MOG

So, some recent discussion of prolific output prompted me to think of a band I've always had a very mixed reaction to, They Might Be Giants. A lot of their stuff kind of grates on me, but then occasionally their stuff is fantastic. They weren't putting out an album a month, but in the mid 80’s they set up their Dial-A-Song service. Think of it as an early free music sharing "technology". It was basically an answering machine with a tape of the band playing various songs or demos; the machine's answer message would plays the currently featured track for anyone who called the number. For a period of time the line was advertised as a new song everyday - though that pace was short lived, over 500 distinct songs and variations have been featured. This service sort of continues today at dial-a-song.com where they claim a new song at least twice a month is put up as a free podcast. . Anyway, makes a good excuse to post this video of one of those songs by these boys that I really like... Don't Let Start - 1986 . . video acting weird so if needed try this URL: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VJQnZZ-Wmao . and while I'm at it another for good measure - Birdhouse in Your Soul . . video acting weird so if needed try this URL: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6kJD2N2gvqw

Posted on 03/15/2008