WALKING WALL OF BEARDS, INCORPORATED
(a.k.a. WORLD OF WILD BEARDS, INCORPORATED)
Chris Knox, of the influential New Zealand-based band the Tall Dwarfs, was able to talk Jeff into slip back into the public eye, if only for one show. Said show took place on February 4th, 2001 at a venue called King's Arms in New Zealand. Jeff and then-girlfriend (I think) Laura Carter were there on vacation, and Chris already had a show booked for himself, and suggested the performance. Jeff agreed, but for one reason or another, didn't want to be billed as "Neutral Milk Hotel," or even "Jeff Mangum." Instead he chose the moniker Walking Wall of Beards, Inc. (but it was mistakenly promoted as World of Wild Beards, Inc. by Chris Knox), in tribute to a company by that name out of Philadelphia in the early 1900's that produced sound devices that apparently brought hair to life! Though the "band" was pretty much just a front for Jeff to play NMH songs solo in relative anonymity, it can somewhat be thought of as a duo, with Laura sitting in on a few songs. Chris joined in a bit, too, but was considered more of a guest than a full-fledged WWoB, Inc. member.

[home]