There aren't many bands that can survive a quarter-century in music without numerous changes in personnel, internal conflicts, tabloid-making headlines, or lawsuits. At the ripe old age of 25, They Might Be Giants has maintained their sanity and avoided blow-ups and meltdowns since their cassette tape beginnings in 1982.
John Flansburgh and John Linnell are still purveying their uniquely quirky yet influential sound together. The songwriting duo has toured the world dozens of times, won awards, and penned songs for projects ranging from television's Malcolm in the Middle and the animated Tiny Toon Adventures to XBox games and more. Flansburgh-known as the more extroverted Giants member-recently talked with the Music & Sound Retailer about life as a working musician and his favorite music gear and stores.
The Music & Sound Retailer: Tell us about your first exposure to music as a child.
Flansburgh: My first exposure came in a kind of roundabout way...I remember my dad came home from work, and he brought in a dictating machine. It was the first recorder I'd ever seen. I was fascinated by it, and it became an obsession of mine that I've spent the rest of my life dealing with. He pulled the machine out after dinner that night and showed it to me and my brother, and I went bananas with the thing. I later got a very cheap three-inch reel-to-reel recorder. I grew very passionate about recorded sound, and ultimately with making my own music. It really captured my imagination.
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