Conversation so far:
How did The Apples come about?
Mangum.
He discussed the idea of starting a record label with them (which soon became The Elephant 6 Recording Company).
Who did he discuss the idea with?
Schneider then spent two weeks in Athens, Georgia recording music and spending time with his childhood friends Will Cullen Hart, Bill Doss and Jeff Mangum.
Where did they get the name The Apples?
It was also at this time that the name "The Apples" came about, inspired by the Pink Floyd song "Apples and Oranges".

Question: When did the band start working together?
Self-contained rewrite: When did the band "The Apples" start working together?