Cult following grows

Fans of Neutral Milk Hotel were not told why the band went on hiatus. Some were angry and accused Mangum of being selfish, and others wrote hoax blog posts giving fake details of upcoming tours and other false information. The speculation and online discussions raised the profile of the band, to the point that Neutral Milk Hotel and, in particular, In the Aeroplane Over the Sea gained a cult following and converted Mangum into a larger-than-life figure. In 2003, Creative Loafing writer Kevin Griffis dedicated an entire cover story to trying to track down Mangum for personal closure. The search ended when Mangum sent him an email that read: “I’m not an idea. I am a person, who obviously wants to be left alone.” Journalist Mark Richardson attempted to explain In the Aeroplane Over the Sea ‘s rise in popularity: “Because [Mangum] was inaccessible, there was no outlet for connection other than the record itself and other fans who shared a passion. By doing nothing, Neutral Milk Hotel developed a cult.”