For over 20 years, founder of Built to Spill Doug Martsch has been writing and recording music. Band members Brett Nelson (bass), Scott Plouf (drums), and Jim Roth (guitar) have all been musicians for two decades. That adds up to more than a century. Doug’s strong aesthetic combines with the band members’ mix of approaches to create and aural topography. Doug sets course and navigates. Each members of Built to Spill comes to the music with a different set of expectations and ideals.

With the complexity and variety of music they have created Built to Spill endeavors to make songs interesting to themselves and their audience. They hope that the band will remain special and that people will discover music for themselves. Year after year new fans show up. Just like the band members, listeners come to the music with expectations and ideals. They make up their own ideas about the songs.