Here is the entire email. See it at wired.com here:
http://www.wired.com/underwire/2009/08/they-might-be-giants-here-comes-science/
We're excited to learn about science from the two Johns? What's on the syllabus?
With "Here Comes Science" we wanted to be sure to get our facts right, so we brought in a "real science person" to consult--specifically a wonderful fellow named Eric Siegel who is the director of the New York Hall of Science (which, along with great exhibits for kids, has a putt putt golf course). Hopefully that vetting process was rigorous enough to stave off a cultural boycott from the scientific community. There isn't a lot of material about applied science on the album, although there is a song about computer assisted design that has a mind-bending video on the DVD. We covered mostly the classic stuff: the elements, astronomy, the circulatory system, cells, photosynthesis, the light spectrum, etc.
Although it wasn't designed to create controversy, it's still a big relief to me that the opening track, "Science is Real," didn't raise any red flags with the label. The song freely acknowledges the Big Bang and evolution, and casually conflates angels with unicorns and elves--all of which might bug some anti-science, pro-angel folk.
Were you surprised by the GRAMMY win for 123s? Is it about time you got mainstream love for being geniuses?
It's very flattering and certainly nothing we're used to. Yes, it is very mainstream and it always feels a bit "what's wrong with this picture?" when I hear our name thrown in with the other nominees. I suspect we weren't the best selling act nominated in our category this time, and we definitely weren't the first time we won, so it does feel like there is actual merit involved in the voter's process--but maybe you just believe in awards more when you win!
Speaking of, you've brought the smarts to rock and pop for years now. Any thoughts on the challenges of making intelligent music in an industry that often thrives on redundancy and disposability?
In 2003 we realized we were quickly running out of nouns, so within the band we created a program to conserve them. But we are ready to move aggressively into verbs when the time comes.
Much of your work, especially recently, has focused on kids. Is it important to give kids something mature but also fun to work with? Any thoughts on the current state of education, and entertainment, for kids?
Meeting the demand for kids stuff has been kind of monopolizing our time in the past few years. It's been a lot of work just to keep up. We are very aware that we're not educators, and these albums are really entertainment. We can't approach these projects as teaching tools, or pretend they are filling gaps for kids. We even have some issues with the general necessity for kids stuff to always be "educationally enriched," but that said, it's not like these songs do anyone any harm or mislead kids.
As songwriting assignments the themes have actually proven to be great devices. The recent kids albums, the ABCs and 123s and now science, are wide open topics which gives us just enough focus to write and still feel very free.
What's the genesis of the Flood concerts? Your idea? Popular demand?
Performing an album in sequence is, as my wife Robin would say, "rock under glass" and in general that is a very recessive impulse for TMBG as a band. I should point out it's actually only forty minutes of an almost two hour show, so it's not as monolithic as it might sound. It is a relatively easy way to do a very different show for ourselves and still hold on to a lot of audience interest. As Flood has been our biggest album, it might seem like a capitulation to a greatest hits show, but we play the singles off that album in our regular show anyway. By playing the whole album, the actual effect ends up being more of a celebration of the oddball album cuts that we would only rarely get to play otherwise.
How has technology helped you create, distribute and manage your work over the years? Has it been a hindrance? How do you think digital technology has changed the industry since you first started out, and what further changes do you see coming down the road?
I wouldn't say John or I are early adaptors by temperament, but starting with phone machines we have discovered the simple pleasures of goofing around with new stuff. The reader of this article probably has a much better idea of what is coming up in the tech world than we do, but we're still curious about new stuff. Seems like the subcutaneous in-ear implant mp3 player should be on some silicon valley product developers to do list, and when it's ready we've got some very powerful music to apply to that device. I hope it comes with some "They Live"-style sunglasses.
You've teamed up with McSweeney's for concerts, created an on-demand song bank on answering machines and launched one of the first artist-owned online music stores. Any thoughts on those achievements? And what's the most clever idea you've ever had that didn't work out, and the one that did? Anything planned for the future? These kinds of things are awesome.
Years back, our record company talked us into taking a number of meetings with their "New Media" department which was creating CD-ROMs to work like interactive albums. Even as emerging technology, the CD-ROM platform quickly revealed itself as very limited. Nothing was easy to program, and nothing seemed like it would be fun to experience. Listening to someone tap out morse code on a prison radiator pipe probably had about as much entertainment value. On top of our frustration, it soon emerged the record company was looking to our future royalties to foot the bill on the new department's R&D. The whole enterprise was an object lesson in the totally jive.
Two coaches named John named their Seattle little-league team They Might Be Giants, which you are now sponsoring. Thoughts on America's favorite pastime, and your involvement in trying to get kids out to play, especially ones wearing cool "No!" shirts?
Neither John nor I really follow baseball, although I am jealous of people who watch baseball games on TV. It seems very Zen, but it's just too slow for me. However, many people we work with--our managers to our band mates and crew--are all very passionate about all aspects of baseball, from the Yankees to softball to T-ball. When those pictures first arrived at the office there was serious joy in TMBGville.
Finally, toons! You guys have been in some awesome ones, from Drinky Crow and The Oblongs to Coraline and Courage the Cowardly Dog. Any favorites? Which toons would you like to work on down the line, and any in the past you wished you could have been a part of? For some reason, I think you would have made a perfect match with Tex Avery or Bob Clampett.
That's a real compliment. We seem to work well with animators in general, and in spite of the pressure, doing themes is a wonderful, faceless way to be part of mass culture. I wish Pixar would do more projects with original songs. We're waiting right here by the phone for that life-changing call.