60 episodes

Every once in a while a band comes along that changes the course of human history. Your hosts and dear friends Jordan Cooper and Dave Fox take you on an in-depth musical journey over the career, albums, and songs of the band They Might Be Giants, and maybe have some hearty, completely authentic laughs along the way. Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/dontletsstart/support

Don't Let's Start: A Podcast About They Might Be Giants Dave & Jordan

    • Music
    • 5.0 • 4 Ratings

Every once in a while a band comes along that changes the course of human history. Your hosts and dear friends Jordan Cooper and Dave Fox take you on an in-depth musical journey over the career, albums, and songs of the band They Might Be Giants, and maybe have some hearty, completely authentic laughs along the way. Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/dontletsstart/support

    60: 80s Demos - Part 2: At Least Your Dog Is Free

    60: 80s Demos - Part 2: At Least Your Dog Is Free

    We've got another big delicious slice of They Might Be Giants' legendary 1985 demo tape! This episode covers tracks 10 through 20, and there's still more left to chew on! We find out newly discovered, frighteningly revelatory information on Cowtown and Chess Piece Face! We take the many demo versions of Youth Culture Killed My Dog for a walk! Then we crank the volume way up to hear the subtle secrets in the demo recordings of Alienation's For The Rich and The Day! After a proper history lesson on hotel detectives, we give Toddler Hiway the deep dive it's always deserved in a very special segment breaking down EVERY. DAMN. WORD! Finally, we peter out with I'm Def. How cooler can this be?!?



    Join us on Patreon!: https://www.patreon.com/dontletsstartpodcast


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    Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/dontletsstart/support

    • 2 hrs
    59: 80s Demos - Part 1: I'm Already Dead

    59: 80s Demos - Part 1: I'm Already Dead

    We're back...in time! Jordan and Dave take out their dusty scrapbooks and look into the They Might Be Giants of years past. First we discuss their very first release, the Wiggle Diskette, a very limited vinyl distributed all over NYC in 1985. Then we continue on with the first batch of songs on TMBG's infamous 1985 demo tape!

    But do you think we stop there? Oh ho ho, foolish listener, doth thee not know of whom we be? Our minds become a blur of common sense as we discuss every demo and alternative version of these songs we could find! We're talking THREE Puppet-Heads, FOUR You'll Miss Mes, TWO Number Threes, and one uncomfortably intimate When It Rains It Snows! Including NEW revelations about these songs not addressed in our initial episodes! We then end the show with a very special guest, Margaret Seiler, the singer of Boat of Car! Take this car for a ride!



    Support us on Patreon!: https://www.patreon.com/dontletsstartpodcast


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    Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/dontletsstart/support

    • 2 hrs 12 min
    58: Impossibly News - The Latest on TMBG and We

    58: Impossibly News - The Latest on TMBG and We

    Should auld acquaintance be forgot....Presenting a special urgent and heartfelt final broadcast for 2023! Jordan and Dave destroy the past and focus on the latest They Might Be Giants news, discoveries, rumors and revelations! We also tell you about our podcast operation, with a big announcement about a planned Patreon membership for 2024! OH IT'S GOOD NEWS!



    Support us on Patreon!:

    https://www.patreon.com/dontletsstartpodcast


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    Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/dontletsstart/support

    • 58 min
    57: Interview with People Magazine's Michael Small!

    57: Interview with People Magazine's Michael Small!

    As a prologue for our upcoming deep dive into They Might Be Giants' 1980s demos, we spoke with the legendary Michael Small, the People Magazine writer who first reviewed TMBG's demo tape in 1985 and gave them their first huge exposure, telling (or warning) the world about the madness to come!

    Michael tells us about the first time he heard the tape, the songs that got stuck in his head, appearing in the documentary Gigantic, his relationship with They Might Be Giants over the years, and more exciting tales of music journalism! He also tells us about his incredibly fun new show, I Couldn't Throw It Out, which recently interviewed John Flansburgh! Links below!



    Michael's podcast:

    https://www.throwitoutpodcast.com/



    Michael's TMBG review:

    https://tmbw.net/wiki/images/a/a3/PeopleDemoReview.jpg



    Support us on Patreon!:

    https://www.patreon.com/dontletsstartpodcast



    Our Twitter:

    https://twitter.com/DontLetsPod


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    Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/dontletsstart/support

    • 1 hr 13 min
    56: Letterbox Special 2: How To Age Gracefully

    56: Letterbox Special 2: How To Age Gracefully

    In this episode, Jordan and Dave read e-mails from who? E-mails from you! Topics include They Might Be Giants love songs! Fingertips theories! Reactions to our John Henry episodes, including theories on End of the Tour and Destination Moon! Condoms! Metallica! The Rheostatics! Frank Black! David Lynch! Comic books! Horror movies! The future of the podcast! Dave's new album! Jordan's old...! That's it! Plus, we discuss the latest TMBG news and weather! This episode is our precious gift to all of our wonderful listeners! Keep writing in and keep righting on!



    Support us on Patreon!:

    https://www.patreon.com/dontletsstartpodcast


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    Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/dontletsstart/support

    • 1 hr 32 min
    55: Interview with I MIGHT BE GIANT, TOO songwriter Peter Stewart!

    55: Interview with I MIGHT BE GIANT, TOO songwriter Peter Stewart!

    Save your tears! We are back with a very special surprise guest, Peter Stewart, the man, the mystery, the legend behind the previously anonymous, though no less epic song They Might Be Giants! Unofficially titled I Might Be Giant, Too by TMBG fans, this intense rock ballad was heard on They Might Be Giants' Dial-A-Song service and over the speakers at their live shows around the world since 1989!

    We don't need an ocean to get to Peter, because over Zoom we talk to him all about the inspiration behind the song, how it got in the hands of They Might Be Giants, and what he's been up to the past 30 or so years since fans became aware of it! We listen to FOUR different recordings of this song spanning decades!

    This is a fascinating and fun conversation with somebody who has tons of incredible stories from the music world, including brunch with Joey Ramone and an unreleased project with David Byrne! Leave the light on, turn the screws, and enjoy this deep dive unpacking one of the most enduring mysteries of TMBG mythology!


    Support us on Patreon!:

    https://www.patreon.com/dontletsstartpodcast




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    Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/dontletsstart/support

    • 1 hr 35 min

Customer Reviews

5.0 out of 5
4 Ratings

4 Ratings

danliebke ,

A perfect TMBG companion podcast

I discovered this podcast a few weeks back and it's been an utter delight catching up. Great research, in depth discussion of each and every TMBG song, rare live excerpts, amusing banter and the occasional random reference to Metallica. It's your perfect TMBG companion podcast.

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