Don't Let's Start: A Podcast About They Might Be Giants

This is the way the description part goes! We are X-tra excited to clear our throats and begin our viewing of They Might Be Giants' 1996 album Factory Showroom! Unnoticed by few, beloved by many! First, we can't get away from a song that really fell between the grating, only appearing if you rewind to track 0 on the original CD, Token Back to Brooklyn! Then you gotta understand what S-E-X-X-Y is all about. Jordan and Dave talk more than enough around the clock with nobody else about this startlingly steamy song and the infamous fan interpretations! But we're not done, and we won't be until we suspiciously change the subject to Till My Head Falls Off! Is it sad or empowering? I'm not done typing yet...!

Episode 69 and feeling fine! In this calm before the storm of Factory Showroom, we reach into the big old floppy grab bag and yank out five rare, special, unique, singular and startling songs not officially released by They Might Be Giants. We dare not reveal which ones, but let's just say they feature Johns Linnell and Flansburgh singing about some strange and varied topics. Don't delay and press play!Join Us on Patreon!: patreon.com/dontletsstartpodcast

That sexy E-Mail fairy has arrived again and left behind a huge backlog of letters from you, you, and also you! Topics addressed include our opinions on The Spine and The Else! What song would we leave off John Henry? What other bands are we experts on? Plus listener insights into Dinner Bell, Fake Out in Buenos Aires, Hell Hotel, It's Not My Birthday, and Mono Puff stuff! We also discuss some of the latest and most contagious news from the world of They Might Be Giants!Join us on Patreon for an EXCLUSIVE Letterbox episode! www.patreon.com/c/dontletsstartpodcast

A very special guest on John Flansburgh's Mono Puff album becomes a very special guest on the Don't Let's Start podcast! Nancy Lynn Howell, singer of Don't I Have the Right, talks to us about recording the song with Flansburgh, the special occasion where she performed it live, and we get to hear rare, exclusive recordings of her short-lived super group with Laura Cantrell and Robin Goldwasser! Plus we highlight a handful of tracks from her wonderful discography to discuss. Join us on Patreon!: patreon.com/c/dontletsstartpodcast

Now I wanna talk to everyone about Mono Puff b-sides and demos! Alongside the album Unsupervised (by They Might Be Giants' John Flansburgh) came The Devil Went Down To Newport (Totally Rocking) single! It's full of odds and ends, balls and...friends?? First, Flansburgh covers a fellow b-side from fellow song genius Mr. Frank Black, the one and only Oddball! We listen to both versions and discover that every Oddball is different! But there's much more going on in a hidden gem called Tryptophane! And if we're not calm, we soon will be when we groove out to the long, hypnotic, slow funk mystery of The Devil Went Down To Newport (Totally Remade)! Slow, slow, Satan, slow! And if that wasn't enough, we keep grooving on and moving on to the demos that made up Unsupervised! All your friends are here: Dr. Kildare! What Bothers The Spacem(e)n! Nixon's The One, and so much more! Plus a special seedy discussion of Plain As The Lie On Your Lips, a rare John Linnell song written alongside Flansburgh's own torch song, Don't I Have The Right! The hour has come and gone and talk is cheap, so get listenin'! Join us on Patreon!: patreon.com/dontletsstartpodcast --- Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/dontletsstart/support

We laid low, but now we're back, and you'll be happy as a scarecrow listening to our so-long episode finishing up John Flansburgh's debut album Unsupervised from his supergroup Mono Puff!  Who'll teach you all about the history of Dr. Kildare (the man, the show, the song)? We will! I can read your mind, you want us to then discuss the quiet resentment of So Long, Mockingbird, correct? I don't mind!  Because you've been so good all year long, we're going to fulfill your one Christmas wish and unwrap Careless Santa! What's perfect these days? How about our discussion of Don't I Have The Right?, featuring an interview with singer Nancy Lynn Howell!? The only thing we ask is that you trust us, as we naively march along with To Serve Mankind, and peruse the Twilight Zone episode that inspired the song! When you look back and weigh everything we've done, you will realize this episode can only end with a secret oval office recording of our confidential discussion of Nixon's The One! If you leave us we'll be destroyed, so press play NOW! Join us on Patreon!: patreon.com/dontletsstartpodcast --- Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/dontletsstart/support

Did you miss us when we were away? Jordan "Mono" Cooper and Dave "Puff" Fox are back to go song by everlovin' song through Mono Puff's totally rocking debut album, Unsupervised! We've got devils, we've got spacemen, step right up, people! First there's nowhere we can go except into a context-heavy discussion of Don't Break The Heart, the Amy Rigby classic given a John Flansburgh reimagining! But don't stray too far, because next up, if you listen real close to your radios you just might isolate the sound of us hearing and understanding Distant Antenna!  Dude, if you're sick of waiting, things will be looking rad if you surf right over to The Devil Went Down To Newport (Totally Rocking)! Then walk far from the crowd, past the trees and step up to the plate to find out What Bothers The Spaceman! And finally, we revisit and say Hello Hello to the rompiest stompiest glam rock cover song you've ever heard! Tell all your friends we're back! Join us on Patreon! https://www.patreon.com/dontletsstartpodcast --- Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/dontletsstart/support

I hear the phone ring, and it's John Flansburgh's solo project Mono Puff calling! Back in the day, we were distracted by They Might Be Giants, but now we're hear to sing the praises of this strange yet cohesive collection of side-project gold! Your appreciative hosts Jordan and Dave go into the formation of Mono Puff, the inspiration behind the band name, an investigation into the band members, and ask deep, challenging, philosophical questions like: could these be TMBG songs? We strap on our gig bags and rock out to Guitar Was The Case, then strap on our sad bags as we ponder our mortality during Unsupervised, I Hit My Head. We had a real good time, AND SO WILL YOU! Join your friend Joe on Patreon!: https://www.patreon.com/dontletsstartpodcast --- Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/dontletsstart/support

A while back Jordan and Dave produced an obsessive, second-by-second breakdown of "Weird Al" Yankovic's They Might Be Giants style parody, Everything You Know Is Wrong, off of his 1996 album Bad Hair Day. This meticulous analysis became our most popular YouTube video, and it turns out one of those precious YouTube views was none other than Mr. Al Yankovic himself! Now Al comes on our show to react, reflect, and remark upon our work, and talk about the writing and recording process behind the TMBG tribute! What I really mean to say is OH MY GOD WEIRD AL IS ON OUR SHOW! Enjoy the heck out of this! Watch our youtube video about the song here:https://youtu.be/JjmqMTJeq_E?si=cUsjQHZd2BavHpPG and Join us on Patreon!: patreon.com/dontletsstartpodcast --- Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/dontletsstart/support

Salutations! Or have you seen this episode? Jordan and Dave's pain is your karma as they exchange some fighting words and complete their archival dig through the 1980s demos of They Might Be Giants (for now.) We're here to make you happy, as half of this episode is our long awaited and belated Hell Hotel discussion! Is the song based on a Twilight Zone episode? Is that an Outer Limits reference? Why wasn't this song ever on an album? Who is Sebastian C.? WHAT DOES HE MEAN BY THIS? We also listen to some hellish demos of the demo! Then we might be chewing on a pair of feet as we listen to early versions of They Might Be Giants (the song.) Finally, the people are so happy now that we're closing out the 1985 demo tape with the wild and woolly demo of Nothing's Gonna Change My Clothes! All this, plus a surprise rare bonus song! Va-va-va-voom this is a sweet life! ALBATROSS! Join us on Patreon!: patreon.com/dontletsstartpodcast --- Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/dontletsstart/support

We've got another big delicious slice of They Might Be Giants' legendary 1985 demo tape! This episode covers tracks 10 through 20, and there's still more left to chew on! We find out newly discovered, frighteningly revelatory information on Cowtown and Chess Piece Face! We take the many demo versions of Youth Culture Killed My Dog for a walk! Then we crank the volume way up to hear the subtle secrets in the demo recordings of Alienation's For The Rich and The Day! After a proper history lesson on hotel detectives, we give Toddler Hiway the deep dive it's always deserved in a very special segment breaking down EVERY. DAMN. WORD! Finally, we peter out with I'm Def. How cooler can this be?!? Join us on Patreon!: https://www.patreon.com/dontletsstartpodcast --- Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/dontletsstart/support

We're back...in time! Jordan and Dave take out their dusty scrapbooks and look into the They Might Be Giants of years past. First we discuss their very first release, the Wiggle Diskette, a very limited vinyl distributed all over NYC in 1985. Then we continue on with the first batch of songs on TMBG's infamous 1985 demo tape! But do you think we stop there? Oh ho ho, foolish listener, doth thee not know of whom we be? Our minds become a blur of common sense as we discuss every demo and alternative version of these songs we could find! We're talking THREE Puppet-Heads, FOUR You'll Miss Mes, TWO Number Threes, and one uncomfortably intimate When It Rains It Snows! Including NEW revelations about these songs not addressed in our initial episodes! We then end the show with a very special guest, Margaret Seiler, the singer of Boat of Car! Take this car for a ride! Support us on Patreon!: https://www.patreon.com/dontletsstartpodcast --- Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/dontletsstart/support

Should auld acquaintance be forgot....Presenting a special urgent and heartfelt final broadcast for 2023! Jordan and Dave destroy the past and focus on the latest They Might Be Giants news, discoveries, rumors and revelations! We also tell you about our podcast operation, with a big announcement about a planned Patreon membership for 2024! OH IT'S GOOD NEWS! --- Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/dontletsstart/support

As a prologue for our upcoming deep dive into They Might Be Giants' 1980s demos, we spoke with the legendary Michael Small, the People Magazine writer who first reviewed TMBG's demo tape in 1985 and gave them their first huge exposure, telling (or warning) the world about the madness to come! Michael tells us about the first time he heard the tape, the songs that got stuck in his head, appearing in the documentary Gigantic, his relationship with They Might Be Giants over the years, and more exciting tales of music journalism! He also tells us about his incredibly fun new show, I Couldn't Throw It Out, which recently interviewed John Flansburgh! Links below! Michael's podcast: https://www.throwitoutpodcast.com/ Michael's TMBG review: https://tmbw.net/wiki/images/a/a3/PeopleDemoReview.jpg Our Twitter: https://twitter.com/DontLetsPod --- Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/dontletsstart/support

In this episode, Jordan and Dave read e-mails from who? E-mails from you! Topics include They Might Be Giants love songs! Fingertips theories! Reactions to our John Henry episodes, including theories on End of the Tour and Destination Moon! Condoms! Metallica! The Rheostatics! Frank Black! David Lynch! Comic books! Horror movies! The future of the podcast! Dave's new album! Jordan's old...! That's it! Plus, we discuss the latest TMBG news and weather! This episode is our precious gift to all of our wonderful listeners! Keep writing in and keep righting on! --- Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/dontletsstart/support

Save your tears! We are back with a very special surprise guest, Peter Stewart, the man, the mystery, the legend behind the previously anonymous, though no less epic song They Might Be Giants! Unofficially titled I Might Be Giant, Too by TMBG fans, this intense rock ballad was heard on They Might Be Giants' Dial-A-Song service and over the speakers at their live shows around the world since 1989! We don't need an ocean to get to Peter, because over Zoom we talk to him all about the inspiration behind the song, how it got in the hands of They Might Be Giants, and what he's been up to the past 30 or so years since fans became aware of it! We listen to FOUR different recordings of this song spanning decades! This is a fascinating and fun conversation with somebody who has tons of incredible stories from the music world, including brunch with Joey Ramone and an unreleased project with David Byrne! Leave the light on, turn the screws, and enjoy this deep dive unpacking one of the most enduring mysteries of TMBG mythology! --- Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/dontletsstart/support

Jordan and Dave are back to destroy the music you love! We spend this interminable episode listening to and mentally processing the vast number of rare dial-a-songs and officially released full band demos They Might Be Giants created in the build-up to 1994's album John Henry! Highlights include the extremely different Sleeping in the Flowers dial-a-song, the very brief and very funky full band recording of Dirt Bike, the hauntingly acoustic Spy, the Nixon crooning version of O' Do Not Forsake Me, and too much more! Our episode ends with a discussion of the Flansburgh-penned Wreck It Apart, a rare song that would eventually be killed and dissected for Ondine. That's right, a demo of an alternate version of a song not even on the album. WE'RE CRAZY! Plus, because you asked for it, John Henry Hypercard Stacks! If you know what those words mean, you are already on board. Stop waiting such a long time for the good times to start! Dust yourself off, grab your Dutch Masters, kick your feet up and take one final ride with John Henry! ALRIGHT! --- Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/dontletsstart/support

Being patient while we take our time are things our listeners can understand, and thank you for that! But now...Skull's out for summer! We finally finish what we started, as we're done with John Henry, the album! But what of John Henry's officially released b-sides? In this episode we listen to, learn about and love the Back to Skull EP (AKA Snail Shell EP), a tantalizing trilogy of songs about murderesses, femme fatales and intimidating ladies! First we have more of our discussion with the femmest fatale of them all, Scarlet Kim, the cover model of Back to Skull! Then we drive our pick-up trucks right over to track 2 and search the whole room over to find these words about the She Said/He Dead tale of Ondine! Then wait one minute, I have seen that She Was A Hotel Detective is next! We light up a cigarette, adjust the blinds and narrate the noir tale of this ne'er-do-well! Then we want to be the ones to declare that we want to talk about the unknowable Mrs. Train, and we're happy when we finally listen to this band! Finally, our pick-up truck leaves those original songs in the dust...Snail Dust! We groove to the sample-heavy remix of Snail Shell by the Dust Brothers. Or is it ma'ams? Plus we unearth a few other long lost Snail Shell remixes that had been gathering dust. What are you waiting for? Don't you want to be first in line to hear our latest episode? Don't make me kill you again! DO IT! --- Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/dontletsstart/support

We've heard the ceaseless screaming and we're back to free this demon and finish John Henry! They Might Be Giants' real rock record ends on a high note (not literally) with five fun and freaky songs. Turn it down? No! Turn it up and listen to our hot and heavy discussion of Thermostat. We might not be reliable as we talk and interrupt each other looking at what's under the hood of this song. Then we're checking out Window and the possible women, men (ok only men) Linnell may be making fun of in this song. We discuss how a stranger could have loved the lone John Flansburgh song in this batch, the cautionary tale, Out of Jail! We blast our missive and shout shout shout shout scream out our love of Stompbox! And if you're still around, finally, we reach the end of the road as we reveal the surprising inspiration behind End of the Tour that makes the picture abruptly change! I swear and I swear it's a great episode! Plus, we're sailing along once again with the people who played on John Henry, guitarist Jay Sherman-Godfrey and trumpet player Steven Bernstein! Is this episode bursting in flames or is it just me? KILL ME NOW! --- Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/dontletsstart/support

Commence Official TMBG Podcast Exploration! Jordan and Dave are back in our prison cells, thinking these words about five more songs off of They Might Be Giants' John Henry! We barely contain our secret smiles as we shriek to the lovely music of No One Knows My Plan! We attempt to cook up an angle on what the plan may be...And we must be silent because we have a special guest, trumpet player Steven Bernstein, telling us all about his incredible work on John Henry all throughout this episode! Then we're on our way to discuss the ground-shaking song Dirt Bike! We all hail philosopher John Flansburgh and his mind-bending song that may be about a cult, or a band, or a cult band, or a band of cults? Don't bother to call this room, we're too busy talking about how Destination Moon blows us away! We have stuff we need to talk about as we discuss the various moon-based pop cultural artifacts that may have inspired John Linnell! Then we look down the stairwell and into the bottomless pit of our souls as we get hopelessly lost following a vanishing dot on the map of Boston, Massachusetts, I mean...A Self Called Nowhere! Let me take you there! Finally, we gather round and sit and stare at Meet James Ensor, TMBG's famous song about Belgium's famous painter. We discuss Ensor's life and body...of work, and try to understand the man. You had better check it out! --- Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/dontletsstart/support

It's our 50th episode! While we feel 1,000 years old, we discuss O, Do Not Forsake Me, the gothic centerpiece of They Might Be Giants' John Henry! Jordan and his indolent friend Dave try to piece together the possible references (or are they misbegotten notions?) in the song! But what do we know? Joining us in the second half of the episode is lead singer of O, Do Not Forsake Me, Wilbur Pauley! Wilbur tells us all about his vocal group Hudson Shad, how he got started in music, and how he got involved with They Might Be Giants! We discuss the recording session for the song, his live performances with TMBG, and then some of his notable voice-over and vocal work in some quite popular and iconic movies you've seen! Do not forsake us! LISTEN NOW! --- Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/dontletsstart/support

By random whim, we have recorded another episode! Jordan and Dave discuss four songs with four fascinating unreliable narrators from They Might Be Giants' 1994 album John Henry! We blurt our merest ideas and shoot our mouths off about the singer's predicament in I Should Be Allowed To Think! There's no word in English to describe our appreciation for Extra Savoir-Faire! Through archival live show clips, we discover who John Flansburgh means to put down in this very modest song! We've both been thinking about Why Must I Be Sad, and now we understand what it's saying! We examine the Alice Cooper songs that John Linnell is referencing/mocking/tributing/??? in this heart-wrenching/funny/mean/sincere/??? tale. And finally, we gaze (with our ears) on Spy, and take a few educated guesses at just who is flying that spy plane, baby. I am not allowed to share my feelings on what a fantastic episode this turned out to be! COME ONNNN! --- Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/dontletsstart/support

I proclaim that John Henry Part 2 has arrived! We only just begin our journey on the dark roads of John Henry, They Might Be Giants' fullest length rockingest album! First we spin your head round and round all afternoon as we get freaky with Sleeping In the Flowers, in an England-size segment drowning in information, entertainment, and infotainment! Then Jordan smiles because Dave is funny, as we mean what we say about the not-tender ballad Unrelated Thing. We're not joking when we tell you that joining us in this segment is lead guitarist on the song, Jay Sherman-Godfrey! Jay talks about recording John Henry, collaborating with John and John, and the special contraption that provided the guitar sound on the song! After a full day's listening to the podcast, finally, we only have time for one last ride with AKA Driver, as we stay in our lane and discuss the effects of Nyquil, the origins of the song, and the shocking controversy behind the title. So tell your boss that you've been fired, don't seem ungrateful, put your big hand on the play button and your little hand on the volume! Hey podcast listeners, it's podcast listening time! --- Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/dontletsstart/support

We Hate They Might Be Giants!...For making such a great album in 1994 named John Henry! IT'S TOO GREAT! Welcome to part 1 of our John Henry Prestige Limited Series. Before getting to the songs, Jordan and Dave (with backup from archival audio of John and John!) get into a discussion that's even longer than the entire album all about the changing music scene in 1994, TMBG's experience recording John Henry in Bearsville, New York, and their clashes with Elektra Records. We also discuss the album's sequence, title, and album art. Joining us for an incredibly fun and revealing album art discussion about halfway through the episode is our very special guest, SCARLET KIM, one of the little John Henry rascals from the album art (holding the skull on the back, the cover of the Back to Skull EP, and more!) After reminiscing with Scarlet about that eventful day in Central Park, Jordan and Dave talk about SONGS! We stare into the Subliminal for as long as we can! We notice something about car crashes, dreams, and the subtle (subliminal???) but effective arrangement of the opening track! We slooooowly but eventually get to consider Snail Shell, the slimy and strange single. We debate Linnell's intention behind the song, and we also talk about...well, snails, of course, in a brand new segment called Snail Tell: all snail stories, all the time. Ah....ah....ah....Thank you! --- Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/dontletsstart/support

Yo ho! We're back from our 93 million miles away space trip to visit the land beyond, and we have a special job discussing They Might Be Giants' 1993 release, the Why Does The Sun Shine? (The Sun Is A Mass Of Incandescent Gas) EP! Their first studio recording with their new full band, this bright and shiny release is a jaunty, spirited and eclectic mix of cover songs and one early version of an original classic. Review: 7.5 stars. Actually, one GIANT star! After a medium-sized investigation of the EP artwork, a majority of the episode turns up the heat on the origins of Why Does The Sun Shine and the album it originated from, Space Songs. A million podcasts could fit inside our discussion of TMBG's first encounters with Space Songs, their early approaches to Why Does The Sun Shine live, and the final (but not!) result of the recorded version you now hold in your hand (I hope?) Next we get lost in the original endless version of Jessica and theorize on TMBG's decision to cover the bouncy-but-sophisticated instrumental. The Meat Puppets get a little mini-episode dedicated to them, as we gush over Whirlpool and spin some other Puppets songs we've enjoyed. Finally, the first studio recording of Spy gets scrutinized through our spy glasses, as we compare, contrast and congratulate its differences and similarities to the version that would be released on John Henry in 1994. This episode features exclusive insights from some of TMBG's friends and collaborators! Hot enough for ya? --- Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/dontletsstart/support

We proudly present a conversation with Jonathan Feinberg, TMBG drummer for the Apollo 18 tour and the O Tannenbaum single! Jon talks to us about auditioning for They Might Be Giants, recording the Christmas classic, making demos with John Flansburgh, touring with the band, and the unpredictable rollercoaster ride that happened after his time with TMBG! Featuring tons of archival audio of the Apollo 18 tour, plus Jon's own incredibly fun pandemic songwriting, and other surprising surprises! Pull up a drum stool, kick back and crash! --- Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/dontletsstart/support

In the midst of the Apollo 18 tour in 1992 They Might Be Giants transformed from a duo backed by a tape to a real band with real instruments. Jordan and Dave discuss this rock puberty, and all of the complications, consternations, and celebration that went along with it! With many archival audio clips from live concerts and interviews, hear from John and John themselves about why and how this transition took place! Topics discussed by all include their final duo shows, Stump the Band, Spin the Dial, the band's cover of Frankenstein, and the increasingly rowdy crowds causing chaos at the concerts. So get in line 2 hours early, show your fake ID and join us in our slow, suspenseful buildup to John Henry! --- Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/dontletsstart/support

We present to you now the full interview with singer/songwriter/musician/TMBG vocalist Laura Cantrell, of which only glimpses of were heard in our Apollo 18 episodes! In this limited supply expanded edition you'll hear Laura discuss her musical origins, her first bands, meeting They Might Be Giants, recording The Guitar, shooting the music video for The Guitar, touring with TMBG, and more! Plus we get very deep into each song on her beloved Hello CD of the Month Club EP, produced by John Flansburgh! Laura talks about songwriting, what makes a country song a country song, and she also takes us (figuratively) on her tour with Elvis Costello, and through the process of recording her full-length albums! --- Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/dontletsstart/support

This episode is not about us! It's about YOU! Jordan and Dave sit their beautiful bodies down in front of mid-priced microphones and answer some of YOUR e-mails about They Might Be Giants, and what makes us tick! Topics include: TMBG break-up songs! Severed heads! Frank Zappa! The riddles of Which Describes How You're Feeling! The sorrow of She's An Angel! The mysteries of the Birdhouse In Your Soul demo! The Frank O'Toole Show! Have we discovered the singer of I Might Be Giant, Too? What if TMBG never got a full band? Does Dave have a beard? Does Jordan want to get John and John on the show? All that and so much more! Till tomorrooooooow! --- Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/dontletsstart/support

The big day has arrived! Not only have They Might Be Giants released a new album, but for the first time on our podcast, Jordan and Dave are along for the experience! We sit down and spill some ink in a more casual chat (no research! no outline!) to discuss our first impressions of TMBG's new album BOOK, and dig into its contents, chapter and verse! They open the book of BOOK, a massive and mysterious hardcover art project! They bookmark the possible lyrical themes running through the album! They also leaf through the four bonus tracks on the Pamphlet EP! Plus: What songs jumped out the most on a first listen? What had us scratching our heads? Should any of the Pamphlet songs have made it onto BOOK? And finally, Jordan ranks each and every song as Dave looks on in shock! Check out this BOOK right now! --- Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/dontletsstart/support

A while back Jordan and Dave masked up to have an outdoors, socially-distanced interview with They Might Be Giants collaborator Kurt Hoffman! Kurt is a multi-instrumentalist, composer, songwriter and visual artist whose footprints are all over TMBG, from opening for them on their Flood tour as part of the legendary group The Ordinaires, to recording on Apollo 18 and John Henry-era songs, to playing keyboards and brass as part of their 90's touring band, plus a handful of hidden projects we discover in this discussion! We talk to Kurt about learning accordion, writing and performing in The Ordinaires, meeting TMBG and later opening for them, and then joining TMBG as a member of their first ever live band! We also go into lengthy discussions about the making of John Henry, composing the string section for S-E-X-X-Y, the infamous stage-collapse concert, and we hear many surprising tales of show business! Follow our Twitter @dontletspod for tons of links to all of Kurt's projects, and enjoy the episode, there's nothing "ordinary" about it! --- Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/dontletsstart/support

Finally splashing down from our lunar mission, Jordan and Dave close the (space?) book on They Might Be Giants' Apollo 18 by resurrecting and inspecting the demos and dial-a-songs made for the album! We begin with a viewing "party" of the infamous Apollo 18 Promo, featuring the hit song "Integrity Project", and a pre-Power Point Power-Point-esque slideshow, with funny jokes and cool stuff! DON'T LET'S START POD "EXPLAINS" THE POWER SPHERES, 20,000K YOUTUBE HITS! Yeah, man! Then we discuss a WALLOPING NINETEEN demos and dial-a-songs, including the WALLOPING I Palindrome I written by Mr. John Flansburgh, a shockingly funky (so pack your bag!) She's Actual Size written by Mr. John Flansburgh, and a mind-bending nightmare version of Turn Around (written by Mr. John Linnell)! We also nitty the picks of the Apollo 18 B-side demos (you better believe they are WALLOPING), including the Fun-derful (Ⓒ Jordan Cooper) Welcome To The Jungle demo, and the terrifying tale of Music Jail, "Free Bird's Rebirth." Throughout the jam-packed episode Jordan and Dave discuss songwriting methods, "what is a demo", running into Mr. John Flansburgh at a record store, "what is a praline", camel misunderstandings, and so much more! Coming to you faster than you can say 10...9...8...7...6...5...4...3...2...1...blast off! --- Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/dontletsstart/support

Tranquility base! Jordan and Dave are stuck circling the various moons and planetoids surrounding They Might Be Giants' 4th album Apollo 18, as we hitch a ride on our superfueled freaksicle and explore the out of circulation b-sides sifted off of the album and cast out into the void! First we have some exclusive and fascinating insight on the I Palindrome I EP photography by one of the photographers! Then our bus drives by Cabbagetown as we talk about so many big ideas relating to the song! Jordan dances to Siftin' while Dave sifts to dancin'! Then special guest Laura Cantrell tells us more tales of TMBG and about the cover photography for The Guitar EP! All the remixes on this EP are truly one, including the Williamsburgh and Outer Planet remixes! Think you're gonna like as we put aside the fun and games for our discussion of Welcome To The Jungle! Then we say the same words of what will be our next song: I Blame You! And finally, the trip we've planned concludes as we drive our Nova carefully while Moving To The Sun. Come on! --- Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/dontletsstart/support

Hey now everybody! After being lost in deep space, Jordan and Dave can't leave They Might Be Giants' fourth album Apollo 18 alone! We're once again joined by second engineer Edward Douglas, plus more SURPRISE SPECIAL GUESTS who make appearances on Apollo 18! You won't remember why you liked our discussion of Hypnotist Of Ladies, but you will! Then, everything catches on fire in the Don't Let's Pod studio as Jordan and Dave understand every single word of all 21 tracks of Fingertips! Blown wind, New friends, wrecked cars, passed milk, blue things, mysterious whispers...something grabbed ahold of our hands and we're serious as a heart attack! Who IS that standing out the window? Who IS that knocking on the wall? Aren't WHO is the guy who hit WHO in the EYE? And finally, Apollo 18 is set free as Space Suit, all alone, all by itself, is unhooked and floats endlessly into those black, beautiful darkened corridors.......CAME TO PLAAAAY! --- Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/dontletsstart/support

This episode covers ONE TWO THREE FOUR! songs off of Apollo 18, the ONE TWO THREE FOURTH album by They Might Be Giants! We are once again joined by Edward Douglas (the one two three IVth), the 2nd engineer on the album! First, Jordan lies and Dave sighs as we discuss the convoluted, controversial and cryptic bad feelings of Which Describes How You're Feeling! From one guy in the sky to the one made of dots and lines, Jordan tells Dave everything he already knows about The Ramones as we explore the inspiration and consternation of See The Constellation! Then Jordan steals all the microphones to discuss the why of If I Wasn't Shy! And finally, we calm our nerves and hope you find us highly amusing as we do a deep dive into death in all its many horrible forms in Turn Around! Which is fine, which is fine... --- Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/dontletsstart/support

Turn it up! Take one step through the doorway and un-narrow your ears because our latest episode is waving hello! In this episode we explore four shockingly different They Might Be Giants songs off of their fourth album Apollo 18, and we are joined once again by Apollo 18 studio engineer Edward Douglas! Hey! Who's that commenting on The Guitar? Is it Jim? NO! It's LAURA CANTRELL, our special guest for this episode! Laura talks all about meeting TMBG and recording vocals on the song (her full interview will be released at a later date!) Then Jordan and Dave have been salivating, just waiting for the chance to devour Dinner Bell! Do the bell thing! Jordan doesn't want to change Dave's mind about Narrow Your Eyes...because they both agree! They discuss the relatable story in the song, which is only half as relatable as Hall of Heads. Is this our favorite one? Please don't try to leave...before enjoying this fantastic episode! --- Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/dontletsstart/support

Ladies and gentlemen! Jordan and his evil twin Dave are back, along with genuinely good triplet engineer Edward Douglas, to discuss They Might Be Giants' out of this world fourth album Apollo 18! We begin with a space-shattering revelation about the Apollo 18 album art! Then we've grown so grateful for the devilishly catchy My Evil Twin! Mammal (MAAAAMMAL!) is next and...do you hear that? Let me try again: Mammal (MAAAAAAMMAL!) (there it is again!) is next, as we discuss the surprising sadness of this cute and complicated song. The big single The Statue Got Me High gets a monumental segment, as we leave no stone unturned! It's as concrete and solid as anything you'll hear about this classic rock song! Finally, eight legs good! We promise not to kill you with our obsessive crawl through the reference points for your friendly neighborhood Spider! We love you, Spider! --- Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/dontletsstart/support

That's one small step for MAN O NAM! After being in deep sleep, Jordan and Dave awaken in their silver spaceship Apollo 18, also the name of They Might Be Giants' indisputably fourth album! We get too into the background of the album's conception, title, artwork and the production style, and helping us along to fact check and offer unique insight is special guest Edward Douglas, credited as second engineer on the Apollo 18 studio sessions! Every time Dave looks in Jordan's eyes he wants to talk about the punky chunkies of Dig My Grave! Then we are able, we say, though we scare ourselves...to discuss the psycho-drama masterpiece of I Palindrome I! And finally, us big men tremble as we step aside for She's Actual Size, the last song we had time for in this nationwide episode. Believe! --- Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/dontletsstart/support

In this episode Jordan and Dave pull five random They Might Be Giants songs without a home out of the grab bag and discuss the ever-lovin' bejesus out of them! One of these songs is an exclusive recording of an extremely rare TMBG song that nobody has ever heard before, secretly provided to the podcast by a generous benefactor! What will all of these songs be? Will some be new? Will some be old? Will some be silver, some be gold? Listen now! We also discuss the very latest TMBG news, give important updates on the podcast, answer letters from our listeners, and more! --- Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/dontletsstart/support

Take a trip with us back to slimy New York City in the late 1980s for a whirlwind tour through They Might Be Giants' most inspired, hilarious, and sometimes tragic on-stage moments! Dave and Jordan discuss 80's TMBG live show staples like The Stick, Countdown, Scream As If You're In Hell, and MORE SURPRISES! We also travel around the slimy world and experience the horror of a typical UK rock show audience, the classic "German indifference", and the risky folly of bringing (drunk?) audience members up on stage! Then we discuss our favorite 80's TMBG opening act, Risky Folly! Also featuring a high-spirited Letterbox and Unrelated Thing section to gently ease you out of this harrowing episode! --- Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/dontletsstart/support

Jordan and Dave are back and staying the hell away from each other! So in this episode we present an interview conducted last year with Gary Ray, the founder and owner of Darinka, the venue that They Might Be Giants (and many other eclectic acts) called home from 1984-1987! Gary talks to us about founding the club, booking They Might Be Giants, the TMBG Wiggle Diskette release party, his appearance in Gigantic, opening up for TMBG in recent years, and more! We also talk about tons of bands and performance art acts from that magical time period, including Hal Sirowitz, Watchface, and the infamous duo of Steve Buscemi and Mark Boone Junior! You also get to hear rare clips of Gary's various rock bands and hear stories from his surprisingly unpredictable acting resume. So download, pop those headphones in, and sit and stare out the window at a world you no longer recognize! --- Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/dontletsstart/support

'Twas a long time ago, longer now than it seems, in a place that perhaps you've seen in your dreams...Bowery Ballroom in New York City, the night of February 8, 2020! It was on the Bowery when Jordan, Dave, and incredibly special guests, nighttime ladies Kristen (Jordan's girlfriend) and Krissy (Dave's wife) all saw a They Might Be Giants Flood 30th anniversary concert and lived to tell the tale! Join us after the show for a secret shadow government meeting in the empty back room of a diner just up the highway as us women and men discuss the show (with CLIPS!!!), the lovely lasses' history with the music of TMBG, and how much tip to leave the disaffected waitress. We marvel at startlingly different live versions of songs like Older, Particle Man, Why Does The Sun Shine and Turn Around, plus The Quiet Storm acoustic set, and the entire Flood album! Krissy tells a surreal story about We Want A Rock, Kristen reveals her most played and least fav TMBG tunes, and Jordan and Dave exchange tense looks from across the table! Spoiler Alert for those who are planning to see their current live show! --- Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/dontletsstart/support

We're back with part 2 of our interview with TMBG drummer Brian Doherty! Unnoticed by few, in this episode Doherty discusses his work on They Might Be Giants' Factory Showroom, Severe Tire Damage, John Linnell's State Songs, playing with Mono Puff, and tons of TMBG touring stories, including the experience of opening up for Hootie and the Blowfish! Brian also talks about playing with alt rock music legends like Frank Black, XTC, Ben Folds and R.E.M.! He discusses the various Broadway shows he's drummed with, as well as the creation of his own solo rock album (which is real good, real real good.) This episode features some exclusive, rare, never before heard demos and recordings from some of the bands he has played with! Don't spend the rest of your life wondering, LISTEN NOW! --- Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/dontletsstart/support

Meet Brian Doherty! Jersey City's famous drummer! Part 1 of an in-depth interview with Brian Doherty! Brian played drums for They Might Be Giants from 1993 to 1996, performed on the albums John Henry, Factory Showroom, as well as various EPs, and more! In part 1, we discuss the first bands Brian played with, meeting and rehearsing and touring with John and John, recording John Henry, making the Snail Shell music video, and many tales from the private backstage world of TMBG! Hold on to your hi-hats! --- Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/dontletsstart/support

Flood fans, you're in for a treat, a fresh-baked, yummy one! Dave and Jordan, the hosts, take you, the listeners, through the countless-yet-countable (21) demos and Dial-A-Song recordings that made up almost all of the songs on Flood! We think it's worth the money and hurt as we gasp in shock at the alternate lyrics of the Birdhouse In Your Soul demo! We can't say why we enjoy the phone version of Istanbul (Not Constantinople), maybe we just liked it better that way! Your Racist Friend doubles the racism with TWO vastly different demo versions, and Twisting gets all twisted up into a totally different song which leaves Dave and Jordan hanging! Jordan gushes over the adorable demo for We Want A Rock, while Dave collapses upon his fainting couch at the coarse language in the Hearing Aid demo! Here they come to take on the sassy Sapphire Bullets Of Pure Love demo, park their cars for a while at the haunting Road Movie To Berlin demo, and are stunned silent by the lack of unique qualities of the James K. Polk demo! All this and so much more! Are you not fulfilled?!? --- Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/dontletsstart/support

This is a recording! We may not be able to drive out the way we drove in, so we have to leave our exploration of Flood through these b-sides and remixes left scattered in the middle of the road! Not that there's anything middle of the road (whew) about James K. Polk, the original Flood-reject version that showed up on the Istanbul (Not Constantinople) EP and was just a small glimmer in They Might Be Giants' eye of the fan-favorite song it would later become! Jordan's oratory fills Dave with fear as he goes into THE in-depth discussion on the origins and intentions of the beloved song! Then Jordan and Dave's Johnny cups are filled with gloom as they discuss the sad beauty of Stormy Pinkness. Track 4 of the Istanbul EP was a little fella called Ant, who ransacks this podcast, leaving a mess that our hosts can barely rummage through. Finally, we dissect and display the various creators of the remixes of Istanbul (Not Constantinople) and Your Racist Friend, paying special attention to the Brownsville Mix and the overwhelming collage of pop music samples contained therein. Also featuring, at the very start of the episode, a devastating revelation about a song from Flood that will rock you to your very core! You ain't in New York City, baby! --- Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/dontletsstart/support

Pod Cast, where are you? Right here! Behind you! The ship has run out of ocean, as Dave and Jordan, the Kings of Liars, conclude their discussion/investigation/true crime mini-docu-series about all of the songs on They Might Be Giants' popular Flood album! First, we play a quickly aborted round of Derby Day in celebration of Hot Cha, then discuss the complicated backstory behind the song! It's totally off the hook! Then we keep our stereo on and cook up some interpretations for Women & Me(eeeeEEEEEeeeEEEee)n! We bring some messages of pure love, as we gradually fade in on one of the more haunting songs in the TMBG hand cannon, coming in at number 1 with a bullet, Sapphire Bullets of Pure Love! Hang on tight, because we're taking a ride on the musical rollercoaster that is the eponymous They Might Be Giants! Jordan tells a shocking personal story about Dr. Spock that might be big big fake fake lies, while Dave can't be silent as he responds with things like "how very interesting" and "you don't say!" Finally, and we mean finally, our skeleton bones are swept up as we tear down the emotional wall and say goodbye to Flood (for now) with a very smart and very researched discussion about Road Movie To Berlin. Topics include old movies, mummy misconceptions, Satan himself, and so much more! Boy! --- Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/dontletsstart/support

All hail, the Flood Boat! Jordan and Dave hit some deep and treacherous waters as they hit a Linnell-valanche with some of the trickiest and head-injuring songs on Flood! If I were a podcaster I'd stammer on my podcast all about We Want A Rock! We're not done with you yet! Would you mind if there's some horrible business left for us to attend to as we discuss the slightly irritating situations in Someone Keeps Moving My Chair? Sometimes Jordan feels sorry for Dave having to listen to his dark and tragic theories about Hearing Aid, but usually he can't. Because...Because...Then Jordan really cracks the whip and demands Dave tell all about his history of Minimum Wage jobs! Too late or soon to make noise about Letterbox? Neither! And both! There's no time for sorrow, because we'd like to change your mind about Whistling in the Dark, by hitting it with a rock to wind a string around! And thus the terrifying circle is complete. --- Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/dontletsstart/support

It's the loveliest podcast that you've ever attended! When we discuss Flood do we get wet? We've got a Universe Man-sized episode for you where we cover an entire THREE songs from They Might Be Giants' THIRD album Flood! Content warning: you may not be able to stand there listening to us talking about Your Racist Friend! Then we're doing the things a podcaster can as we take on Particle Man, discuss the possible and possibly impossible inspirations for the song, its astonishing popularity and longevity in TMBG's career, and Particle Man and Istanbul's appearance on the short-lived but much remembered Tiny Toons Music Television network! Then Jordan and Dave crank up their Marshall stacks and rock out to Twisting, while Jordan shares a personal rock story about Young Fresh Fellows and teenage heartbreak and -- it's not important. Listen to this and then we want to see you again! --- Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/dontletsstart/support

Our handmade boat ride through Flood continues! In this episode, we continue to celebrate and interrogate They Might Be Giants' big-time third album! We confidentially ponder and rattle on about Lucky Ball & Chain, then you can't go back to before TMBG released this next song! We devote much of the episode to an unbelievably in-depth discussion about Istanbul (Not Constantinople), tracking the history of the song (and even the city!) and John and John's interest in it, the dense production of the track, and the popularity of the strange single that forever changed TMBG's career. Now it's over, but not before we dig up Dead and try to answer the question we all have: is it good to be alive, dead, or dead-alive? The answer may terrify you! So don't just sit at home ever anymore, listen to this episoooode! --- Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/dontletsstart/support

Live, from the Electric Well! Actually-your-friends, Dave and Jordan, are back, and rocketing forward at lightning speed past the '80s (for now) and towards They Might Be Giants' brand new record for 1990, Flood! We discuss all things Flood, except for 17 of the 19 songs, which are coming up in the next episodes! We discuss the origins of the title and album art, TMBG's signing (and singing) with Elektra records, and attempt to break down the new kind of production that was brought to the album (I'd be fired if that were my job!) We gasp for air and drown in the deep waters of Theme For Flood, our pale corpses floating to the surface like so many forgotten...ahem, anyway, then we devote the rest of the show to filibustering vigilantly about Birdhouse In Your Soul, their biggish hit song that countless screaming TMBG fans adore, and PEOPLE, we are leaving IN the whistles and bells. This podcast episode is infinite! Listen now and while you're at it, stay tuned soon for more on Flood! --- Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/dontletsstart/support