will curate in December 2011 in Minehead, England.

Outside musical collaborations

Lennox also plays in the band Jane and Together with DJ Scott Mou. He has also performed on tracks with Atlas Sound (Bradford Cox of Deerhunter) and Ducktails (Matt Mondanile of Real Estate).

Personal life

In 2004, Lennox moved from New York
New York
New York is a state in the Northeastern region of the United States. It is the nation's third most populous state. New York is bordered by New Jersey and Pennsylvania to the south, and by Connecticut, Massachusetts and Vermont to the east...

 to Lisbon
Lisbon
Lisbon is the capital city and largest city of Portugal with a population of 545,245 within its administrative limits on a land area of . The urban area of Lisbon extends beyond the administrative city limits with a population of 3 million on an area of , making it the 9th most populous urban...

, Portugal
Portugal
Portugal , officially the Portuguese Republic is a country situated in southwestern Europe on the Iberian Peninsula. Portugal is the westernmost country of Europe, and is bordered by the Atlantic Ocean to the West and South and by Spain to the North and East. The Atlantic archipelagos of the...

. He first visited the city for a vacation following a long Animal Collective
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...

 tour in 2003. Lennox says about Lisbon: "Since I got off the airplane here [for the first time] I had a good feeling about this place." It was while on vacation that he met his wife, the fashion designer Fernanda Pereira. After visiting each other in Lisbon and New York, Lennox decided to move to Europe because he also felt "connected to the European way of life“, considering himself as a "slow moving kind of person“ and Lisbon as a "slow moving kind of place“. Lennox and Pereira are married and have a daughter, Nadja, and a son, as of June 2010. In 2007, he and Pereira collaborated on a line of sweatshirts called 2nd Things.

Musical equipment

  • Korg M3
    Korg M3
    Korg M3 is a music workstation synthesizer manufactured by Korg Corporation and introduced at the Winter NAMM show during January, 2007. It hit the streets 4 months later. The M3 is the successor of the famous Triton series...

     - workstation synthesizer
  • Roland SP-555
    Roland SP-555
    The 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
    Sampler (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...

  • Boss SP-303 "Dr. Sample"
    Roland SP-303
    The Roland/Boss Dr. Sample SP-303 is a digital sampler from Roland based upon the Roland MS-1 Digital Sampler & Boss SP-202 Dr. Sample. The SP-303 was in 2005 revamped and redesigned and released as the SP-404....


Albums

  • Panda Bear
    Panda Bear (album)
    Panda Bear is the first solo album released by Animal Collective member Panda Bear at the age of 20 on the label Soccer Star Records, which was run by himself and Animal Collective member Deakin and initially founded only to release this album...

    (1998, Soccer Star)
  • Young Prayer
    Young Prayer
    Young Prayer is the second solo album released by Animal Collective member Noah Lennox The album was a critical success, even being labeled "Best New Music" by Pitchfork. Notably, none of the songs on the album has a title because Lennox wanted the album to be "one nugget of sound...

    (September 28, 2004, Paw Tracks
    Paw Tracks
    Paw Tracks is an independent record label based in Washington, D.C. The label's website features artwork by Abby Portner ....

    )
  • Person Pitch
    Person Pitch
    Person Pitch is the third solo album released by Animal Collective member Noah Lennox , released on March 20, 2007. The album was released to high critical acclaim....

    (March 20, 2007, Paw Tracks)
  • Tomboy
    Tomboy (album)
    -Mixing:In an interview with NYCTaper in September 2010, Josh Dibb of Animal Collective revealed that he and fellow bandmate Dave Portner had been requested to mix the album on its completion...

    (April 12, 2011, Paw Tracks) (UK #62, US #29)

Singles

  • "I'm Not/Comfy in Nautica
    I'm Not/Comfy in Nautica
    "I'm Not" and "Comfy in Nautica" is the first single from the Person Pitch album by Animal Collective solo artist Panda Bear, being a double A-side. The song "I'm Not" samples the rondeau Rose, liz, printemps, verdure by Guillaume de Machaut, recorded by the early-music vocal group the Gothic Voices...

    " (September 22, 2005, UUAR)
  • "Bro's
    Bro's
    "Bro's" is the second single from the Person Pitch album by Animal Collective solo artist Panda Bear.The song's main riff is a sample from The Tornados' song "Red Roses and a Sky of Blue." The second half of the song features a guitar part from Cat Stevens' "I've Found a Love" from his debut...

    " (December 4, 2006, Fat Cat Records
    Fat Cat Records
    Fat Cat Records is an independent label based in Brighton on England’s South Coast. Their output includes electronica, post rock, indie, downtempo, minimal techno, noise and punk-pop...

    )
  • "Carrots
    Carrots (single)
    Carrots/KKKKK is a split record between Excepter and Animal Collective member Panda Bear. It was limited to 1,000 copies. This is Panda Bear's third single for his 2007 album Person Pitch.-Song information:...

    " (January 23, 2007, Paw Tracks)
  • "Take Pills
    Take Pills
    "Take Pills" is the fourth and final single to be released by Panda Bear from his 2007 album Person Pitch. The 7″ single was released by Paw Tracks, in limited quantity of 1,000 copies....

    " (June 19, 2007, Paw Tracks)
  • "Tomboy" (July 13, 2010, Paw Tracks)
  • "You Can Count on Me
    You Can Count On Me (Panda Bear song)
    "You Can Count on Me" is the second single to be released by Panda Bear from Tomboy. It was released October 19, 2010 by Domino Records.Gorilla vs. Bear ranked B-side "Alsatian Darn" the 7th best track of 2010 in their "Songs of 2010" list.-Tracklisting:...

    " (October 19, 2010, Domino)
  • "Last Night at the Jetty
    Last Night at the Jetty
    "Last Night at the Jetty" is the third single to be released by Panda Bear from Tomboy. It was released December 13, 2010 by FatCat Records. The sleeve was designed by Scott Mou, Panda Bear's collaborator from the group Jane...

    " (December 13, 2010, FatCat Records)
  • "Surfer's Hymn" (March 28, 2011, Kompakt)

Remix(es)

  • "Boneless" (remix of Notwist song "Boneless") on "Boneless" 7"
  • "As Young As Yesterday" (remix of Korallreven song "As Young As Yesterday") on "As Young As Yesterday" 12" (2011)

Appearances

  • One untitled track on Visionaire 53 - Sound
    Visionaire
    Visionaire is an art and fashion publication that has come out in limited, numbered editions three times a year since spring 1991. Each issue has a specific format and theme around which prominent artists, designers, photographers, and others guests edit the publication...

     (December 1, 2007, Visionaire Publishing, LLC)
  • "Anna" on the album East of Eden
    East of Eden (album)
    East of Eden is the second album by Victoria Bergsman's solo-project Taken by Trees. Victoria travelled to Pakistan to record the follow-up to her last record Open Field. It includes a track called "My Boys", a cover of the Animal Collective song "My Girls" with some minor lyric changes...

    by Taken by Trees
    Taken By Trees
    Taken by Trees is the solo project of Victoria Bergsman, former lead singer for the Concretes. The act's debut album Open Field was released on 18 June 2007...

     (September 7, 2009)
  • "Walkabout
    Walkabout (Atlas Sound song)
    "Walkabout" is a song by Atlas Sound featuring Noah Lennox. It appears as the third track on his second studio effort Logos. Although never released as a single, it is often seen as the lead single as it was the first song officially released from the album. Upon initial release, Pitchfork Media...

    " on the album Logos
    Logos (album)
    Logos is the second studio album from ambient experimental project Atlas Sound. It was released on October 19, 2009, in Europe by 4AD, and on October 20 in the US by Kranky Records. The album features guest contributions from Noah Lennox and Stereolab's Laetitia Sadier...

    by Atlas Sound
    Atlas Sound
    Bradford James Cox is an American musician best known as the lead singer and guitarist of Atlanta, Georgia-based psychedelic and ambient band Deerhunter. He also pursues a solo career under the moniker Atlas Sound. Cox formed Deerhunter with drummer Moses Archuleta in 2001. The band has released...

     (October 20, 2009)
  • "Stick to My Side" on the album Black Noise
    Black Noise (Pantha du Prince album)
    Black Noise is the third album by the German minimal techno artist Pantha du Prince, and the first to be released on Rough Trade Records. It was released on February 8, 2010...

    by Pantha du Prince
    Pantha du Prince
    Hendrik Weber, better known as Pantha du Prince, Panthel and Glühen 4 is a German electronic music producer and DJ affiliated with Hamburg's Dial music label and British label Rough Trade.-Career:...

     (February 9, 2010)
  • "Killin' the Vibe" (bonus track) on the album "Ducktails III: Arcade Dynamics" by Ducktails (January 18, 2011)
  • "Atiba Song" composed music for a skateboarding montage directed by Atiba Jefferson and Ty Evans. The track was initially created by Atiba, then finished by Panda Bear.
  • "Things Fall Apart" on the album Dedication
    Dedication (Zomby album)
    Dedication is the third album by producer Zomby, released on July 11, 2011 through 4AD Records.-Track listing:Tracks 17 - 26 are bonus tracks on the Japanese CD released by 4AD via Beggars Group Japan/Hostess K.K....

    by Zomby
    Zomby
    Zomby is a dubstep producer who began releasing music in 2007. He has released music on the likes of Hyperdub and Werk Discs. In 2008, he released a full length album, Where Were U in '92?, inspired by the rave scene of the early 1990s...

     (July 11, 2011)

Discography with Jane

  • Paradise, (2002, self-released)
  • COcOnuts
    COcOnuts
    COcOnuts is the second album released by Jane, comprising Animal Collective member Panda Bear, and Scott Mou. It was originally self-released on CD-R's, but later became the first album released by Psych-o-path Records in 2005. The Psych-o-path version was remastered by Rusty Santos and Edik Kleyner....

    (2002, self-released, Psych-O-Path Records)
  • Berserker (2005, Paw Tracks)

Albums

  • Spirit They're Gone, Spirit They've Vanished
    Spirit They're Gone, Spirit They've Vanished
    Spirit They're Gone, Spirit They've Vanished is the first album by Baltimore based band Animal Collective, released in August 2000 under the name Avey Tare and Panda Bear. The album was released as a CD on the band's own Animal label , and only 2000 copies were made...

    (2000) - Animal
  • 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...

    (2001) - Catsup Plate
  • Hollinndagain
    Hollinndagain
    Hollinndagain is a live album by Baltimore based band Animal Collective , released in 2002 on St. Ives. Only 300 copies were initially made; each and every copy featured a unique cover, hand-made by the band themselves...

    (2002, 2006) - St. Ives, Paw Tracks
    Paw Tracks
    Paw Tracks is an independent record label based in Washington, D.C. The label's website features artwork by Abby Portner ....

  • Campfire Songs
    Campfire Songs (album)
    Campfire Songs is the third album by Baltimore based band Animal Collective, here operating under an eponymous alias. It was released in March 2003.- Recording :The album comprises five individual songs played back to back and recorded in one take...

    (March, 2003) - Catsup Plate
  • Here Comes the Indian
    Here Comes the Indian
    Here Comes The Indian is the fourth studio album by Baltimore-based band Animal Collective, released on June 17, 2003. This was the first album to bear the name Animal Collective; before Indian, they had chosen to credit themselves according to who played on each album.Here Comes the Indian is the...

    (June 17, 2003) - Paw Tracks
  • 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...

    (May 3, 2004) - FatCat Records
  • Feels
    Feels
    Feels is the sixth studio album by American freak folk band Animal Collective, released in October 2005 by FatCat Records. Initial copies contained a bonus disc of live material. It also appeared at #55 on Pitchfork Media's top 200 albums of the 2000s....

    (October 18, 2005) - FatCat
  • Strawberry Jam
    Strawberry Jam
    Strawberry Jam is the seventh studio album by American indie rock band Animal Collective. It was released in September 2007, the band's first on Domino Records. The title and track listing were revealed by band member Geologist on the Collected Animals message board on May 16, 2007...

    (September 10, 2007) - Domino Records - (US #72)
  • Merriweather Post Pavilion
    Merriweather Post Pavilion (album)
    Merriweather Post Pavilion is the eighth studio album by American indie rock group Animal Collective, released in January 2009 on Domino Records. The album is named after the Columbia, Maryland venue, Merriweather Post Pavilion. At nearly 55 minutes in length, the album is the group's longest since...

    (January 12, 2009) - Domino Records - (US #13, UK #26)
  • ODDSAC
    ODDSAC
    ODDSAC is an experimental "visual album" by Animal Collective, featuring psychedelic visuals directed and edited by Danny Perez.First announced in August 2006, the film took over four years to complete...

    (August 10, 2010) - Plexifilm
    Plexifilm
    Plexifilm is an independent DVD label and film production company co-founded by Gary Hustwit and Sean Anderson in 2001...


External links

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