TMBGareOK Asks

How far along did covering "This Is Pop" for the XTC tribute album make it before scrapping it and switching to "25 O'Clock"? In an interview you once said that This Is Pop "proved to be too difficult for us."

JF: What was difficult was translating the "eep!-OPP!-ooh!-APP!"--new wave vocal hook in a way that felt powerful. It was like a tripwire for us. In retrospect we should have just played it on a guitar or keyboard as a lead-line and not fretted over it as a vocal.

#2026 #song related question

What do you think of the American Dream?

JF: the concept? I'm okay with it. Seems like the emphasis is on dream these days.

#2026 #jf related #opinion

I got blocked from Dial-A-Song a while ago, I had only called a couple of times, is there any way to get unblocked?

JF: I don't think there is any way WE can block anyone, and there would be no reason to block anyone. Might be your service provider has some kind of issue with it, but it doesn't really have anything to do with us our our controls

#2026 #dial a song

John recently mentioned in one of his twitd interviews that y'all usually have root beer backstage cus he likes it. Is there a certain brand or is root beer root beer?

JF: it seems pretty wide open! From generic A&W to local micro-brands.

#2026 #food talk

What kind of music do you think Mozart would be writing today? What about other classical composers?

JF: I don't have a solid perspective of Mozart's place in the history of music (beyond being widely celebrated, I don't know what he changed exactly) so I wouldn't know who is comparable, or if there really are comparables...

#2026 #music talk

I've been listening to Artificial Heart by Jonathan Coulton a lot lately. How did Coulton and you meet? Any plans for you two to hook up again? I think Artificial Heart is really a triumph, and you were able to work some magic together

JF:: Coulton opened some shows and I was impressed with his deal. It was a serious effort, and I'm happy with it. There are some beautiful, memorable songs in that project.

#2026 #music talk #show talk

hey guys it’s been like 20 minutes can you come back. lots of love from the 5/30 Brooklyn show. come back please ♥️♥️♥️ ALSO TELL YOUR FANS TO STOP SMOKING AND TO LOOK INTO THIS THING CALLED DEODORANT

JF: sick burn Brooklynites!

hey flans! my friends and I were looking at the setlists from night 2 of boston and noticed that birdhouse was written on the copied prints. was it a last minute decision? just wondering because we dressed up as the birdhouse video, so we were joking around about that!

JF: It was a copying oversight.

enjoy y’all’s summer vacation! you deserve it!!

JF: Thanks!

#2026 #jf related

when JL was still with them, did you ever see, hear or know about the mundanes?

JF: I saw the Mundanes many times, and would consider myself a fan. Some great songs and great musicians. It was very interesting observing all the band dynamics, and how all the moving parts works.

#2026 #music talk

I always laugh but am also always slightly confused when y'all act like the euphonium is taboo or has a secret name that we're not allowed to say. Is there some story or significance with this or did you just think it's funny and the bit stuck?

JF: well, most people are unaware of what a euphonium even is, so we just riff on it.

JF did you happen to drop your wardrobe in a thrift store...? (These look like something you'd wear) 👀

JF: one secret clue reveals the hidden truth! I don't often wear short sleeved shirts!

#2026 #jf related

My roommate says she saw your name on the marquee at the Neptune in Seattle and that you're playing next Saturday, Sunday and Monday. But when I looked it up it says no such thing. Is there something to get?

JF: I... uh. we played there like nine months ago...

We were on the way to do grocery shopping, and my wife said "I'm not sure deep cuts from They Might Be Giants is my ideal driving music." Did I marry the wrong person?

JF: She is speaking her truth! Let it go!

#2026 #silly

Hello! I have to move for the second year in a row, which is such a hassle, but your music keeps me energized! And I do have a question; can you give any hint as to where and when the next leg of the tour may be?

All of these shows are on sale NOW!

9.24 Milwaukee https://bit.ly/TMBG092426

9.25 Milwaukee https://bit.ly/TMBG092526

9.26 Madison https://bit.ly/TMBG092626

9.27 Madison https://bit.ly/TMBG092726

9.29 Kansas City https://bit.ly/TMBG092926

10.1 Minneapolis https://bit.ly/TMBG100126

10.2 Minneapolis https://bit.ly/TMBG100226

10.3 St. Paul https://bit.ly/TMBG100326

10.4 St. Paul https://bit.ly/TMBG100426

11.6 Austin https://bit.ly/TMBG110626

11.7 Austin https://bit.ly/TMBG110726

11.8 Austin https://bit.ly/TMBG110826

11.10 Houston https://bit.ly/TMBG111026

11.11 Houston https://bit.ly/TMBG111126

11.13 Dallas https://bit.ly/TMBG111326

11.14 Dallas https://bit.ly/TMBG111426

11.19 Washington, DC https://bit.ly/TMBG111926

11.20 Washington, DC SOLD OUT

11.21 Washington, DC https://bit.ly/TMBG112126

11.22 Washington, DC https://bit.ly/TMBG112226

#2026 #touring

Who is the artist of the snowman? Just curious 😁🥰

From TMBW.net:

Mark Mazut created the iconic snowman artwork for the Don't Let's Start EP, released in 1987.

The snowman burning money was an original idea conceptualized and illustrated by Mazut. John Flansburghin 2012 said on Tumblr, "It was a very smart illustration created by Mark Mazut and he deserves all the credit. He presented [it] to us unsolicited. It was his original idea, and it still makes me think!"

Flansburgh stated Mazut was inspired by the running snowman clip art from the 1986 self-titled album's lyric sheet, which he recalls, "was taken (I believe out of a trash can) at my job doing kids workbooks at Macmillan Publishing," and had its smile "altered to a more ambivalent expression."[1] The Macmillan clip art and Mazut's drawing share similar features, including the snowman's boots and top hat.