Geologist attended the
Park School of Baltimore where he met future Animal Collective bandmates
David Portner (aka Avey Tare) and
Josh Dibb (aka Deakin). Avey Tare, Geologist and Deakin first started an indie-rock band called "Automine" with two other schoolmates. Deakin introduced his childhood friend
Noah Lennox (aka Panda Bear) to Avey Tare and Geologist. Throughout their high school years and winter/summer college breaks, the four of them played music in different variations and often solo, swapping homemade recordings and sharing ideas. Geologist went on to study at
Columbia University, while Avey Tare went to
NYU, Panda Bear to
Boston University, and Deakin to
Brandeis University. Avey Tare recorded tracks with Panda Bear which eventually became ''
Spirit They're Gone, Spirit They've Vanished,'' which was released under "Avey Tare and Panda Bear" in August 2000. After Panda Bear and Deakin both left school and moved to New York in 2000, the group's music became more collaborative, and Avey and Panda began playing clubs around New York. Geologist soon began performing with the group who eventually became "Animal Collective." He first appeared on their 2001 release
Danse Manatee, and has contributed to every Animal Collective recording to date, except for their 2004
Sung Tongs LP and their 2003
Campfire Songs LP (though he was present during the recording of the latter to operate the MiniDisc recorders). Before that time, Geologist had gone to Arizona for graduate school. When asked about his personal musical influences, he says "I was always inspired by horror soundtracks, things that use unconventional sounds and textures as music. I'm interested in how abstract sounds can have the same impact on the listener as traditional musical sounds." ==Other musical projects==