Neutral Milk Hotel Trivia Quiz

Answer: A flying phonograph

The flying phonograph has been the subject of tattoos for many a young Neutral Milk Hotel fan. The woman nursing a tiger is found on the cover of Belle and Sebastian's first CD, "Tigermilk", whereas the women with a drum for her head is found in other places on the album.

Answer: Jeff Mangum

Jeff Mangum is an amazing lyricist who almost completely wrote the lyrics for the band's two albums, "On Avery Island" and "In the Aeroplane Over the Sea." The three incorrect answers are the other members of the band, with Jeremy Barnes on drums, Scott Spillane on horns, and Julian Koster on bass and various other instruments.

Answer: The Apples in Stereo

Robert Schneider performed an "unbiased" song on the Colbert Report before the epic "Stephen Colbert vs. The Decemberists Guitar-off." Some sample lyrics included "Stephan, ooooh Stephan, he's a handsome man his name is Stephan, Stephan, oooh Stephan, he's a dashing man his name is Stephan."

Answer: Pree-Sisters Swallowing a Donkey's Eye

"Pree-Sisters Swallowing a Donkey's Eye" is a massive track, running for 13:49. Most of Neutral Milk Hotel's songs are relatively short, "A Baby for Pree" only 1:21, "Avery Island/April 1st" at 1:48, and "Someone is Waiting" at the short run time of 2:31.

Answer: Communist Daughter

"Communist Daughter" is among the band's more popular songs, included on the album "In the Aeroplane Over the Sea." "The Fool" has no lyrics, as it is an instrumental piece.

Answer: Anne Frank and the Holocaust

Jeff Mangum, the lead singer, said that he had dreams about a Jewish family repeatedly before he started to write "In the Aeroplane Over the Sea." Some of the tracks clearly show the connection, such as "Holland, 1945" (the year World War II ended) and "Communist Daughter." "Holland, 1945" contains such lyrics as "But then they buried her alive, one evening 1945, with just her sister at her side, and only weeks before the guns came and rained on everyone." This could possibly suggest the fact that the Franks were captured so soon before the Nazi's were defeated, and the closeness between Anne Frank and her sister, Margot Frank.

This is merely speculation, but entertaining, nonetheless. September 11th happened after the release of "In the Aeroplane Over the Sea," and thus cannot be the correct answer.

Answer: Magnet Magazine

Pitchfork Magazine named Neutral Milk Hotel the fourth best album of the decade. Unfortunately, Neutral Milk Hotel did not make it to many "best albums" list due to the fact that they are an Indie band, and not signed to a major record label.

Answer: "Invent Yourself A Shortcake"

"Invent Yourself a Shortcake", "Hype City", and "Beauty" were all released only on cassete tapes, with "Invent Yourself a Shortcake" in 1991, "Hype City" in '92, and "Beauty" in 1993. "A Baby for Pree" is a song, not an album, and was included on "On Avery Island", released in 1996.

Answer: The Decemberists

The Decemberists are the odd one out. A member of Neutral Milk Hotel, Scott Spillane, is a member of The Gerbils, and Mangum was an original member of Olivia Tremor Control, but later dropped out to concentrate on Neutral Milk Hotel.

Answer: True

Though the track is only 1:37, it is clearly the beginnings of the most famous song Neutral Milk Hotel would ever release. "Invent Yourself a Shortcake" has 16 tracks, ranging from 1:14 ("More Noise") to 5:24 ("Digestion Machine", the cassete's opening track.)

Since 1998, the band has disbanded, and is on an indefinite hiatus. Jeff Mangum has kept a low profile since then, reportedly suffering a nervous breakdown shortly after the release of "In the Aeroplane Over the Sea", which caused him to withdraw from the recording studio. Though fans are hopeful, it is doubtful that Neutral Milk Hotel will ever record again.

Thanks for playing my quiz, and remember, just because you don't hear it on the radio every day, doesn't mean that it doesn't deserve a chance.