Why They Might Be Giants now perform an entire song backwards

They Might Be Giants - old school fiends John Flansburgh and John Linnell - have been making elliptical, funny and adventurous records for over 40 years and writing music for children, advertising and TV comedies. We talk to John Linnell here about songwriting, early shows in art spaces, the way you saw the world when a "wiseacrey teenager" and what you can expect from their autumn tour. Which, incidentally, will include the "pointlessy difficult exercise" of performing Sapphire Bullets Of Love every night in reverse which they'll film and run backwards and then send the clip to audience members so they can gauge its accuracy ("like watching people sing for whom English is a second language"). Some illuminating moments here ...
... the rich vein of '50s music outside of rock and roll.
... communicating by posting cassettes and how they built a following with an ansaphone.
... working in a record store in Massachussetts.
... playing on the same bill as Steve Buscemi at New York performance venues in the '80s and gigs involving papier mache hands and masks.
... why children are "a tough crowd" and the unsettling news that their albums for kids were outselling their usual records.
... the fine art of survival after a 1990 worldwide hit.
... and Yoko Ono, Pere Ubu, Elvis Costello and the disturbing effect of Frank Zappa's Weasels Ripped My Flesh.
They Might Be Giants tickets here …
www.ticketmaster.co.uk/they-m...
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[@polygawn]

JOHNS LINTEL ‼️‼️‼️🔥🔥🐟🐟💃💃🫶

[@53puskas53]

John looks like he is calling in from his radio repair shop.

[@paulmichaelconnell495]

The benefits of not taking yourself too seriously.

[@timothyjamessinglesclub7803]

I remember making a cassette with the song Birdhouse In Your Soul repeated over and over on both sides. Kind of like the opposite of a mix tape, I suppose. I believe it was a C46 tape, so I guess in length a "cassalbum" rather than a "cassingle." Greater love hath no man ever had for a song than this, surely!

[@thequeenofnanobots]

this reminded me that i filmed them performing stilloob (sapphire bullets of pure love backwards) during one of their recent shows !!

[@d1nn3r_b3ll]

JOHN LINNELL!!!!!!!

[@neilb224]

TMBG: Such a great name for a band.

[@lapinpuff]

Ah this is so insightful!! Looking forward to seeing Them in November :)

[@TwiPrime]

Wonderful! Thanks for talking to John Linnell, my very favorite songwriter and musician!!

[@MrBrindleStyle]

“Never Mind The Baubles”. Is on video- a Christmas Must watch.

[@jalijali8448]

Nothing wrong with Zappa!

[@francisanosissi1]

How do you play drums backwards?..