The 1993 film Six Degrees of Separation, about how everybody is ultimately connected to everybody else through somebody else, has spawned some spin-offs -- most notably, the game "Six Degrees of Kevin Bacon," where the goal is to show how every movie star can somehow be connected to the Footloose actor.
This works for music, too -- especially in the case of indie rock band The Elected, who'll be playing tonight (Monday, June 13) at the Sail Inn in Tempe. Every member of the band is somehow connected to another band. So we give you "Six Degrees of the Elected."
Blake Sennett (vocals, keyboards, rhythm guitar) and Jason Boesel (drums): Sennett and Boesel also play in the band Rilo Kiley with Jenny Lewis. Lewis also performs solo and with The Watson Twins. In addition, she had an acting career that included the movie Foxfire with Angelina Jolie. Jolie was married to actor Billy Bob Thornton, who released a couple unremarkable country-rock albums in the early '00s. And finally, Sennett dated Winona Ryder, who has also dated Dave Pirner of Soul Asylum, Bright Eyes front man Conor Oberst, and Johnny Depp.
Ryland Steen (drums): Steen currently plays with Reel Big Fish. His younger brother, Sander Steen, is currently touring with The Elected.
Nate Greely (bass): Greely is a former member of the band Arlo, which was on the label Sub Pop, original home to bands including Nirvana. We could really extend from Nirvana here, but you get the picture.
To hear The Elected's latest shimmering pop songs, from their 2011 album Bury Me In My Rings, and to make possibly even more connections, check out The Elected at The Sail Inn tonight.
