#creativeperseverance

[talknetworkradio]

Leading with Artistry | Episode #402

Legacy Living with Dr. Gloria Burgess. In today's complex world, leaders must lead with authenticity and artistry. Join Dr. Gloria in this podcast as she explains why authenticity, artistry, and creativity are essential for every leader—now more than ever. https://www.talknetworkradio.com/hosts/legacyliving

[talknetworkradio]

Leadership, Perseverance, and Artistry | Episode #297

[talknetworkradio]

Leading with Artistry and Perseverance | Episode #242

[talknetworkradio]

Leading with Perseverance | Episode #210

[heroseries]

#30: They Might Be Giants: Evolutionary Defenders

I was listening to They Might Be Giants’ There’s Only One Everything with my daughter and husband. I felt a wave of warm well-being rush over me. The song is from a “kid’s” album that the Giants, John Flansburgh and John Linnell, made about math. The curiosity shown in the immensely catchy, musically interesting songs appeal to people of all ages.  Michael (#22) called the album, “The Pixar movie of music--kids and adults love them the same. That’s REALLY hard to do.” 

There is so much to celebrate about TMBG. Of course there is their great early work, which I loved. But there’s more than just clever, off-beat pop to celebrate and two things stand out for me. One is their Here Comes Science album, another of their kids’ albums, which came out in 2009. It asserts in such a positive way that, in the words of its first track, “Science is Real.” I love the idea that parents across the country can use this as a fun way to introduce their kids to scientific curiosity. 

The second is Dial-a-song. From 1986 to 2003, TMBG’s massive imagination could not be contained by performance and record output. They had so many songs in their heads they wanted to get out that they started recording them on an answering machine in Brooklyn. They advertised the number in fliers and newspapers. They would record new songs almost every day, and thousands of people called in and got to hear early versions of songs that might end up on albums, or just little bits of songs that stay just as they are. Flansburgh and Linnell brought back Dial-a-Song earlier this year. Check out the latest. 

John and John, thank you so much for staying with me from teenage years to motherhood. Thank you for giving me the feeling I had when I listened to There’s Only One Everything. For your willingness to try different formats and do what it takes to keep your music out there. For your stance on science and evolution. For sharing your curiosity about the world with the rest of us. Finally, thank you (so much) for making albums my daughter likes that don’t drive me insane.

[wordupat]

Ira Glass NAILS why it’s so hard to get good at any creative art, and why it’s so critical to push through the self doubt. Comforting AND inspiring. Hat tip to Chris Elliott for sharing this gem!