Nebraska natives Mike Elsener (vocals/guitar, also of Solar Wind), Ben Armstrong (vocals, keyboards, drums, ex-Commander Venus), and Matt Focht (vocals, guitar, also of Bright Eyes) formed Head of Femur in Chicago in late 2001. Greyday signed the indie rock supergroup in 2002 and later released Ringodom or Proctor, an album demonstrating such diverse influences as the Zombies, the Talking Heads, the Flaming Lips, and Brian Eno. Joining the core trio on the record and at performances are current and former members of such artists as Bright Eyes, Lullaby for the Working Class, Commander Venus, Plastik Trumpet, and Ugly Casanova. They released their second album, Hysterical Stars, in spring 2005, and spent the rest of the year touring. The following spring, they briefly returned to the studio to record a a six song EP titled Leader and the Falcon before stripping down the band to the core members. A less orchestrated Great Plains followed in March of 2008. ~ Kenyon Hopkin