Two-Headed Boy

Two-Headed Boy by Neutral Milk Hotel

10 years ago, Feb. 1998, Neutral Milk Hotel's "In an Aeroplane over the Sea" came out. I was a sophomore in high school. HOWEVER, I did not know that this album even existed until like three or four years ago. So to say I was late on getting on train would be wrong... I missed the train. Here's the deal... I'm going to blog about pretty much every song on this album over the next few days. Why? Because it's probably the best album of the last ten years... maybe the last 15 years depending on how you feel about Nirvana and Pearl Jam and others. I'm not sure how this will turn out... but hopefully it will be enjoyable.

I compared Jeff Mangum to J.D. Salinger in the post about “In an Aeroplane over the Sea” which is interesting now that I think about it. I don’t think it’s that crazy of a comparison. But it is interesting to think about people who make it, and then fade away. For all I know Mangum and Salinger are shooting up junk as I write.

Mangum became a darling of the critics, but compared to Salinger, Mangum did not become nearly as famous. Most fans of music do not know who Jeff Mangum is. I would guess that most Americans know Salinger or at the very least “The Catcher in the Rye”. So why is it that Mangum faded away? Or did he burn out only he didn’t blow his head off like Kurt Cobain?

I’m sure fame and critical success is not easy. We have seen what it’s done to the Lindsey and Britney’s of the world. Then there is Cobain and of course all those who get hooked on drugs or booze. It doesn’t appear to be easy – especially when you live your life on a stage, literally. However, we rarely see politicians break down and turn their backs on the world like we see musicians, actors, and other artist do from time to time. Maybe having a big/huge ego, like all politicians do have, prepares people for the attention and fame. Politicians want to be in the spotlight. Artists might now always want to be in the spotlight.

And then again, maybe it’s about people’s mental make up. Maybe that creativity that artists have, what make their art so fantastic, also makes adjusting to the fame and focus that success brings that difficult. I’m not sure, but it’s interesting – what is so hard about fame? Is it giving up one’s privacy? Is it all the attempts that people and the media make to ‘get to know’ or get inside one’s head?

I’m not sure why Mangum turned his back to the music world. I’m sure he has his reasons (he didn’t stop making music, I guess he’s done a few minor things). It’s a shame though, that Mangum is no longer making music. Because it really was great.