They Might Be Giants isn't exactly an icon for sociopolitical change in America. Its biggest hits of late include a best-selling children's CD and the theme song for Fox's Malcolm in the Middle. But John Flansburgh, half of the quirky avant-pop duo, is fed up with the status quo and aims to shake things up. He's been working with director Spike Jonze on a benefit album for the activism network MoveOn.org. Due in July, Future Soundtrack for America features original material from rock heavies R.E.M., David Byrne, Blink 182, and more. Wired asked Flansburgh about his latest work and newfound sense of civic duty.
You instigated the MoveOn compilation. Why?
Honestly, I've never done anything like this before. I am exactly the kind of person who is most suspicious of rock musicians getting involved in this stuff - they make lousy role models. But we live in a country that allows us a certain amount of free speech. I think we need to take advantage of that, and MoveOn is a great organization that stands outside of the regular partisan fray.
It's been said that you run your band like a grassroots campaign.
Artists tend to hide from the public, but you need to be an advocate for yourself. I really enjoy the audience we have, but I'm also really curious about the audience we're going to have.
How did Spike Jonze get involved with the album?
First I approached David Byrne, one of the few famous people whose email addresses I actually have. He was enthusiastic about the project, and he suggested I contact Dave Eggers, who in turn put me in touch with Spike Jonze. As a rock-video director, Spike knew a lot of bands and got us connected. There's been an overwhelming positive response. Everyone wants to stand up and be counted.
What did They Might Be Giants contribute?
We did an electronic version of a song from the 1840s called "Tippecanoe and Tyler Too." It was originally used during the Harrison-Van Buren presidential race, and it's really harsh, like a drinking song. It was the very first hip campaign song! Lots of the music on the compilation was recorded specifically for the album, and all of it will be new material.
It has a dual meaning for me. It's the stuff you're made of. We've been performing together for over 20 years, and we've found an audience that supports us and enjoys our most unusual artistic impulses.
Who are your fans these days?
Our audience has remained remarkably youthful - very Dorian Gray. A lot of them discovered us through the Internet and our site's free MP3 service. What's great about the file-sharing revolution is that we're not relying just on the kindness of Time Warner to shove our music at the masses. We get to make fans one person at a time.
You're also attracting new blood through the bizarre cult webtoon Homestar Runner.
John [Linnell] did music for one of their shorts, and now the animators are going to create an online video for our new single "Experimental Film." We're actually doing two videos, one for regular MTV consumption and one with Homestar Runner. I feel like if MTV and Homestar collided, the world might explode.
You've been innovators since the beginning, with the telephone music service Dial-a-Song.
We didn't think it through, really - it was just a trip to Crazy Eddie's for a cheap answering machine, plus $15 per week to put a notice in The Village Voice. It's still running in my kitchen, and it's pretty much continuously busy. The number is +1 (718) 387 6962. We suggest you try it in the middle of the night.