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

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

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!: patreon.com/dontletsstartpodcast

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

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!: patreon.com/dontletsstartpodcast

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 Join us on Patreon!: patreon.com/dontletsstartpodcast Our Twitter: https://twitter.com/DontLetsPod

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! Join us on Patreon!: patreon.com/dontletsstartpodcast

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! Join us on Patreon!: patreon.com/dontletsstartpodcast