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Mailing List Archive/2003-05-21

From This Might Be A Wiki
TMBG live show schedule (we're lots of places) at 
<A HREF="http://www.theymightbegiants.com">www.theymightbegiants.com</A>!

Until the real thing returns, <A HREF="http://www.dialasong.com">
www.dialasong.com</A>!


Flansburgh here! What is happening? Like, a bunch. 
I have four special things I want to make you aware of. 
First- we are ROCKIN' THE PONY this Friday. That is 
right, Asbury Park NJ. The Stone Pony. Me. Linnell. 
The Dans. You. All rockin' Bruce-stylee. Second- Gigantic 
is in real theaters in the next few weeks all over the US 
of Indie A. You gotta check it out. AJ Schnack, the fine 
fine director behind the project has a letter for you at 
the end of this email to tell you all about it. Third- Did 
you know 2003 is TMBG HIstory Month? Well it is, and 
on Sunday June 8 as part of our Quarterly Report 
series at Joe's Pub (where TMBG performs a unique 
show every three months) we'll be bringing back 
Apollo 18 in its entirety. I say bringing back, but we've 
never ever performed it before in its entirety, so this 
is actually a debut. We are doing two shows, and it is 
unlikely this will be repeated too soon, so come on out. 
And Number Four- People Are Wrong! with me and a lot 
of my favorite people will be at MassMOCA in North 
Adams, Mass. for just one night- Saturday June 21. 
It ain't that far from Albany, and we'd love to see 
everyone's summertime faces there.
<A HREF="http://purchase.tickets.com/buy/TicketPurchase?organ_val=2324">
http://purchase.tickets.com/buy/TicketPurchase?organ_val=2324</A>


For tickets to the Apollo 18 show at Joe's, we 
suggest stopping in at their lovely box office, where 
there is no service charge. For ticket info call 
(212) 239-6200. The address is 425 Lafayette 
Street (on Astor Place), Sunday & Monday 1pm - 6pm, 
Tuesday - Saturday 1pm - 7:30 pm or, if you're feeling 
fancy, go to <A HREF="http://www.telecharge.com">www.telecharge.com</A>.


I have also attached an interview between me and 
Linnell that some have called "amusing and very 
revealing." I found it ponderously long and very 
revealing, but it is here for your email enjoyment. I 
don't remember which magazine it was for but I found 
it floating around online. 

Read an interview in New York's hometown paper on TMBG 
and Gigantic-

<A HREF="http://www.nydailynews.com/entertainment/story/85033p-77716c.html">
http://www.nydailynews.com/entertainment/story/85033p-77716c.html</A>

THESE ARE THE PLACES "GIGANTIC" IS HAPPENING!

Opening MAY 23 in NEW YORK CITY <A HREF="http://www.cinemavillage.com">
www.cinemavillage.com</A>

Opening MAY 30 in SILVER SPRING, MD / WASHINGTON DC <A 
HREF="http://www.afi.com/Silver/Theatre/">www.afi.com/Silver/Theatre/</A> 

One Night Only JUNE 24 in SANTA CRUZ <A HREF="http://www.riotheatre.com">
www.riotheatre.com</A>

Opening JUNE 20 in BOSTON <A HREF="http://">www.brattlefilm.org </A>

Opening JUNE 20 in CHICAGO <A HREF="http://www.musicboxtheatre.com">
www.musicboxtheatre.com</A>

Opening JUNE 20 in LOS ANGELES <A HREF="http://">
www.laemmle.com/theatres/sunset.html </A>

One Night Only JUNE 24 in BIRMINGHAM, AL <A 
HREF="http://www.sidewalkfest.com/cinematheque">www.sidewalkfest.com/cinematheque</A>

OPENING JUNE 27 in MINNEAPOLIS <A HREF="http://www.oakstreetcinema.org">
www.oakstreetcinema.org</A>

Opening JULY 2 in PHILADELPHIA at the Prince!

Opening JULY 4 in PITTSBURGH The Oaks Theatre

Three Days Only JULY 10-12 in OKLAHOMA CITY Oklahoma City Museum of Art

Opening JULY 18 in ST. LOUIS The Tivoli Theatre

Two Days Only JULY 26 & 27 in CLEVELAND, OHIO Cleveland Cinematheque

Opening AUGUST 1 in AUSTIN, TX The Dobie Theatre

Opening AUGUST 8 in SAN FRANCISCO The Castro Theatre

Opening AUGUST 15 in SEATTLE The Varsity Theatre


And now- I turn the email over to Mr. AJ Schnack:


Dear Friends,


In just a few days (May 23, 2003), our movie about 
the enduring New York City alternative-pop band They 
Might Be Giants, "GIGANTIC (A Tale of Two Johns)", 

will make its national theatrical debut at the Cinema 
Village Theatre in New York.  


As we prepare for this Friday's opening, we wanted 
to write to all of you who have been so incredibly 
supportive of this endeavor and give you our deep 

thanks.  We feel extremely fortunate to have received 
your good will and your kind words over the past two years.


Now, as they say, is the moment of truth.  Much of 
the enduring success of Gigantic will be conditioned 
on the audience turnout for this opening weekend.  
Many theatres in smaller markets will wait to book the 
film until they see how it did during its debut.  Likewise, 
media outlets, cable channels and video stores (both 
the big chains and local independents) will be looking to 
see if we succeed before deciding to cover the film or 
stock it on their shelves.  Although the big studio releases 
make a big deal about their opening weekend grosses, 
it's really the small independent films that 

live or die by their debuts.


So as we thank you for your past support, we also 
ask you to help us make this weekend truly Gigantic.  
If you're in New York, come out to the theatre this weekend.  
Bring a bunch of friends with you.  Tell your parents about 

it.  See it twice (or more).  Talk about the movie with 
people at work and at play.   Make sure to tell them that 
you don't have to be a fan of the band to dig the 
movie (tempt them with the appearances by such 
great folks as Frank Black, Dave Eggers, Janeane 
Garofalo, Ira Glass, Michael McKean, Conan O'Brien, 
Andy Richter, Harry Shearer, Jon Stewart, Syd Straw 
and Sarah Vowell).  Or read them a few of our great 
reviews.  Tickets for this weekend are on sale now 
on the Cinema Village website at <A HREF="http://www.cinemavillage.com">
www.cinemavillage.com</A>.  


As an added bonus, John Flansburgh and John Linnell will 
be making appearances at the Sunday evening and Monday 
afternoon screenings.  And we will be at the Cinema 
Village on Friday and Saturday night to talk about the 

making of the film.  (Check out our website at 
<A HREF="http://www.giganticfilm.com">www.giganticfilm.com</A> for exact 
times).


If you're not in New York, email friends or family 
who are there and encourage them to come out and 
see the film.  Then, when Gigantic finally arrives in 
your town, you too can drag a bunch of friends and family 
and co-workers to the theatre.  We've already booked 
dates in a number of major cities (listed below) but 
many more are waiting to see our numbers this 

weekend before committing to the film.


This is an exciting time for us and for non-fiction 
films in general.  We ask you to help us take advantage 
of this great opportunity and make this opening 

weekend a huge success.


All our thanks,


AJ Schnack and Shirley Moyers

Director and Producer

Gigantic (A Tale of Two Johns)


PS - Forward this email to everyone in your address book 
and you'll be our friend forever.


GIGANTIC (A Tale of Two Johns)

WINNER - BEST DOCUMENTARY OF THE YEAR - CHLOTRUDIS 
AWARDS, BOSTON

"Irresistible" - Joan Anderman, The Boston Globe

"Engaging, Entertaining, Informative and Most Tuneful" - 
Glenn Kenny, Premiere

"As Clever and Inventive as the Duo it Chronicles" 
- Wendy Mitchell, IFC 

Magazine

"Truly Funny, Charming and Even Touching" 
- Nylon Magazine

"A Celebration of a Lasting Collaboration, Creative 
Integrity and the Right to be Different" - 
Paul Sherman, The Boston Herald


Opening MAY 23 in NEW YORK CITY

Cinema Village Theatre

with special guests John Flansburgh and John Linnell (May 25 & 26)

with special guests AJ Schnack and Shirley Moyers (May 23 & 24)

tickets available now at <A HREF="http://www.cinemavillage.com">
www.cinemavillage.com</A>


Opening MAY 30 in SILVER SPRING, MD / WASHINGTON DC

AFI Silver Theatre

special guests TBA

<A HREF="http://www.afi.com/Silver/Theatre/">www.afi.com/Silver/Theatre/</A> 


One Night Only JUNE 24 in SANTA CRUZ

The Rio Theatre

<A HREF="http://www.riotheatre.com">www.riotheatre.com</A>


Opening JUNE 20 in BOSTON

The Brattle Theatre

special guests TBA

<A HREF="http://">www.brattlefilm.org </A>


Opening JUNE 20 in CHICAGO

The Music Box Theatre

special guests TBA

<A HREF="http://www.musicboxtheatre.com">www.musicboxtheatre.com</A>


Opening JUNE 20 in LOS ANGELES

Laemmle's Sunset 5

special guests TBA

<A HREF="http://">www.laemmle.com/theatres/sunset.html </A>


One Night Only JUNE 24 in BIRMINGHAM, AL

Sidewalk Motion Picture Festival

<A HREF="http://www.sidewalkfest.com/cinematheque">
www.sidewalkfest.com/cinematheque</A>


OPENING JUNE 27 in MINNEAPOLIS

Oak Street Cinema

<A HREF="http://www.oakstreetcinema.org">www.oakstreetcinema.org</A>


Opening JULY 2 in PHILADELPHIA

The Prince Theatre

special guests TBA


Opening JULY 4 in PITTSBURGH

The Oaks Theatre


Three Days Only JULY 10-12 in OKLAHOMA CITY

Oklahoma City Museum of Art


Opening JULY 18 in ST. LOUIS

The Tivoli Theatre


Two Days Only JULY 26 & 27 in CLEVELAND, OHIO

Cleveland Cinematheque


Opening AUGUST 1 in AUSTIN, TX

The Dobie Theatre


Opening AUGUST 8 in SAN FRANCISCO

The Castro Theatre


Opening AUGUST 15 in SEATTLE

The Varsity Theatre


more to come.....<A HREF="http://www.giganticfilm.com">www.giganticfilm.com
</A>



FLANS AND LINNELL- THE INTERVIEW

JL= John Linnell   JF=John Flansburgh

JF: Linnell, do you ever wonder if you will run out of 
nouns in your songs? 
JL: I think I probably have already. The thing now is 
to go back and readdress the nouns that were covered 
by earlier, younger versions of us. I'm looking
forward to the next round of songs that use "dog," 
"skeleton," "pants" and so on.

JF: Linnell, you've written so many songs. Do you worry 
about repeating yourself? Have your standards changed? 
What do you want to achieve in the future with your writing?

JL: These are the kind of hard hitting questions I have been 
avoiding asking myself. 

JF: I have two completely contradictory threads going: 
I really want to write more complete songs that really 
hold up to repeat listening, but at the same time I want to 
get freer and more messed up with my ideas, and try to write as
fast as possible. 

JF: When you are writing a song like "Older" (with the 
line "you're older than you've ever been and now 
you're even older"), do you consider how it's going to
work theatrically in front of an audience, or is it just 
an internally pleasing idea?

JL: Oh, I think that that song in particular was created 
with the live audience in mind. I normally don't think very 
specifically about how a song functions but that one 
works much better in front of people than on record. Especially 
if they can hear each other reacting to it and then 
they have that kind of communal experience. It sounds 
very touchy-feely, but I think that internal audience feedback 
has played a special role in our best shows. 

JF: Do you think of yourself as an electronic musician? 
...A rock musician?

JL: To me this gig is, at the core, a desk job, which is the 
part I like best. That's why even in the live show I stand 
behind a desk, or maybe it's a podium. 

JF: The reason I ask is I sometimes I think if it wasn't for 
recordings, I would never have made music. It's really the 
"otherness" of recordings that make me feel like I've done 
something. Playing music is actually just kind of
relaxing to me, and I never feel like I've done anything at all. 
That's why, even if we just make a song with regular 
instruments, I still feel like the project is really to make 
a recording, and is therefore really an electronic
music project. 

JL: I think that performing came second for both of us, 
like an added feature that was included in the box. 

JF: Linnell, what kind of music do you like that has 
the least to do with what you write? 

JL: One thing that I can't do myself is be deliberately 
naive. Sometimes I hear playful, unschooled music that 
gets me feeling inspired and yet it's a road I can't really 
go back down. I mean I could write something similar, but the
motivation is completely different, so the effect is not 
the same. I'm thinking of something like the Shaggs. 
I am probably unschooled and naive in ways I can't appreciate. 

JF: But I do notice you are more comfortable writing more 
simply- or more specifically, arranging things more 
cleanly- these days, which I, a simpleton, appreciate. 
 
JL: Why thank you Mr. Flansburgh. I'm probably getting 
simple in the head. Not the worst that can happen. I 
guess there's a difference between naive and simple. 
Lots of primitive music is complicated, and some very Spartan things
are schooled. 

JF: When we were a two man band, did you think we 
were a real rock band like I did, and then figure out years 
later we weren't? 

JL: I remember at some point saying that our backing 
tracks seemed "quaint". You were surprised by that. 

JF: I guess it was really a few years into settling in with 
the live full band, when we were doing some show for 
some radio station that was just really unambiguously loud 
and short and hard hitting, and realizing that our original
set up was really not a rock show at all, which I can honestly 
say I never even suspected during our time as a duo. 
This realization made me feel really un-selfaware. 

JL: Is there some way the whole band could actually tour 
with suits or is that impossible? 

JF: I know they'd be impossible to clean... I have felt 
good about the couple of "suit" shows we've done. There is 
something really edgy about the whole band wearing suits. 
It's like we're from another planet- the PLANET OF MEN! 

JL: I really like the anti-rebel quality of the suits. The 
idea that you need to rebel against having to wear a uniform 
is pretty tiresome. Especially when you consider where 
that rebellion usually leads. Funky doesn't really work for
me. However, wearing shoes, a suit and a tie for a two hour 
performance under lights can get uncomfortable. I guess 
that's why I wear a pocket T-shirt. I'm not saying it's a good solution. 

JF: I think the uniform thing is interesting. I wish there 
was an easy way to do it besides suits, but the matching 
shirts remind me of the Beach Boys stripe thing, or a 
softball team. 

JL: Do you think people who like us generally "get" what 
we do? Do you think there's something to get? 

JF: I wonder sometimes. Sometimes I feel like there is 
something much more simple going on for our audiences 
than for us artistically, which is that they just find the band 
entertaining, and what we are working out in our music is
not really so important to them. I feel like much of the 
merit of what we do is built far enough into the music 
that it's actually untaxing for the listener, which is good. 

JL: That's true. I'm reluctant to say that we have some 
kind of higher insight into music, even our own (in the 
first place it's a reprehensibly snotty attitude, and also 
it's so clearly not the case), but there is a point where you
can't get inside the ears of the people who aren't 
personally invested in it. Particularly the untechnical music 
fan who appreciates ideas unencumbered by music theory 
and musical references. 

JF: A little bit of knowledge can be a dangerous thing. I 
freak out at how snarky people think we are with musical 
elements. I really want to scream out that we are not 
musical parody half the time when I read a review, even when it's
positive. Maybe it's just impossible to incorporate the 
various rhythms and production ideas along with the 
personal, humorous nature of our lyrics and not confuse 
people as to what our intentions are. I think it probably 
seems like a really outward looking thing, like a parody 
or a pastiche. I know it might seem wrong to willingly 
declare that we are just totally isolated and self-absorbed 
songwriters who happen to be working in the widely trafficked 
pop music idiom. 

JF: I am really enjoying making this children's record, even 
though I really have great trepidation about being a 
children's entertainer. I feel like it's coming at the exact 
moment in our careers when most artists would be opting for
the instrumental, or jazz standard, or "rock meets classical" 
integrity project, and instead we've kind of backflipped 
into the Seussian thing that kind of started us as a band. 
Your thoughts? 

JL: I tell myself that it takes guts to dispense with a 
tempting fantasy that we as aging statesmen of rock 
should be canonizing our own work or producing
something that declares itself to be Art when we have 
reached this point by doing something less pretentious. 
We've seen this enough times with other artists. They 
start to believe their own press, that their longevity and the
respect of their critics gives them some kind of special 
license to write oratorios, as though working in archaic modes 
is more befitting their dignity, rather than something 
merely outside of their own area of expertise. 

JF: Did you like New Wave? Did you ever really like 70's art rock? 

JL: I'm still into New Wave music. It's something Karen and 
I have in common so I often go back to the well of skinny 
tie records for a sentimental journey. Concerning art rock: 
I'm a little embarrassed to say that yes, I was kind of
entranced by that stuff our friends were so into in 
high school that was written over its own head, so to speak. 
Yes, Brian Eno, and even the dreadful Pink Floyd seemed 
so interesting to my teenaged mind. I have a knee-jerk
reaction against that stuff now. It's a useless prejudice 
I need some aversion therapy to get over. I recently 
listened to "The Six Wives of Henry VIII" by Rick Wakeman,
but it still left me with a funny taste in my mouth. 

JL: Is there some other period in the history of mankind in 
which you could imagine yourself being as self- actualized? 

JF: Well, it is fun being in a band. I think I would have liked 
to have been a graphic artist in the first half of the 
twentieth century, but not now. I feel a tremendous affinity 
for the cultural history of the twentieth century. Maybe
it's just growing up with my Dad (who is a Modern architect) 
but I really love the arc of it. I could do without the 
catastrophic historical moments, but the evolution of 
Modernism, and graphic and industrial design seem really cool. 
I really find the high-tech looks of today kind of a nothing, 
and a little nothing at that. 

JL: Then there's the problem of a previous time seeming 
a little more authentic than the current one. I probably 
suffer from this delusion. 

JF: Yeah, but I feel very authentic for a WASP. It might 
actually be the falseness and polish of all these design 
things that gets me going. It's as materialistic as anything 
I enjoy. Junk stores remind me of Christmas mornings
(now there's a WASPy sentiment for ya).
 
JF: Linnell, if you were organized would you feel better 
about disorganization?

JL: I feel okay at the moment. I get to the most important 
things on my list and if there isn't time to do everything 
that's just the way it is. I have a latent desire for 
maximum efficiency of movement which is motivated by
laziness. I spend a fair amount of time thinking of the 
easiest way to do things. I guess I should return my 
calls more, especially to friends and relatives. I hope 
people realize that my being disorganized doesn't mean I
don't care. 

JF: I feel like I simply run from deadline to deadline. I try 
not to worry about having too much stuff stacked up 
in the future, because stuff always falls out. 

JL: What was up with our high school science teacher 
Ouida Bailey? Elaborate. 

JF: I was just explaining Ouida Bailey to my friend last 
night, and how we named our publishing company after 
her until our lawyer told us we would just get sued later, 
and changed it. She was really a character, with completely
shaved eyebrows that had been replaced by what 
looked like orange magic marker, and a voice which 
resided in one very low octave and one really high, making
everything she said seem insane. She was the 
head of the science department, and in my sophomore 
year I got into a pointless argument with her over her
concept of evolution, which seemed completely and 
impossibly under-informed to me. 

JL: She was kind of wise to everything, so she 
must've known that everyone thought she was bizarre. 
The first day or two of a semester, everyone in the
classroom would just be falling over every time she 
opened her mouth. It didn't seem to bug her. 
Eventually we got used to her. 

JF: I never got used to her.

JL: Will you ever have the "eye-planing" laser surgery 
or is it just too freaky? I would have it if I could but 
apparently it won't help people who are farsighted, 
at least not yet. 

JF: Maybe they could turn your eyes INSIDE OUT and 
then do it! No, eye surgery is something I really fear. 
I am really fascinated by this "botox" thing they are 
doing in Hollywood which actually PARALYZES YOUR 
FOREHEAD with POISON BACTERIA. You can't create 
wrinkles because you can't raise your brow. Sounds
like a good idea, but if you look at some of these aging 
starlets it might appear their faces are frozen,
BECAUSE THEY ARE. 

JL: I'm hoping they come up with a bacteria that they 
can use to KILL MY EMOTIONS. That way I won't ever 
look sad or tired. Or one to AMPUTATE ALL NEGATIVE THINKING. 

JF: Sad and tired has always worked for you. And it's 
better than bitter. I'd lay off the bacteria til your fifties. 

The End
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