The 6ths

The 6ths is a band created by Stephin Merritt, also the prime mover behind The Magnetic Fields, The Gothic Archies and Future Bible Heroes.

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One story has it that the band was conceived when Merritt, observing that there was no tribute album dedicated to him, decided to make one himself. The concept is that Merritt writes songs which are then played and sung by other artists, different ones on each track. It has so far produced two well-received albums and many bizarre collabarations.

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The list of singers on Wasps' Nests reads like a veritable Who's Who of mid 90s indie rock starpower, including Barbara Manning, Mary Timony, Dean Wareham, Lou Barlow, Robert Scott, and Mark Robinson.

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Some of the more notable artists appearing on Hyacinths and Thistles are Bob Mould, Neil Hannon (The Divine Comedy), Gary Numan, Marc Almond, Clare Grogan (Altered Images) and the accomplished toy piano player Margaret Leng Tan.

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The two albums released to date are Wasps' Nests (1995) and Hyacinths and Thistles (1999). The names of both albums, and the name of the band, are deliberate tongue-twisters.

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Stephin Merritt: Stephin Merritt (born 1966) is a New York singer-songwriter. He created and played principal rôles in following bands:...

The Magnetic Fields: The Magnetic Fields is a band led by the New York singer-songwriter Stephin Merritt. Albums released by Merritt under the name "The Magnetic Fields" usually consist of synth-pop music in a 1980s style underlying sometimes ironic, sometimes bitter and sometimes celebratory lyrics, mostly about love. ...

The Gothic Archies: The Gothic Archies are a novelty band featuring Stephin Merritt, more famously of The Magnetic Fields (a band which Lemony Snicket's literary and social representative, Daniel Handler, is also occasionally involved in). The name is a pun on Gothic Arch (see: Gothic architecture) and The Archies....