Ask They Might Be Giants About Almost 30 Years of Music

Back in 1982, John Flansburgh, John Linnell, and a drum machine formed They Might Be Giants. Over the last 29 years TMBG have released 15 studio albums, won 2 Grammy Awards, and have become one of the most nerd-loved bands ever. In addition to projects like Dial-A-Song, TMBG were one of the first bands to create their own online music store, and have been making podcasts on a semi-monthly basis since 2005. The band has agreed to answer all your questions about the naming conventions of Turkish cities, building spiritual bird houses, and the music business. As usual, ask as many questions as you'd like, but please keep it to one question per post.

How Do You Consume Music?

[eldavojohn]

Assuming you still listen to other bands and acts in your free time, by what method do you acquire new music? I've seen your albums in vinyl and I know you were the first major label artist to release an entire album exclusively in MP3. My preferred method is buying vinyl that gives me an MP3 download on the side. So what is your collection mostly of CD, iTunes, MP3s (lossless?) or do you personally enjoy the slight comeback of vinyl [slashdot.org]?

Activities - solvency

[Anonymous Coward]

With all these activities mentioned above, is the band solvent? Are all those other activities worth it financially?

Where I'm coming from: back before the Joshua Tree album, even with all of U2's success up to that point, they said in an interview that they "had to tour a lot just to stay solvent."; which surprised me so much that I remember that statement 20 years later. It's not that I'm counting your money or anything, it's more of trying to understand the business. As David Sanborn once said, "People see your face on an album and think you're automatically a millionaire."

From a roadie

[Anonymous Coward]

As a roadie here, I've heard less than flattering comments from local stagehands that have worked your live shows... Are you guys dickwads? or is it your production management? or were you just having bad days?
Regardless... Thanks for the music
RB

Picking songs

[esocid]

When you pick your lineup, how do you sift through your catalogue and decide what it is you'd like to play? For example, (I saw you guys last night in Richmond) I didn't hear anything from Mink Car, The Spine, and I know you have over 300 songs to choose from.
-TMBG IFC

Re:advice to your younger selves

[Rogue Haggis Landing]

If someone from CERN offered you the use of some faster-than-light neutrinos in order to send some advice to the 1982 versions of yourselves, what would that advice be?

And as a followup, would the 1982 yous have listened?