Neutral Milk Hotel was an American indie rock band formed in Ruston, Louisiana, by singer, guitarist, and songwriter Jeff Mangum in the late 1980s. The band is noted for its experimental sound, which combines influences from psychedelic folk, indie rock, lo-fi, and avant-garde. The band released two critically acclaimed albums in the 1990s, On Avery Island and In the Aeroplane Over the Sea, before disbanding in 1999. The band reunited in 2013 for a limited tour and was well-received by critics.
| Name | Neutral Milk Hotel |
| Founded | 1989 |
| Genre | Indie Rock, Indie Folk, Lo-Fi |
| Members | Jeff Mangum (vocals, guitar, banjo, accordion, organ, vox continental, melodica, percussion), Scott Spillane (trumpet, French horn, tuba, euphonium, trombone, backing vocals), Julian Koster (singing saw, banjo, bass guitar, accordion, melodica, percussion), Jeremy Barnes (drums, organ, percussion) |
| Date of Birth | Jeff Mangum: October 24, 1970; Scott Spillane: June 11, 1973; Julian Koster: April 15, 1972; Jeremy Barnes: April 6, 1977 |
10 Best Neutral Milk Hotel Quotes
“I think I write songs to try to create a world that I find more comforting than the one we’re living in.”
– Jeff Mangum, from Austin Chronicle
“I think the best music is always written out of a sense of deep personal mystery.”
– Jeff Mangum, from The Guardian
“There’s a certain element of surrealism and whimsy in my music, but I think it’s also very grounded in real human emotions.”
– Jeff Mangum, from AV Club
“We wanted to make a sonic tapestry that was so entrancing that it would make people feel like they’d been taken away to a different place.”
– Scott Spillane, from Rolling Stone
“The characters are my own creations, but they’re also me.”
– Jeff Mangum, from Pitchfork
“It’s a very personal album for me. It’s about the way I feel about people and the world I live in, and the way I feel about things I can’t control.”
– Jeff Mangum, from NPR
“I think the most important thing is to make sure that each song can stand on its own and not be dependent on the other songs in the album.”
– Jeff Mangum, from Austin Chronicle
“I think it’s important to make a record that people can listen to and feel like they’re being taken somewhere.”
– Jeff Mangum, from NPR
“I think it’s important to stay in the moment and not get too caught up in the past or the future.”
– Jeff Mangum, from Austin Chronicle
“Music is about feeling, and it’s about connecting with other people.”
– Scott Spillane, from Rolling Stone
8 Inspirational Neutral Milk Hotel Quotes
“I think if I didn’t have music in my life, I would be a pretty miserable person.”
– Jeff Mangum, from The Guardian
“If I’ve learned anything, it’s that the best creations come out of a place of difficulty and pain.”
– Jeff Mangum, from The Guardian
“Music to me is the most sincere form of communication.”
– Jeff Mangum, from The Guardian
“I think the more honest you are in music, the more it resonates with people.”
– Scott Spillane, from Billboard
“I think a lot of times, in mainstream music, there’s this sort of glossing over of the unpleasant parts of life.”
– Scott Spillane, from Billboard
“I think the idea that you can make something beautiful out of something ugly is a really powerful thing.”
– Julian Koster, from Billboard
“Music to me is an attempt to understand the unknowable and to connect with something that is ineffable.”
– Julian Koster, from Billboard
“I think what makes music powerful is that it’s the only form of communication that is totally honest.”
– Jeremy Barnes, from The Guardian
8 Famous Neutral Milk Hotel Quotes
“I think that’s what music is, though. It’s like, you take something you don’t understand and you give it to someone else and they don’t understand it either and then you share it together”
– Jeff Mangum, from Pop Matters
“The songs are really about identity, and how all of us feel completely alone and completely disconnected from the world and from each other”
– Jeff Mangum, from The Guardian
“I think a great part of the beauty of art is that it always has room for interpretation, and it’s hard to pin down in a lot of ways.”
– Jeff Mangum, from Paste Magazine
“I’m sure it’s the same for anyone in any line of work: if you’re doing something to make money and not just for the love of it, it’s going to kill the love of it”
– Jeff Mangum, from The Guardian
“As far as performing goes, I’d rather be in front of a room full of people that don’t know the songs yet then a room full of people that do.”
– Julian Koster, from Paste Magazine
“The idea of me being a songwriter and a performer is a little bit like when I was a kid and I’d play make-believe.”
– Jeff Mangum, from The Guardian
“We wanted to figure out a way to make music that was about our feelings and about our lives and about our friends, without having to use any of the standard rock’n’roll clichés.”
– Jeff Mangum, from The Guardian
“I think it’s a lot easier to create something when you think you’re going to fail, because then you don’t have to worry about the results.”
– Jeff Mangum, from Pop Matters
8 Neutral Milk Hotel Quotes About Love
“I think that love is just a word that people use to describe a kind of bond that can be so strong and so pure and so beautiful and so real that it can almost be like a spiritual experience.”
– Jeff Mangum, from YouTube
“I think all of us – everybody – has a capacity to love, to care for somebody else, and that’s really beautiful.”
– Jeff Mangum, from YouTube
“I think love is something that one should never take for granted and it’s something that is so beautiful when it’s real.”
– Jeff Mangum, from YouTube
“I think all love is really wonderful and really beautiful and, if it’s real, it’s something that’s really hard to find and really precious.”
– Jeff Mangum, from YouTube
“I think that love is a beautiful thing, no matter what kind of love it is or who it’s between.”
– Scott Spillane, from Under The Radar
“Love is something that is intangible, but it’s real, it’s alive, and it’s a beautiful thing.”
– Scott Spillane, from Under The Radar
“I think that love is a really powerful thing, and it’s also a really simple thing.”
– Julian Koster, from Under The Radar
“Love is something that is so powerful, and it comes in so many forms.”
– Julian Koster, from Under The Radar
6 Neutral Milk Hotel Quotes About Life
“I guess for me, I just feel like life’s so short, and you never know what’s gonna happen, so I just want to make sure I’m doing something every day that I’m proud of and that I believe in.”
– Jeff Mangum, from Rolling Stone
“I think the only thing that matters is that you’re open to life, and you try to take advantage of whatever it is that life offers you.”
– Jeff Mangum, from The Fader
“Life is too precious to spend your time on something that doesn’t mean anything.”
– Jeff Mangum, from The Guardian
“I always like the idea of life being a mystery, you know?”
– Jeff Mangum, from Paste Magazine
“And I think that just kind of comes out of the fact that life is so fragile and so fleeting, and, you know, so much of it is a mystery.”
– Jeff Mangum, from The Fader
“Life is such a roller coaster, and you just never know what’s going to happen.”
– Scott Spillane, from Under the Radar
7 Quotes About Neutral Milk Hotel
“Neutral Milk Hotel are the most important band of the last 20 years”
– David Eringa, from musicOMH
“Neutral Milk Hotel are the epitome of a cult band: they released two albums to little fanfare, split up, and then watched as their audience steadily grew over the years”
– Pitchfork, from Pitchfork
“Neutral Milk Hotel were one of the most influential indie-rock bands of the 1990s thanks to their unique blend of folk, psychedelia, and lo-fi production”
– AllMusic, from AllMusic
“Neutral Milk Hotel’s second album, In the Aeroplane Over the Sea, is a masterpiece”
– The Guardian, from The Guardian
“Neutral Milk Hotel’s music remains as relevant and emotionally charged as ever”
– Simon Godfrey, from The Skinny
“Neutral Milk Hotel’s music is as haunting as it is beautiful”
– Ian Cohen, from Pitchfork
“Neutral Milk Hotel’s music is a unique combination of folk, rock, and psychedelia”
– Stephen Thomas Erlewine, from AllMusic
Interview with Neutral Milk Hotel
Frequently Asked Questions About Neutral Milk Hotel
1. What is the origin of Neutral Milk Hotel’s name?
Neutral Milk Hotel is an American indie rock band formed in Ruston, Louisiana in the late 1980s. The band’s name has a unique origin story that has been the subject of much speculation.
The most widely accepted story is that the name was inspired by a dream of frontman Jeff Mangum’s. In the dream, he was in a hotel with a “neutral milk,” which he described as a “white and flavorless” milk substance. He interpreted this dream as a metaphor for his own creative stagnation, and he used the name as an inspiration to create music.
The other theories that have been proposed over the years include the following:
- The band was named after a “neutral milk tea” that Mangum enjoyed while traveling in Japan.
- The name is a reference to a neutral milk ice cream that Mangum ate in New Zealand.
- Mangum was inspired by the name of a French hotel he visited.
Ultimately, the exact inspiration for the band’s name remains a mystery, but the dream interpretation is generally accepted as correct.
2. What are some of the most popular Neutral Milk Hotel quotes?
Neutral Milk Hotel is a beloved indie-rock band and their music is full of meaningful, poetic lyrics. Here are some of the most popular Neutral Milk Hotel quotes that have resonated with fans over the years:
- “And one day we will die and our ashes will fly from the aeroplane over the sea, but for now we are young let us lay in the sun and count every beautiful thing we can see.” – In the Aeroplane Over the Sea
- “Oh comely, I will be with you when we are truly free, I will be with you when the day is new, and when you’re lonely I will be there too.” – Oh Comely
- “I love you, Jesus Christ, I will never forget how you moved us all, and I thank you for giving us your life, and showing us we have so much in common after all.” – Holland, 1945
- “Oh, life is larger than the sound of a bell, so are you and I, so are you and I.” – A Baby for Pree
- “Oh comely, and the power to walk on the waters, we will wait, we will wait forever, and if you want, you can lay your head down on my shoulder.” – Oh Comely
- “And so goodnight, to the windows and the walls, I’ll see you on the other side.” – In the Aeroplane Over the Sea
These quotes perfectly encapsulate the mood, themes, and emotions of Neutral Milk Hotel’s music. They show the band’s ability to create beautiful, moving lyrics that will remain timeless for years to come.
3. What are the themes explored in Neutral Milk Hotel’s music?
Neutral Milk Hotel’s music is known for its unique and deeply personal sound. The band’s music explores many themes, including love, loss, nostalgia, alienation, and the search for meaning and purpose.
- Love: The lyrics of Neutral Milk Hotel often explore the complexities of love, including its joys and pains, its expectations and disappointments.
- Loss: Neutral Milk Hotel’s music is often reflective and melancholic, as it examines the grief, confusion, and loneliness that accompany loss.
- Nostalgia: Neutral Milk Hotel often looks back on the past, exploring the bittersweet emotions that come with nostalgia.
- Alienation: The lyrics of Neutral Milk Hotel often explore feelings of alienation and the longing for connection and belonging.
- Search for Meaning: The band’s music often speaks to the search for meaning and purpose in a world that can often seem chaotic and overwhelming.
Through its music, Neutral Milk Hotel has created a unique sonic landscape that speaks to the many different themes and emotions of life.
4. Who are the main members of the Neutral Milk Hotel band?
Neutral Milk Hotel is an American indie rock band formed in Ruston, Louisiana by singer, songwriter, and multi-instrumentalist Jeff Mangum in the late 1980s. The band is composed of the following members:
- Jeff Mangum – vocals, guitar, banjo, saxophone, organ, drums
- Julian Koster – bass, banjo, singing saw, accordion, mandolin
- Scott Spillane – trumpet, trombone
- Jeremy Barnes – drums, percussion
- John “Haftor” Haferkamp – drums, percussion
The band has released two studio albums, On Avery Island (1996) and In the Aeroplane Over the Sea (1998). They are widely considered to be one of the most influential indie rock bands of the late 1990s.
5. What albums has Neutral Milk Hotel released?
Neutral Milk Hotel is a cult indie rock band formed in Ruston, Louisiana in the early 90s by singer-songwriter Jeff Mangum. Over the years the band has released three studio albums, one live album and several EPs.
- On Avery Island (1996)
- In the Aeroplane Over the Sea (1998)
- Ferris Wheel on Fire (1999)
- Live at Jittery Joe’s (1999)
- Holland 1945 EP (1996)
- Everything Is EP (1996)
- In the Aeroplane Over the Sea Deluxe Edition (2008)
On Avery Island is Neutral Milk Hotel’s debut album, released in March 1996. It is an eclectic mix of indie rock, folk, and lo-fi music, and is often cited as a formative influence on the Elephant 6 Recording Company.
In the Aeroplane Over the Sea, released in February 1998, is the band’s second and most critically acclaimed album. The album is a concept album that tells the story of a couple separated by death, and their reunion in the afterlife.
Ferris Wheel on Fire, released in October 1999, is Neutral Milk Hotel’s third and final studio album. The album is more musically varied than the band’s previous albums, and features a blend of styles including rock, folk, and psychedelia.
Live at Jittery Joe’s is a live album by Neutral Milk Hotel, released in May 1999. The album was recorded at Jittery Joe’s Coffeehouse in Athens, Georgia, and features acoustic versions of songs from their first two albums.
Neutral Milk Hotel has also released two EPs: Holland 1945 (1996) and Everything Is (1996). In 2008, a deluxe edition of In the Aeroplane Over the Sea was also released.
Conclusion
Neutral Milk Hotel’s music is often described as a mix of experimental and folk rock, but their lyrics are the real draw. These clever, whimsical, and often profound quotes capture the essence of the band’s music and their unique perspective on life. From their early days of indie obscurity to their recent resurgence of popularity, Neutral Milk Hotel’s music has the capacity to move and inspire its listeners. Whether it’s a line about love, loss, or life in general, these quotes will surely make you think and reflect.
