# 1996 and The National’s broken origins in New York City: “I wanted to be that starving artist”

- URL: https://talkfuse.com/story/1996-and-the-nationals-broken-origins-in-new-york-city-i-wanted-to-be-that-starving-artist/
- Published: 2026-11-06T23:45:00+00:00
- Updated: 2026-11-07T00:27:19+00:00
- Original publisher: Far Out
- Original article: https://faroutmagazine.co.uk/1996-the-nationals-broken-origins-new-york-city/
- Topics: Entertainment, Music

## Key points

- Berninger’s rough Brooklyn loft became a creative space.
- The National formed through informal sessions after work.
- Their debut arrived in 2001; acclaim followed later.

## Summary

When Matt Berninger moved from Cincinnati to New York in 1996, he wanted the freedom and hardship he associated with the city’s counterculture. His drafty, rat-infested Brooklyn loft became a place to paint, make noise and write songs, helping The National take shape.

Berninger and fellow former University of Cincinnati student Scott Devendorf first pursued design work while exploring music. By 1999, they had joined Bryan Devendorf and Aaron and Bryce Dessner; the group rehearsed after work and released its debut album in 2001. Wider acclaim came later with records including *Alligator* and *Boxer*.

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Summarised by TalkFuse (https://talkfuse.com/). Quote the original publisher for the reporting and link this page for the summary and discussion.