Milk Hotels, Athens GA.

"Hi my name is Keith and I'm a Scorpio from Athens, GA and
I like to find the essence from within"
'Song For A Future Generation' - B52s.

Indeed Keith Strickland, is from Athens, Georgia as are his fellow B52s. Dunedin may have had its day in the sun but per head of population nothing comes close to Athens, GA. for producing bands. It's population is 100 000 and like Dunedin it's a University town. This of course leads to an influx of thousands of young people, often creative, keen to learn and experiment. This however is not enough to explain how towns like Athens and Dunedin can produce such outstanding acts. You can understand a scene develops around a common link (ie Flying Nun in NZ) and artist encourage and help each other and I'm sure this has been the case in both towns. Remarkably however with Athens we are talking about a 30 year phenomena.
Since the late 70s Athens has been home to : B52s, R.E.M., Pylon, Matthew Sweet, Indigo Girls, The Primates, Widespread Panic, Man or Astro-man?, The Apples in Stereo, The Olivia Tremor Control, Of Montreal, Drive-By Truckers, Danger Mouse (Gnarls Barkley), Elf Power and The Neutral Milk Hotel to name but a few. An odd bunch, musically moving from Electronica to Cow Punk and Indie Pop to Rock. One constant amongst all the acts seems to be the 40 Watt club. It appears to be to Athens what CBGB's was to mid 70s punk in New York.

It was started in 1978, by Curtis Crowe. Crowe was a member of Pylon and his original intention for the space was a Pylon rehearsal room. Its been bought, sold and invested in many times. Its also moved locations a number of times over the years but seems to of never lost it relevance. (Thankfully the owners have never thought a move to Vegas was a good idea, unlike CBGBs Hilly Kristal's proposed idea for the shut NYC landmark).




Two of the numerous premises that the 40 Watt club has been housed in. Directly above is the present location.

Meeting peers and using a space to create a scene is one thing but sustaining that movement over a period of 30 years is something all together different.
If we look at my hometown of Brisbane, Australia its generally considered that we have had two golden musical periods. One in the post punk 70s and the second in the mid 90s. The most internationally successful one was the late 70s. It grew as response to an oppressive Government. The National Party were in power in Queensland and they are widely acknowledge as the most conservative (and corrupt) ruling party in Australian Political history. So much art is created in the midst of oppression, I suppose its hard to limit personal expression and so repressed people use differing forms as an outlet. Anyway Brisbane in the 1970s produced The Saints, The Go-Betweens, Riptides, Apartments, the nucleus of Died Pretty to name but a few. It was very short lived as a scene as all the bands who got a wiff of success escaped. Its significance is as a scene it had a catalyst, a beginning and an end. Athens has a catalyst, a beginning but no end seems in site. I should point out that I have never been to Athens, although on my next US trip I plan to, so I base my observations from afar, but I think a comparison maybe able to be drawn with a successful sporting team. (Apology in advance to people from non cricket playing nations) The Australian cricket team is a great example. For close to twenty years now they have dominated international cricket. In that time the playing personnel has turned over many times but they have continued winning. The reason is 3 fold, firstly the people in and around the team have an expectation of winning and create a winning culture. Secondly senior players counsel the younger players on how to play well and how to win and finally the national psyche expects success so the administrators are given more resources to train and promote Australian cricket. If we look at Athens music with these ideas in mind after such a long time of producing great acts Athens is known as a music town, its promoted as such not only by the Industry but by the authorities in the town as well. They set up programs encouraging musicians to play and to live in Athens. If the town is going to present itself as a great hub for music it needs to keep producing, or at least encouraging migration of great musicians.
Further as the Australian Cricket side is expected to win, Athens is expected to produce great music so the Industry keep a close eye on acts emerging from there. Its great and all those involved should be applauded.
Before I move onto a specific act, ever wonder where R.E.M. got the title for the '92 record 'Automatic for the People', wonder no more. People travel from all round the world to see 'Weaver D's'.



Last week I looked at REM one of the founding groups on the Athens scene (with Pylon and the B52s). Today I want to look at the later day torch bearers, The Elephant 6 Recording Company, specifically the wonderful Neutral Milk Hotel. Elephant 6 is a collection of musicians/like minded friends that had its beginnings in a high school in Louisiana. Robert Schneider, Bill Doss, Will Cullen Hart and Jeff Mangum are the founding fathers of the collective originally assembling as 14 year olds. Via different routes they all ended up in Athens all forming successful bands in their own right. Most notably Apples in Stereo (Robert Schneider), The Olivia Tremor Control (Will Cullen Hart & Bill Doss) and Neutral Milk Hotel (Jeff Mangum). Though a feature of the collective is the interchanging of personnel both as musicians and producers. A full list of acts in the collective follows.
The Apples in Stereo, Beulah, Black Swan Network, Chocolate USA, Circulatory System, Dixie Blood Mustache, Dressy Bessy, Elf Power, Essex Green, Frosted Ambassador, The Gerbils, High Water Marks, Major Organ and the Adding Machine, Marbles, Minders, The Music Tapes, Neutral Milk Hotel, Olivia Tremor Control, Orchestre Fantastique, Pipes You See, Pipes You Don't, Secret Square, Sunshine Fix, ulysses and Von Hemmling.
Apart from friendship and interchangeable members the bands are linked by a love of slightly off kilter lofi, the Beatles and the Beach Boys. Amongst their number are an extraordinary number of great records.
There is none better then Neutral Milk Hotel's 'In The Aeroplane Over The Sea', in fact there are few better pop albums in history. NMH is the vehicle created by Jeff Mangum to release his music in 1990. From 1990 until '94 Magnum travelled the US, crashing at friends places. Over this time he produced a number of demos but nothing was released. In October '94 he released his first official output a 7" 'Everything Is'. It was released by Seattle Indie 'Cher Doll Records'. 1995 was spent recording the full length debut 'On Avery Island'. A number of musicians were drafted in to assist recording they included, Elephant Collective associates, most notably Robert Schneider. Released the following year the album stands alone as a great work. 'Song Against Sex', 'Gardenhead/Leave Me Alone', 'April 8' and '3 Peaches' are personal favourites. However if like me you heard this record after first hearing 'Aeroplane over the Sea' its hard to see it (very unfairly 'cause its is a wonderful CD) as anything but a training record for the might that was about to come.
I missed the release of 'In The Aeroplane Over The Sea', its penetration into Australia was small. It was released in 1998 and I didn't hear it until 2003. When you work around music for as long as I have and see thousands of shows (many because its expected not desired) you become a bit jaded and for something to pique interest it needs to be special. On hearing this in 2003 not only did it capture my interest but it totally reinvigorated my love of music. You can see why I rate it so highly. But 4 years on it still is in the top 5 albums played in my house. 'In The Aeroplane Over The Sea' along with Pavement's 'Slanted and Enchanted' are the two great pop records of the 90s and I would list them in that order.
The album was written throughout the first half of 1997. Mangum had joined his fellow 'Elephant 6' cohorts as a fulltime resident of Athens. He quickly attracted local fans, the biggest being Michael Stipe.
For the first time Mangum had assembled a relatively stable lineup. Joining him was Jeremy Barnes (drums, organ), Scott Spillane (trumpet, flugelhorn, trombone, euphonium, horn arrangements) and Julian Koster (Wandering Genie, singing saw, bowed banjo, accordion, white noise). Mangum's old school friend and Apples in Stereo front man Robert Schneider was assigned to produce the album. To do so the band relocated to Denver. Recording began in July 1997 and took three months.
To little fanfare 'In the Aeroplane over the Sea' was released in the US on Feb.10th, 1988.

The first thing that grabs you is the cover art. The design was a collaboration between Mangum and Chris Bilheimer. Bilheimer is a graphic artist employed full time by REM. His official title at REM hq is the art director. The job allows him to freelance and in that capacity he has worked with Green Day, Smashing Pumpkins, Foo Fighters and Grant Lee Buffalo, to name a few. Mangum found the original turn of the century European postcard and Bilheimer added the distinctive drum replacing the women's head. The inner sleeve is equally compelling.



Labelling this album is difficult, its definitely indie pop/rock and there is a psychedelic feel to it. Its more then that though but labelling an emotional response is difficult. The most significant musical aspect of the record is Mangum's distinctive voice. It soars above the beautiful instrumentation that's displayed throughout the album. A quick recheck of the band reveals the scope of instruments used on the record. (Accompanying the standard band instruments is an Organ, wandering genie, singing saw, bowed banjo, accordion, trumpet, flugelhorn, trombone, euphonium). They are used more to create depth and atmosphere rather then to take centre stage, Mangum's voice is the musical star of this record.

Its lyrically where this album really lays it claims to greatness. In interviews conducted at the time of release Mangum announced that the record was based on tragic life of Anne Frank as outlined in "The Diary of Anne Frank". When I first heard this I thought it was a brave thing to admit to. "The Diary of Anne Frank" is almost compulsory for grade 8 and 9 school kids. Its obviously thematically powerful, but a literary powerhouse its not (not quite Joyce or Dostoevsky). It was a visceral rather then a direct influence, you would never pick a connection if not told. There are references to the tragedy of World War 2 and deaths within sight of the war's completion. There is even a direct reference to a ghostly character hovering through some of the texts, whose name is Anne. However other songs seem to have little to do with the war. "Anne Frank" is a terribly sad book and the way Neutral Milk Hotel manage to manifest this through emotive lyrics and atmospheric soundscapes make listening to this record such an enriching experience.

The album doesn't have a weak track so to follow a run through of all of them.

'The King of Carrot Flowers Pt. One' opens the album. It begins with little more then Mangum strumming an acoustic guitar later he's a joined by a beautiful harmonic accomplice (I can't pick what this instrument does anyone know??). He tells the story of a young mans first love, "One afternoon I knew I could love you, And from above you how I sank into your soul, Into that secret place where no one dares to go" and he juxtaposes this with the young girls parents relationship "And your mom would stick a fork right into daddy's shoulder, And your dad would throw the garbage all across the floor".

'The King Of Carrot Flowers, Pt. 2-3' controversially for some opens "I love you Jesus Christ, Jesus Christ I love you, Yes I do". Magnum fearing that this would be misunderstood adds comments to CDs linear notes, explaining the intent behind the piece "a song for an old friend and a song for a new friend and now a song for jesus christ and since this seems to confuse people i'd like to simply say that i mean what i sing although the theme of endless. Endless on this album is not based on any religion but more in the belief that all things seem to contain a white light within them that i see as eternal"

'In the Aeroplane Over the Sea' - the title track, employs a beautiful use of horns as a foil to the Mangums strumming. the duality exposed here appears to be echoed in the lyrics. The protagonist seems to find real love and happiness "What a beautiful face I have found in this place" but contrasting that he is reminded of mortality and how love can't last as death is our only real suitor "In a blink of an eye and be gone from me". For one of the few times on the record he name checks Anne Frank to further highlight his point, "Anne's ghost all around, Hear her voice as it's rolling and ringing through me" despite the certain end to any relationship he points out, "But for now we are young, Let us lay in the sun, And count every beautiful thing we can see"

'Two-Headed Boy' - Another tale of the ambiguity inside us all.

'The Fool' - Is the only song not penned by Mangum, it was written by Scott Spillane and works as an interlude. A sorrowful introduction to what's about to come.

'Holland, 1945' - Potentially the best track on the album but suffers a muddy mix. I'm all for distortion but I'm afraid the song suffers for this, its more then a distorted guitar sound. 'Holland' is far and away the hardest track on the album. It jumps from the gates and explodes into a sad tale of a families death just prior to the completion of hostilities in WWII. Firstly the girl "The only girl I've ever loved, Was born with roses in her eyes, But then they buried her alive, One evening 1945 With just her sister at her side, And only weeks before the guns, All came and rained on everyone" and later her family "Indentions in the sheets where their bodies once moved but don't move anymore, And it's so sad to see the world agree". Obviously inspired by the Anne Frank story.

'Communist Daughter' - 1945 has come and gone and the world is divided into the East and West, Mangum responds with 'Communist Daughter'. A moving analogy of the world coming to grips with its new order.

'Oh Comely' - Coming in at over 8 minutes 'Oh Comely' is the albums literary masterpiece. Its beauty is undisputed its meaning is the challenge. My best guess is it's contrasting the stories of the girls in 'Holland, 1945' and 'Communist Daughter'. Neither outcome is ideal but the mournful approach to 'Holland' character suggest the narrater preference for the 'Communist Daughter's "It isn't as pretty as you'd like to guess". Though eventually they will "We will fold and freeze together" in death. Of course the Communist Daughter's fate is more palatable then 'Hollands' - "And I know they buried her body with others, Her sister and mother and 500 families".

'Ghost' - This is another song that suffers from overly distorted guitar sounds. Mangum again references the 'Holland' character. "and she was born in a bottle-rocket 1929'. 1929 was the year of Anne Frank's birth. He goes onto say that the girl knows now that she will never die, a reference to the after life (or conversely that her legacy will live on via the power of words, the same power that inspired Mangum to write these lyrics) - "I know that she will live forever and she won't ever die". The fear that through the war was her one constant has now evaporated "and she goes and now she knows she'll never be afraid to watch the morning paper blow into a hole where noone can escape". The song then moves to NYC to a girl falling to her death from a 14th story burning building. She to "goes and now she knows she'll never be afraid". Perhaps he is talking of death as the great leveller, no matter who you are or the circumstance of death, it effects us all equally.

'[untitled]' - Bagpipes, horns and more, it sounds almost like an Irish wake tune. Instrumental.

'Two-Headed Boy Pt. 2' - The finale of a great record and to me the song that finally explains to us what it is Mangum was trying to achieve here. Through veiled images of life and death and his assumptions on their meaning he's attempted to create a unified piece, not just a collection of songs. In 'The King Of Carrot Flowers, Pt. 2-3' he famously bellows, "I love you Jesus Christ" but in this the album's closer he retorts that claim with "God is a place you will wait for the rest of your life". If I'm right he is talking not of a divine God but a secular one. God as a state of being that we should work on becoming. The despair he felt reading "The Diary of Anne Frank" has manifested itself with him not looking for a divine answer but rather a humanistic response. In other words the need for us to strive to be God like in the way we interact with the world. He's pleading with us to be the best people we can be during our time on Earth. Life is precious and our tenure on this Earth is far from assured so make the most of the time we have. To reinforce this I'll re quote from 'Aeroplane over the Sea' - "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 linear notes printed above he offers a pretty big clue that this is the way he is thinking with the line - "this album is not based on any religion but more in the belief that all things seem to contain a white light within them that I see as eternal"

To be perfectly honest what I thought this album review would sound like before writing and the finished product are vastly different. It was the first time in a long time I had played 'Aeroplane' with the intensity required to decipher the lyrics. Even if I'm way off and what I've outlined above doesn't even resemble Jeff Mangum's take on the record its a credit to him that an interpretation such as this can be exhumed from his work.

The album has now sold in excess of 100 000 copies, the vast majority of those in the US. (To put that figure in perspective for Australian readers, gold record status in Australia is reached at 35 000 sales, in the US its 500 000.) Still it appears that fame and Jeff Mangum have not been friends. Since its release and subsequent tour he has virtually disappeared. Amongst Indie kids Jeff sightings are akin to Elvis sightings for many others. This record has been hugely influential, a lot more so then the sales indicate. The album has not been universally praised but reviewers who have 'got it' have often lauded it with the highest rating possible. I just did a quick google and here's what some reviewers said, Pitchfork Media , All Music Guide , Salon and Nude as the News
It seems highly unlikely that we will see another Neutral Milk Hotel record but fans should take solace in the fact that he left us with one of the more interesting pop records ever produced.

One performance that Jeff did do was in Auckland, New Zealand on 4/2/2001 he played with Laura Carter and the Flying Nun star Chris Knox (Don't you love it when you can link up post!). Knox was formerly in the Tall Dwarves before embarking on a successful solo career. He is perhaps best known for the song 'Not given Lightly'. This was Jeff's last public performance as a front man. They performed under the name the ‘World of Wild Beards’.

To download is :
1. A copy of the New Zealand show it consist of 95% NMH songs.
2. In the Aeroplane over the Sea - Neutral Milk Hotel
3. Not Given Lightly - Chris Knox (5mg mp3 single)

Video below is :
1. A few Jeff Mangum/NMH videos
2. 4 other Elephant 6 collective bands - Apples in Stereo, Circulatory System, Olivia Tremor Control & Elf Power.

In The Aeroplane Over The Sea

Live Auckland, NZ - Jeff Mangum, Laura Carter, Chris Knox performing as ‘World of Wild Beards’ 4/2/2001

Chris Knox - Not Given Lightly - Single


Neutral Milk Hotel - 'Song Against Sex' (live 1998) - from the studio album Avery Island



Jeff Mangum (solo) - 'In the Aeroplane over the Sea' (live - NYE, 1998) - from studio album In the Aeroplane over the Sea



Jeff Mangum (solo) - 'Holland, 1945' (live - 1998) - from studio album In the Aeroplane over the Sea



Apples in Stereo - 'Energy' - from New Magnetic Wonder - 2007 - (Directorial debut for Elijah Wood). - Robert Schneider vocals.



Circulatory System - 'Should a Cloud Replace a Compass?' - Circulatory System - 1999



Olivia Tremor Control - Another Set of Bees in the Museum - Black Foliage: Animation Music Volume 1 - 1999.



Elf Power - 'All the World is Waiting' - from Back to the Web - 2006.



Athens, GA
Neutral Milk Hotel
Elephant 6 Recording Company