Like many before him, Colin Meloy (The Decemberists) was a frustrated college student before he was an acclaimed songwriter. While majoring in English, with an emphasis on creative writing at the University of Montana, he also played in an alternative-countryish band called Tarkio from 1996 - 1999. Members included Colin Meloy, Gibson Hartwell, Louis Stein, and Brian Collins. In 2006, Kill Rock Stars released a 2-cd discography of Tarkio's material entitled "Omnibus".

Tarkio on Last.fm.