Biography

Edward Sharpe and the Magnetic Zeros is an American indie-folk ensemble band led by Alex Ebert, vocalist of the power-pop group Ima Robot. The band’s first full-length recording, Up from Below, was released July 7, 2009 digitally and July 14, 2009 physically on Vagrant Records. Its first show as a full band was played July 18, 2007 at the Troubadour in West Hollywood, California.

After breaking up with his girlfriend, moving out of his house, and joining a 12-step program for addiction, Ebert began work on a story about a messianic figure named Edward Sharpe. According to Ebert, Sharpe “was sent down to Earth to kinda heal and save mankind … but he kept getting distracted by girls and falling in love.” Ebert later met singer Jade Castrinos in Los Angeles. In the summer of 2009, as Edward Sharpe & the Magnetic Zeros, Ebert and Castrinos toured the country with a group of fellow musicians in a big white school bus.

Its song “Home” was voted number 15 on the Australian Triple J Hottest 100’s 2009 countdown, the largest music poll in the world.

Members:

Alex Ebert – vocals, guitar, percussion, piano
Jade Castrinos – vocals, guitar
Nico Aglietti – guitar, synthesizer, keyboards, vocals
Stewart Cole – trumpet, percussion, keyboards, tenor ukulele, vocals
Tay Strathairn – piano, vocals
Aaron Older – bass, vocals, banjo, percussion
Josh Collazo – drums, percussion, vocals
Orpheo McCord – percussion, vocals
nora kirkpatrick – accordion, vocals
Christian Letts – guitar, vocals

Additional personnel:

Chris Richard – vocals, percussion
Anna Bulbrook – violin, vocals
Aaron Embry – keyboards, piano, vocals
Tyler James – piano, vocals
Ryan Richter – guitar, lap steel, vocals
Michael Farfel – announcer, management