CONOR OBERST Biography - Musicians

 
 

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CONOR OBERST

Name: Conor Oberst                                                                   
Birth name: Conor Mullen Oberst                                                     
Born: 15 February 1980 Omaha, Nebraska, United States                               
                                                                                     
Conor Mullen Oberst (born February 15, 1980) is an American songwriter, singer       
and poet best known for his work in Bright Eyes. He has also played in several       
other bands, including Desaparecidos, Commander Venus and Park Ave.                 
                                                                                     
Oberst was born and raised in Omaha, Nebraska. He was born to Matthew Oberst, Sr.,   
an information manager for Mutual of Omaha, and Nancy Oberst, 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       
only two chords, 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.                                                                           
                                                                                     
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 his brother Justin on what they called         
Lumberjack Records, the indie label that would become Saddle Creek Records,         
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.