Mike Oliver Everett, the Eels, and Quantum Physics
 

I've been getting into music by the Eels for the past few years, but I didn't realize until recently that the main guy behind the Eels, Mike Oliver Everett, is the son of the physicist, Hugh Everett III, who came up with the multiple universes theory of quantum physics.

MOE had a pretty dysfunctional and tragic family life. When MOE was 18, his father, who was emotionally distant from his kids, died at a young age of a heart attack brought on by heavy drinking, smoking, and eating. His father was an atheist and asked that his remains be thrown out with the garbage. His sister eventually developed schizophrenia and committed suicide, saying in her suicide note that she wanted her remains disposed of similarly so she could join her father in the same alternate universe (referring to an implication of his theory called quantum immortality). His mother died of cancer a few months later leaving MOE alone to deal with it all through his music.

I watched a really good BBC documentary on youtube where MOE retraces the life of his father and examines his father's multiple universe theory. He interviews several of his father's old friends, digs through some of his father's old possessions and discusses how it all impacted and influenced him. Several Eels songs and performances make up the soundtrack for the 1 hour show. I found it really interesting.

P.S. Dane, if you read this, do you know this guy? He lives in LA and several of his songs have made it into movies like American Beauty and Shrek.

Here's part 1 of 6:

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