( CNN ) -- `` Hippie , '' says Edward Sharpe and the Magnetic Zeros frontman Alex Ebert . `` It 's largely a pejorative sort of term . '' That may sound odd coming from the hirsute leader of a 12-piece collective that has a history of traveling in a renovated school bus . But while Ebert and accordionist-vocalist Nora Kirkpatrick seem slightly perturbed by the choice of words , Ebert 's response indicates he does n't feel too slighted . `` When one says 'hippie , ' and then they reference things like 'communal ' and all of those sort of bands from a very hopeful era , actually , where everything felt like it was on the precipice of something sort of infinite , and possible , I think that , in that sense , the word 'hippie ' would apply . '' Ebert says . These are hopeful days where anything is possible for the band . The Zeros ' second album `` Here , '' hit No.5 on the Billboard 200 chart , and peaked atop Billboard 's Independent and Folk album charts . Besides one gig in August , the band is taking a break from touring until September 6 . But people who want to see what it 's like on the road with the Zeros can check out the new DVD `` Big Easy Express , '' which documents their April 2011 tour from Oakland , California , to New Orleans by vintage train , along with Old Crow Medicine Show and Mumford & Sons . Ebert says that from the band 's beginning , he told its manager he 'd like to perform at unconventional venues . `` Where I was at , at the time , was just a feeling of having really done the sort of cookie cutter sort of thing , and wanting to just completely abandon that for parking lots and parks and communal areas , and make the experience sort of loose , and sort of a free-for-all of joy , '' Ebert says . `` I think when you do things that are just slightly out of the norm , it not only affects your experience of what just happened -- of the event -- but affects the way you view the possibilities of your own actions going forward in your life . '' `` Like , to me , the railroad tour that we did with Old Crow and with Mumford and Sons was a culmination of all of the sort of childhood sort of ideals of being with a crew -- with a band of sort of brothers and sisters , and all playing music together , on a train going who knows where . '' That freewheeling feeling permeates the band 's music , and its mythology . Ebert and Kirkpatrick expressed that while telling stories about how the band formed . `` I met Alex and Jade at Burning Man , which is a really exciting festival up in the desert , '' Kirkpatrick says , with Ebert adding , `` It sounds scripted . It sounds so exactly what people would expect '' `` I know . I know , '' Kirkpatrick says . `` Which is kind of ridiculous at this point . But , I was good friends with Jade 's cousin and kind of introduced through friends and I do n't know , then music ensued . And that was like five years ago , I guess . '' `` Literally , it sounds like an indie movie , '' Ebert adds . According to the pair , the band 's name evolved in a somewhat random way . While some writers have described `` Edward Sharpe '' as Ebert 's alter ego , the singer says that 's a false belief . `` It was just a story I was writing where the character was Edward Sharpe , '' he says . `` And around the same time , I came up with a form of mathematics that has no known application , called Magnetic Zeros . And then I started a MySpace page called Edward Sharpe and the Magnetic Zeros . '' `` It sort of got lost in translation . There 's sort of no character that I 'm playing or an alter ego really , but more something that I think that I 'm reaching towards within myself maybe , or that we all are . '' With a dozen band members , it could be difficult find a role for everyone . But Kirkpatrick says that diversity strengthens the band . `` Some people are trained jazz musicians , and some people went to -- trained in Africa , you know , for drumming and rhythm , and some of us kind of taught ourselves what we know , or picked up pieces here along the way , '' she says . `` So , I think when we all come together , it offers not just one school of thought , or one approach to playing or learning music , but everyone kind of throws in a different color into the pot . '' Ebert , who says he 's spiritual , while `` not so fond of '' religious order and dogma , says ultimately , the music creates itself . `` The song tends to tell you exactly what it wants . You know what I mean ? And you just kind of have to listen to that , '' he says . `` So , if it wants a single voice in a section , it seems to be pretty obvious . If it wants a bunch of voices , then it seems to be pretty obvious . It 's a fun , sort of delicate process of listening for what the song wants . ''
The Zeros ' second album `` Here , '' hit No.5 on the Billboard 200 chart . The band 's name does not mean what some fans believe . The frontman says the music creates itself .