julie plante | vocals, piano
born: april 7, 1972 | little falls, minnesota
about: "i started piano and clarinet in the 2nd grade, and i've been playing ever since. i had never sang publicly before i auditioned for autumn, and was, at the time, looking for a way to renew myself musically, having become burnt out with the fiercely competitive world of piano performance at the college level. i had been writing music since about the age of fourteen, when i used to sit at the piano late at night in the dark, just trying to find a way to deal with all the emotional pain in my life at that time. music has always been my drug of choice."
interests: "i am a woman who feels most at home when i am communing with nature, that's where i find my spirit, and so most of my vacations revolve around a campfire up in the northwoods somewhere. when trapped in the city, i spend much of my free time cooking or reading. i prefer small intimate get-togethers with trusted friends, but get out once in a while to visit an old favorite neighborhood bar or to burn off some steam on the dance floor. and, since the birth of my daughter, violet joy, i have found that the happiest times are those just spent lying on the floor cuddling with my girl, rediscovering the world through her eyes, as she experiences all the mystery of the world for the first time."
neil mckay | guitar, programming
born: august 31, 1969 | minneaplolis, Minnesota about: "i believe we as humans, are here to help and take care of one another and i think we do this through our music. i've heard people say they can make a soundtrack to their life story with songs and i would like for us (autumn) to be in one of those soundtracks. music is an extension of my spirituality and has really helped me in times of need both happy and sad."
Interests: "i love playing and spending time with my wife and two boys. imake a living as a dakota language and culture instructor. i love speaking my language, especially with an elder and discussing traditional ways and spirituality. i love to laugh and make people laugh. i enjoy passing on and sharing what i know to others, be it in a teaching environment or just sitting down with someone i've just met. idon't like small talk. as for music, ireally love new wave and 80's goth. my favorite band is clan of xymox (the medusa era). a few of my favorite bands are the chameleons, gary numan, ultravox, omd, fields of the nephilim and anything with brain setzer to name a few. i also play classical guitar (mostly renaissance and baroque) and sing traditional dakota songs using a hand drum."
jeff leyda | bass, cello
born: february 14, 1971 | richland center, wi
about: "i started playing guitar in 1987 or so and never really became very skilled at playing, probably because i refused to take lessons because i didn't want someone else's influence on my playing. i feel rather silly about this, but about a year later i saw the video for the cure's "just like heaven" and saw the way simon gallop looked in that video while he played bass, and I really liked the bass line to that song, and something just clicked. i dumped guitar, bought a bass and everything from there has felt very natural. i still refuse to take lessons though. ;) autumn has been a wonderful element in my life; from the highs of playing out live, to the learning of the music business, to writing songs that people can listen to and be moved by, but especially the friendships gained in and because of the band. no other thing in my life has given me such a diverse range of memories or emotions."
interests: "anything computers, especially vintage and computer gaming-related. i'm a programmer by day and have a soft spot in my heart for the late 70s to mid 80s era of the home computer gaming. i've recently gotten quite an interest in long distance bicycling. my first trip, in 2001 was from minneapolis to texas (http://www.geocities.com/bikingfools). i hope to do continued treks across the country and in foreign countries as well. in the next few years, I've got my goals set on bicycling iceland and most of europe."
