Test post in shiny new MT4, with help from They Might Be Giants

Regular readers may note that ScienceBlogs.com has been off the air for the installation and upgrade of our blogging platform, MovableType. So while I finally learned how to use the old one after being here two-and-a-half years, I am now starting over. Hence, this first post being completely devoid of content.

However, I wish to honor my first two commenters with the new interface: a spammer from Istanbul (not Constantinople).

So without further delay, some music to mark this occasion:

There is also a very impressive version performed live (for an audience of one, the host) on MTV Europe in 1990 with John Flansburgh and John Linnell - embedding is disabled but the video is here. In that version, Flansburgh "plays" a stringless guitar, so all the sound is just Linnell on accordion and their fabulous, playful harmonies.

TMBG is perhaps best known for 1990's "Birdhouse in Your Soul" but they won a Grammy in 2002 for "Boss of Me,"the theme song for Malcolm in the Middle.

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The boys have grown with us and began doing children's shows and albums for kids since 2002 or so, with their first "No!" and "Here Come the ABCs." We have both of these at Ch. Pharmboy, and both take advantage of the enhanced CD format with interactive animation. Lots of fun for the PharmKid. There are now DVD versions as well.

The follow up disc, "Here Come the 123s" is currently up for a Grammy for Best Musical Album for Children. We'll learn their fate on 8 February.

TMBG also had one of the first artist-hosted, downloadable music sites and continue with a really terrific website. The even have weekly podcasts for kids. And a blog.

Those of you in the NJ/NY/CT tri-state area get to see them perform live - a lot.

A nice clean bunch of fellas.

More like this

I totally love this clip. I have not seen the John Flansburgh and John Linnell one before.

Bora, thank you so much for not being a Turkish comment spammer!

A LOT of people first got to know TMBG via this song, but what's funny is the guys don't like it. On the DVD commentary Flansburgh snarks he only watched it once, "Because they drew me as a pig."

Co-incidentally I came across that live clip the other day, it's a fantastic performance. My flatmate is going for a short holiday to Istanbul in a few months so I never pass up an opportunity to remind her that it is most definitely NOT Constantinople. I think she hates me...

TMBG are fantastic though, going to have to add some of their chirpier numbers to the playlist I run to. Also have to remember to play 'Older' to my friend Kirsten on her 40th birthday in 2 weeks time - cheeriest birthday song ever!