Neutral Milk Hotel "Ghost" 4/4/98

[hmillernin]

My father is not rich enough for me to like this music.

[lespaulnasty31]

@hmillernin hey....i like you :)

[mavman16]

DANCE HIPSTERS, DANCE!

[Kento617]

@mavman16 Why aren't you the top comment? WHY!? <='(

[erbot123]

@jumpsuitjamboree Jeff had a nervous breakdown following Aeroplane. He disappeared and only close friends kept in contact with him He mentions it in his 2001 Aukland show. He is on record saying that the weight of the pain of the people in the world and the pain of the people he loved was too much for him to bear. He played music because he thought it would bring him peace, but he says "there are certain things you can't sing you're way out of." And now he's back and touring again!

[SpiritsCrow]

is Julian playing a Kazoo during the untitled?

[houghster27]

best two of aeroplane

[crazy8rgood]

I want a shirt like Jeff's. I would wear it all the fucking time.

[WhatisNMH]

@crazy8rgood go to salvation army lol

[Nakkinak]

How fuckin good they were

[erbot123]

this is Jeff when he was full of love and energy...I only hope he comes back, not for us, but because he is finally free from the pain that nearly killed him. I love you Jeff.

[erbot123]

This is Jeff when he was filled with love and energy...I only home he comes back some day, not for us, but because he is finally free from what nearly killed him. I love you Jeff.

[JumpsuitJamboree]

@erbot123 What? I've heard not of this. Tell us more, sir. 

[spiffykimbean]

These people have actual names, you know. The people that are referring to Julian and Scott as "____ dude", etc. need to do their damn homework. It's not hard, I promise -- it's called Wikipedia. Get on it!

[hotfreaks72]

anybody critcizing the performances by the players on stage doesn't get it....Fat dude? I hope you never get to see NMH play.

[mavman16]

@hotfreaks72 thats the beauty of concerts like these, the imperfections make it perfect

[dolcevespa1]

@hotfreaks72 Jeff is a god...and I'm going to see him play this April in Oakland and I feel blessed!

[alansinthecity]

They should have found a new trumpet player Fat Beard always fluffs his lines, whereas as Harmonica dude jumps around like crazy and still plays his part perfectly

[JacopeX]

1998? I was only 7 and living in my country...

How I would give anything to see them perform before I die...ANYTHING. ='(

[christopherthedragon]

@JacopeX implying that jeff isn't touring this fall?

[bradley364]

Dat Horn

[irascib1e]

lol is it just me or does he never get the trumpet part right?

[orientalnegro]

@irascib1e Yeah I've noticed that as well

[rubinsbleed]

@irascib1e hahaha yeah you're right

[imlonelyandiloveit]

oh Jeff,you will be first to be raptured

[DiscardedHarmony]

shit these guys are good.

[Iemonette]

I was at this show.

[gomerA7X]

what is the guy using to make the lead sound in untitled?

a harmonica?

[coltonatron]

love to see jeff thrash out like this!!! :)

[benyayvilla]

Greatest youtube post ever. Holy shit.

[joepubic89]

Literally the best thing I've ever seen.

Jeff: when you're feeling up to it, please give Scott, Julian and Jeremy a call. It would make me very happy :)

[Pointbreaker2]

anyone happen to know where I can get that jumper

[vandalismisfree]

epic win X 1,000,oo0

[CorruptCop01]

Ha, wow. It's too bad I didn't move to Austin until 2004..

[olehh1]

I turned 3; 21 days later

[TheChesherCat]

Holy shit.

[RkivUnderground]

8 days after this I would've been turning 3. I wish I knew NMH earlier, maybe for worse.

[hardpike]

jesus chriast I love you...this is unbelivable..... YEAHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH­HHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH­HHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH­HHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH­HHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH­HHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH­HHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH­HHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH­HHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH­HHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH­HHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH­HHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH­HHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH­HHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH­HHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH

[alexrdavis48]

This is huge. The passion these guys have can't even be matched.

[paintball31]

lol what happened with the hornnn?

[forNoisessake]

UNIQUE!

[jwattie]

They did untitled!! What a fantastic performance! I love them just never got the chance to see them, wish Jeff would make a full comeback and do one last tour.

[NaziJesus]

yall r p4k-core

[Clerks0]

1:00

*badom* *dish*

[Lastscionz]

I wish they would have done untitled live so much more often. It's my favorite off the album.

[revolutionroom]

@Lastscionz My favorite song ever, agreed.

[KidAmnesiack]

AND NOW SHE KNOWS SHE'LL NEVER BE AFRAIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIAAY­YYEEEED

[MangOverboard]

really wish I'd had the pleasure of seeing them, just once. This will do and is an awesome fallback..Thanks for sharing. Wish I was there.

[TheGordonK]

i wonder if the people in the crowd realized they just witnessed history....

[CFFDan]

never heard them do untitled live before so awesome! ^.^

[katieeeeehope]

If I could marry an album, I would gladly propose to In The Aeroplane Over The Sea.

[bigdunk9]

Arcade Fire stole so much off these guys, what a great band. Ghost is such a fantastic song, I haven't stopped listening to it for days.

[invadercheeze]

Mistakes while performing + sweaters = SO INDIE IT HURTS

[PookazarSean]

Is he playing the Melodica?

[Y2Kevo]

Im pretty sure Jeremy Barnes would be considered the best drummer ever if this band continued on with more upbeat tracks like this and Carrot Flowers 2/3

[doublepa14]

archaic, thank god for the modern technologies

[lifeisbeautiful1748]

what the fuck!!! i wish i was there

[MaryHadALittleBandCT]

This was taken on my fourth birthday! :D love them

[cerelilqt]

Im so gonna make a brvtal grindcøre cøver øv this

[nicolaaaaaaaas]

pure energy

[dystopika]

BRILLIANT.

[iwikepie]

5:01

rocking out with a pipe

[crappybassist96]

*cheer* AND SCOTT SPILLANE BLOWS IT! *cheer*

[kayak0055]

!!! 3:00 esp. jeff rocking out. love that shit.

[harharsailor]

the sound is great on this video!

I'm impressed

[Fusuyz]

it almost black metal

[wassup287]

TRVE KVLT

[AllahAlgebra]

This is a fucking gem. Sorry I'll prob never get the chance to see NMH/Magnum live.

And to chime in on the debate below, I do believe that this album will be one of the few of my generation that will prove to be timeless and classic, if it has not proven so already.

[cerelilqt]

Throw in some obvious metaphors for stupid lyrics, then you have a newtrall molk hotul song.

[TenholderMusic]

Just shut the fuck up.

[cerelilqt]

No, Jeff Man-gum should. You hipsters think you get some sort of kudos for listening to indie, as if it is challenging to listen to. Its just unsigned pop music. Wait, it is challenging to listen to.

Its fucking boring.

[powchang]

@cerelilqt dont hat it just becuase you dont understand it.

[cerelilqt]

Nice /mu/ cliche

"U MUST NOT LIEK BECUZ 2DEEP4U LOL"

[powchang]

its not even that its too deep, i dont even mean it that way, its just music, if you dont like it then dont listen to it. its as simple as that.

[cerelilqt]

I dont like it, so I pause it while im trolling you guys : >

[powchang]

lol...

[cerelilqt]

I said I was trolling, and you guys still havent realised?

[Adrast]

Neutral Milk Hotel kick ass at noise then.

[Klonny]

Being a punk rocker, I very much enjoy the wild 'noise' aspect. Suck it.

[cerelilqt]

Punk sucks. Its 4/4 pentatonic wankery.

[cerelilqt]

This isnt music, its just noise. New troll mill coat hell arnt arty at all, its just making obvious metaphors over a crappy chord progression.

[baraka1408]

@cerelilqt We wouldn't expect a little 17 year old UK kid to understand anything about the awesomeness that is Neutral Milk Hotel. One day you're gonna grow up and see what you're missing out on. Until then please keep your British nose elsewhere.

[cerelilqt]

@baraka1408 New troll mill coat hell sucks. End of. Objectively. Its just /mu/ hipster music. All indie is, is unsigned pop music. Doesnt deserve credibility.

And as a FYI. I hate the british. Alot.

[baraka1408]

@cerelilqt You are quite unintelligent. I remember at 17 how I dubbed music with labels like you do now. It's foolishness. Whatever your loss not ours.

[cerelilqt]

Sorry, but there is no art in hipster crap indie. Or is it "lol 2deep4u"?

Calling this art, a basic common chord progression with some obvious metaphors in lyrics that are meant to be "deep", is like calling that dot on canvas in some modern art gallery art.

[benciano]

@cerelilqt listen....what sets aside indie from everything else is this. indie challenges you to like something, when you do start to like it you realize that a song can have different meanings its different for everyone, and you appreciate the beauty and emotion. and best of all, these guys have something that most other genres dont have, something you cant teach. Creativity

[cerelilqt]

@benciano Other genres do that, breakcore, weird forms of jazz etc. What sets indie apart from them, is how basic the music is. But it presents itself as something its not: Its not a creative art form, its using basic song structure and calling it creative. On comparison, listen to "big steps" by john coltrane, which is a creative use of chords.

[benciano]

@cerelilqt i said most genres, im definetly not saying that there are other genres out there that arent creative, i play jazz myself. But maybe that wasnt the best comment, call me whatever but i cant explain. everytime i listen to this band i always imagine myself on stage in front singing it with guitar in hand and my schools marching band behind me and my buddy on drums. I just really like indie, i find meaning.

[cerelilqt]

@benciano Fair enough

[Cyberwavemusic]

Enlighten us with what great music you listen to then, oh mighty one!

It is not an objective fact. An objective fact would be that you're a douche for your behavior. If you don't like the music, fine, but don't dismiss the whole genre based one your pathetic, misguided assumptions and supposed stereotypes, and saying it doesn't deserve credibility? Bullshit.

Yes, pretentious indie fans are annoying. But pretentious people are annoying within any genre; you're just proof.

[Cyberwavemusic]

Based on*

[cerelilqt]

I listen to pretty much anything thats not mall-core, Indie, or boring pop. No gangsta rap either. Dont like dubstep, ambient or breakcore, but those are good genres nonetheless.

And anyways. I know whether its an objectivie fact. Im omniscient. Neutral molk hotull would deserve credibility if they were playing this perhaps 30 years ago, hell, even the original 80s indie, but this is just recycling.

[Cyberwavemusic]

Eh. I like dubstep but hate how its such a huge trend all of a sudden. I go to a music production form and the first post I see "how do i make a wobble bass??//??" Ambient and breakcore are great genres, but again, I have seen a lot of pretentious fans within the genres who will go on and on about some Venetian Snares album that's at least 100 years old.

As for recycling. Sure they drew influence from previous Indie, but who DOESN'T have influence and eventually sound similar to someone else.

[cerelilqt]

Tbh, there are certain degrees of drawing influence, theres sounding similar on one end, then recycling ideas. Another example of this is mall-core metal, where the same chugga chugga riff is repeated over and over again.

[Cyberwavemusic]

Well that's a given. That is the shit that is ruining metal! D=

[cerelilqt]

Trve dat. And sorry if I come across as offensive, I'm just a bit frank and don't sugar coat what I say.

[Cyberwavemusic]

I don't mind people who get straight to the point, but I definitely think you ought to really examine the genre itself more. Or at least be less critical of it.

... And also, I changed my mind though. Mallcore is one genre that definitely doesn't deserve credibility, nor further examination. That's just how shitty it is. =D

[thedarkpoets]

@Cyberwavemusic You guys done blowing each other yet?

[Cyberwavemusic]

Wow, you're cool man, replying to something over a month old.

[thedarkpoets]

still blowing?

[Beck436]

The thing to remember is that there are only so many notes, rhythms and progressions. It's not recycling if you discover it yourself, even if others did before you.

[mlsku]

That is very true,

And at the same time you have to consider other chord progressions as after a while, regardless of lyrical indifference, as it makes your meaning or point become less musically valid

[Drakkiore]

Love both of these studio songs, but this is totally different. This is so FUCKING AWESOME, I love Neutral Milk Hotel, my only wish is that they get together and make more music. Great performance, would absolutely kill to see them live.

[littlebilly666]

wow that was rly rly great,... and that just made my day

[poodung56]

Dear God the Drummer went nuts! so amazing

[magnificentoctopus]

good god! this is better than good!

[clah123]

Ive listened to Neutral milk hotel for a while but Ive never actually looked up vidoes of them on youtube for some reason. That being said i would like to state that i just jizzzed all over myself.

[futha]

Totally awesome comment.

[bigwillc22]

@clah123 Me too, me too.

[iwillcommitdeicide]

i was turning 4 in 4 days after this :D

[PosieDada]

So you turned 4, 4 days after 4/4? Haha, that's awesome.

[vauxhall908]

a.j. roach covers this song if you want a clear look at chords might be in a different key but for lyrics and acoustic sounds good

[FlaminFingaz]

What is the guy in black playing. Also, is that Julian?

[Blackwaterdesigns]

julian's the guy on the floor a lot. I don't know who you're referring to with "the guy in black"

[FlaminFingaz]

that's the guy i meant :D thanks a bunch.

[mrjesus111]

Jeff you're a true musician, poet, and artist. Thank you for inspiring me. You probably wont read this.

[taters343]

I've been trying to figure it out and I haven't made any progress. Out of curiosity, does anyone know what Jeff says at the beginning of Untitled/track 10/ Penny Arcade?

[bradattax]

jesus why wasn't i at this show.

[okthisismakingmemad]

btw for anyone who was asking what was playing the melody instead of the uilleann pipes its called a Zanzithophone and is basicly a MIDI sax

[noizewulf87]

jeff mangum....the band..dammit, i had fun covering this songs today with friends. words dont convey the feelings that stir in me whenever i hear this band. Beauty? i wish there could be like a super jam session with jeff mangum jeff lewis and daniel johnston..i dont know

[Beck436]

@noizewulf87

jeff, jeff lewis, daniel johnston, beck and devendra banhart.

[hopskotchradio]

hey, to all the people whose favorite band is probably rush. please dont come here and say that they have no talent. because they have the only thing that matters and thats soul. their not a bunch of robots who care about messing up.

[Sonsofyesteryear]

GOD!!!!! To bad I had no idea who jeff mangum was when I was eight.....

[JCwalkwithus36]

You and me both.

[AndyTabelz]

@Sonsofyesteryear I was four! I feel your pain!

[VanHalen010]

Scott must have been high during the show. Still he did great.

[etebelz]

one of the greatest albums of all time, who needs to make even one more song after making this masterpiece?

[himynameisasshole]

i love jeff mangum's sweater :D

[billken1333]

the decemberists are NOT kinda of like these guys

[DarknessHowls]

Indeed. Both singers have semi-nasally voices and their music has folk elements, yes. The difference between the two, though, is that The Decemberists are an indie-pop/folk-rock band that puts out stuff that's "pretty good", whereas Neutral Milk Hotel is an indie/psychedlic-folk band that, with only two real albums, has become one of the biggest names in the "indie world" because they're so fucking amazing.

This music is infinitely more emotionally raw than anything by The Decemberists.

[roflcopterIII]

These guys are kinda like the Decemberists :)

[sarawrayenns]

The Decemberists are kind of like these guys

[kolaoncoke]

i've listened to decemberists from 3 years and NMH for 8 years. they is no comparison, NMH is equivalent to GOD and decemberists are just mortals.

[centrum591]

unfortunately I was born with no musical talent to speak of, but my advice to any aspiring musicians who might watch this video is this: If you're not prepared to play with this much energy, heart, and reckless abandon, well then...don't even get into music. This is far from perfect, but its still one of the best things I've ever heard (the drumming esp.)

[crankthetoto]

'Everybody has talent, but ability takes hard work'

Michael Jordan

[Lastscionz]

"Michael Jordan"

lol

[SurprisesDotOrg]

I was there! I must have listened to that album 500 times that spring.  So much fun & energy.

[cyborg0013]

they used Uilleann pipes on the album. i dont know what they are using here. but probably a harmonica.

[godandxzd]

i miss them...............so much!!!

[PuddzyBuddzy]

wow

[kolaoncoke]

sexiest sweater everrrrrr god i wish i could see jeff live just one more time (knitting factory a decade ago!), i'd probably give a finger or something special to me away like it was a penny haha love that man.

[csj19]

I sort of feel that if jeff could see how much he enjoyed playing here live he might want to make a return. he looks amazingly happy here.

[peterjbond]

This is music.

[ripelivejam]

what's wrong with these people? by the time it segues into Untitled i'd been jumping like a maniac!

[DarlingEmmie]

Perfection. What I wouldn't give for this band to get back together!

[smilingandalf]

me too!

i wish i wasnt 7 when this band were touring haha

[Bellegerie]

Jea, I was four, it kinda sucks that we may never hear them live

[Orgxlom]

You should have gone to the Holiday Surprise Tour last October, Jeff played, and all of them but the drummer were there.

[alfredhybrid]

Drummer was there too.

[Orgxlom]

If I heard right, Jeremy Barnes was only at a couple of the shows, and he was only backstage

[handicappedhero]

If this album came out tomorrow it would blow UP.

People nowadays go crazy for stuff like this.

[LilFrizz3191]

Exactly. They'd be so huge in times like these. Even though I like having them all to myself, I want everybody to know about them.

[TwoThirdsPi]

Anyone got the notes for the trumpet? I'm ready to piss off some neighbors.

[xtremeholymuffin]

heh, you won't get the correct notes from watching this video...

[heffi1991]

man i love neutral milk hotel, my hair on my arm stood up the whole way throught the song

[theholygoes]

geez you sound awful... really bad tempto - out of key and well just bad... sorry - give up

[butlerKNOWSall]

you're a faggot.

[twangerific]

He actually did give up, in 1998, and its possibly the saddest fact in music to this day.

[Bahomme]

You're about 10 years too late.

[twinoak170]

Trumpet at 2:00, he wanted it to sound pathetic I guess. Once in a lifetime album. Find your high school copy of Diary of Anne Frank and read it again.

[billiumbean]

Those people aren't cheering loud enough. There should be planets exploding.

[ZacharysWorld]

i wish i was there

[oddmanout1792]

man, the trumpet at around 2:00 sounds pathetic...

[ColinMeloy]

absolutely hahaha

[Bahomme]

Hey, so do you. Weird.

[peterjbond]

well hell, they were just beautiful.

[jhickma]

i wanna be high, i wanna be there, i want it all.....give it to me NMH

[delusionaldiminutive]

I love Jeff's dancing, it's so frenetic and awesome.

[DarknessHowls]

I always assumed it was bagpipes in the song...but it looks like in the video he's playing something with one hand, there...what instrument is that?

[nothingmattered]

the album lists them as Uilleann Pipes a tad bit different

[Polyinstrumentalism]

Uilleann Pipes are Irish bagpipes, so... no. Not different at all.

[Orgxlom]

Melodica. It's a tiny keyboard with a hose coming out of it, and you play keys while you blow through the instrument. It works like an accordion, but sounds like a bagpipe.

[Blackwaterdesigns]

Actually I don't think anyone's using using a melodica. What julian's using looks too small to be one, which leads me to believe that he's just using a harmonica, which is pretty audible in the video.

I think the main melody (the one done with bagpipes on the album) is played by the saxophonist on the left because at 6:02 he appears to be the only one playing. Not to mention it sounds like a saxophone.

[ouch11]

i came