John Flansburgh on 40 Years of They Might Be Giants!

John Flansburgh, co-founder of They Might Be Giants, joins Scott Saldinger on The Hang! to talk about 40 years of making music, the unlikely beginnings of Dial-A-Song, their new album \*The World Is to Dig\*, and why the band is still finding ways to surprise its fans. It all started, at least for Flansburgh, with seeing Elvis Costello perform in a small London club when he was 17. That show changed his thinking about songwriting and what it meant to be a musician. Punk and new wave were opening doors for people who didn't fit the traditional rock-star image. You didn't have to be a virtuoso. You just needed something to say. When Flansburgh and John Linnell started They Might Be Giants in Brooklyn in 1983, they weren't counting on a record deal. They were trying to get people to come to their shows. Their solution was Dial-A-Song, a telephone service where anyone could call and hear their music. For a while, Flansburgh admits, Dial-A-Song was actually more famous than the band itself. We get into what it was like building an audience before the internet, when local music papers like the Village Voice, independent clubs, and word of mouth helped create entire music scenes. Flansburgh also shares his thoughts on today's recording technology, the disappearance of local venues, and why the best concerts feel like celebrations between the musicians and the audience. And They Might Be Giants are certainly giving audiences something different on their current tour. Flansburgh says the band has around 85 songs ready to perform, plays roughly 30 per night, and changes about 80% of the setlist between consecutive shows. Favorites like "Birdhouse in Your Soul" and "Particle Man" share the stage with selections from their extensive catalog and new material. We also talk about how the band's children's albums introduced They Might Be Giants to an entirely new generation. Those kids are now adults, discovering the rest of the catalog and showing up at concerts on their own. Flansburgh shares the story of how "Dr. Worm" was completely reworked into a shorter, tighter song that became a live favorite, especially in Australia. He also discusses the band's creative partnership, their unexpected success after leaving a major label, and their continuing love of recording and performing. Their latest album, "The World Is to Dig", includes "Wu-Tang" and "Get Down," which has also received a remix by Michael Wilbur of Moon Hooch. Flansburgh talks about bringing the new songs into the live show and the renewed interest in vinyl records. If you've followed They Might Be Giants since their early days or discovered them through their children's music, there's plenty here to enjoy. What was the first They Might Be Giants song that hooked you? Let us know in the comments, and subscribe to The Hang! for more conversations with the artists behind the music. 🎵 THEY MIGHT BE GIANTS — OFFICIAL LINKS Official website: https://www.theymightbegiants.com/ New album, music and discography: https://www.theymightbegiants.com/discography Tour dates and tickets: https://www.theymightbegiants.com/shows Official merchandise and vinyl: https://tmbgshop.com/ CHAPTERS: 00:00 John Flansburgh of They Might Be Giants 02:33 How Elvis Costello and Punk Rock Changed Everything 08:28 Music Industry Gatekeepers and the Birth of Dial-A-Song 13:57 Recording Technology and the Decline of Local Music Scenes 21:43 Why the Best Live Shows Feel Like Celebrations 23:43 They Might Be Giants Tour: 85 Songs and Changing Setlists 26:27 How Children's Music Created a New Generation of Fans 29:18 Leaving Major Labels and Building an Independent Career 35:23 The World Is to Dig and the Story Behind Dr. Worm 39:40 Vinyl Records, Reissues and the Future of They Might Be Giants 🎙️ THE HANG! | ALMOST FAMOUS MAGAZINE Subscribe for more interviews with musicians, songwriters, and artists who have shaped the music we love. #TheyMightBeGiants #JohnFlansburgh #DialASong #AlternativeRock #TheWorldIsToDig #MusicInterview