NEWS
Download free MP3 Valentine at http://tmbg.com
TMBG's podcast tops one million downloads in its first 6 weeks
New original TMBG ring tones at http://www.theymightbegiants.com.




PODCAST 3A OUT TODAY! Now in mono!

-Miniature Sidewalk Whirlwind, Valentine, The Long Grift, Love Is Eternity, and much more!
-plus The Last Car performing So Easy to Love, Running Strong, Tell Us Mr. T
-plus Cecil Portesque's 6 Questions with this week's special guest the Deranged Millionaire!




WHAT SOME PEOPLE DON'T UNDERSTAND ABOUT THEY MIGHT BE GIANTS' PODCASTS

Just to clear up some misconceptions:

1. They Might be Giants podcast is an entirely free subscription service.
2. You do not need an iPod - it is ready to enjoy from any computer or MP3-playing device.
3. You will need an iTunes-like program in your computer, but that is also a free download.
Go to the easy instructions at the bottom of this email to get the hookup.

The official TMBG podcast is an about-every-month-or-so MP3 music special featuring new exclusive material from the band, rare tracks and special live performances. The show is hosted by public radio's Cecil Portesque, and produced by TMBG archivist Julian Dufy.

Everybody at Team TMBG is really excited by all the interest in the They Might be Giants podcast. We would ask that if you enjoy the podcast that you tell your friends about the service - perhaps even forward them this email. Don't break the chain!




A NOTE FROM LINNELL

"Heigh Ho!

John Linnell here. John F. and I have spent the past several decades pondering ideas for a They Might Be Giants songbook. We think there are people out there who want an attractive volume of their favorite songs to set atop the piano, or to rest in their laps as they sit crosslegged on the floor with their tenor banjos. Maybe some people are curious about the exact words, melodies and chords which for some reason are not clear enough from the recordings. Just what was that background harmony, anyway? And the snare perididdles: are they some kind of secret code?

Recently we've moved closer to an agreement with our publisher for a general, non-album specific collection of Giants material, but we're still not completely sure what form it should take. I personally don't see much use for the standard piano arrangement of songs with the melody included in the right hand. Do people still like that? Do people even want piano arrangements of songs that were recorded mainly with guitars and drum machines in the first place? I guess what I'm wondering is what the ultimate function of said book would be. My impulse would be to provide the words, melody and chords for each song, and then after that include extra bits that would enhance one's enjoyment, like highlighted instrumental parts and maybe some performance tips.

So here is your opportunity to voice your opinions: just email your comments and ideas about what kind of TMBG songbook would best suit your needs to TMBGDot@aol.com and we will read and take your suggestions to heart.

Or we could just go ahead and do whatever we were going to do, heedless of popular demand. But we think with your help, maybe we could serve you better.

All the best,"

Mr. L.



A NOTE FROM FLANSBURGH

"Everyone knows I love to relax: braiding the hair of my new Project Runway Barbie, adding story after story to my Sims dreamhouse, and changing channels constantly between reruns of Law & Order: Criminal Intent and the Senate NSA hearings on C-SPAN. Of course, I do enjoy surfing the net. In an idle moment I thought "What exactly were the albums Sony sent out with that virus-loving spyware encoded in them?" One short Google search later, I found a list of the couple of dozen releases. I know the bands weren't aware of the spyware, but looking at the titles I couldn't help but notice a ominous theme running through a third of the album titles -

The Coral, The Invisible Invasion (Columbia)
Acceptance, Phantoms (Columbia)
The Bad Plus, Suspicious Activity (Columbia)
Our Lady Peace, Healthy in Paranoid Times (Columbia)
Van Zant, Get Right with the Man (Columbia)
Switchfoot, Nothing is Sound (Columbia)
Natasha Bedingfield, Unwritten (Epic)
The Dead 60s, The Dead 60s (Epic)

Creepy, right? Well, back to my Sims...

On the topic of the NSA, we've just recorded a special set of ringtones for your downloading pleasure. There are three to choose from, and the way it goes into your phone is pretty stealth. Go to theymightbegiants.com and check it out.

Also want to tell you TMBG is planning a southern run in the end of April. We should be out for about a week or 10 days. Dates to come shortly.

I'll be performing in People Are Wrong! for one special night at Joe's Pub on March 19th - get your tickets at telecharge.com or at the Joe's Pub box office, 425 Lafayette St in Manhattan. Hope to see you there!"

John F.




HOW TO ROCK A PODCAST

This is the direct link to subscribe:

http://phobos.apple.com/WebObjects/MZStore...st?id=105708952

If you've never podcasted before, you might want to check out your iTunes application (Mac or PC). Just open the application and click on the "Podcasts" button. Under "advanced" select "subscribe to podcast" and paste this link in the field:
http://www.tmbg.com/_media/_pod/podcast.xml

If you don't have iTunes software, go to www.apple.com/itunes/download to download it now for free.

Or if your browser is set up for rss feeds, you might be able to just click here: http://www.tmbg.com/_media/_pod/podcast.xml
to just view and play the mp3 file through your browser or default rss reader.




VALENTINE

Your goal's desecration
Your soul's isolation
More damned than some vandals in a shrine
You're a harsh apparition
Here's the strange declaration:
The world wants to be your valentine!

You got a burnt application
The wrong formulation
A heart frosty as this Ballantine
It's a sad indication
This reckless invitation
The world wants to be your valentine!


If you've read this far....

http://bangbangbanquet.net/tmbg/8812manhattan_120.rm


~

a southern run???!!!!! i wonder how far south they're planning to come???

i better not get my hopes up...

ps... i hope i fixed all the links right.

what they need to add to their book thingy is accordion tabs. (or whatever you call em)

also... i wonder if it's the same old password on the download? they said they were gonna change it...

Yeah, I've tried to DL that "Valentine" song myself, but the old password doesn't seem to be working.

That's excellent about the songbook (and nice to see a note from Linny -- usually it's just Flans who does that sort of thing). I don't have any ideas for it myself, but I hope it works out with other people giving them suggestions.

That IS interesting! (Another album with the copy-protection spyware stuff on it is Dreamin' My Dreams by Patty Loveless, on Epic. Thank goodness I've never tried playing it in my computer... )

It's a good lengthy update!

That songbook is exactly the kind of thing I would love!! (cuz sometimes the ol' wiki jus' don' cut it)

If I don't suggest anything else, I'll probably drop them a line telling them a couple songs I'd like to see on there

when i tried to get the song from the free tunes page http://www.tmbg.com/freeTunes.html & used the old password, it said i didn't have the correct authorization.

i emailed dot & told her that we didn't get the password. i also told her that they always give the wrong link for the free tunes. i also told her that they should include some accordion tabs in their songbook.

the podcast rocks, btw.

You rock, biff. Good thinkin'

This seems like a really great opportunity for the fans to be heard, so I propose a TMBGtalk brainstorm

thanks. that's the only kind of thinkin i try to do.

i think they should include some of their unreleased songs, cuz they're my faves.

yeah, good idea. Of course, it wouldn't be complete without the classics either.

Birdhouse
Ana Ng
Don't Let's Start
She's an Angel
Also, Spiralling Shape

But I would also love to see some Rarities (not necescarilly unreleased)

Welcome to the Jungle
Sensurround
Mrs. Train (?)
(some side projects as well perhaps?)

sure. i'm not fussy.

and how about some rare photos while they're at it.

since the book is in the interest of do-it-yourself, they can be paint-by-numbers rare photos

I JUST HAD A HEART ATTACK!!!
IF THEY COME TO DALLAS.....*DIES*

Might it also include Southern California?

i wonder how long it takes to get to Dallas from here?

that would be totally rad if we met up in Dallas!!!
*mind blows all over the place*
I hope they come to Dallas!!