Editing Elephant 6 (section)

===Peak years===
[[File:Elf Power with Jeff Mangum and Kevin Barnes at the Atomic Music Hall, Athens, GA, circa 1997 (1296805202).jpg|thumb|alt=Three people are standing on a stage, while one is sitting and playing the drums. One person is playing the guitar.|[[Jeff Mangum]] (''front''), [[Kevin Barnes]] (''right'') and [[The Late B.P. Helium]] (''left'') performing with [[Elf Power]] in 1997]]
The mid-to-late 1990s saw the greatest amount of activity for the collective.{{sfn|Shook|2013}} The three main bands associated with Elephant 6 at the time–the Apples in Stereo, the Olivia Tremor Control, and Neutral Milk Hotel–grew in popularity, and each respectively released a notable album: ''[[Fun Trick Noisemaker]]'', ''[[Music from the Unrealized Film Script: Dusk at Cubist Castle]]'', and ''[[In the Aeroplane Over the Sea]]''.{{sfn|Shook|2013}} ''The A.V. Club'' wrote highly of ''In the Aereoplane Over the Sea'', saying it "is the culmination of everything the [Elephant 6] collective was about in the mid-'90s: distinctive, ragged, catchy records ripped straight from their makers' veins."{{sfn|Gilmer|Murray|2012}}

Many bands associated with the collective were formed during this period, and Athens became a major hub city.{{sfn|Gilmer|Murray|2012}} [[Elf Power]], [[of Montreal]], and Doss' solo project [[the Sunshine Fix]] were among the more notable Athens based groups.{{sfn|Gilmer|Murray|2012}} of Montreal frontperson [[Kevin Barnes]] said: "The heyday, most of the late 1990s, everyone was involved in each others lives, and we would collaborate more, have dinners where everyone would make something."{{sfn|Heater|2006}} Schneider compares this period to the [[Summer of Love]], and said the driving force for many of the bands was "out-weirding [their] neighbor" with their music.{{sfn|Heater|2006}} Elephant 6 bands would tour with each other, the larger bands allowed the smaller bands to [[Opening act|open]] for them.{{sfn|Heater|2006}}

Denver was the smaller of the two hub cities.{{sfn|Gilmer|Murray|2012}} In addition to the Apples in Stereo, the major bands from Denver were [[the Minders]], [[Dressy Bessy]], and McIntyre's solo project [[Von Hemmling]].{{sfn|Gilmer|Murray|2012}} The main draw for Elephant 6 bands in Denver was [[Pet Sounds Studio]], a recording studio Schneider built in McIntyre's house.{{sfn|Cooper|2005|p=32}} Many Elephant 6 albums were recorded at Pet Sounds, and were produced by Schneider.{{sfn|Cooper|2005|p=32}} In addition to the two main hub cities, Elephant 6 bands began forming in various cities in the United States, such as [[the Essex Green]] and [[the Ladybug Transistor]] in [[Brooklyn]], and Beulah in [[San Francisco]].<ref>{{harvnb|Shook|2013}}; {{harvnb|Gilmer|Murray|2012}}</ref>