They Might Be Giants | |
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 John Flansburgh (left) andJohn Linnell (right) in 2016 | |
| Background information | |
| Also known as |
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| Origin | Brooklyn,New York, U.S. |
| Genres | |
| Works | They Might Be Giants discography |
| Years active | 1982–present |
| Labels | |
| Members |
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| Past members |
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| Website | theymightbegiants |
They Might Be Giants, often abbreviated asTMBG, is an Americanalternative rock andchildren's band formed in 1982 byJohn Flansburgh andJohn Linnell. During TMBG's early years, Flansburgh and Linnell frequently performed as amusical duo, often accompanied by adrum machine. In the early 1990s, TMBG expanded to include abacking band.[6] The duo's current backing band consists of Marty Beller,Dan Miller andDanny Weinkauf. They have been credited as vital in the creation and growth of the prolificDIY music scene in Brooklyn in the mid-1980s.[7]
Over their career, they have found success on themodern rock andcollege radio charts. They have also found success inchildren's music with several educational albums and intheme music for television programs and films.
TMBG have released 23 studio albums.Flood has beencertified platinum, while their children's music albumsHere Come the ABCs,Here Come the 123s, andHere Comes Science have all beencertified gold. The duo has been nominated for fourGrammy Awards, winning two.[8][9] Flansburgh and Linnell won for writing "Boss of Me", the theme toMalcolm in the Middle (Best Film or Television Theme) and They Might Be Giants won forHere Come the 123s (Best Children's Album). Flansburgh and Linnell were also nominated for aTony Award for Best Original Score (Music and/or Lyrics) Written for the Theatre along with other composers of the show forSpongeBob SquarePants: The Broadway Musical.[10] In total, the group has sold over 4 million records.[11]
John Flansburgh and John Linnell first met as teenagers growing up inLincoln, Massachusetts. They began writing songs together while attendingLincoln-Sudbury Regional High School but did not form a band at that time. The two attended separate colleges after high school and Linnell joinedThe Mundanes, anew wave group fromRhode Island. The two reunited in 1981 after moving toBrooklyn (to the same apartment building on the same day) to continue their career.[12]
At their first concert, They Might Be Giants were introduced as and performed under the nameEl Grupo De Rock and Roll (Spanish for "the Rock and Roll Band"), because the show was aSandinista rally in Central Park and a majority of the audience members spoke Spanish.[13] They had previously chosen a name that, according to John Flansburgh, was "so bad that John [Linnell] and I have made a vow that we will never tell anyone, even our children."[14] Soon discarding this name,[15] the band assumedthe name of the 1971 filmThey Might Be Giants (starringGeorge C. Scott andJoanne Woodward), which is in turn taken from aDon Quixote passage about how Quixote mistookwindmills for evil giants. According to Dave Wilson, in his bookRock Formations, the name They Might Be Giants had been used and subsequently discarded by a friend of the band who had aventriloquism act.[16] The name was then adopted by the band, who had been searching for a more suitable name.
A common misconception is that the name of the band is a reference to themselves and an allusion to future success. In an interview, John Flansburgh said that the words "they might be giants" are just a very outward-looking forward thing which they liked. He clarified this in the documentary movieGigantic (A Tale of Two Johns) by explaining that the name refers to the outside world of possibilities that they saw as a fledgling band. In an earlier radio interview, John Linnell described the phrase as "something very paranoid sounding".[17]
The duo began performing their own music in and around New York City at the East VillagePyramid Club[18] – Flansburgh onguitar, Linnell onaccordion andsaxophone and accompanied by adrum machine or prerecorded backing track onaudio cassette. Their atypical instrumentation, along with their songs which featured unusual subject matter and clever wordplay, soon attracted a strong local following.[19] Their performances also featured absurdly comical stage props such as oversizedfezzes and large cardboard cutout heads of newspaper editorWilliam Allen White.[20] Many of these props would later turn up in their first music videos. From 1984 to 1987, They Might Be Giants were the house band at thePyramid Club[15] and Darinka, aLower East Sideperformance art club[21] run by Gary Ray. They played on the stage there one weekend a month and by the end of their three-year stint, their performances were selling out. On March 30, 1985, TMBG released their 7"flexi-disc, dubbed "Wiggle Diskette" at Darinka. The disc included demos of the songs "Everything Right Is Wrong Again" and "You'll Miss Me".[22]
In 1983 within the same timeframe, Linnell broke his wrist in abiking accident, and Flansburgh's apartment wasburgled, stopping them from performing for a time. During this hiatus, they began recording their songs onto ananswering machine and then advertising the phone number in local newspapers such asThe Village Voice, using themoniker "Dial-A-Song".[23] They also released a demo cassette, which earned them a review inPeople magazine. Authored by Michael Small,[24] the review caught the attention ofBar/None Records, who signed them to a recording deal.[25]
From the 1980s until 1998, Dial-A-Song consisted of an answering machine with a tape of the band playing various songs. The machine played one track at a time, ranging from demos and uncompleted work to mock advertisements the band had created. It was often difficult to access due to the popularity of the service and the dubious quality of the machines used. About this, one of Dial-A-Song's many slogans over the years was the tongue-in-cheek "Always Busy, Often Broken".[26] The number, (718) 387–6962, was a local Brooklyn number and was charged accordingly, but the band advertised it with the line: "Free when you call from work".[27]
The duo released theirself-titled debut album in 1986, which became a college radio hit, selling 10,000 copies in its first year.[28] The music video for "Don't Let's Start", filmed inFlushing Meadows–Corona Park[29] and directed byAdam Bernstein,[30] became aMTV hit in 1987.[31]
In 1988, they released their second album,Lincoln.[32] It featured the song "Ana Ng" which reached No. 11 on theU.S. Modern Rock chart.[33]
In 1990, They Might Be Giants released their third albumFlood, throughElektra Records.[34]Flood earned them aplatinum album,[35] largely from the success of "Birdhouse in Your Soul" which reached number three on the U.S. Modern Rock chart, as well as "Istanbul (Not Constantinople)", a cover of a song originally recorded bythe Four Lads.
In 1990,Throttle magazine interviewed They Might Be Giants and clarified the meaning of the song "Ana Ng": John Flansburgh said, "Ng is a Vietnamese name. The song is about someone who's thinking about a person on the exact opposite side of the world. John looked at a globe and figured out that if Ana Ng is inVietnam and the person is on the other side of the world, then it must be written by someone inPeru".[36]
Further interest in the band was generated when two cartoon music videos were created byWarner Bros. Animation forTiny Toon Adventures: "Istanbul (Not Constantinople)" and "Particle Man".[37] The videos reflected TMBG's high "kid appeal", resulting from their often absurd songs and pop melodies.
In 1991, Bar/None Records released the B-sides compilationMiscellaneous T. Though consisting of previously released material (save for the "Purple Toupee"B-sides, which were not available publicly), it gave new fans a chance to hear the Johns' earlier non-album work without having to hunt down the individual EPs.
In early 1992, They Might Be Giants releasedApollo 18. The heavy space theme coincided with TMBG being named Musical Ambassadors forInternational Space Year.[38] Singles from the album included "The Statue Got Me High", "I Palindrome I", and "The Guitar (The Lion Sleeps Tonight)".
Apollo 18 was also notable for being one of the first albums to take advantage of the CD player's shuffle feature. The song "Fingertips" actually comprised 21 separate tracks that add up to 4:35 in total with the longest one being 61 seconds.[39]
FollowingApollo 18, for live shows, Flansburgh and Linnell decided to move away from recorded backing tracks and recruited a supporting band (Kurt Hoffman ofThe Ordinaires on reeds and keyboards, longtimePere Ubu bassistTony Maimone, and drummer Jonathan Feinberg).
John Henry was released in 1994. Influenced by their more conventional lineup, this album marked a departure from their previous releases with more of a guitar-heavy sound not dissimilar to thegrunge music of the time.[40] It was released to mixed reviews amongst fans and critics alike.
FollowingJohn Henry, TMBG's next album,Factory Showroom, was released in 1996. It also is the last album they released through Elektra and their first album produced by Pat Dillett who has co-produced every album with them since then.[41]
In 1998, they released a mostly live albumSevere Tire Damage from which came the single "Doctor Worm," a studio recording.
In 1998,Danny Weinkauf (bass)[42] andDan Miller (guitar) were recruited for their recording and touring band. Both had been members of the bandsLincoln[43] and Candy Butchers which were previous opening acts for TMBG. Weinkauf and Miller continue to work with the band to the present day.
For most of their career, TMBG has made innovative use of the Internet. As early as 1992, the band was sending news updates to their fans via Usenet newsgroups. In 1999, They Might Be Giants became the first major-label recording artist to release an entire album exclusively inMP3 format. The album,Long Tall Weekend,[44] is sold througheMusic.
Also, in 1999, the band contributed the song "Dr. Evil" to the motion pictureAustin Powers: The Spy Who Shagged Me. Over their career, the band has performed on numerous movie and television soundtracks, includingThe Oblongs, theABC News miniseriesBrave New World andEd and His Dead Mother. They also performed the theme music "Dog on Fire", composed byBob Mould, forThe Daily Show with Jon Stewart.[45][46] They composed and performed the music for theTLC seriesResident Life, the theme song for theDisney Channel programsHigglytown Heroes andMickey Mouse Clubhouse, and songs about the cartoonsDexter's Laboratory andCourage the Cowardly Dog.[47]
Contributing the single "Boss of Me" as the theme song to the hit television seriesMalcolm in the Middle, as well as to the show'scompilation CD, brought a new audience to the band. Not only did the band contribute the theme, but songs from all of the Giants' previous albums were used on the show: for example, the infamous punching-the-kid-in-the-wheelchair scene from the first episode was done to the strains of "Pencil Rain" fromLincoln. Another song to feature in the series was "Spiraling Shape". "Boss of Me" became the band's second top-40 hit in the UK which they performed on long-running UK television programmeTop of the Pops and, in2002, won the duo aGrammy Award.[48]
On September 11, 2001, they released the albumMink Car onRestless Records. It was their first full album release of new studio material since 1996 and their first since parting ways with Elektra. The making of that album, including a record signing event at aManhattanTower Records, was included in a documentary directed byA. J. Schnack titledGigantic (A Tale of Two Johns). The film was released on DVD in 2003.
In 2002, they releasedNo!, their first album "for the entire family".[49] Using theenhanced CD format, it included an interactive animation for most of the songs. They followed it up in 2003 with their first book, an illustrated children's book with an included EP,Bed, Bed, Bed.
In 2004, the band released its first new "adult" rock work since the release ofNo!, the EPIndestructible Object. This was followed by a new album,The Spine, and an associated EP,The Spine Surfs Alone. It was at this time thatDan Hickey was replaced by Marty Beller, who had previously collaborated with TMBG. For the album's first single, "Experimental Film", TMBG teamed up withHomestar Runner creatorsMatt and Mike Chapman to create an animated music video.[50] The band's collaboration with the Brothers Chaps also included several Puppet Jam segments with puppet Homestar and the music for a Strong Bad email titled "Different Town". In 2008 they recorded a track for the 200thStrong Bad e-mail, where Linnell provided the voice of The Poopsmith.[51][52]
TMBG also contributed a track to the 2004Future Soundtrack for America compilation, a project compiled by John Flansburgh with the help ofSpike Jonze andBarsuk Records. The band contributed "Tippecanoe and Tyler Too", a political campaign song from thepresidential election of 1840. The compilation was released byBarsuk and featured indie, alternative, and high-profile acts such asDeath Cab for Cutie,The Flaming Lips, andBright Eyes. All proceeds went to progressive organizations such as Music for America andMoveOn.org.[53]
Flansburgh and Linnell made a guest appearance in "Camp", the January 11, 2004, episode of the animatedsitcomHome Movies. They voice both a pair of camp counselors and members of a strange hooded male bonding cult.[54] On May 10, 2004, they made a guest appearance on the final episode ofBlue's Clues called "Bluestock" alongsideToni Braxton,Macy Gray, andIndia.Arie. They Might Be Giants were in a letter for Joe and Blue.
Following theSpine on the Hiway Tour of 2004, the band announced that they would take an extended hiatus from touring to focus on other projects, such as a musical produced by Flansburgh and written by his wife,Robin "Goldie" Goldwasser, titledPeople Are Wrong!.
2005 saw the release ofHere Come the ABCs, TMBG's follow-up to the successful children's albumNo!. The Disney Sound label released the CD and DVD separately on February 15, 2005. To promote the album, Flansburgh and Linnell along with drummer Marty Beller embarked on a short tour, performing for free at manyBorders locations. In November 2005,Venue Songs was released as a two-disc CD/DVD set narrated byJohn Hodgman. It is aconcept album based on all of the "venue songs" from their 2004 tour.
TMBGcovered theDevo song "Through Being Cool" in the 2005 Disney filmSky High. In 2008, they rerecorded the song "Take Out The Trash" (fromThe Else) inSimlish for inclusion inThe Sims 2: Freetime.[55][56]
The band contributed 14 original songs for the 2006Dunkin' Donuts ad campaign, "America Runs on Dunkin'",[57] including "Things I Like to Do", "Pleather", and "Fritalian".
The band has produced and performed the song two songsMickey Mouse Clubhouse whichFatherly said were catchy[58] and one forHigglytown Heroes series.
They also recorded a cover of theDisney song "There's a Great Big Beautiful Tomorrow" for the filmMeet the Robinsons and wrote and performed the theme song forThe Drinky Crow Show. The band was recruited to provide original songs for theHenry Selick-directedfilm adaptation ofNeil Gaiman's children's bookCoraline but were dropped because their music was not "creepy" enough.[59] Only one song, titled "Other Father Song", was kept for the film with Linnell singing as the titular "Other Father".
Their twelfth album,The Else, was released July 10, 2007, on Idlewild Recordings (and distributed by Zoë Records for the CD version), with an earlier digital release on May 15 at theiTunes Store. Advance copies were made available to stations by mid-June 2007.[60] The album was produced byPat Dillett (David Byrne) and theDust Brothers (Beck,Beastie Boys).[61] On February 12, 2009, They Might Be Giants performed the song "The Mesopotamians" from the album onLate Night with Conan O'Brien.[62]
The band's 13th album,Here Come the 123s, a DVD/CD follow-up to 2005's critically acclaimedHere Come the ABCs children's project, was released on February 5, 2008.[63] On April 10, 2008, They Might Be Giants performed the song "Seven" from the album onLate Night with Conan O'Brien. In 2009, the album won theGrammy Award for "Best Musical Album For Children" during the51st Annual Grammy Awards.[64]
The band's fourteenth album,Here Comes Science, a science-themed children's album.[65] This album introduced listeners tonatural,formal,social, andappliedsciences. It was released on September 1, 2009, and nominated for aGrammy Award on December 1, 2010.
On November 3, They Might Be Giants sent out a newsletter stating, "The Avatars of They", a set of sock puppets the Johns manipulate for shows, would have an album in 2012, suggesting another children's album. However, a new adult album titledJoin Us was released on July 19, 2011.[66][67]
On October 3, 2011,Artix Entertainment announced that the band would be performing in-game for a special musical event to commemorate the 3rd birthday of their popularMMORPGAdventureQuest Worlds. They were featured in AdventureQuest World's special third birthday event as John and John.[68]
On March 5, 2013, the band released their sixteenth adult studio album,Nanobots, on their Idlewild Recordings label in the US and on British indie labelLojinx inEurope.[69][70] AfterNanobots they released their studio albumGlean on April 21, 2015.[71]
Dial-A-Song was revived in 2015, with a new phone number ((844) 387–6962)), the website, and a radio network.[72] In late 2017, the band announced via Twitter that Dial-A-Song would return again, in a modified format, starting in January 2018.[73]
The band released their newest children's album,Why?, on November 27, 2015. It was their fifth children's album and the first children's album to be released under their own label, Idlewild Recordings.
On March 8, 2016, the band releasedPhone Power, their nineteenth studio album and the third containing songs from the 2015 revival of their Dial-a-Song service. This was the first TMBG album to be sold as a "pay what you want" download, available ahead of the physical release on June 10.[74][75] In 2016, They Might Be Giants were involved in theSpongeBob SquarePants musical; they contributed the song "I'm Not a Loser".[76]
The band's twentieth album,I Like Fun was released on January 19, 2018.[77] Their twenty-first and twenty-second studio albums,My Murdered Remains andThe Escape Team, were both released on December 10, 2018.My Murdered Remains contains songs from Dial-A-Song.[78]
In October 2019, the band recorded a new version of their song "Hot Dog" for the third season of the Disney Channel preschool seriesMickey and the Roadster Racers, re-titled asMickey Mouse Mixed-Up Adventures for that season. It premiered on Disney Junior on October 14, 2019.
On November 12, 2021, They Might Be Giants released the albumBook. Some lyrical themes in the album seem to have been inspired by theCOVID-19 pandemic.[79]
In August 2020, the band recorded a song for aCNN documentary about theelectoral college called "Who Are the Electors?".[80][81]
The band announced a 30th anniversary Flood tour for 2020; however, it was postponed, and dates were rescheduled several times due to the COVID pandemic. Shortly after resuming live tours again in June 2022, John Flansburgh was involved in a car accident while on his way home from the June 8 concert. He suffered several broken ribs but had a positive prognosis from doctors. Several tour dates were again postponed while he recovered; however, the tour was later resumed.[82][83]
In November 2022,Book was nominated for a65th Annual Grammy Awards in the category of "Best Boxed or Special Limited-Edition Package".[9]
John Flansburgh made a solo bandMono Puff. The band's bassist was Hal Cragin and drummer wasSteve Calhoon. Mono Puff has released two albums, Unsupervised (1996) and It's Fun to Steal (1998) in addition to four EPs and one single.[84]
John Linnell made a solo five-song EP in 1994. The EP was later expanded into theState Songs album solo project in 1999[85] which peaked #18 on theCMJ 200 chart and was on the chart for four weeks.[86] During theCOVID-19 pandemic in 2021, John Linnell also released another solo EP,Roman Songs, which has four songs sung in fullLatin. Linnell stated that a Latinist and friend of his who he calls "Schoolmaster Smith" helped him translate English lyrics into Latin with him for the project.[87]
The group has been noted for its unique style of alternative music, typically using surreal, humorous lyrics, experimental styles, and unconventional instruments.[88] Their music is often described as "quirky" by listeners.[89] Shervin Lainez in aIMDb news article about the band said, "... They Might Be Giants ... have been releasing music that's both snarky and sweet, morbid and whimsical, a little pop and a little avant garde."[90]
Lead members
Current backing band
| Former backing band members
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Throughout their career, They Might Be Giants have released 23studio albums, 13compilations, 12live albums, 15EPs, and 31singles.
| Year | Organization | Nominee / work | Award | Result |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2002 | Grammy Awards | "Boss of Me" | Best Song Written for Visual Media | Won |
| 2006 | Annie Awards | "Bastard Wants to Hit Me" | Best Animated Television Commercial | Nominated |
| 2009 | Grammy Awards | Here Come the 123s | Best Musical Album for Children | Won |
| 2011 | Here Comes Science | Nominated | ||
| 2018 | Outer Critics Circle Award | SpongeBob SquarePants | Outstanding New Score[a] | Won |
| 2018 | Tony Awards | Best Original Score[a] | Nominated | |
| 2023 | Grammy Awards | Book | Best Boxed or Special Limited Edition Package | Nominated |
Our latest album and musical project BOOK has been nominated for a Grammy for Best Record Package. Congratulations to designer Paul Sahre and photographer Brian Karlsson for putting it all together with us. And wish us luck!
Media from Commons
Quotations from Wikiquote
Data from Wikidata
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