Aspiring filmmaker Jamie "Bran Man" Di Salvio hadn't exactly planned on making a band. He was trying to make ends meet in his native Montreal, scoring various gigs directing videos and documentaries during the mid- to late '90s. But his teenage thrills of being a DJ and remixer also fell into the realm of production and by 1995, Di Salvio had formed
.
He gathered nearly 20 obscure music socialites, producers, singers, and hip-hop gurus from the Montreal area, who would eventually compose the attractive quirkiness of the band, and never looked back. Soul chanteuse
Stephane Moreille joined singers
Jayne Hill and
Sara Johnston, alongside DJ
E.P. Bergen, MC
Steve "Liquid" Hawley, jazz drummer
Rob Joanisse, guitarist
Nick Hynes, bassist
Gary McKenzie, and ex-
Doughboys member
John Kastner, for BV3's revolving rotation. They fused trip-hop with electronic ambience and indie-rock attitude for their 1998 debut
Glee, and the single "Drinking in L.A." earned top spots on various college charts as well as props from Canada's MuchMusic. Rumors of a breakup swarmed throughout late 1999; it was also reported that
Ric Ocasek was on board to produce
Bran Van 3000's follow-up album. The new millennium gave new face though, as BV3 began working with
Beastie Boy Mike D and Grand Royal for Discosis, which was scheduled for a mid-2001 release date.
–
MacKenzie Wilson, Rovi