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Conference mr1pst::music

Title:MUSIC V4
Notice:New Noters please read Note 1.*, Mod = someone else
Moderator:KDX200::COOPER
Created:Wed Oct 09 1991
Last Modified:Tue Mar 12 1996
Last Successful Update:Fri Jun 06 1997
Number of topics:762
Total number of notes:18706

201.0. "they might be giants" by NEMAIL::CARROLLJ (Immanuel Kant was a real . . .) Wed Apr 15 1992 00:08

    
    	They Might Be Giants.  or they may not be.  This band is basically
    a couple of guys originally from Lincoln, MA, both named John.  Their
    albums include :
    	
    		They Might Be Giants (debut)
    		Lincoln
    		Flood
    		Misc. T (A B-side comp album)
    	
    		and their new one, Apollo 16
    
    
    	Some of the songs you may have heard - Don't Let's Start, Hotel
    Detective, Birdhouse in Your Soul, Istanbul (Not Consantinople), The
    Statue Got me High & Kiss Me, Son of God.  Not to mention a slew of
    others.  They generally have 17 or 18 songs to each release.  of the
    above I'd recommend the first three very highly.  Misc T was average
    -not their best work (I guess that's why they were B-sides).  The new
    one however, I'm finding kind of disappointing.  Usually the songs the
    write are very catchy & hummable, with definitely ODD lyrics, but on
    the whole, intelligent and sometimes downright hilarious.  
    	Apollo 16 is much different from their earlier stuff.  Often times,
    the songs start off sounding almost Beatlesque, and then jump around. 
    There are a few exceptions, of course.  The songs I liked the most -
    She's Actual Size, Dinner Bell, Which Describes How Your Feeling & The
    Statue Got Me High - are closer to the old stuff.  I've only listened
    to it a few times, though - maybe it needs to grow on me.  
    	Anyone else out there like them, got the new one yet??
    
    
    					-Jimbo
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201.1QUIRKY is the wordWEORG::WIEGLERWed Apr 15 1992 12:5510
    I have the first 2 albums, "They Might Be Giants" and "Lincoln."
    They are well-crafted yet cheezy sounding, and often quite funny.
    I find that I can listen to them ad nasuem sometimes, and other times
    they just get on my nerves.  Not your standard pop music, although they
    contain elements of all the pop songs you've ever heard.  I truly like
    them.  
    
    I haven't heard the new one yet.
    
    	Willy
201.2Too fine a shine on it.ZEKE::MEMBRINOfour > sixWed Apr 15 1992 13:026
    Can someone tell if "Don't let's start" and "Birdhouse" are on the same
    release?  I have been thinking about buying one of their albums, but
    have yet to decide which one...
    
    Thanks
    chUck
201.3I'd recommend Flood alsoAIMHI::GILLISRedSox/WhiteSox in 92 ALCSWed Apr 15 1992 19:458
    re  .2
    
    They are no on the same album.  "Birdhouse" is on Flood (which I think
    is a great album!) and "Don't Let's Start" is on either Lincoln or
    the self-titled LP.
    
    dan
    
201.4waitin' for the dinner bell to do the bell thing . . .NEMAIL::CARROLLJImmanuel Kant was a real . . .Wed Apr 15 1992 20:389
    re .2
    
    -I would start with the debut - 'Don't Let's Start' is on it, along
    with 'Hotel Detective', 'Rythym Section Want Ad','Youth Culture Killed
    My Dog' and a bunch more of my faves.  I listened to the new one a bit
    more - I guess it is starting to grow on me . . .
    
    						-Jimbo
    
201.5great name anywayDELNI::STHILAIREno guru, no method, no teacherWed Apr 29 1992 13:095
    I haven't heard any of their stuff, and would probably not like it
    much, but what a great name for a group!
    
    Lorna
    
201.6yeah, yeahNEMAIL::CARROLLJImmanuel Kant was a real . . .Mon Aug 03 1992 18:024
    
    They're coming to Boston and Avalon, August 15th . . . they're a fun
    band to see live.
    					-Jimbo
201.7APR does TMBGTHEBAY::WIEGLEBDARocky and Raging BullwinkleTue Aug 11 1992 01:3516
    They just did a live appearance on the American Public Radio show,
    "Mountain Stage", this past Saturday.  I heard about seven or eight songs 
    in their first set (missed a few), and missed the second set entirely.
    Syd Straw guested with them.
    
    Some titles I recall: "Piece of Dirt", "The Statue Got Me High", "Don't
    Let's Start", "She's Actual Size", "Particle Man".  Not being terribly
    familiar with much of their material there are probably some song
    titles I mangled and others I'd recall if I saw a track listing...
    
    Unfortunately they wrested the rental car away from me before "Don't
    Let's Start" was finished.
    
    BTW, they're claiming to be from Brooklyn NY these days.
    
    - Dave
201.8NEMAIL::CARROLLJDoin' the same thing twiceFri Apr 16 1993 17:283
    
    coming to town April 24th at MIT ! ! 
    
201.9STAR::BENSONImpose order. Add chaos to taste.Fri Apr 16 1993 21:194
    RE: coming to town April 24th at MIT ! !
    
    Rumor has it college ID will be required. I assume that means *current*
    ID, so I'm out of luck...
201.10EMDS::OWENYou're number 76. Now serving 13.Tue Apr 20 1993 19:2411
    
    It depends on the school... some schools are jerks about it, others
    aren't.
    
    Can you type up a 'current' validation sticker to stick on it?  I mean,
    it doesn't have to look accurate at the school the ID was issued at,
    right?
    
    Later...
    Steve
    
201.11 just ask someone at MIT to get the tixCSLALL::WEWINGTue Apr 20 1993 20:079
    why not just go to MIT and talk someone into buying
    you tickets.
    
    i'm guessing the student only is to control the number of
    tickets.
    
    where are they playing at MIT?
    
    willie
201.12EMDS::OWENYou're number 76. Now serving 13.Wed Apr 21 1993 16:274
    
    And get there early... *** TRIBE *** is opening!
    
    
201.13ICS::CROUCHSubterranean Dharma BumThu Apr 22 1993 11:375
    If only "Think Tree" were playing too I might have had an inkling to
    pull out the old College ID and try to pass on in. ;-)
    
    Jim C.
    
201.14Lollapalooza MITNEMAIL::CARROLLJDoin' the same thing twiceThu Apr 22 1993 11:537
    
    TMBG, Tribe *and* Think Tree??
    
    	You're dreamin' pal :-)
    
    				a different Jim C.
    
201.15Sorry to get off the subject...EMDS::OWENYou're number 76. Now serving 13.Thu Apr 22 1993 13:519
    
    Speaking of Think Tree, they'll be playing at WPI (with Heretix) this
    Saturday.  No college ID needed!  But get there early... many folks
    were turned away from the Tribe show that was there a couple of weeks
    ago... sold out.
    
    Later...
    Steve
    
201.16cool, man - I'll make one or the other . . .NEMAIL::CARROLLJDoin' the same thing twiceThu Apr 22 1993 14:175
    
    Think Tree and heretix??  Time, please . . . .
    
    			-Jim ( a fan of both )
    
201.17ICS::CROUCHSubterranean Dharma BumThu Apr 22 1993 16:2111
    Now we're really talking a good line up for a local Lollapalooza
    show.
    
    		TMBG	THINK TREE	TRIBE	HERETIX
    
    Now where should we hold this once in a lifetime event? Great Woods?
    And who else could round out the show?
    
    Jim C. 
    
    
201.18QUIVER::SIEGELThe revolution wil not be televisedThu Apr 22 1993 17:545
I happened to pass by Lincoln Sudbury Middle School (MA) last night and noticed
an anouncement that TMBG will be playing there May 1.  I don't know what
restrictions, if any, are placed on ticket-buyers.

adam
201.19could go on and on and on and on . . .NEMAIL::CARROLLJDoin' the same thing twiceSun Apr 25 1993 16:5417
    
    Local Lollapalooza
    
    TMBG
    Tribe
    Heretix
    Think Tree
    Pixies ( ok, ok Frank Black )
    Bim Skala Bim
    Pearl Jam ( do they have to be local? )
    Superchunk
    
    etc, etc - man, you could make it an all-week festival.  Now, if _I_
    were in charge of the FNX Landsdale St. Show . . . .:-)
    
    					- Jim
    
201.202 tickets for sale for L-S show May 1PHILS::DAVISTue Apr 27 1993 17:557
    I have two extra tickets for the Lincoln-Sudbury High School show on
    Saturday May 1, 8:30.  Tickets are $15 each.  You can have 'em at 
    face value.
    
    Send me mail, or DTN 223-5882.
    
    Todd  
201.21New Album - Sun SongsOTOOA::ESKICIOGLUI'm exhausted from lovin so wellThu Aug 12 1993 19:0813
    
    Jim Carroll asked me to enter this:
    
	New album coming out
    
	August 17th 
    
    	Sun Songs
    
    Lale
    
    ps: Sorry for the lack of emotion, I am not yet a fan, didn't get a
    chance to listen to the sampler Jim made for me.
201.22From a TMBG fan:OTOOA::ESKICIOGLUI'm exhausted from lovin so wellTue Aug 17 1993 15:5030
	The big news, of course, is that I got my 'Hello Recording Club' CD's!!
"What the hell is the Hello Recording Club??", you ask?  It's a new project of
They Might be Giants' singer John Flansburg - you get 10 CD's per year for
$40.00, *plus* the original TMBG demo tape!!  I got 3 CD's this time - Brian
Dewan, The Nelories and Flat Old World.  All very, very famous and popular
performers, I know :-).

	Brian Dewan reminds me of an American Robyn Hitchcock with a better
sense of humour.  He sings a song called 'My Eye', which describes how he poked
out his eye ( nice, eh? ) and another called "Wastepaper Basket Fire"  -  here 
are the lyrics :

	.
	.
	.

	The song is sung very passionately - it's really, really funny.

	The Nelories are two Japanese college students - their songs are :
"Waiting". "Banana", "Bubbly" and "Plastic Sky" - they're good, but I'm not
even gonna try to describe them ;-)

	Flat Old World is twisted folk, but not done terribly well - they're
okay, but not terrific.

	And the 23 song TMBG demo tape is a riot - it reminded me of the 
Barenaked Ladies demo tape you sent me - different 'rougher' versions of
familar songs - plus there were some songs I'd never heard before . . .
    
201.23 inquiring minds (well, mind, anyway) EZ2GET::STEWARTLogic is the beginning of wisdomTue Aug 17 1993 17:537
    
    
    You get the original demo tape?  Well, this must be like a limited
    offer, right?  Or do you have to send it on to the next person that
    joins????
    
    
201.24New EP, album soon?NEMAIL::CARROLLJGhost of Christmas PastFri Sep 24 1993 18:0218
    
    Re -.1
    
    	Ok, ok - sorry - a *copy* of the original demo tape - *sheesh*! ;-)
    
    	New new album isn't due out until next month, but for all of you
    TMBG fans out there ( well, both of you ) - there is an EP out now
    called 'Why Does the Sun Shine?', which is 3 covers and an orginal song
    called 'Spy'.  The covers are :
    
    	1. A 1959 educational song called 'Why Does the Sun Shine ( The Sun
    is a Mass of Incandescent Gas ) - hilarious.
    
    	2. The Allman Brothers hit 'Jessica'.  They actually do it justice.
    
    	3. A pretty nifty Meat Puppets song called 'Whirlpool'.
    
    					Jim . . .  
201.25Any info on TMBG new Release?CSOA1::CLARKMon Dec 06 1993 17:035
    >  New new album isn't due out until next month
    
    Have you heard any info on this new TMBG release?
    
    Kevin
201.26Album - not for a while . . . NEMAIL::CARROLLJaka Dr. Emilio LazardoWed Dec 08 1993 13:1711
    
    > Have you heard any info on this new TMBG release?
    
    	Sorry, dude - they're saying spring/summer now - it was only the 4
    track EP that was released with 'Why Does the Sun Shine?', 'Spy' 
    ( which was rumored to be the title track of the 'new' album ), the
    mondo-accordian cover of the Allman Brother's 'Jessica' and a cover of
    the Meat Puppet's 'Whirlpool'.  A good EP, but definitely leaves you
    wanting a full length album . . . 
    
    					Jimbo
201.27Good news!NEMAIL::CARROLLJaka Dr. Emilio LazardoTue Dec 21 1993 09:347
    
    Their next album is due out in Feb. - title = "Get Outta' Here"
    
    Further updates as events warrant :-)
    
    					- Jim
    
201.28Live Bootleg Alert . . .NEMAIL::CARROLLJaka Dr. Emilio LazardoWed Jan 12 1994 11:5911
    
    I found a TMBG 'official' bootleg y'all might be interested in - it's
    called "Dr. Spock's Backup Band" and it's a recording of a live show in
    Chicago in 1992 - the recording quality is fair to good, with a good
    selection of tunes old and new.
    
    	Of course, I forgot to bring the CD in today, but you can order it
    from the CD-BAR in Toronto (800) 663-1616 - The sleeve insert listed a
    few other live bootlegs of other performers as well . . .
    
    					Fyi   - Jim
201.29rumor clarified . . .NEMAIL::CARROLLJI've been laughing, fast + slowThu Feb 03 1994 11:5811
    Warning!
    
    	There is no new Feb release for TMBG!
    
    	It was just a nasty rumor!  	
    
    	According to their publicist, they're recording now for a late
    summer ( August ) release - sorry, folks!
    
    				- Jim
    
201.30John Henry / Snail Shell infoGEC013::CLARKTue Sep 06 1994 13:5610
    Anybody out there looking forward to the 13-sep-1994 release of _John
    Henry_ the new TMBG Album? I picked up the single _Snail Shell_ and
    enjoyed that a great deal! Here is the track list for that one:
    
    Snail Shell/Ondine/Hotel Detective(new version)/Mrs. Train/Snaildust
    
    Kevin
    
    BTW: JimC, I think the new BNL is well worth another listen. But they
    didn't quite hit their potential!
201.31*definitely* looking forward . ..NEMAIL::CARROLLJEven a clown knows when to strikeTue Sep 06 1994 20:1010
    RE -.1
    
    
    Hey!  The single's out?  I gotta get with it  . . . :-)
    
    I just hope they keep on releasing albums at the same rate they have
    been ( 1 a year ).  Keeps me from jonesing, anyways :-)
    
    					- Jim