In the early days, the band consisted solely of two members: John Flansburgh and John Linnell. The pair chose the bands name from the title of a 70s movie about a man who believes he is a detective of the same skill as the famed Sherlock Holmes.
In the early years between 1982 and 1986, the band recorded demos and other music onto cassettes and answering machines in order to gain recognition. They performed several gigs in various cities such as New York, and used large, odd stage props whilst they played music. In 1986, however, the band released their first full-length album. The record became hugely popular on college radio, and the single “Don’t Lets Start” managed to make it onto MTV.
Their second album ‘Lincoln,’ was released two years later and managed to produce a number one single: “Ana Ng.” Shortly after the band had released their second album, they signed with Elektra Records and quickly began working on their third album ‘Flood.’ Two singles from this record did well and furthered the band’s popularity. ‘Birdhouse in Your Sould’ and ‘Istanbul (Not Constantinople)’ were both chart topping hits.
They Might Be Giants continued to be successful due to the universality of their music; their upbeat and poppy tunes not only appealed to older audiences, but were suitable for children. Warner Brothers designed fun, quirky comics for two of the band’s singles, widening their fanbase.
Through all of this, the pair had worked alone, and in the years between 1992 and 1998 Flansburgh and Linnell decided to recruit a band to help them out. Their next album ‘John Henry’ was released and fans noticed a more heavy sound. The new sound received mixed reviews, some stating that the new sound was too different, and others raving about it. However, fans of They Might Be Giants will agree that these talented musicians release an uplifting energy during live performances no matter the style of music they are playing. Fans who have been with the band from the beginning will agree that there is a sort of excitement in waiting to see what will happen next.
