Band Members

Here is a quick overview of MGMT's band members:

Name: Andrew VanWyngarden
Age: 28

Date of Birth: 01.02.1983

Birth Place: Columbia, Missouri
Role in Band: Lead vocalist, guitar, keyboards, bass guitar, drums and songwriter

Although born in Columbia, VanWyngarden grew up in Memphis, Tennessee. He speaks fondly of his childhood and especially his relationship with his father who used to play the electric guitar to his son. VanWyngarden said that this was on of his musical influences.

During high school, he would be involved in many musical projects, such as his high school band Accidental Mersh who he was in with future MGMT guitar player Hank Sullivant. He then went onto Wesleyan University where he met future band member Ben Goldwasser. In university he intended to study natural sciences of astronomy but meeting Goldwasser changed his future plans.

It was VanWyngarden who first initiated MGMT (then called The Management.) He stated in an interview "[Ben] wasn't really into it. I remember him saying he wanted to do some sort of social work, something noble for a good cause. I was like: C'mon, man! Where's your selfish ambition?" During university, they wrote their most memorable song, and the song for our video, Kids,which went onto reach number 16 in the UK Singles Chart. It was also voted NME's number one song of 2008, leading to VanWyngarden to be announced number 3 on NME's coolest people of 2008.

Name: Benjamin Goldwasser
Age: 28

Date of Birth: 17.12.1982

Birth Place: Mishawaka, Indiana

Role in Band: Lyricist, guitar, keyboards and vocals

Goldwasser grew up in Westport, New York and was raised Jewish. He was very musical, playing the piano, playing in his high school Jazz band and attended a rock and roll camp in Vermont. He stated that one of his biggest musical influences in high school is the band Suicide.

He attended Wesleyan University where he studied art. He was a member of the eclectic society and helped to run their music venue. Already playing the keyboard, he took part in experimental music classes where he met future band member, Andrew VanWyngarden. They both went onto form 'The Management' playing their debut performance for a party in a college dormitory playing the theme tune to the film Ghostbusters. The name MGMT was later used after the pair signed their emails 'The MGMT.'

After university, both Goldwasser and VanWyngarden moved to New York City. They immediately began touring but failed to secure a record deal. In 2006 the band went on hiatus. During this break, Goldwasser began working on a farm before being signed by Columbia Records. Their debut album Oracular Spectacular became a huge hit but, for a short period, put a huge strain on his friendship with his fellow band member.

Although these two are the most known members of MGMT, there are three other members of the band:

Matthew Asti - bass guitar from 2008 until present

James Richardson - lead guitar, backing vocals, keyboards, percussion from 2008 until present

Will Berman - drums, percussion, backing vocals in 2005 and 2008 until present

Hank Sullivant also joined the band playing guitar and doing backing vocals during live performances from 2006 until 2008.