Geek-pop maestros John Linnell and John Flansburgh of They Might Be Giants can count inspired adults, inquisitive children, casual pop listeners and underground connoisseurs as equals among their fan base. From their origins in New York City's alternative rock scene in the 1980s to the children's entertainment industry 20 years later, they've been crafting quirky, lore-filled tunes which, despite their capricious instrumentation, remain catchy, effervescent, enduring -- and almost defiantly accessible.
As the first major-label band to release an album in exclusively MP3 format, They Might Be Giants are no strangers to offbeat, tech-centric projects. For their album Apollo 18 (named for a nonexistent moon mission), NASA dubbed them the "Musical Ambassadors" for International Space Year in 1992 -- while their Dial-A-Song answering machine is the stuff of D.I.Y. music legend. They continue to give away video and audio from live shows, write and distribute new, free songs frequently, and their list of ingenious projects is endless.
In a very, very early-morning set, They Might Be Giants rock the final day of TED2007. Songs include “Older,” “Bee of the Bird of the Moth,” “Asbury Park,” “Fingertips,” the premiere of “Phone Calls from the Dead,” and “Alphabet of Nations.” (Recorded March 2007 in Monterey, California. Duration: 17:21.) Watch They Might Be Giants’ […]
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