Pitchfork is reporting that Orange Twin Records will release the infamous Elephant 6 movie, Major Organ and the Adding Machine on DVD this fall. If you were smart enough to attend the Elephant 6 Holiday Surprise Tour, you already know that this movie is funny, strange and a must-see for any fan of children, pastry, and, of course, bands from the Elephant 6 collective!
The Paragon Carousel is a beautiful machine that has been my dear neighbor for many moons. Now 81 years old, it is in need of a little love and attention in order for it to survive.
It is my sincere wish for the Paragon Carousel to be a part of the magic of long seaside summer afternoons for many years to come. Unfortunately, we live in a world where the great whirling contraptions of mechanical music and light are not as profitable to operate as other things, and carousels are worth much more taken apart and sold in pieces to museums, where one must pay to look at them behind glass, rather than having them simply existing in the world that we now all share.
I spoke with Jeff and Scott and Jeremy about this and they agreed that I should, on behalf of Neutral Milk Hotel, make an appeal to the good people who might have enjoyed the music made over the years, because we think you’d understand especially, and want to help.
The Paragon Carousel is competing with 24 other historic Massachussettes buildings for a grant of $100,000. The historic site with the most votes wins, and anyone anywhere can vote. We would love it if by our collective effort we could ensure the continuation of this grand place. Visit the Partners in Preservation website to vote.
You are allowed to vote once a day until May 17th . Your vote means a great deal to all of us at Elephant Six. Places like this are so special. They deserve to exist in the same world that we do. So we can visit them with our bodies, not just our memories and dreams.
We’d like to thank you for your help and for spreading the word.
~Julian Koster on behalf of Neutral Milk Hotel
NPR recorded the Elephant 6 Holiday Surprise Tour when it visited Chicago last week. They also interviewed Julian, and took some amazing photos. Listen, look and download at npr.com/music.
Start your letter writing campaign for Julian and the Singing Saws to come caroling at your house next month, and order your copies of Music Tapes for Clouds and Tornadoes and The Singing Saw at Christmastime.
Neutral Milk Hotel released In the Aeroplane over the Sea ten years ago this year, and the internet is all a titter!
Pitchfork dug up interviews with Jeff Mangum in 1997. Stereogum did a long celebratory post with links to several live videos. And NPR did a “listener’s choice” podcast featuring the song “In the Aeroplane over the Sea.”
If, somehow, you lack this essential record in your collection, we can help!
a very special guest came by the merge mailorder room last friday!
Stream full-length songs (at random) from our entire catalog.
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