TMBG Shirt #61: Science Is Real

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.
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TMBG Shirt #60: Union County MusicFest '09

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!
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TMBG Shirt #59: Brooklyn's Ambassadors of Love

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.
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TMBG Shirt #58: Severe Tire Damage Tour

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.
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