Neutral Milk Hotel was an American indie rock band formed by singer, guitar… Read Full Bio ↴Neutral Milk Hotel was an American indie rock band formed by singer, guitarist, and songwriter Jeff Mangum in 1989 in Ruston, Louisiana. On the band's full-length albums, Mangum played with a number of other musicians, notably Jeremy Barnes (drums), Scott Spillane (horns), Julian Koster (musical saw/banjo/accordion/bass guitar) and producer-instrumentalist Robert Schneider. Neutral Milk Hotel was one of the original members of the Elephant Six Collective, based in Athens, Georgia. The outfit went on hiatus in 1998. In 2013, the band made a reunion tour and subsequently played concerts sporadically until going on indefinite hiatus in mid-2015.
Origins
Jeff Mangum was a member of The Olivia Tremor Control, along with his friend Will Cullen Hart and Bill Doss, appearing on their first release, the California Demise 7".
Prior to recording for friends under the NMH moniker, Mangum recorded at least one cassette under the name Milk: the only known tape was called Pygmie Barn in E Minor. This is the earliest known recordings that Mangum initiated and executed himself, on the cover there is "all songs: j.m '89. art: w. cullen hart". There is only an estimated dozen or so copies ever made of this tape, none of which have been made public. The tracklist etc. are also unknown.
Neutral Milk Hotel began life in Ruston, Louisiana, United States in the early 1990s, simply as a recording project for Mangum. He produced several demo cassettes, among them 1991's Invent Yourself a Shortcake, 1992's Beauty and 1993's Hype City Soundtrack, along with two more from this period, seemingly unnamed. Although easily found on the internet, these demos capture the project at a very embryonic state: songs are played in between various sound collages and tape experiments, and even, at one point, a six minute conversation between Mangum and Hart.
During this period, Mangum was wandering the country, staying in the closets of friends, and in a state of permanent unemployment. It was in these circumstances that the band's first formal releases took shape. Strictly speaking, however, the 'band' usually consisted of Mangum and whoever else was present at the time. This is obvious on Neutral Milk Hotel's first release, a 7" entitled Everything Is, recorded when Mangum was spending time in Seattle, Washington, released on Cher Doll Records in 1994.
On Avery Island
A full album, On Avery Island, followed, this time recorded mainly in Denver, Colorado, where Mangum was backed by Robert Schneider of the Apples in Stereo, Rick Benjamin of the Perry Weissman Three and Lisa Janssen of Secret Square. Merge Records released it in 1996. On On Avery Island, Mangum's unique vocal style and the band's quirky but playful arrangements create a carnival atmosphere of moods ranging from excitement, suspense, and melodrama.
After the release of On Avery Island, Neutral Milk Hotel became a fully-fledged band, as Julian Koster, Scott Spillane and Jeremy Barnes joined Mangum, the band now being based in New York. Soon after this, they moved to Athens, Georgia, where many of Mangum's friends had begun to settle, and the Elephant 6 recording company began, fully, to take shape. After this, the band went back to Denver, to record a proper follow up to On Avery Island.
In the Aeroplane Over the Sea
The band's second LP, In the Aeroplane Over the Sea, released in 1998, is notable as a critically acclaimed work and a widely popular recording. It is a spiritually motivated work, conceptually based on the beauty to be found in the horrific fate of Anne Frank and similarly overwhelming tragedies. (Mangum has, during live performances, including the one released under the title "Live at Jittery Joe's", described some of the songs off this album as based on urgent, recurring dreams he had of a European family during the 1940s.) The album was highly praised by critics for its wildly inventive instrumentation and Mangum's provocative and impassioned lyrics. Although it met with scant response from the general public when it was released, the recording has continued to gain momentum in indie music circles and has become a cult classic, selling well over 100,000 copies according to Merge Records. However, the record along with the year of constant touring that succeeded it took its toll on Mangum. The band quite abruptly went on hiatus turning down all requests for shows, including a support slot for R.E.M.. All of a sudden, the band appeared to go silent and very little has been heard from Mangum since 1999.
Hiatus
Although all the members are still active with one another in other projects, it is unknown whether any more Neutral Milk Hotel albums will be released. There were plans to release a Neutral Milk Hotel rarities album on the Orange Twin label; however, after an announcement in 2005 on the Orange Twin website claiming that Jeff Mangum had in fact eventually decided against the project, it is unclear if this will ever happen.
There has been, however, some activity since In the Aeroplane Over the Sea. First, Orange Twin re-released Everything Is...., complete with extra bonus tracks, as well as Live at Jittery Joe's, a bootleg recording of a show Mangum played in a coffee house in Athens in 1997. The Major Organ and the Adding Machine album, a rather secretive project released by Orange Twin in 2001 and consisting mainly of experimental musical collage, features Mangum, along with Julian Koster, Of Montreal's Kevin Barnes, Elf Power's Andrew Reiger and the Olivia Tremor Control and Circulatory System's Will Cullen Hart and Eric Harris. There was also the release of Orange Twin Field Works, Vol. 1, Mangum's field recording of a Bulgarian folk festival, also on Orange Twin in 2001. Additionally, he plays drums on the first Circulatory System album.
Since the start of the hiatus Neutral Milk Hotel, Jeff Mangum has only played live properly again once, under the pseudonym 'World of Wild Beards, Inc.', at the Kings Arms pub in Auckland, New Zealand, at the request of the Tall Dwarfs' Chris Knox. He has also made appearances with Elf Power, and appeared onstage at the first of The Olivia Tremor Control's New York shows on their 2005 reunion tour, to sing briefly. Further releases from Neutral Milk Hotel, however, are indicated to be unlikely.
The other members are all still releasing or recording material: Julian Koster as The Music Tapes, Scott Spillane as The Gerbils and Jeremy Barnes as A Hawk & A Hacksaw, Bablicon and Marta Tennae.
In 2005, In the Aeroplane Over the Sea saw its re-release by Domino Records in the UK, in a sleeve featuring praise from, among others, Franz Ferdinand and The Arcade Fire, both very much influenced by the band. On Avery Island was re-released in the US in January of 2006 with live bonus tracks. Mangum has also been fairly busy creatively - following a charity auction on eBay of an acoustic guitar decorated by Mangum himself, more guitars hand-decorated by Mangum were sold via Orange Twin Records for $900 apiece. In addition, a number of Mangum's original drawings, this time costing only $10 each, were sold via Neutral Milk Hotel's website.
In 2013, made a reunion tour of the United States, Australia, Taiwan and Japan. The band subsequently played concerts sporadically until going on indefinite hiatus in mid-2015.
Origins
Jeff Mangum was a member of The Olivia Tremor Control, along with his friend Will Cullen Hart and Bill Doss, appearing on their first release, the California Demise 7".
Prior to recording for friends under the NMH moniker, Mangum recorded at least one cassette under the name Milk: the only known tape was called Pygmie Barn in E Minor. This is the earliest known recordings that Mangum initiated and executed himself, on the cover there is "all songs: j.m '89. art: w. cullen hart". There is only an estimated dozen or so copies ever made of this tape, none of which have been made public. The tracklist etc. are also unknown.
Neutral Milk Hotel began life in Ruston, Louisiana, United States in the early 1990s, simply as a recording project for Mangum. He produced several demo cassettes, among them 1991's Invent Yourself a Shortcake, 1992's Beauty and 1993's Hype City Soundtrack, along with two more from this period, seemingly unnamed. Although easily found on the internet, these demos capture the project at a very embryonic state: songs are played in between various sound collages and tape experiments, and even, at one point, a six minute conversation between Mangum and Hart.
During this period, Mangum was wandering the country, staying in the closets of friends, and in a state of permanent unemployment. It was in these circumstances that the band's first formal releases took shape. Strictly speaking, however, the 'band' usually consisted of Mangum and whoever else was present at the time. This is obvious on Neutral Milk Hotel's first release, a 7" entitled Everything Is, recorded when Mangum was spending time in Seattle, Washington, released on Cher Doll Records in 1994.
On Avery Island
A full album, On Avery Island, followed, this time recorded mainly in Denver, Colorado, where Mangum was backed by Robert Schneider of the Apples in Stereo, Rick Benjamin of the Perry Weissman Three and Lisa Janssen of Secret Square. Merge Records released it in 1996. On On Avery Island, Mangum's unique vocal style and the band's quirky but playful arrangements create a carnival atmosphere of moods ranging from excitement, suspense, and melodrama.
After the release of On Avery Island, Neutral Milk Hotel became a fully-fledged band, as Julian Koster, Scott Spillane and Jeremy Barnes joined Mangum, the band now being based in New York. Soon after this, they moved to Athens, Georgia, where many of Mangum's friends had begun to settle, and the Elephant 6 recording company began, fully, to take shape. After this, the band went back to Denver, to record a proper follow up to On Avery Island.
In the Aeroplane Over the Sea
The band's second LP, In the Aeroplane Over the Sea, released in 1998, is notable as a critically acclaimed work and a widely popular recording. It is a spiritually motivated work, conceptually based on the beauty to be found in the horrific fate of Anne Frank and similarly overwhelming tragedies. (Mangum has, during live performances, including the one released under the title "Live at Jittery Joe's", described some of the songs off this album as based on urgent, recurring dreams he had of a European family during the 1940s.) The album was highly praised by critics for its wildly inventive instrumentation and Mangum's provocative and impassioned lyrics. Although it met with scant response from the general public when it was released, the recording has continued to gain momentum in indie music circles and has become a cult classic, selling well over 100,000 copies according to Merge Records. However, the record along with the year of constant touring that succeeded it took its toll on Mangum. The band quite abruptly went on hiatus turning down all requests for shows, including a support slot for R.E.M.. All of a sudden, the band appeared to go silent and very little has been heard from Mangum since 1999.
Hiatus
Although all the members are still active with one another in other projects, it is unknown whether any more Neutral Milk Hotel albums will be released. There were plans to release a Neutral Milk Hotel rarities album on the Orange Twin label; however, after an announcement in 2005 on the Orange Twin website claiming that Jeff Mangum had in fact eventually decided against the project, it is unclear if this will ever happen.
There has been, however, some activity since In the Aeroplane Over the Sea. First, Orange Twin re-released Everything Is...., complete with extra bonus tracks, as well as Live at Jittery Joe's, a bootleg recording of a show Mangum played in a coffee house in Athens in 1997. The Major Organ and the Adding Machine album, a rather secretive project released by Orange Twin in 2001 and consisting mainly of experimental musical collage, features Mangum, along with Julian Koster, Of Montreal's Kevin Barnes, Elf Power's Andrew Reiger and the Olivia Tremor Control and Circulatory System's Will Cullen Hart and Eric Harris. There was also the release of Orange Twin Field Works, Vol. 1, Mangum's field recording of a Bulgarian folk festival, also on Orange Twin in 2001. Additionally, he plays drums on the first Circulatory System album.
Since the start of the hiatus Neutral Milk Hotel, Jeff Mangum has only played live properly again once, under the pseudonym 'World of Wild Beards, Inc.', at the Kings Arms pub in Auckland, New Zealand, at the request of the Tall Dwarfs' Chris Knox. He has also made appearances with Elf Power, and appeared onstage at the first of The Olivia Tremor Control's New York shows on their 2005 reunion tour, to sing briefly. Further releases from Neutral Milk Hotel, however, are indicated to be unlikely.
The other members are all still releasing or recording material: Julian Koster as The Music Tapes, Scott Spillane as The Gerbils and Jeremy Barnes as A Hawk & A Hacksaw, Bablicon and Marta Tennae.
In 2005, In the Aeroplane Over the Sea saw its re-release by Domino Records in the UK, in a sleeve featuring praise from, among others, Franz Ferdinand and The Arcade Fire, both very much influenced by the band. On Avery Island was re-released in the US in January of 2006 with live bonus tracks. Mangum has also been fairly busy creatively - following a charity auction on eBay of an acoustic guitar decorated by Mangum himself, more guitars hand-decorated by Mangum were sold via Orange Twin Records for $900 apiece. In addition, a number of Mangum's original drawings, this time costing only $10 each, were sold via Neutral Milk Hotel's website.
In 2013, made a reunion tour of the United States, Australia, Taiwan and Japan. The band subsequently played concerts sporadically until going on indefinite hiatus in mid-2015.
Program Banter
Neutral Milk Hotel Lyrics
We have lyrics for these tracks by Neutral Milk Hotel:
01 King of Carrot Flowers Pt. Three I love you Jesus Christ Jesus Christ I love you Yes I…
06 Holland 1945 The only girl I've ever loved Was born with roses in…
07 Communist Daughter Sweet communist The communist daughter Standing on the sea-w…
08- oh comely Oh comely I will be with you when you lose your…
1. King Of Carrot Flowers Pt. One When you were young You were the king of carrot flowers And…
1. Song against sex And the first one tore a picture Of a dead and…
9. Someone is Waiting Someone is waiting to swallow all the halos out of…
A Baby For Pree Blistering Pree, all smiling and swollen Makes babies to bre…
A&E Melody You can deny all your addictions De de de (mumbling) (Bu…
April 8th Crawl across toward your window I'm calling softly from the …
Aunt Eggma Blowtorch This song was recorded in Jeff's bedroom in Louisiana When h…
Avery Island (Instrumental)…
Biscuit (spoken word) Your mother's mouth pressed gently a…
Bucket Shadows on my wall They creep and crawl in burning white The…
Calypso Part Two Daddy, please hear this song that I sing, in your heart…
calypso pt. 2 Daddy, please hear this song that I sing In your heart…
Candy Coated Dream A candy coated dream With parks and trees and figurines An…
Charlotte Charlotte Repeating…
Chocolate Coffin A lot about coffins made of candy, and a little…
Circle of Friends Greet all your friends and they say hello They tie all…
Communist Daughter Sweet communist The communist daughter Standing on the sea-w…
Engine For I am an engine and I'm holding on Through endless…
Engine - For I am an engine and I'm holding on Through endless…
Everything Is Who are you? A member of Kiss or a punk rocker…
Everything Is∑ Growing sleepy as the rain falls As children draped in flow…
Ferris Wheel on Fire Well now first of all We became what we always had…
Fool *Intrumental*…
Garden Head / Leave Me Alone There are beads that wrap Around your knees that crackle…
Gardenhead Around your knees that crackle into the dark Like a walk…
Gardenhead / Leave Me Alone There are beads that wrap Around your knees that crackle…
Gardenhead : Leave Me Alone Around your knees that crackle into the dark Like a walk…
Gardenhead-leave Me Alone Around your knees that crackle into the dark Like a walk…
Gardenhead/Leave Me Alone Around your knees that crackle into the dark Like a walk…
Ghost Ghost, ghost I know you live within me I feel you…
Holland The only girl I've ever loved Was born with roses in…
Holland, 1945 2, 1, 2, 3, 4 The only girl I've ever loved Was…
Home Home – where you can hold your hands together all…
I Hear You Breathe I hear you breathe as you sleep through the morning And…
i love how you love me Jeff: "This is a Phil Spector song.." I love how your…
I Will Bury You in Time I will bury you in time When the sea begins to…
In the Aeroplane Over the Sea What a beautiful face I have found in this place That is…
King of Carrot Flower pt 1 When you were young You were the king of carrot flowers And…
King Of Carrot Flowers Part 2 I love you Jesus Christ Jesus Christ I love you Yes I…
King Of Carrot Flowers Part 2 & 3 I love you Jesus Christ Jesus Christ I love you, yes…
King of Carrot Flowers Part Three I love you Jesus Christ Jesus Christ I love you Yes I…
King of Carrot Flowers Pt 1 When you were young You were the king of carrot flowers And…
King of Carrot Flowers Pt 3 I love you Jesus Christ Jesus Christ I love you Yes I…
King of Carrot Flowers Pt. 1 When you were young You were the king of carrot flowers And…
King Of Carrot Flowers Pts 2 & 3 I love you Jesus Christ Jesus Christ I love you Yes I…
Little Birds Little birds born without a mother or a father I can…
Little Birds track=1 Little birds born without a mother or a father I can…
Love You More Than Life Let the world collapse and die It's sinking deeper in your…
Love You on a Tuesday Your love is like a building Pushing up towards the sky I…
Love You On Tuesday Jeff: "This is a Phil Spector song.." I love how your…
My Dream Girl My dream girl don't exist At the age of five she…
My Dream Girl Don't Exist My dream girl don't exist And at the age of five…
My Dreamgirl Don't Exist My dream girl don't exist And at the age of five…
Naomi Your prettiness is seeping through Out from the dress I took…
neutral milk hotel And the first one tore a picture Of a dead and…
Now I'm Going Down I crush the world I was in I'll destroy the world…
oh comely Oh comely I will be with you when you lose your…
Oh Comely Oh comely I will be with you when you lose your…
Oh Sister Oh sister, don't be afraid of me I won't be nailing…
On April 8th Crawl across toward your window I'm calling softly from the …
Prank Call Recorded phone call of an old man calling an adult…
Random Noise No sky No sky to go with it No No No Repeats…
Random Noise III This Song is a Noise Compilation…
Rubby Bulbs I need to taste your voice in my mouth I need…
Sailing Through Sailing through Your disease and you. your disease and you Y…
She Did a Lot of Acid She had a mental problem She couldn't concentrate She was he…
Sinking Ship Sinking ship- How long can you hold still? Your illness sp…
Snow Song One, two, three.. Cindy smiles And overcoats She says, …
Snow Song Part 1 One, two, three. Cindy smiles And overcoats She says, "Plea…
Snow Song Pt. 1 Cindy smiles in overcoats She says, "Please stay awhile, li…
Snow Song Pt.1 Cindy smiles in overcoats She says, "Please stay awhile, lik…
Snow Song, Part 1 One, two, three.. Cindy smiles And overcoats She says, "Ple…
Someone Is Waiting Someone is waiting to swallow all the halos out of…
Song Agaiinst Sex And the first one tore a picture Of a dead and…
Sweet Marie Everything is made of water Seeping deep within your soul …
Synthetic Flying Machine Up and over We go through the waving undertow I will float…
Tea Time And I will take all of the pain that I…
th Crawl across toward your window I'm calling softly from the…
The Fool [instrumental]…
The King Of Carrot Flower Pt. Two & Three I love you Jesus Christ Jesus Christ I love you, yes…
The King Of Carrot Flowers When you were young You were the king of carrot flowers And…
the king of carrot flowers no's 2 & 3 I love you Jesus Christ Jesus Christ I love you, yes…
the king of carrot flowers no. 1 When you were young You were the king of carrot flowers And…
the king of carrot flowers part 2 & 3 I love you Jesus Christ Jesus Christ I love you Yes I…
The King of Carrot Flowers Part One When you were young You were the king of carrot flowers And…
The King of Carrot Flowers parts 2 I love you Jesus Christ Jesus Christ I love you Yes I…
The King of Carrot Flowers parts 2 & 3 I love you Jesus Christ Jesus Christ I love you, yes…
The King of Carrot Flowers Parts Two & Three I love you Jesus Christ Jesus Christ I love you Yes I…
The King of Carrot Flowers Pt When you were young You were the king of carrot flowers And…
The King of Carrot Flowers Pt 2 I love you Jesus Christ Jesus Christ I love you Yes I…
The King of Carrot Flowers Pt. When you were young You were the king of carrot flowers And…
The King of Carrot Flowers Pt. 3 I love you Jesus Christ Jesus Christ I love you Yes I…
The King of Carrot Flowers Pt. One When you were young You were the king of carrot flowers And…
The King of Carrot Flowers Pts 2 I love you Jesus Christ Jesus Christ I love you Yes I…
The King of Carrot Flowers, Part One When you were young you were the king of carrot…
The King of Carrot Flowers, Parts Two & Three I love you Jesus Christ Jesus Christ I love you Yes I…
The Kings Of Carrot Flowers Pts. Two & Three I love you Jesus Christ Jesus Christ I love you, yes…
Three Peaches (There is no dream) So wake up run your lips across…
Through My Tears Watch the wind blow your cigarette smoke through my window …
Tuesday Moon Speaker 1: I was off in a forest somewhere, I…
Two Daddy, please hear this song that I sing In your heart…
Two Headed Boy Two headed boy All floating in glass The sun it has passed…
Two Headed Boy Pt. 2 Daddy please hear this song that I sing In your heart…
Two-Headed Two headed boy All floating in glass The sun it has passed N…
Two-Headed Boy Part 2 Daddy, please hear this song that I sing In your heart…
Two-Headed Boy Pt 2 Daddy please hear this song that I sing In your heart…
Two-Headed Boy Pt. 2 Daddy, please hear this song that I sing In your heart…
Two-Headed Boy Pt.I Two headed boy All floating in glass The sun it has passed N…
Two‐Headed Boy Pt. Two Daddy, please hear this song that I sing In your heart…
Untitled *Intrumental*…
Waiting Someone is waiting to swallow all the halos out of…
Where You All I perceive is wasted and broken Silvery streams, sacred …
Where You'll Find Me New All I perceive is wasted and broken Silvery streams, sacred…
Where You'll Find Me Now All I perceive is wasted and broken Silvery streams, sacred …
Wishful Eyes Wishful eyes Fill this room up with the spirit of your…
Wood Guitar Here we are, a final moment found inside a wood guitar That…
Worms in the Wind And the worms in the wind are beginning to blow All…
You The lady is dying She bends back like a wave As her…
You've Passed / The lady is dying She bends back like a wave As her…
The lyrics are frequently found in the comments by searching or by filtering for lyric videos
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David Anderson
Well, YouTube brought me this a few years later. I'll throw in a response. I think what got Jerry was the name of the band: Neutral Milk Hotel.
It's not that he's opposed to serious conversation, though I agree he can be and admits to being shallow, often, but that there's kind of a weird thing with a lot of new bands where they are trying to make these deep points, but seem silly and unserious at the same time...it feels pretentious.
The fact that an older man with a graying beard and distinguished glasses is seriously quoting a band called Neutral Milk Hotel, with lyrics that seem very deep to say, 20-something year olds, was probably too absurd for Seinfeld to keep a straight face. It may not be a clear reason but an overall weirdness.
A lot of people will be angry and disagree with him, but I'm just giving my thoughts on what it probably is that made him crack up. I don't think it was just serious conversation. I've seen him have serious convos about things that would make people uncomfortable.
I think he found Colbert to be fundamentally ridiculous in the moment, whether we think it's fair or not. In the same show, Colbert mimicked his father's pipe smoking, with his spoon, for kind of a while, with Seinfeld just watching. After a bit, Seinfeld said something like, "you know, one of the questions that I've found gets people really uncomfortable is the question 'are you as much of a man as your father was?'" After saying that, Colbert just kind of looked at him, still holding the spoon to his face. It made me cringe.
Matthew Holloway
Feeling so strongly about something so personal. Reaching out to others to express how meaningful something is to you, and them mocking you, is one of the worst fucking things to feel.
Christian Perez
I’m of the opinion that Jerry gets it and understands. And Steve is well aware this isn’t comedic material. I think the artistic constitutions of both of them are tried and familiar enough to understand the comedic game that is to play out.
In essence, no one is made a fool when both know the game they’re playing. Both men are brilliant here.
MelonHead
@J ok bro. Are you not the guy who commented on like all the top comments on this obscure ass vid telling people off?
MelonHead
Yeah. I get he was making a joke but at that point if I were Steve I would shut that part of myself off from Jerry forever.
Dajbman22
Stephen is me, Jerry is every one of my friends I didn't meet online.
A. Graham
Jerry deals with the mundane. He can't handle the profound. "How strange it is to be anything at all" is lost on him. He can do 20 minutes on how shoes are weird. It does kill, though.
Cobey C.B
Nah he just detests seriousness
Winston Marlowe
@Courtney Prada Hmm, indubitably! farts into wine glass, savors it
Tomatoes and Radio Wire
@Dajbman22 I like your points but I think there’s an aspect of Jerry’s comedy where he likes to talk around the profound but he doesn’t want to directly address it. I think he’s aware of a lot of that stuff but finds it too “touchy feely” to actually talk about it. Some people are like that, but they’re not inherently less aware of existentialism.
DJ Koenig
@Joshua Jung If u can't make friends... make enemies? 🙄