A TMBG FAN BLOG

TMBG Shirt #61: Science Is Real

2012-02-25T09:44:00.002-05:00

This Tuesday is National Science Day.. in India. The event is commemorated in honour of Indian physicist Sir C.V. Raman for his legacy and discovery of the Raman effect, which I believe has something to do with college student economy. Anyway, here's the shirt. It's on fire! Dang volcanos.

This shirt features fake cover artwork by David Cowles for a non-existent single. The cover artwork is a direct parody of The Louvin Brothers' 1960 "Satan is Real" album cover (below), and mimics almost every feature of the original cover, including the addition of a fictional "Chemistry Records" logo.

MP3 of the Week:
What is a Shooting Star?

This Here Comes Science song was performed by The Avatars of They at the legendary Stone Pony in Asbury Park, NJ on 7/30/11.
Buy Here Comes Science Now!

TMBG Shirt #60: Union County MusicFest '09

2012-02-18T21:13:00.006-05:00

Not to be confused with Union County Music Fest '05 (#37), here's a shirt that I picked up during my return trip to the annual festival held in NJ. This time, it took place in Oak Ridge Park in the city of Clark, with They Might Be Giants' performances on the second day of the fest; September 13, 2009.

On the back is a list of the bands that appeared, including Third Eye Blind as the headliner. TMBG played two shows this time around, the first being a family show preceded by a performance by 1910 Fruitgum Company, which was quite nostalgic for me as their song "Yummy, Yummy, Yummy" was my favorite 45 in my parents' record collection when I was a kid.

MP3 of the Week:
Snowball In Hell

About two thirds of this seven minute performance at Rams Head Live! in Baltimore, MD on 2/17/12 consists of The Avatars of They executing the bridge in a very drawn out and rambling manner. Classic!
Buy Join Us Now!

TMBG Shirt #59: Brooklyn's Ambassadors of Love

2012-02-11T09:37:00.001-05:00

Here's a ringer in the style of the Mink Car design. A industrialish look to the band name adorns the front of the shirt.

On the back is TMBG's familiar title, "Brooklyn's Ambassadors of Love". There's even a little heart.

MP3 of the Week:
Celebration

Performed at the TLA in Philadelphia, PA on 9/30/11.
Buy Join Us Now!

TMBG Shirt #58: Severe Tire Damage Tour

2012-02-04T09:14:00.006-05:00

This is the shirt that was used to promote the 1997-1998 Severe Tire Damage Tour. The front pictures closeups of Linnell's red accordion and Flansburgh's custom Mojo guitar, complete with grasping hands of the Johns. The guitar is the same photo from the back of the STD album, however on the album a white accordion is pictured above it. The shirt reads "they might be", with the last word held off for the back.

I purchased this shirt from the merch stand at the Stone Balloon in Newark, DE on 9/9/97, right at the start of the tour. When I did, I immediately noticed that the number printed for (functional at the time) Dial-A-Song was wrong. It seems that at the first couple of shows They sold this misprinted shirt with some poor lady's phone number on it. I don't know how this happened, but I remember being told that corrected shirts were being sold at the next show, so this version must be rare indeed.

The back of the shirt has the lower half of the STD album cover with "giants" printed over it to complete what was started on the front. "Severe Tire Damage Tour '97-'98" is printed on the blue stripe. Above it is a car on the street, though again it doesn't seem to be the same car from the back of the album.

MP3 of the Week:
The Mesopotamians

Performed as a trio (John, John and Marty) at Peter Jay Sharp Theatre in New York City on 12/8/11.
Buy Join Us Now!

TMBG Shirt #57: John Henry World Tour

2012-01-28T07:32:00.001-05:00

Not to be confused with John Henry (#22), here's a crew shirt from the album's world tour. The front reads "THEY MIGHT BE GIANTS CREW" with a small breast pocket image of Pearl.

The back proclaims "JOHN HENRY WORLD TOUR" and lists the tour dates and cities spanning exactly a year, starting in St. Louis, MO on September 20, 1994 and ending in Lawrence, KS on September 20, 1995. What a hectic year! 10/17/94 in Red Bank, NJ was my second TMBG show.

MP3 of the Week:
Old Pine Box

Performed as a trio (John, John and Marty) at Peter Jay Sharp Theatre in New York City on 12/8/11.
Buy Join Us Now!

TMBG Shirt #56: Dartmouth College

2012-01-21T09:51:00.000-05:00

Here's a shirt from a show at Dartmouth College in Hanover, New Hampshire on August 14, 1992, about eight months before my first show. It seems that part of the campus building is blasting off like a rocket ship. Far out.

As you can see, it's another student security shirt.

MP3 of the Week:
Maybe I Know

Performed as a duo (as usual) at Peter Jay Sharp Theatre in New York City on 12/8/11.
Buy Join Us Now!

TMBG Shirt #55: Flood

2012-01-14T08:01:00.000-05:00

Why is the world in love again?

Why are we marching hand-in-hand?

Why are the ocean levels rising up?

It's a brand new garment for 1990.

They Might Be Giants' brand new t-shirt: Flood!!

Tomorrow marks the twenty-first anniversary of the release of the Brooklyn Ambassadors of Love's best-selling album, which went platinum last year. Happy Birthday, Flood. Finally, you're old enough to drink!

To celebrate one million records sold and two decades of Floodliness, this new shirt was issued. It features the familiar FLOOD logo, seemingly illustrated by a child. The lopsidedness and stray scribbles only add to the charm of this read-between-the-lines retrotastic ringer. Order "Flood on White Ringer" from the TMBG Merch Store and get Flooded today!

MP3 of the Week:
Istanbul(Not Constantinople)

This is the only Flood song that was performed as a trio (John, John and Marty) at Peter Jay Sharp Theatre in New York City on 12/8/11.
Buy Flood Now!

TMBG Shirt #54: The Love Show

2012-01-07T10:17:00.003-05:00

Here's a shirt that was designed by our good friend Brian Dewan. On the front, a tiny helicopter hovers over an interesting looking TMBG logo.

Here's a closer look.

On the back is what's known as the Love Show. John and John are on stage performing a lovely song while some fenced-in fans exude some love of their own. It's a pretty good illustration of a typical They Might Be Giants concert, if you ask me.

MP3 of the Week:
Stand On Your Own Head

Performed as a trio (John, John and Marty) at Peter Jay Sharp Theatre in New York City on 12/8/11.
Buy Join Us Now!

TMBG Shirt #53: Nu Wave For The Nu Year

2011-12-31T08:01:00.005-05:00

Happy New Year! My final shirt for 2011 is another of the latest offerings to appear on the TMBG Merch Store. It's a red and blue masterpiece called "Nu Wave" that exhibits the band name in a very unique way. Each letter is proceeded by a red line of varying thickness and direction which leads to the next one. It would actually take some time for a passer-by to interpret the garment by following the path.

The back reads, "SINCE 1982" in the same manner. Celebrate 2012, They Might Be Giants' thirtieth year of Installing and Servicing Music in style. Purchase Nu Wave on Blue for the Nu Year now!

MP3 of the Week:
Auld Lang Syne on NYE '98

Performed thirteen years ago at the now-closed Tramps in New York City, this traditional New Years Eve song was used to introduce the band. Happy New Year!!

Buy Join Us Now!

TMBG Shirt #52: Happy Holidays

2011-12-24T08:03:00.005-05:00

Check it out, people. It's a shirt for every week of the year. Fifty-two shirts and still going!

It's the TMBG holiday shirt. On the front are Flansburgh (left) and Linnell flanking a traditional Christmas tree, under which are two smallish gifts that are presumably from John to John and from John to John. The entire scene is depicted in a festive red and green.

TMBG joined Harry Shearer and Judith Owen's Holiday Sing-Along at The Canal Room in New York City on December 15, 2006. They performed "Santa's Beard" for the first time in about a decade.

The back of the shirt reads, "Happy Chanukah from They Might Be Giants".

What, no Kwanza?

Here's TMBG's Chanukah song, "Feast of Lights", the other holiday tune that They performed at the Sing-Along. It was the first time that it was ever performed in front of an audience, for which John Linnell tweaked the lyrics a bit.

MP3 of the Week:
Judy Is Your Viet Nam

Originally written as a Christmas song, this was performed at the Stone Pony in Asbury Park, NJ on 7/30/11.

Buy Join Us Now!

TMBG Shirt #51: The Machine & The Squid

2011-12-17T09:22:00.011-05:00

This shirt by Japanese artist and animator Hine Mizushima. It seems to depict some kind of bizarre telephone machine, complete with "TMBG" buttons and resident Giant squid. It conveys the message "Zei-Mai Daisakusen", or "Operation TMBG" for English speakers.

The back features the band name in large letters and the Giant squid, who appears to be turning off a light switch. Here's what Hine had to say about her creation on her blog : "Perform your important mission for They Might Be Giants (hopefully after ordering and putting on the T shirt). Make sure it's not bugged by an enemy spy!" Purchase "Squid on Green" from the merch store. There's also a womans' version available.

As a parting bonus, here's Hine's stop-motion animated video for With the Dark, starring that lovable Giant squid.

MP3 of the Week:
Marty Beller Mask

Performed as a trio (John, John and Marty) at Peter Jay Sharp Theatre in New York City on 12/8/11.

Buy Album Raises New and Troubling Questions Now!

TMBG Shirt #50: Team TMBG

2011-12-10T09:18:00.003-05:00

Not to be confused with TMBG Street Team, this new addition to the Giant selection of shirts is number fifty. Representing our favorite Brooklyn "team", this 3/4-length sleeved shirt sports a section of the Brooklyn Bridge with a Giant baseball bat thrust through it.

The back of the shirt has the number 30, presumably for TMBG's thirty years in the business, making this an anniversary shirt. Buy "TMBG Baseball 3/4 Sleeve on White" from the merch store today and join the team!

There's also a new hoodie that reads "TMBG" in the traditional baseball style. With matching cap, which I passed on since I do not wear caps. When will you make me a bucket hat, Giants??

MP3 of the Week:
Pencil Rain

Performed as a trio (John, John and Marty) at Peter Jay Sharp Theatre in New York City on 12/8/11.

Buy Join Us Now!

TMBG Shirt #49: Installing and Servicing Melody

2011-12-03T09:58:00.004-05:00

A fairly simple shirt this week, with the farmiliar TMBG logo surrounded by their slogan printed thrice: "Installing and Servicing Melody Since 1982."

MP3 of the Week:
Weep Day by Logan Whitehurst

I would like to put the usual live content on hold this week to honor a very special musician. Logan Whitehurst was not just an amazing talent, but an incredibly giving person. Anyone that counted him as a friend knows what I'm talking about. Logan died of brain cancer five years ago today, at age 29. He was taken from us far too soon, and I for one will never forget his amazing work and generous spirit. I highly recommend you checking out Logan's music, most of which is available for free download on the Logan Whitehurst Music Archive, including the above cover of TMBG's Weep Day. They Might Be Giants was Logan's favorite band, and it shows in his music. Sadly, I never had the chance to see him perform. His final album, "Very Tiny Songs" which is still available for sale consists of 81 short songs that were suggested by friends and fans of Logan. My song is the last on the album, because I submitted my idea two weeks late. He wrote and recorded the song anyway, and that's Logan for you. Please donate to the American Cancer Society in the memory of Logan Whitehurst.

TMBG Shirt #48: Brainy Crow

2011-11-26T11:04:00.005-05:00

Another work of Tony Millionaire, this shirt features Drinky Crow with his brain popping out. He's carrying his birdhouse and taking a ride on a turtle of some sort which is being stalked by land shark of some kind. In the distance, on the horizon are the mysterious words, "THEY MIGHT BE GIANTS".

A brightly colored Uncle Gabby is hanging out on the left sleeve.

MP3 of the Week:
No One Knows My Plan

Performed at the Berklee Performance Center in Boston, MA on 10/1/11, featuring Curt Ramm on trumpet.

Buy Join Us Now!

TMBG Shirt #47: Quadfest

2011-11-19T08:19:00.004-05:00

This is a shirt that was worn by student security during the ninth annual Quadfest at Worcester Polytechnic Institute in Worcester, MA on 4/28/01. TMBG holds the honor of playing the very first Quadfest back in 1993, and the annual WPI festival continues to this very day.

Yes, I really am security.

MP3 of the Week:
ALFabet of Nations

Listen to John Flansburgh tell a story about a monotonous job that he once held which explains the intentional misspelling of the above song title. Performed at Mahaiwe Performing Arts Center in Great Barrington, MA on 9/9/11.

Buy Join Us Now!

TMBG Shirt #46: Mink Car

2011-11-12T07:42:00.000-05:00

Here's another They Might Be Giants shirt that I don't wear much, simply because I'm not big on long sleeves. It's the Mink Car shirt, featuring art by The Chopping Block from the decade-old album of the same name. It includes handy directions for sandwich assemblage on the left sleeve.

The back is sparsely decorated, with a single Mink Car seat top and center aligned.

MP3 of the Week:
Ana Ng

Performed at the Berklee Performance Center in Boston, MA on 10/1/11.
Buy Join Us Now!

TMBG Shirt #45: University of Delaware

2011-11-05T10:01:00.000-04:00

Back in 1997, I attended a concert at the University of Delaware in Newark. I found this shirt commemorating the show on eBay years later. This is the show from which the official Severe Tire Damage recording of "Battle for the Planet of the Apes" was drawn.

The back of the shirt features the Why Does the Sun Shine? Happy Guy.

MP3 of the Week:
Snail Shell

Performed at the Berklee Performance Center in Boston, MA on 10/1/11.
Buy Join Us Now!

TMBG Shirt #44: Endfest '93

2011-10-29T09:16:00.003-04:00

Happy Halloween! It's a devil of a shirt this week.

TMBG appeared at the second annual Endfest at the Kitsap County Fairgrounds in Seattle, WA on August 7, 1993. The festival was apparently sold out, with other appearing acts including Gin Blossoms, Belly and Social Distortion. The back of the shirt ends with a "Legalize It!" message and a small marijuana leaf.

Here's the video for TMBG's new Halloween song, Marty Beller Mask from the brand new Album Raises New and Troubling Questions. Order now from the merch store. Happy Halloween!

MP3 of the Week:
Withered Hope

Performed at the Berklee Performance Center in Boston, MA on 10/1/11.
Buy Join Us Now!

TMBG Shirt #43: Why Does the Sun Shine? Tour

2011-10-22T08:31:00.004-04:00

Here's a shirt from the 1993 Why Does the Sun Shine? Tour. A TMBG road sign overlays Sol while containing and surrounded by the musical tools of the trade.

The back lists nineteen shows in twenty five days, arranged like the rays of our sun. It reads, "They Might Be Giants Why Does the Sun Shine? 9/93 Tour" even though the last couple of dates took place in October. My first show was in 1993, though in April and thus not part of this tour. The Earth is also present, though not to scale.

MP3 of the Week:
We're the Replacements

John Flansburgh brings up the subject of TMBG t-shirts. Performed at the Berklee Performance Center in Boston, MA on 10/1/11.
Buy Join Us Now!

TMBG Shirt #42: Worker Johns

2011-10-15T09:02:00.001-04:00

Making a rare long sleeve appearance are the Worker Johns. Another design by Mark Marek, who is of course responsible for the very first shirt in this series, "Hayseed Johns".

The front of the shirt simply bears the standard lunch break gear of the factory worker: a metal lunchbox containing a sandwich and a doughnut with a steaming thermos of java.

On the back are John and John decked out in their worker greens in a brightly colored industrial setting. Flansburgh is sporting some stubble and a construction helmet. Linnell deftly carries his accordion with one arm while holding his own helmet and the aforementioned lunch pail with the other. Both appear winded and sweaty after a hard day's rocking at the record factory, pictured in the background. The life of a rock musician is indeed a hard one!

MP3 of the Week:
Los Angeles

This Venue Song was performed at the Berklee Performance Center in Boston, MA on 10/1/11.
Buy Join Us Now!

TMBG Shirt #41: Ape Club

2011-10-08T09:50:00.013-04:00

As you may know, They Might Be Giants have resurrected Battle For the Planet of the Apes after a eight year hiatus. It has been rebranded "Ape Club" and thrust upon the unsuspecting audience, which as always are divided directly in half and instructed to chant the words "PEOPLE!" and "APE!" with a raised fist as the band plays. John Flansburgh has taken it a step further by using a blinding flashlight (Flanslight?) to create an aisle of emptiness in the middle of the club. Check out the video below to (kind of) see what I mean.

A new 2011 tour shirt has been introduced to coincide with the Rise of Ape Club. It features a damned dirty yet colorful ape with clenched fist held aloft. "Monkey Tour on White" is available for purchase at the Merch Store, so go get it and Ape out!

On the back, a listing of the dates that comprise the first two legs, or first half of the tour. It began on September 8 in New Haven, CT and ends on November 26 in Washington, DC.

There is also a new Ape hoodie available. It has the ape on the back and the familiar "Road Crew" inscription and logo on the front in white with blue swirlys.

To finish off the Ape theme, here's the performance of Ape Club that I shot on September 30 at The TLA in Philadelphia, PA, which ends with an unprecedented result. Check it totally out!

MP3 of the Week:

"Spacey Intro Song"
TMBG opened in Boston with this. If you would like to feel as confused and surprised as we did at the show, I suggest that you press the play button without hovering over the above link, which will reveal what song was being played. Performed at the Berklee Performance Center on 10/1/11.
Buy Join Us Now!

TMBG Shirt #40: Bar/None Records

2011-10-01T10:48:00.003-04:00

Here's a neat shirt from Bar/None, They Might Be Giants' first record label.

On the front, TMBG is listed with four other Bar/None bands.

On the back, the Bar/None logo.

MP3 of the Week:
Ana Ng

This popular Bar-None era song was performed at the Capitol Center for the Arts in Concord, NH on 9/10/11.
Buy Join Us Now!

TMBG Shirt #39: Bird In Hand

2011-09-24T09:44:00.007-04:00

This is a limited edition shirt that was available for purchase from the merch site only during the weekend of August 20, 2011. It features the hand of Join Us cover designer Paul Sahre gently grasping one of our fine feathered friends below the band name.

On the back, the hand has opened and birdie has flown the coop. Sorry, you can't get this shirt anymore but you can buy the brand new Ape themed tour shirt! I'll be purchasing it at my next show, #186 in Philadelphia this Friday. Look for it on this blog in the near future!

MP3 of the Week:
John Flansburgh's Shitty, Shitty Story

John told us this amusing anecdote at Mahaiwe* Performing Arts Center in Great Barrington, MA on 9/9/11.
Buy Join Us Now!

*(pronouced "ma-HAY-way")

TMBG Shirt #38: Sailor Shirt

2011-09-17T09:27:00.008-04:00

Avast, me heartys! This Monday, September 19 be International Talk Like a Pirate Day (and CapitalQ's birthday) and we be celebratin' with this shirt that you could be wearin' to be sailin' the high seas. This epic garrrment by none other then swarrrthy arrrtist Tony Millionaire comes complete with whale-flanked pirate ship and colorful tattoo "sleeves".

Shiver me timbers! It be available only in off-white with long sleeves. The back be harrrboring some kind of ocean liner piloted by scurvy dogs that do be trapped inside a glass bottle. Yarrr, this be garrrb fit for any swashbucklin' buccaneer worth his salt, and I will be keelhaulin' the first son of a biscuit eater that utters otherwise!

Ahoy! Thar be one of my favorite performances of Why Does the Sun Shine?!

We be leavin' you landlubbers with a bloody helpful instructional video brought to you by the scallywags at loadingreadyrun.com.

MP3 of the Week:
Pirate Girls Nine

By the powers! We be pressing on with our piratey theme. This musical numerical booty was performed on 2/23/08 at Borders in New York City.
Buy Join Us Now!

TMBG Shirt #37: Union County MusicFest '05

2011-09-10T07:15:00.004-04:00

This week's blog entry comes to you from on the road; Paul and I are currently in Concord, New Hampshire for our third of four TMBG shows in four nights from September 8-11. Our TMBG weekend has been going pretty well so far. Anyway, here's a shirt from Union County MusicFest '05, which happened at Echo Lake Park in Mountainside, NJ on September 17, just over six years ago. Tomorrow is, of course the tenth anniversary of that dreadful day in history that changed our lives forever. While visiting Echo Lake Park we took a look at their respectful 9/11 memorial, which consists of two metal beams recovered from the wreckage, mounted upright to represent the fallen towers.

We saw Spiraling and The Smithereens open the show. I recall that it rained for a little while near the beginning of TMBG's set, but They pulled their gear back a little bit more under the stage awning and played though. There were a couple of annoying teenage girls that obviously came to the show for Joan Jett, but insisted on squeezing into the front row with us during They, and proceeded to talk to each other throughout the show. We went home and left them to it before headlining Jett took the stage. Good times!

MP3 of the Week:
Birdhouse In Your Soul

Performed at the Chameleon Club in Lancaster, PA on 7/28/11.
Buy Join Us Now!

TMBG Shirt #36: Debut Album

2011-09-03T08:59:00.009-04:00

The Rodney Alan Greenblat cover of They Might Be Giants' debut eponymous album has quite a lot going on. You can stare at it for hours at a time for years and still not fully comprehend everything that is happening. From the infinite parade led by the giant John-toting blue dog to the "Truth or Sandwiches" road sign, this is an album cover for the ages!

It's a shame that the back doesn't continue the cover art as the liner notes do.
Can't have everything..

MP3 of the Week:
Clap Your Hands

Performed at the Chameleon Club in Lancaster, PA on 7/28/11.
Buy Join Us Now!

TMBG Shirt #35: Dial-A-Song

2011-08-27T08:24:00.005-04:00

This shirt by J. Otto Seibold sports a tree-dwelling, hat-wearing bird and a magically levitating cigar-smoking telephone. It's all an advertisement for the (now defunct) Dial-A-Song, what else?

The back has the band name surrounded by several classic looking J. Otto characters.

MP3 of the Week:
Put Your Hand Inside the Puppet Head

They opened the show with this classic at the Chameleon Club in Lancaster, PA on 7/28/11.
Buy Join Us Now!

TMBG Shirt #34: The Mesopotamians

2011-08-20T10:19:00.007-04:00

It's The Mesopotamians: Sargon, Hammurabi, Ashurbanipal and Gilgamesh!

A closer look at this shirt reveals the aforementioned troglodytes hanging out on and around their name. The Merch Store currently only has the women's bright red version available.

Some nice Mesopotamian Bobbleheads on the back.

Design by David Cowles, who also directed the video.

MP3 of the Week:
She's An Angel

Performed at the Chameleon Club in Lancaster, PA on 7/28/11.
Buy Join Us Now!

TMBG Shirt #33: Indestructible Object

2011-08-13T09:34:00.013-04:00

This Indestructible Object t-shirt is the natural complement to the EP of the same name. It features a modified version of the familiar logo, with TMBG above and IO below. By the way, I take a large but I also own this shirt in medium for when I want to feel extra indestructible.

The back has the band name superimposed over that of the EP, followed by their time-tested slogan: "Installing & Servicing Melody Since 1982". Buy "Indestructible Object on Blue" at the TMBG Merch store.

MP3 of the Week:
When Will You Die

This worldwide debut of this metarrific Join Us song is uncharacteristically the best that They'll ever play it. Performed at the Chameleon Club in Lancaster, PA on 7/28/11.
You can also see my YouTube video of this.
Buy Join Us Now!

TMBG Shirt #32: US Presidents

2011-08-06T09:53:00.016-04:00

Here's a shirt that commemorates The Chopping Block days of tmbg.com, when firing at a shooting gallery of icons would cause floating presidential heads to cough up links to different parts of the site. As on the front page, the front of the tee features Abraham Lincoln, Theodore Roosevelt, Richard Nixon and Howard Taft (from left), proclaiming the initials of their favorite band. I also have a light blue version of this shirt.

On the back, bonus POTUS Jimmy Carter hangs out, perhaps pondering why he didn't make the cut when the website was designed. His isolation has seemingly been made up for by having the shirt named after him. Buy "Carter on Green" or "Carter on Blue" from the merch store today, and get presidential!

MP3 of the Week:
Cyclops Rock

Performed at the Stone Pony in Asbury Park, NJ on 7/30/11.
Buy Join Us Now!

TMBG Shirt #31: Join Us

2011-07-30T12:00:00.011-04:00

As you may know, the new TMBG album, Join Us has been out for over a week. If you have not purchased it yet, what are you wating for?? Tonight is the record release party at the historic Stone Pony in Asbury Park, NJ. It will be my 180th TMBG show. See you there!

Here's the official album cover shirt by graphic designer Paul Sahre, with the side and rear of the hot pink monster hearse on the front and back of the shirt, respectively. You can buy this shirt at the Merch Store, along with the Join Us digital download, CD, Vinyl record and even an oversized poster of the cover design. I got 'em all!

I also purchased this alternate version at the merch stand yesterday at the Williamsburg Waterfront. It has an enlarged truck on the front and the band name in large lowercase letters on the back.

MP3 of the Week:
Cloisonné

This Join Us song features John Linnell on bass clarinet and Danny Weinkauf on keyboard. Performed at the Chameleon Club in Lancaster, PA on 7/28/11
Buy Join Us Now!

TMBG Shirt #30: Vote John and John '04

2011-07-23T22:12:00.008-04:00

I'm pretty sure that the Johns were not actually running for anything, back in 2004 when the shirt was introduced. Featured is a coat of arms-type presentation of the guitar and accordion. Also included are their logo, slogan and operational-at-the-time DAS phone number. The whole deal is resting on attractive golden laurels. It's really all quite majestic.

The back is sparsely decorated, with just the logo repeated and overlapped by their website address. Support the ultimate fantasy regime. Purchase "Vote Johns on Cream" from the merch store now!

I have now presented to you roughly half of my TMBG T-Shirt Collection. At present, completion of this project is projected for March, 2012 or possibly later, depending on how many more shirts I have scored by then. Three more are currently on order, including the new Join Us album cover shirt. Speaking of which, Join Us is available right now. So what are you waiting for? Go get it!

MP3 of the Week:
How Can I Sing Like a Girl?

Performed at the Bowery Ballroom in New York City on 4/20/00.
Buy Join Us Now!

TMBG Shirt #29: US Postage Stamps

2011-07-16T09:49:00.009-04:00

Here's a shirt that features three US postage stamps surrounding the band name in the Miscellaneous T font. Giant reproductions of these stamps were used as a backdrop during the Flood tour.

MP3 of the Week:
Don't Let's Start

Listen for John Linnell singing a Sesame Street-invented word, "abcdefghijklmnopqrstuvwxyz" at the Bowery Ballroom in New York City on 4/20/00.

TMBG Shirt #28: HFStival 2005

2011-07-09T10:19:00.016-04:00

Back in 2005, I attended a huge stadium show in Baltimore, MD. Included in the lineup were two of my favorite bands: TMBG and Garbage. Other acts appearing included Interpol, Echo & the Bunnymen, New York Dolls, Social Distortion, Good Charlotte, Billy Idol, Coldplay and Foo Fighters. As you might suppose, TMBG didn't get the best reaction from a crowd made up of mostly fans of the big-name acts. I think that I saw one other TMBG shirt.

I found this stunning shirt on eBay last year. It's much prettier then the boring version that I bought at the show. It's kind of a tie-dye pattern, though not nearly as random as other hippi shirts that I've seen.

The back is a collage of band names and logos, including the They Might Be Giants logo near the bottom left.

I shot a little bit of video at this show, just to capture the size of the crowd and TMBG on the awesome Jumbotrons. This clip of Particle Man has become the most viewed TMBG video that I have on YouTube. People love Jumbotrons!

Here's that boring shirt that I was talking about, which I purchased after the show. The back is a little different, with photos of some of the bands. Just the TMBG logo again, this time in the middle on the right.

Ladies and people, here is my offering for TMBG’s Can’t Keep Johnny Down Video Contest. No cats, as per request. It’s a time lapse of my annual trip to the tattoo parlor. This year, it’s the cartoony Johns from Here Comes Science as They appear on the album's official sticker sheet. Chooch at Bayside Ink Tattoo in Beachwood, NJ did the honors on July 6, 2011. You don't see it in the video, but I wore the pretty HFStival shirt while being jabbed repeatedly. Actual time under the needle: 25 minutes. No blood, I promise. I don't really think that this is Grand Prize material, but if I'm very, very lucky I might win myself a TMBG pizza!

Here's me and Chooch after it's all over. Great Job!

MP3 of the Week:
S-E-X-X-Y

Performed with an eight-piece horn section at the Bowery Ballroom in New York City on 5/4/00.

TMBG Shirt #27: No!

2011-07-02T11:24:00.005-04:00

Yes! It's No!.. TMBG's first foray into children's music back in 2002 produced this shirt, creating the illusion of perpetual negativity on behalf of the wearer. A child bearing a giant "No!" word balloon seems particularly congruous, given their propensity for just such an exclamation. Similar to, yet different from the album cover, it features the same Chopping Block characters.. which I always thought are kind of creepy looking if you ask me.

The back reveals the source of this childish negativity, featuring more characters from the Chopping Block animated videos on the enhanced CD, including four fifths of George Washington's head. This shirt is available in both adults' and kids' sizes on the TMBG Merch Store, as well as a special version in pink (not only but) especially for the ladies.

MP3 of the Week:
Lullabyes to Nightmares

Performed at my very first TMBG show, on 4/28/93 at the Count Basie Theater in Red Bank, NJ.

TMBG Shirt #26: 8 Bit Rock

2011-06-25T10:34:00.007-04:00

Unveiled in 2009, this shirt harkens back to an earlier time, a simpler time. A time when a phone call to Brooklyn would score you a listen to a potentially new song and giant, pixelated alien invaders from space rained down in a predictably horizontal fashion. TMBG celebrates those bygone days with this nostalgic garment.

Purchase "8 Bit on White" now and go retro at the TMBG Merch Store!

This design is available on a tote bag (colors reversed) and has also been sighted as a bumper sticker that has been given away at shows.

MP3 of the Week:
Absolutely Bill's Mood

John Flansburgh busted this one out during the Spy improv bit at the Mercury Lounge in New York City on 12/18/97.

TMBG Shirt #25: Dial-A-Song

2011-06-18T09:50:00.004-04:00

Here is one of the many shirts that feature Dial-a-Song, though more prominently then others with the phone number dealt out vertically in large digits from top to bottom, and the dashes represented by the four playing card suits. It's a light grey shirt.

One large diamond is repeated on the back, above which is TMBG's official title, Brooklyn's Ambassadors of Love. Remember, Dial-a-Song itself may be gone but it's far from forgotten. All hail the Ambassadors!

MP3 of the Week:
Reprehensible

Featuring John Linnell on clarinet, performed at The Bowery Ballroom in New York City on 10/23/99.

TMBG Shirt #24: State Songs

2011-06-11T09:38:00.008-04:00

Strictly speaking, this is not a They Might Be Giants shirt. However, In honor of John Linnell's 52nd birthday tomorrow, I present to you the tee that represents his solo album, State Songs. It's really quite patriotic!

On the front, the track numbers accompany their respective state abbreviations in a rough formation of the United States of America, duplicating what appears on the cd itself. On the back, the same states are denoted by their outlines in a multitude of colors. Happy Birthday, John!

MP3 of the Week:
The Songs of the 50 States

Continuing with the Linnellian theme, here's a live performance of his state summation song from The Bowery Ballroom in New York City on 12/11/99.

TMBG Shirt #23: League of Electronic Musical Urban Robots

2011-06-04T10:26:00.016-04:00

Four years ago this week I had the distinct pleasure of attending a special TMBG performance for Robosonic Eclectic, an extraordinary show in downtown Manhattan produced by the League of Electronic Musical Urban Robots (or LEMUR for short), a Brooklyn-based non-profit corporation founded in 2000 by musician and engineer Eric Singer that is dedicated to building musical robots that play themselves. It is truly fascinating stuff.

It should be noted that the shirt is not accurate in terms of what these musical 'bots look like. They're not at all humanoid like C3PO of Star Wars fame, Forbidden Planet's Robby the Robot and Honda's non-fictional ASIMO. To be clear, they're not robots that play instruments but robots that are instruments.

There are two versions of this shirt, and I was having a hard time deciding if I was more ROBOT or HUMAN. I was able to silence the internal debate as well as double my "donation" to this worthy non-profit corporation by resolving to purchase both of them. I suppose that makes me something in between, perhaps some kind of thirsty cyborg with a taste for human flesh.

The robotic instruments that accompanied TMBG included a GuitarBot (to the right), a XyloBot (to the left and behind them) and a ClangBot (above and between them) as well as several other percussion bots scattered about the space. John and John performed three songs as a (human) duo, each of which was rarer then the last. The first song was a shortened yet lovely rendition of With the Dark, one of my favorite songs on The Else. John Flansburgh played a tiple, an instrument that falls somewhere between a ukelele and a guitar.

The second song performed was Vestibule, which was never performed live before these LEMUR shows and never since. I'd already felt that this song from Cast Your Pod To the Wind has a kind of mechanical feel to it, which seemingly makes it well suited for the robotic arrangement.

The final song performed was an unreleased rarity that was only played once before and never since called Our Cannibal Friends. My camera unfortunately decided that this song was just too rare to capture in its entirety, stopping itself a little bit short of the end of the song. Boy, was I steamed. So sorry!

MP3 of the Week:
Robot Parade

Continuing with the robotic theme, here's the "Adult" version which opened the show on 4/30/01 @ The Bowery Ballroom in New York City.

TMBG Shirt #22: John Henry

2011-05-28T11:34:00.007-04:00

I have several album cover shirts, and this one happens to be my favorite album. Represent! I have to admit that this shirt, which showcases a striking pre-pubescent girl has raised its share of eyebrows. I think that this says more about these arched-brow wearers then they might think the shirt says about me.

On the back of the shirt, what else? The back cover. Just a bit faded. Design by Mike Mills.

MP3 of the Week:
Jukebox

A funny little song performed in London, England on 8/28/89.

TMBG Shirt #21: We Never Go To work

2011-05-21T10:14:00.008-04:00

Oh no, no, I never wear this shirt. Well, that's not exactly true.. I do wear it occasionally. It's just that yellow isn't my color. Neither is red, but that usually won't stop me from buying yet another TMBG shirt. On the front is the standard cat-and-mouse instrumental bathathon.

On the back is a child taking trumpet lessons from a dog-headed boy. Nothing weird about that. "WE NEVER GO TO WORK" is inscribed above. Buy "Work on Yellow" now at the TMBG Merch Store.

Here's the fun video that the images were borrowed from that snuck onto the Here Come the 123s album disguised as "7 Days of the Week". It was animated by David Cowles and Sean McBride, so I suppose that they deserve credit for the shirt, as well.

MP3 of the Week:
Masshole

An instrumental show opener that usually included band introductions. Performed at The Bowery Ballroom in New York City on 4/20/00.

TMBG Shirt #20: Visit Amish Country

2011-05-14T10:30:00.007-04:00

Appropriate Earthen tones accompany this fitting tribute to the Amish people. "Visit Amish Country", an Amish giant invites. And in fact, TMBG soon will be visiting Amish Country with a show in Lancaster, PA on July 28. See you there, possibly wearing this very shirt! Get yours now, from the merch store.

Here's a better look at the design. Friendly!

MP3 of the Week:
John Flansburgh on Space Ghost

John talks about his (still unaired) appearance on Cartoon Network's wacky talk show, Space Ghost: Coast to Coast during a radio appearance on 2/2/97.

TMBG Shirt #19: Enjoy Shirt

2011-05-07T10:00:00.003-04:00

"ENJOY The music of They Might Be Giants", this shirt requests. Pictured is a gentleman relaxing in a hammock while listening to his favorite music on the hi-fi.

On the back, another fan kicks back and does the same. REFRESHING: The Music of They Might Be Giants! I also have this one in orange.

MP3 of the Week:
The (Infamous) Famous Polka

The infamous stage collapse accident @ The Modjeska Theater in Milwaukee, WI on 10/5/92. Listen closely at :44 to hear the stage collapsing.

TMBG Shirt #18: They Might Be Giants

2011-04-30T11:54:00.008-04:00

Welcome to a special video edition of TMBG Shirt of the Week. I first laid eyes on this week's entry behind the merch table at a late nineties show at the Bowery Ballroom in New York City. The most plain TMBG shirt I had ever seen, it was simply the band name in white block letters on a black shirt. When I inquired about it, I was told that some of them were recently unearthed in their warehouse, and that it's the first shirt that the band ever produced. Sold!

Here's a short fan video that I shot last week for a special They Might Be Giants Awareness Day project conceived by my friend Kelly, in which I'm wearing the debut shirt. She produced a string of clips submitted by various fans, and it was subsequently posted on TMBG's own Facebook page. You can watch the full fan video here.

Here's a sequel video that I just shot for this entry, in which I'm wearing an alternate gray version of this week's shirt. As in the video, I'd like to remind you that the Join Us Preview EP is now available for purchase on theymightbegiants.com, iTunes and amazon.com. And if you order from the official band site, you can get the newest TMBG t-shirt, with the Join Us cover art. Like I always say, you can never have too many of those.

MP3 of the Week:
The World's Address

A rare performance from 12/31/87 in New York City.

TMBG Shirt #17: TMBG Street Team

2011-04-23T17:54:00.008-04:00

In honor of They Might Be Giants awareness day, I give you my coveted TMBG Street Team t-shirt. Actually, bad choice of words. You can't have it; this one's mine! The style of the text on this one completes the "baseball tee" look. I'm on the team!!

I received this shirt in 2004, during the height of the Street Team promotion. I volunteered to hand out some fliers to the folks lined up for a couple of TMBG shows at NYC's Irving Plaza. The flyers advertised for an off-broadway run of People Are Wrong!, just around the corner at the Vineyard Theatre. In addition to the shirt, I was awarded a free ticket to the play on the date of my choice. While I was busy with my assignment, I missed an appearance of comedian Mike Myers, who reportedly arrived early and was ushered inside. I later saw him enjoying the show from the balcony, and later still from backstage.

MP3 of the Week:
"(I've Learned the Value of) Human Sacrifice"

Performed on 4/29/97 at Cabaret Metro in Chicago, IL.

TMBG Shirt #16: The Skullivan

2011-04-16T09:14:00.011-04:00

I'm just running out to the merchandise stand..

I'll just be a moment, I'll just be an instant...

I'm back!! And I purchased Skully... you gotta check this ouuuuuuuttt.

When The Skullivan waves at you from a shirt..

You'd had better wave back or you might get hurt!

Okay, so I guess that this isn't really The Skullivan, but the song has always made me think of this shirt. It's a friendly, hip, new-age, halo-wearing, glove-sporting, mustachioed skull guy. I think that he's playing jacks. Designed by Meat Puppets guitarist Curt Kirkwood, this shirt should please even the most skull-obsessed phrenologist. On the back is a slightly more abstract painting that kind of reminds me of a Picasso.

MP3 of the Week:
Shoehorn With Teeth

Featuring the "CD Fast-Forward Version", performed at Toad's Place in New Haven, CT on 4/16/98.

TMBG Shirt #15: Pearl

2011-04-09T09:58:00.004-04:00

Here's a shirt that showcases one of my favorite logos. Using a script font, the y in "They" creates a swooping banner which encapsulates the remainder of the name.

On the back is an image first used inside the Why Does the Sun Shine? single: It's the face of Pearl, played by child actor Sally Jane Bruce in the 1955 film The Night of the Hunter. Pearl has also been used as a backdrop for TMBG's live show.

MP3 of the Week:
O Tannenbaum

An improvised performance featuring The Stick at the Mercury Lounge in New York City on 12/18/97.

TMBG Shirt #14: Drunk Guy

2011-04-02T09:07:00.004-04:00

I got a ride home with a Drunk Guy.

How ungrateful I must have seemed.

He showed me how to spin my head round and round.

Trying to kill the pain, or just forget? So are TMBG. To celebrate They offer this drunken fan, complete with cartoon-style drunk bubbles. I also have this shirt in gold, but it's the Drunk Guy on Blue that's still available at the TMBG Merch Store. Celebration!

MP3 of the Week:
Meet James Ensor

Nicely performed with an eight piece horn section at the Celebrate Brooklyn! Festival at Prospect Park in Brooklyn, NY on 8/19/00.

TMBG Shirt #13: TMBG NASCAR

2011-03-26T09:10:00.008-04:00

Shake the ground with 10,000 watts of earth-shattering TMBG funny car power. It's the NASCAR shirt. Printed in long sleeve with branded racing stripes on the sleeves. My favorite part about this shirt is that it sports the band's name (or its initials) a stunning eight times.

Designed by graphics wiz Mike Mills, who also created the John Henry, Back to Skull and Snail Shell single covers. Authentic pit crew oil stains not included. As indicated on the back, this print is number two in a limited edition series of one hundred shirts. Just kidding.

I do in fact have a legitimately rare short-sleeved version of this shirt, which I wear much more often. My sister came across it in a thrift store for three dollars while vacationing in Florida, and brought it back for my amazement. I have never seen another one of these, anywhere. It's rare-wear!

MP3 of the Week:

I'll Sink Manhattan
John Flansburgh talks about the origins of the song's title and who it pissed off. Performed at Irving Plaza in New York City on 2/21/97.

TMBG Shirt #12: Gumby Giants

2011-03-19T10:06:00.013-04:00

They Might Be Claymation. On a shirt. Without the 'mation. Requested by Gabby.

The front of this "baseball tee" features a "Meatclown" anthropomorphic hamburger tree, as well as a couple ocularized burgers being grilled. The "unpicked" bunned patties seem to have have grown some pretty, lustrous hair. Nothing weird about that. Above, the band name is begun with a golden, jewel-encrusted "They". Admittedly, I don't wear this shirt as often as many others because I'm not a big fan of the 3/4 "baseball tee" sleeves. Designed in 2003, you can still purchase "Gumby on White/Navy" at the TMBG Merch Store.

The back explains the title of the shirt. Here we have John and John in what appears to be clay. They have odd complexions and long, alien-like fingers. The golden-jeweled name is completed below. This is one of those shirts which really seems to me that it would have looked better with the front picture on the back, and vice-versa. The figures were created by 2002 Oscar and Emmy-winning animator of "Boobiegirl", Brooke Keesling. Here's a photo from her website and what she has to say about the shirt:

"I went to see the LA premiere of Gigantic (the documentary about the band They Might Be Giants) and gave a copy of Boobie Girl and Meatclown to John Flansburgh after the show, just as a fan. Well, a few weeks later I received an e-mail from them asking me to design a t-shirt for their next tour, they wanted puppets of themselves made in the style of Meatclown (embedded below) …Here they are!"

MP3 of the Week:

Istanbul (Not Constantinople)
This is the "freaky version". The ending is.. freaky. Performed at Irving Plaza in New York City on 10/29/94

TMBG Shirt #11: Happy Guy

2011-03-12T07:25:00.009-05:00

This week's shirt is simple but sweet: it's the WDTTS? Happy Guy!

In all his purple glory, it's.. a guy. Let's call him, 'Guy'. He's quite happy. In fact, it looks like he may want a hug. Have I ever gotten a hug for wearing this? No. But I can dream, can't I?

Guy originally appeared on the 1993 EP cover for "Why Does The Sun Shine?". Guy is clipart from the 30s or 40s which was created by the Stivers Studio in San Francisco. John Flansburgh came across it and passed him along to Megan Montague Cash, designer of the EP cover. WDTSS? is a cover of a song originally from the 1959 Space Songs album by Hy Zaret and Lou Singer. There are also lovely covers on this EP of The Allman Brothers' "Jessica" and "Whirlpool", originally by Meat Puppets. Incidentally, Curt Kirkwood of the Puppets designed a TMBG shirt himself, which you could keep an eye out for in the coming weeks.

The back of the shirt proclaims THEY MIGHT BE GIANTS in the same font used on the EP cover, though in large, florescent green lettering. This is one that you can still read after I'm a block away, folks. I'll leave people wondering, "Who was that Guy??"

MP3 of the Week:

What Am I Doin' Hangin' Round
In honor of The Monkees' 45th Anniversary Tour, here's John & John covering a Monkees tune. Performed at Quiet Life in New York City on 12/31/89.

TMBG Shirt #10: The Snowman Shirt

2011-03-05T19:16:00.010-05:00

What are you staring at? Haven't you ever beheld an animated snowman being brazenly broiled by a blazing buildup of billowing banknotes? Why would he do such a thing?? Well, I suppose that Frosty has decided to off himself in style; he's even smoking a cigar with a mischievous grin. With his overt obliviousness of the irresistibly inexorable irony, this stylish softening snowman is anything but abominable!

I have a total of nine different versions of The Snowman Shirt, including two sweatshirts. This is my personal favorite , in stunning color on white.

The back of the shirt pictures what's left of poor Mr. Snowman; just a puddle, his pair of mittens and top hat. What happened to his scarf and galoshes? We may never know.

Illustrated by Mark Mazut, this seminal TMBG drawing first appeared on the 1987 Don't Let's Start EP on vinyl, which features When It Rains It Snows as a b-side. Coincidence? I think maybe!

Here, a somewhat smaller Snowman is drastically dwarfed by the band name. I also have this one in reverse, with black printing on a white shirt, and nothing on the back of either. "Snowman on White" and "Snowman on Black" are both currently available on the TMBG Merch Store.

This one is a ringer shirt with the band name on the back instead. I also have this permutation in orange, and another that's white. "Solo Snowman on Black" is also available on the TMBG Merch Store, which has white printing on black, without the rings. I don't own that one.. yet. Let's go for ten!

This is a 20th Anniversary Shirt, as it says on the back along with the name and slogan.

I also have a tour shirt version which is similar to my favorite, with Mr. Snowman bigger then ever, though with less color.

It's the "John Henry World Tour" t-shirt, with '94-'95 dates listed on the back including my second and third shows, in Red Bank, NJ and Asbury Park, NJ respectively. I don't remember this being sold at those shows, but then, it was a long time ago.

The Snowman design is also on a couple of sweatshirts, again available in the TMBG Merch Store. There's the original "Snowman on Black" pullover hoodie, above as well as the newer "TMBG Road Crew on Brown" zip-up hoodie, with the Snowman on the back.

MP3 of the Week:

Runaway
This Del Shannon classic sounds awesome with accordion! Performed at the Modjeska Theater in Milwaukee, WI on 10/5/92.

TMBG Shirt #9: Queen Victoria

2011-02-26T10:36:00.004-05:00

What's that in the sky, high above the castle ramparts? Is it a bird? Is it a plane?
No, its Queen Victoria!

Also known as The Flying Carpet Shirt, the design comes to us from NY resident Michael Kupperman, whose work also graces the cover of TMBG's 1999 Internet album Long Tall Weekend. On the front of the shirt, Britain's Queen Victoria embarks on a bloody good magic carpet ride with a pair of proper-looking English urchins.

Back in 2000, I managed to get this shirt on television. Here I am in the audience for a taping of Late Show with David Letterman wearing my Queen Victoria shirt. I attempted to hold up a finger while pointing at the shirt with my other hand (TMBG#1!) , but it didn't quite resolve.

On the back, the matriarch and her companions are spying on a very shady looking masked miscreant, some numpty who is availing himself of a mysterious secret stairwell hidden inside the trunk of a tree, possibly to see a man about a dog. Blimey, who knows what adventures these scrutinizing sleuths will stumble upon?!

MP3 of the Week:

"The Johns Love You"
During a show on 3/13/99 at Lupo's in Providence, RI, there's a disagreement over which John loves you; the sincere guy in the band, or the angry one with all the swear words.

TMBG Shirt #8: Giant Bugs

2011-02-19T07:58:00.017-05:00

They Might Be Giant Insects on this week's shirt. Towering over the cityscape are a trio of titanic arthropods, with the band name splashed across the top in blood red. That's right, kids. It's a monster movie of a t-shirt!

Diabolically depicted by monstrosity authority Steve Blickenstaff, he describes his TMBG shirt experience thusly: "I met John Flansburgh at the 9:30 Club in Washington, DC back in the mid 90s when my friend Joe McGinty was playing keyboards in Mono Puff (Flansburgh's side project/band). John was familiar with the "Bad Music For Bad People" album cover artwork that I had done for the band The Cramps, and he asked me if I would be interested in designing a T-Shirt for TMBG. I remember we talked over some ideas via phone and fax. I sent him a page of rough design sketches and we decided that I would work up the giant insect theme. As a bonus I was also asked to design the back of the T-shirt as well which continued with the giant insect theme and featured several giant ants, one chewing on a telephone. I've always been a fan of old science fiction and horror movies so designing the T-shirt was a real treat for me. Not to mention that I'm also a huge fan of TMBG!"

A crowd of people have gathered in awe of these menacing monstrosities, and wouldn't you know it, John & John have made it out! Among the silhouettes, on the far right are our guys sporting their guitar and accordion. Perhaps They came out to serenade our benevolent insect overlords. Or.. maybe the bugs are here for a TMBG show! Steve told me that he included them at Flansburgh's request, adding that in all these years, I am the first to point it out to him. Fortuitously, I only just discovered this amazing T-Shirt Easter Egg while preparing this blog entry.

As Steve mentions, the giant bug theme continues on the back with some colossal ants, crawling around the telephone wires in the background and chomping on an old-fashioned rotary telephone in the foreground. Appropriately, we also have the Dial-A-Song number. I also have the original, off-white version of this shirt, though "Bugs on Grey", pictured above is the one still available in the TMBG Merch Store.

Just recently, this new version was introduced. For those of us who are all about the telephone-chomping ants, it features a more sensible font with the design from the back on the front minus the DAS ad, and nothing on the back. You can also purchase "Bugs on White" at the TMBG Merch Store.

MP3 of the Week:

The Infamous Countdown
Here's the original version of the "Countdown" introduction recording that was used by the Johns just before They took the stage. Recorded on 6/20/88 at Tipitina's in New Orleans, LA.

TMBG Shirt #7: All The Songs

2011-02-12T10:15:00.017-05:00

In 2003, TMBG celebrated 20 years of Dial-a-Song with this metarrific garment.

The name of the band is surrounded by an exhaustive listing of every TMBG song ever recorded up to the printing of the shirt. The list has been printed in the shape of a t-shirt, effectively having it a double as a tribute to 20 years of TMBG shirts! This is the original, "ringer" version with white collar and sleeves.

Here's a better look at the list; click for an easier read. It's an impressive list to wear around but far from perfect; there are misspellings ("Dan vs. Kog", "Candystippers", "Why Does The Sunshine", "Yeh! Yeh!") , repetitions ("Swing Is A Word" and "Swing Is A Word Six Feet Down", "Bathymetry" and "Down To The Bottom of the Sea", "Be Kind And Gentle" and "Budnitz #1"), omissions ("Bed Bed Bed", "(She Was A) Hotel Detective") and even a few titles of songs that we've never heard of. ("Convergence", "I Wouldn't Be Mad" , "The Life of Ed")

A small graphic on the back pictures an old-fashioned looking telephone with only four buttons that read, what else? TMBG. It reads, "Dial-A-Song 718-387-6962" as well as the slogans, "Since 1983. Just a regular call to Brooklyn. Always busy. Often broken. Free when you call from work."

I also have a later shirt with a larger version of the t-shirt graphic, for slightly easier to read printing. Of course, Dial-a-Song is now extinct, but the shirt can still be enjoyed! Currently on the TMBG Merch Store is "Large Graphic Songs on Black", pictured above as well as "Small Graphic Songs on Black", which seems to be third version that's a cross between these two; it has the smaller graphic printed on a non-ringer shirt.

MP3 of the Week:

Snowball in Hell
Performed on 6/17/88 in Austin, TX. Listen for "you've got the needle out" in the opening, which was cut on the album.

TMBG Shirt #6: Podcasting for Anteaters

2011-02-05T08:47:00.028-05:00

This week's shirt is a sassy purple. Coming to us courtesy of the They Might Be Giants Podcast is a very popular design among passionate podcasters and anteater aficionados alike.

In a charming illustration by anthropomorphic enthusiast Jess Rotter, four social pairs of anteaters are depicted lounging, strolling or just hanging around while enjoying their TMBG podcast via large pairs of headphones. The female of the species are represented by skirts and high-heeled shoes. These guys are surrounded by vegetation, rainy clouds and.. tiny flying skulls? Here's a more detailed look, courtesy of jessrotter.com.

I e-mailed artist Jess, and she was kind enough to share some details of her experience with us: "John Flansburgh came to me with the idea for a tee shirt in 2006, after he saw an illustration I did for a British clothing line called Birdie (above). He wanted to create a world of music lovin' anteaters simply hanging out and listening to their favorite band: They Might Be Giants. (duh!) My favorite critter in the piece is the one in the mod stereo chair where you can only see his little belly and feet. I had a lot of fun making this piece for the Giants and hope that it makes TMBG fans beam."

The back of the shirt reads, "THEY MIGHT BE GIANTS PODCASTING FOR ANTEATERS" with a reappearance of the largest headphone-wearing mammal. This illustration also serves as the cover art for the "Podcast Highlights" promotional CD. First introduced in late 2006, this "Benefit for Bandwidth Anteaters on Purple" t-shirt is still available for purchase on the TMBG Merch Site. Support the podcast, and someday soon we just might be blessed with a new episode!

MP3 of the Week:

Insect Hospital
A short, improvised song that was performed on 9/28/98 at The Barrymore in Madison, WI.

TMBG Shirt #5: World Tour 2040

2011-01-29T09:56:00.010-05:00

Let's face it. If there's any band that has this kind of staying power, it's our boys. Like me, you may have missed out on seeing John & John perform in the eighties, but at least we can still look forward to seeing them perform in their eighties. After thirty great years of They Might Be Giants, here's to an even greater thirty more years!

Here we have the Johns as They Might Be appearing in the year 2040, illustrated by the great Tony Millionaire. John Flansburgh is wheelchair-bound, wearing old man glasses and has very little hair, the exception of course being inside his ears. He clutches an electric guitar, with no need for an amp in the futuristic world he now lives in. John Linnell, however is connected.. to an IV drip. He has his accordion handy as well as a bowling ball pattern of liver spots on his balding head. Both of the pale, fragile-looking men wear what appear to be hospital gowns and slippers, as if They Might Be nursing home escapees who just busted out against doctor's orders to do just one more tour. You gotta admire that.

This "Tour Shirt" even includes the standard list of tour dates, venues and cities on the back. It's a grueling 22 shows in 24 days from January 13 thru February 6, starting in Asbury Park (Not the Stone, Stone Pone, Stone Pony but the Fast Lane) followed by New York, Pittsburgh, St. Louis, Branson, South Amboy, New Haven, "LA Island" which has apparently been separated from the mainland via The Big One and "People's Republic of Utah", who have seemingly succeeded from the union. They will also visit some foreign countries; Sweden is treated to four shows, followed by Germany, Ukraine, China and Japan. The tour culminates with three off-world concerts on The Moon, Mars and "Las Venus". Of course, I might be living on one of these otherworldly colonies by then; nevertheless, I plan on following the entire tour. See you there!

MP3 of the Week:
Particle Man
In honor of TMBG's 2040 show at "Le Ace of Base" in Brussels, Sweden, here's John Linnell performing "The Sign" instead of the usual PM bridge. Performed on 10/23/97 at The Agora in Cleveland, OH, this version also includes the lyric "Particle Man hates Particle Man".

TMBG Shirt #4: William Allen White

2011-01-22T11:09:00.026-05:00

This week's shirt features "That Guy" that you've seen in some of TMBG's early videos, or perhaps as a backdrop at a live show. As you may know, his name is William Allen White. He was a Pulitzer Prize-winning writer and newspaper editor from Kansas who lived from 1868-1944. Why did John & John want some old guy in their videos, anyway? They're just weird. But why this old guy? Well, according to Flansburgh: "We wanted to use the face of Orson Wells, but were afraid we'd get sued." I think that at this point it's safe to say that TMBG is in no danger of a grudge being held by the estate of William Allen White.

The front of the shirt displays the standard disembodied, floating head of Mr. White above a giant, florescent green letter T. When I walk around wearing this, onlookers stare at my chest and ask, "Who's that?", to which I reply in an authoritative tone, "That's William Allen White." or if I'm feeling lazy, simply, "That's Billy!" and do not offer any further explanation unless one is asked for, which it often isn't.

Here's Don't Let's Start, in case you're not familiar with how the band has used WAW in their videos. I wonder who they got to hold those giant WAW heads up and dance around (in slow-motion no less, so it would sync up with the music when the footage was sped up). Imagine being able to say, "See that Giant dancing head right there? That's me." Man, those people are lucky. Incidentally, my first ever exposure to TMBG was this video.

On the back, a smaller WAW head accommodates the remaining three initials of our favorite band, this time in red. As you can see, this shirt does not fully convey its message unless both sides are read, and in the correct order. And even then, most people are left scratching their own head. As it should be.

MP3 of the Week:

"Truman" (lyrics)
A few times, John or John decided to goof on the audience after receiving a big response to being told that they're going to hear a song about a president. This was one of those times: 9/12/97 at TRAX in Charlottesville, VA.

TMBG Shirt #3: Tour Hats

2011-01-15T07:38:00.018-05:00

Entrant number three of the TMBG Shirt of the Week finds us with the shirt that inspired the project. Illustrated by Young Fresh Fellows drummer Tad Hutchison in 1994, this one wins the award for silliest shirt.

"LOOKY AT THE NEW TOUR HATS!", the top proclaims in colorful, capital letters with the O's in the first word enlarged to resemble eyes. In white at the bottom, "THEY MIGHT BE GIANTS" is printed and three slogans are featured in the center: "Style you can count on!", "Quality you deserve!" and "Keeps head warm too!". What these signs are referring to are the three surrounding absurdly slim figures impossibly supporting on their heads what appear to be full-sized musical instruments. It's a three-piece hat-band with guitar, accordion and drums, the last of which seems to be precipitating some perspiration from its bearer. Nevertheless, he and his associates seem happy enough, with broad smiles and flat eyes hovering in empty space in front of their faces.

A few months back I was posting the photo of the day of John Flansburgh that I took an an instore in '03 in which I believe that he's showing off his newest guitar by holding it above his head. It reminded me of this shirt so I added the comment, "Keeps head warm too!". Somebody asked me to explain and I wanted to show them what I was referring to but had to settle for describing it because I was unable to locate a decent photo of the shirt anywhere on the Internets. That's when I first had the idea for this weekly t-shirt deal.

The back of the shirt reads, "THEY MIGHT BE GIANTS (R) HATS" followed by "Take 'em anywhere!! Hats designed for your 'on the go' lifestyle". What follows are four ridiculous panels that depict some great examples of activities one might partake in while wearing this fabulous headgear. We have "Perfect for the office!", "Ski trips!", "Golf outings!" and of course, "Rock n roll concerts!" with the guitar player and drummer wearing what else but guitar and drums on their respective heads. Now that's rock!!

MP3 of the Week:

Frankenstein

TMBG goes ahead with a Tower Records instore performance in New York City on 10/16/98 without John Flansburgh, who is feeling under the weather. They do have some horns, so this classic from the Edgar Winter Group is attempted, and here's the amusing result.

TMBG Shirt #2: They Might Be Dead

2011-01-08T07:39:00.007-05:00

Here's my favorite tour shirt. We all know how death is such a prevalent TMBG theme, so why not go all the way? After all, anything worth doing is worth doing right. I don't have nearly enough black TMBG shirts, so I was happy to see this one for sale at the merch stand at the Celebrate Brooklyn! Festival in 2000. This is when I found out that occasionally some old shirts are unearthed at the warehouse and subsequently offered for sale at a New York show. Sweet!

Later on that day, I saw Dan Miller get his own TMBD shirt, and I'm pretty sure that he actually paid for it. He seems to enjoy the shirt so much that he has worn it to several shows, including the performance that was shot for Gigantic: A Tale of Two Johns. In the DVD commentary, John Flansburgh mentions that They Might Be Dead is their worst-ever selling t-shirt; I guess a big dead cockroach will do that. This shirt does pop up on eBay from time to time if you're into that kind of thing.. I know I am. Anyway, here's a bonus video from the DVD of TMBG performing TMBG. Watch the left side for Miller in TMBD.

The back of the shirt reads "TMBG'S EXTRA CRISPY WORLD TOUR 1992" followed by a plethora of tour dates and cities. Sadly, I did not start attending shows until the following year and thus did not attend any of the shows listed. It's a good thing that I can't see these dates while I'm wearing them, because if I stare at the seven-NYC-shows-in-eight-nights for more then a few seconds, I start to drool on myself.

I particularly like that nowhere on the shirt does it actually say They Might Be Giants. A little extra ambiguity can go a long way. See you next week!

MP3 By Request:

Georgy Girl

A short cover of a song originally by 60's Australian folk band The Seekers, performed at Toad's Place in New Haven, CT on 4/16/98.

TMBG Shirt #1 - Hayseed Johns

2011-01-01T00:01:00.031-05:00

Happy New Year!

This shirt holds a very special place in my heart, as I purchased it from the merch stand at my first TMBG show on April 28, 1993 at the Count Basie Theater in Red Bank, NJ. Well, not this exact shirt. This is the replacement that I acquired much more recently to supersede my amazingly worn-out original, which is now unwearable yet lovingly kept in a safe place. I wore that shirt very, very often. It was my first TMBG shirt, so it seems fitting that I make it Shirt #1 on this blog.

The front of the shirt, a drawing by Mark Marek, depicts the Johns as a band hailing from the south. They Might Be Hayseeds, complete with large haystack and picket fence. Chewing on a hay stalk, Flansburgh is wearing a funny farmer's hat and knee patches while disproportionally taller Linnell sports bare feet and overalls.

On the back, Mark pays homage to an illustration by Gustaf Tenggren on the cover of the classic childrens' book The Poky Little Puppy, one of the many "Little Golden Books" that was read to me as a child. The fact that I immediately recognized this image probably played a part in my decision to choose this shirt as my first.

"An all-time favorite" is how this shirt is tagged in the online merch store, and I could not think of a better description. Currently being offered is the new 20th Anniversary edition, which features a small version of the Puppy and TMBG's time-tested slogan. That's right, kids! You, too can wear Hayseed Johns for just $25.

I have chosen nine other personal favorites to occupy the first ten weeks of this project, in no particular order. After that, I will be picking shirts at random, or possibly by request. See you next week!

Weekly MP3s Continue:

She Was a Hotel Detective

A performance of the Back To Skull sequel song featuring the patented Flansburgh Falsetto @ Mercury Lounge in New York City on 3/28/96.

A New Feature For 2011: TMBG Shirt of the Week

2010-12-31T02:27:00.016-05:00

I have a lot of t-shirts. It's pretty much the only kind of shirt that I wear outside the house, and it's one of my favorite ways to support my interests, be it a band, television show, film or something else in pop culture. Not only am I (potentially) contributing, financially speaking, to these endeavors, I'm making the people around me (more) aware of these things that I enjoy. At the very least I'm making them think, "Geez, how many shirts that say 'They Might Be Giants' does this guy have??" Well, let's find out. I bring you..

In case you can't tell, I own enough TMBG shirts to take this blog well into 2012.

The idea is to have a detailed catalog and history of TMBG shirts, something which I've long felt should be available. There are so many of them and some that plenty of fans have never seen. TMBG shirts are always interesting and fun to look at, often even for people that aren't familiar with the band or their music. I can include details and history that some readers never noticed or were not aware of, and even comments by artists who are interested in participating. The opportunity to advertise for the band when a shirt is still available for sale is a happy bonus.

Pre-Halloween Shows

2010-10-30T23:55:00.008-04:00

Paul and I saw two great TMBG shows the day before Halloween, and we dressed up as Raoul Duke and Dr. Gonzo from one of our favorite films, Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas. The shows were joined by Curt Ramm and Stan Harrison, but Dan Miller was absent from the late show. During the early show, the Johns commented on the crushing weight of their latest Grammy Award (above). Nobody in the band dressed up, except for Marty Beller who went as a Drum Cymbal. There were also a few other costumed audience members, including a Freddy Krueger.

A Song For You:

You Are My Sunshine

Per request, here's a "cover" of a classic tune that John Linnell busts out with while John Flansburgh conducts the standard improvised cacophony of musical noise that occupies the final section of "Spy". This happened at a show in Bielefeld, Germany on 4/22/92.

TMBG Tattoos

2010-10-16T07:40:00.023-04:00

For many years I'd wanted a They Might Be Giants tattoo, something original. I came across photos of some tats sported by a "Weird" Al Yankovic fanatic named Dave Rossi who had the entire band sign his ankles, and then added color portraits. I thought it was a neat, original idea for a TMBG tattoo, especially considering that Flansburgh's autograph includes a stunning self-portrait but I didn't want to go through with it if I couldn't get my ankle signed directly.

I initially asked John Flansburgh during a short unplanned, unmoderated text chat that happened in 2000 after a planned, moderated voice chat hosted by emusic.com. Here's an excerpt:

tdk says: John Flansburgh, I got to see TMBG in concert for the 50th time last month at MIT. You guys are better and better every time I see you! I have a personal request to make, I hope it doesn't sound too crazy to you: Would you autograph my left ankle, so I can have it inked in as a tattoo? I'm completely serious about this.
John Flansburgh - They Might Be Giants says: I suppose, although it does sound crazy
foodmage says: Now THAT is hardcore.
John Flansburgh - They Might Be Giants says: I'm not really into body modification
John Flansburgh - They Might Be Giants says: I can't even figure out how to shave

So, he (grudgingly) agreed but I didn't get to ask him to do it in person until over a year later, at the infamous Mink Car in-store and I'm sure that he had forgotten about the exchange by then. He turned me down, and I was disappointed but not surprised. Hours later, the Trade Center came down and my autograph problem seemed a bit inconsequential.

After about four years, I decided to go ahead and get the Flansy tattoo using the autograph he signed for me on paper mere seconds after declining to sign my ankle. I had it done as a birthday present to myself, and have since gone back for a new tattoo annually during my birth month. (July)

Needless to say, I didn't bother asking Mr. Linnell, and ended up using an autograph he gave me at an in-store signing. In '07 and '08 I got my logos, and have since had an opportunity to flash my ankles at the Johns, who seemed impressed.

Last year I got my first non-TMBG tattoo. It's the Robot Chicken from my favorite television show of the same name. It went over well at the Robot Chicken Skate Party. This year I added Drinky Crow opposite the Chicken, which works out well since Crow is an Adult Swim character as well as a long-time TMBG icon.

In 2011, I intend to fill the two remaining ankle spaces (fronts) with the cartoon Johns from Here Comes Science in a grand double-finale'. It will resolve perfectly with each John gesturing towards his respective autograph. I have pasted these guys into the above college as a kind of simulation to give you an idea of what it will look like.

UPDATE: July 6, 2011

The time has come. As promised, my 2011 TMBG Tattoo Twofer!

Ladies and people, here is my offering for TMBG’s Can’t Keep Johnny Down Video Contest. No cats, as per request. It’s a time lapse of my annual trip to the tattoo parlor. This year, it’s the cartoony Johns from Here Comes Science (above) as They appear on the album's official sticker sheet. Chooch at Bayside Ink Tattoo in Beachwood, NJ did the honors on July 6, 2011. You don't see it in the video, but I wore my tie-dye HFStival shirt (#28) while being jabbed repeatedly. Actual time under the needle: 25 minutes. No blood, I promise.

MP3 of the Week:
I Hope That I Get Old Before I Die

John and John attempt to convince the audience to sing along on the chorus, again and again and again. They even provide cue cards! Performed at Tipitina's in New Orleans, LA on 6/20/88.
Buy Join Us Now!

Three Down, One Missed and Five to Go

2010-10-02T11:27:00.009-04:00

We saw a nice family show at Town Hall, then headed downtown for the customary pastrami sandwich at my favorite NYC eatery, Katz's delicatessen. We spent longer there then anticipated, and rather then hurry back uptown we decided to skip the second show, which we suspected would have an identical setlist.

Anyway, Here are some more photos that I took in Providence:

Above, John Flansburgh checks to see if the show is running long.

Below, he counts off something or other while Dan Miller feigns interest.

Above, John Linnell prepares to execute an "I Dream of Jeannie" maneuver.

Below, he gets underneath things.

Above, Danny Weinkauf has a seat while The Avatars of They do their thing.

Below, John Flansburgh does likewise while banging on the drum for Whistling in the Dark.

Above, Danny looks on in amazement as both Johns simultaneously go narcoleptic on our asses.

Below, Marty averts his eyes from the devastating confetti storm.

Above, Linnell steps away from his apparently broken mic and gazes amusedly at Flansburgh as he is forced to tackle the opening verse of Alphabet of Nations single-mouthedly.

Below, Linnell then attempts to steal Flansburgh's mic, who slaps his hand away in feigned annoyance.

Above, John's mic is reactivated and he decides to swallow it whole in order to avoid further difficulties.

Below, Dan "Solder" Miller backs that shit up!

MP3 OF THE WEEK!

To All The Girls I've Loved Before

Originally recorded by Willie Nelson & Julio Iglesias, this song was covered at Tramps in New York City on New Years Eve 1998. (My 31st TMBG show) The ceiling was too low for normal utilization of The Stick, so Lie Still Little Bottle was not performed. Instead, John Flansburgh sings into The Stick's attached distorted microphone while John Linnell pipes his own voice through the vocoder.

Two Down, Seven To Go

2010-09-25T23:32:00.006-04:00

Two fantastic rock shows! Here are a few details, if you want the real story then check out this other Blog. It's awesomer.

I took a whole mess of photos in Providence.

Here, John Flansburgh attempts to steal my soul. Instead, I capture his with this photo!

Marty Beller's drum kit was totally pimped out with colorful blinking lights, custom built by Iggy!

Special guests for both shows were the Tricerichops Horns, namely Dan "The Machine" Levine and Stan "Sax on the Beach" Harrison (above, from left) and the amazing Curt Ramm, below. We heard two brand new songs (Duende and Canajoharie) and two family songs that had never been performed (Nonagon and How Many Planets?).

The Giants stayed at our hotel in Providence. We were finishing up at the breakfast buffet when John Linnell and Danny Weinkauf walked in. We said hey and left them to it. At the Mohegan Sun show, Flansburgh recited the "H-E-A-R-T attack to you, girl" Fingertips bit while gazing deeply into my eyes.

On to New York City!

MP3 For You:

O, Do Not Forsake Me

A fast, jazzy version that opened the show on 3/24/95 at the Horizontal Boogie Bar in Rochester, NY.

Nine TMBG Shows In Six Days

2010-09-18T09:18:00.017-04:00

I strive to see TMBG a minimum of ten times each year. However, here we are in September and I have only attended one show so far in 2010.

In a span of five weeks I will be making up for that with nine shows, including three double-headers, four rock shows and five family shows, all apparently without an opening act. With the exception of the first two, all of these shows are in seated theaters with assigned seating. Unfortunately, I only managed to get front row seats for the final two shows in Fairfield, CT.

First up is a three day trip to Lupo's in Providence, RI followed by the fifth annual audience appreciation free show at the Mohegan Sun in Uncasville, CT (fake ticket created for completion's sake) and a couple of family shows at Town Hall in New York City. So, it looks like next week's entry will be from the road. I'm excited to hear new songs!

I'm also seeing The Pee Wee Herman Show on Broadway on Halloween (dream come true), and in November I've got Corn Mo in Asbury Park, Roger Waters and Tim & Eric in Philadelphia and Tim & Eric again in New York City. It's going to be a busy couple of months!

Free For Download:

Spin the Dial

The radio dial is spun at the Bowery Ballroom in New York City on 4/20/00. TMBG samples some Brittany Spears and Billy Joel before settling on The Trammps' "Disco Inferno". Featuring Dan Hickey on drums.

MC Skat Kat

2010-09-11T11:12:00.019-04:00

Perhaps you remember MC Skat Kat, the animated rapping feline. He appeared in Paula Abdul's song/video for "Opposites Attract" in 1989 and released his own album a couple of years later before fading into obscurity. The single from that album was called "Skat Strut" and Virgin Records issued some promo cds of it.

Here's where it gets weirdly relevant. On some of these discs were pressed not the 1991 MC Skat Kat single, but the 1986 debut album from They Might Be Giants, in its entirety. What The Flans?? I'm imagining early nineties radio DJs popping in this CD, expecting to hear some hip new rap music but instead "Everything Right Is Wrong Again" comes blasting out. To this day I cannot conceive of a scenario that would lead to this pressing error. TMBG weren't even on the same label!

I brought this disc to a bookstore signing, and both Johns were mystified and amused, having never seen it before. After explaining the deal to Linnell, he decided to sign "Paula Abdul". Priceless.

Have an MP3:

"Hair Dresser Show"
John Flansburgh spaces out during a performance of "Maybe I Know" on 10/21/99 at the Bowery Ballroom in New York City, and after the song is completed he provides an explanation. A story is told of a trip to Norfolk, VA in the Earlier Years, during which a toll booth operator asks the Johns if They're "going to a hair dresser show?". Unfortunately, the story about the Pencil Rain guy is too embarrassing to relate.

Mink Car

2010-09-04T20:36:00.016-04:00

Here's my signed, sealed Mink Car CD from eMusic's "TMBG Unlimited" service in 2001. Some people received unique autographs, mostly from John Linnell after he started to get bored of signing his standard moniker. Two people were even blessed with two-year-old Henry Linnell's "autograph", which was really just a scribble. I've always been very happy that I got one of the weird ones. Mine reads "Dieter Linnell":

Of course, I bought another copy. Here's my insert signed at the Mink Car instore. It was a little bit awkward for me when Flansburgh signed this because he was asking for each person's name and then writing it in big block letters. When it came to me, he instead wrote his own name. The impression I had at the time was that was that he recognized me from the 60+ TMBG shows I had attended at that point, but still did not know my real name, and was possibly embarrassed to point this out.

(click to enlarge)

As you may know, John Flansburgh had the cover modeled after himself. He lay down on the floor to demonstrate what the guy on the cover should look like. Then a photo was taken and turned upside down. Really, John? Shorts?

This week's live MP3 is:

Triboro

Performed at the Mercury Lounge in New York City on 11/6/97. TMBG used to use this fun instrumental to start the show, and usually introduce the band. Near the end you can hear me ask a friend if they smell pot. After the song ends, John Flansburgh comments on the pot smell, as well. This is presumably the moment that he refers back to at a show a couple of years later while telling the story about their recurring pot-smell nightmare.

A Drawing

2010-08-28T11:17:00.003-04:00

In 2001 my aunt, Abby Levine made this drawing for me. She based it on the black and white emusic.com sticker with John & John and two old-skool telephones. She created the surrounding imagery after listening to Lincoln and Flood. Flansburgh's autograph on there is what would eventually become my first tattoo. Click here if you would like a better look at the detail.

The second MP3 that I would like to offer you is:

Finished With Lies

Performed at the Bowery Ballroom in New York City on 10/23/99. It is, of course the slow version which features Dan Miller on the keyboard. I don't think I'm alone in preferring this version to the sped up one on Mink Car. I think that the original tempo lends a certain disposition to the song, like the narrator is plodding along, wanting to be extra careful that everything comes out right.

Greetings!

2010-08-21T09:37:00.004-04:00

Welcome to my They Might Be Giants Fan Blog. I'm not entirely sure what this blog is going to be yet, other then an outlet for giving away free TMBG stuff. I might tell a story or two, or maybe even run a TMBG contest with a physical prize that I will snail-mail to the winner. Any interest? Please comment.

My first offering is from my defunct theymightbegiants.org MP3 archive, and I'm taking requests.

"Wearin' a Hockey Mask" (lyrics)

TMBG perform Spin-the-Dial at Bogart's in Cincinnati, OH on 5/17/96. They happen upon Warren Zevon's "Werewolves of London", and after checking the rest of the dial They decide to give it a shot. However, it seems that the lyrics are not exactly known as John Flansburgh launches into an improvised version about "Friday the 13th"??