This Day In TMBG History/August

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5

1999 – The second episode of Brave New World, "Man and Machine", premieres, including a video for "Dan Vs. Cog". This clip is available on YouTube.

9

1953 – In Walt Kelly's Pogo comic strip, a turtle named Churchill LaFemme makes a hole with a gun perpendicular to the name of this town in a desktop globe.

11

1998 – Severe Tire Damage, They Might Be Giants' first commercial live album, is released. Among the live selections, there are also three studio tracks: "Doctor Worm", "About Me", and "Severe Tire Damage Theme". This album also includes the Planet Of The Apes series.

12

1953 – The Four Lads record the original version of "Istanbul (Not Constantinople)" which is released as a single in September of the same year.

13

1870 – Initiation of first members of the Ancient Arabic Order of the Nobles of the Mystic Shrine, frequently referred to as "Shriners". This group is known for driving themed miniature vehicles in local parades, a practice alluded to in "She's An Angel".

2012 – Helen Gurley Brown passes away at the age of 90 years old at the New York-Presbyterian Hospital after a brief hospitalization. Long time editor of Cosmopolitan Magazine and author of Sex and the Single Girl, she is referenced in the song "(She Thinks She's) Edith Head".

16

1994 – Back To Skull fleshes out the full band sound first sampled by Why Does The Sun Shine?, They Might Be Giants first release with its backing band.

17

2004 – John Flansburgh's Future Soundtrack For America project is released, with proceeds from the CD's sale donated to various progressive organizations. The compilation features a range of musicians, and a TMBG song, "Tippecanoe And Tyler Too".

1988 – The Randee of the Redwoods Convention, featuring They Might Be Giants performing "Shoehorn With Teeth" and "Don't Let's Start", airs on MTV. A video of the performance is available for download here.

18

1960 – The Beatles, a musical group from Liverpool, plays their first performance under that name. They go on to become perhaps the most well-known band in all of popular music. The Beatles are often cited as a major influence on They Might Be Giants.

20

1953 – Radio station WLSD first goes on air. The station is mentioned in the opening lines of "The End Of The Tour": "There's a girl with a crown and a scepter, who's on WLSD."

26

1999 – The fourth episode of Brave New World, "The Sixth Extinction?" premieres, including a video for "King Weed". This clip is available on YouTube.

31

2004 – The Spine Hits The Road, a live album including selections from the Spine On The Highway Tour, is made available exclusively through iTunes.