Met Nikki Monninger on flight

Brian Aubert met Nikki Monninger in 1994 on a flight from Los Angeles to London . Both of them were headed to Cambridge for a school exchange program. Aubert noticed Monninger sitting across the aisle from him, stealing alcohol from the drink cart. The pair formed Silversun Pickups in 2000, joined in the original lineup by guitarist Jack Kennedy and drummer Elvira Gonzalez. The band began playing in Los Angeles clubs, most often at Silverlake Lounge or nearby Spaceland , and became part of the Silver Lake music scene.