12 Rods was an American indie rock band formed in Oxford, Ohio, in 1992 by Ryan Olcott. The group initially included Olcott and fellow Talawanda High School students Christopher McGuire, Matt Flynn, and Daniel Perlin. They released Helikopter Hundrid Dolurz, which was a cassette recording from a high school graduation party performance. In 1993, the band released their album, Bliss, under the name 12 Rods. After relocating to Minneapolis in 1995, they gained significant attention with the EP Gay?, which received critical acclaim, including a rare 10.0 rating from Pitchfork. In 1996, 12 Rods became the first American act signed to V2 Records, where they released their major label album, Split Personalities, in 1998. The album was later included in Pitchfork's list of the best albums of the 1990s. After releasing one more album, Lost Time, in 2002, 12 Rods disbanded in 2004. The band resumed activity in 2023 with the release of If We Stayed Alive and a new lineup. Following the death of keyboardist Efren Maldonado in 2024, 12 Rods announced its disbandment in 2025, while Ryan Olcott continued performing under the band's name.
