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New TMBG information and Linnell's transcripted answer to the Warhol tape

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Damon Blalack

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Oct 14, 2001, 2:27:51 PM10/14/01
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As promised, here is the direct speech from the section of the
interview I conducted that deals expressly with the Warhol demo tape:

Me: Recently there was a box at the Andy Warhol museum that was opened
that contain some of his personal belongings, and amongst them there
was a very early demo tape you guys did, which is rumoured to be
completely different from other demos which were released. Can you
remember anything about how he may have gotten that?

Linnell: I can't, but we had friends who worked at the Warhol
Institute before he died, so it may be something that came from
someone other than him. That sounds interesting though (Laughs). Do
you have anymore information about it?

Me: I was browsing through the newsgroup and this guy said his mother
works there, and she knew he was a fan so she let him listen to it. He
said it has a very different instrumentation on a lot of the songs.

Linnell: I can't imagine...I have no idea what's on that tape. But it
sounds fascinating.

Me: The only thing he stated for sure that was on it is a very
primitive version of the Famous Polka.

Linnell: That sounds great.

That is it. After my paper runs the article I can post the entire
transcript, but amongst some of the things I learned are:

1)Monsters of Mud is meant to be a B-Side for a single accompanying
the childrens's album 'No!'.

2) The album 'No!' is still with the Sony Wonder label, but it may not
be out until next spring as Flansburgh recently stated.

3) Despite the fact that the Peter Pan sequel is coming out to
theatres in February, and the trailer for it is out now, the songs
TMBG wrote for it have definitely been scrapped. They had no idea it
is still coming out, and said they would have been paid already if the
songs had been retained.

4) Thunderbird, Your Mom's Alright, No Answer, Tumbleweed, and I'm
Your Boyfriend Now are all songs that they would like to include on
the next rock album, which will not be released for a long time. Once
No! is released next year they will be busy promoting that, so a new
rock album will not be forthcoming until a time after all that.

5) There is currently no new State Songs compilation being worked on.
Any cover songs dealing with states (North to Alaska, Nebraska, and
California Uber Alles are strictly live material simply to round out
his live performances.)

6) Contrary to what was said on emusic, the Battle of the Bands
project is not strictly confined to the eventual occurence of a hit
song. It is more contained by the level of personal satisfaction they
both feel after having been more experimental.

7) The documentary about them was organized and conducted by a friend
of theirs, so they had quite a bit of input on it.

8) They enjoyed writing material for McSweeney's #6, and would be very
open to doing a similar project again. The songs Bangs was actually
written before Zadie Smith had titled her short story for it, which is
why it appears on Mink Car, having been a piece they envisioned before
attaching it to that story.

9) Christmas Cards will not be on Holidayland because Flansburgh was
never too happy with it although Linnell really likes it. He could not
remember what the fifth track is besides: Santa Claus, Feast of Light,
O Tannenbaum, Santa's Beard. I asked if the other one might be 'We
Just Go Nuts at Christmastime', but he could not remember.

10) He said the 'Flood' phenomenon seems to be the result of the
Time-Warner publicity machine for that particular album, despite the
fact that the subsequent material is just as good. But he does not
mind the 'Floodies' (not his term) out there, because if it is
something they really like they will pursue the band further.

11) He manages to write new material on his off-touring days because
of a nanny that cares for his son, allowing him a regular workday to
compose or write lyrics.

12) Composing consists of midi sequencing on computer, then
transmitting that material to band members.

Well, that is all the new or obscure information I gleaned during the
course of things. I hope it straightens some things out and enlightens
some to how they work.

Big_Duluth
Big_D...@REMOVESPAMmailexcite.com

Mike Wood

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Oct 14, 2001, 9:36:31 PM10/14/01
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Damon Blalack wrote:

> 9) Christmas Cards will not be on Holidayland because Flansburgh was
> never too happy with it although Linnell really likes it. He could not
> remember what the fifth track is besides: Santa Claus, Feast of Light,
> O Tannenbaum, Santa's Beard. I asked if the other one might be 'We
> Just Go Nuts at Christmastime', but he could not remember.

And did you then throw a "Don't Forget About Careless Santa!(TM)" his
way?

The inclusion of readily-available album-tracks on Holidayland is pretty
annoying... I was really hoping to finally have an official CD-release of
"We Just Go Nuts..." (as well as the aforementioned "Christmas Cards",
and possibly "Olive The Other Reindeer").

Ah well... maybe for the December UnLtd? Here's hoping...

~ Mike ~
"It's toe-tappingly tragic!"


ChessPieceFace

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Oct 14, 2001, 11:22:02 PM10/14/01
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>4) Thunderbird, Your Mom's Alright, No Answer, Tumbleweed, and I'm
>Your Boyfriend Now are all songs that they would like to include on
>the next rock album, which will not be released for a long time. Once
>No! is released next year they will be busy promoting that, so a new
>rock album will not be forthcoming until a time after all that.

Though I've been staunchly against it in the past, given this I hereby
hope the TMBGU contains a few high-quality previews of the next rock
album.

And What Is Everyone Staring At.

Come on, just two more months... make 'em count...

scratch

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Oct 14, 2001, 11:32:32 PM10/14/01
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ChessPieceFace wrote:
>
> >4) Thunderbird, Your Mom's Alright, No Answer, Tumbleweed, and I'm
> >Your Boyfriend Now are all songs that they would like to include on
> >the next rock album, which will not be released for a long time. Once
> >No! is released next year they will be busy promoting that, so a new
> >rock album will not be forthcoming until a time after all that.
>
> Though I've been staunchly against it in the past, given this I hereby
> hope the TMBGU contains a few high-quality previews of the next rock
> album.

But Thunderbird and Your Mom's Alright were going to be on *this*
album. With at least 2 more years to ruin them...

-scratch

ChessPieceFace

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Oct 14, 2001, 11:43:18 PM10/14/01
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Right. So gimme Thunderbird now. Then I can bitch about how much I
hate the new disco version in 2004 or so, but at least I'll have a
high-quality demo.

Oh, gimme the rok! version of Man, It's So Loud In Here on TMBGU also.
Come to think of it, November should be comprised of the Butcher Bros.
demos. And What Is Everyone Staring At.

On Mon, 15 Oct 2001 03:32:32 GMT, scratch <scr...@the-pentagon.com>
wrote:

Nathan Mulac DeHoff

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Oct 19, 2001, 5:32:26 PM10/19/01
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"Damon Blalack" <monste...@hotmail.com> wrote in message
news:9617ca42.01101...@posting.google.com...

> 2) The album 'No!' is still with the Sony Wonder label, but it may not
> be out until next spring as Flansburgh recently stated.

Well, it's good that it's finally getting released. I thought Operator Dot
had said that that deal had fallen through.

> 3) Despite the fact that the Peter Pan sequel is coming out to
> theatres in February, and the trailer for it is out now, the songs
> TMBG wrote for it have definitely been scrapped. They had no idea it
> is still coming out, and said they would have been paid already if the
> songs had been retained.

Unless they took a page from the Book of Pizza Hut.

> 4) Thunderbird, Your Mom's Alright, No Answer, Tumbleweed, and I'm
> Your Boyfriend Now are all songs that they would like to include on
> the next rock album, which will not be released for a long time. Once
> No! is released next year they will be busy promoting that, so a new
> rock album will not be forthcoming until a time after all that.

I wonder how long a time. After the excruciatingly long wait for Mink Car,
I was hoping they would make it up to us by releasing another album in the
near future, but I guess TMBG doesn't see it that way.

Did you happen to ask if there were any Mink Car EP's in the works?

Nathan
I know I know I said that I would quit.

Mike May

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Oct 19, 2001, 10:48:02 PM10/19/01
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In article <hZ0A7.183$sw.2...@newsrump.sjc.telocity.net>, "Nathan Mulac
DeHoff" <Dinne...@tmbg.org> writes:

>> 2) The album 'No!' is still with the Sony Wonder label, but it may not
>> be out until next spring as Flansburgh recently stated.
>
>Well, it's good that it's finally getting released. I thought Operator Dot
>had said that that deal had fallen through.

That may have been in reference to the original deal with Rounder.

Mike


"What's that you're barbecuing in your kitchen? It's a human head!"

www.arstechnica.com - For the geek in all of us.

petula

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Oct 20, 2001, 12:16:04 PM10/20/01
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>>Well, it's good that it's finally getting released. I thought
Operator Dot had said that that deal had fallen through.
>>That may have been in reference to the original deal with Rounder.


No, it's true. I'm also pretty sure Dot said that. It was around the
same time Flansburgh was saying wistfully at shows, "...from the album
No!...when will it find a home?" I was surprised to hear they were
going forward with it again. I'm totally thrilled though! And I'm
really curious about how they're going to promote it.

Mike Buffington

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Oct 20, 2001, 2:52:53 PM10/20/01
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They should do in-stores at Borders, Storyopolis, and other various
bookstores / children's stores around the country. That way, all of us
older people can push stupid little kids out of the way to get to the
front and act like jerks.

Mike

Belgand

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Oct 24, 2001, 10:43:22 PM10/24/01
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On 20 Oct 2001 09:16:04 -0700, fu...@aol.com (petula) wrote:

>>>Well, it's good that it's finally getting released. I thought
>Operator Dot had said that that deal had fallen through.
>>>That may have been in reference to the original deal with Rounder.
>
>

>No, it's true. I'm also pretty sure Dot said that....

Just who exactly is Dot? I've heard mention a few times to this
mysterious individual who apparently has some good connections to the
band, but nothing really mentions just who she is.

Mark M. Smith

Mike May

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Oct 25, 2001, 11:30:11 AM10/25/01
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In article <3bd77bfb...@news.ksu.edu>, bel...@planetfortress.com
(Belgand) writes:

>>>>Well, it's good that it's finally getting released. I thought
>>Operator Dot had said that that deal had fallen through.
>>>>That may have been in reference to the original deal with Rounder.
>>
>>
>>No, it's true. I'm also pretty sure Dot said that....
>
>Just who exactly is Dot? I've heard mention a few times to this
>mysterious individual who apparently has some good connections to the
>band, but nothing really mentions just who she is

Operator Dot works in TMBG's office. She does stuff like take care of orders
from their online store, email list, etc.

And sometimes she posts useful tidbits to the newsgroup, like upcoming TV
appearances.

Chadd VanZanten

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Oct 27, 2001, 1:01:50 AM10/27/01
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Mike May wrote:

>Operator Dot works in TMBG's office. She does stuff like take care of
>orders from their online store, email list, etc.

I thought Operator Dot worked for Hornblow, the company that manages
(among others) TMBG.

Okay then,
Chadd

Mike May

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Oct 27, 2001, 10:14:06 AM10/27/01
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In article <3BDA3FBE...@iodynamics.conm>, Chadd VanZanten
<ch...@iodynamics.conm> writes:

>>Operator Dot works in TMBG's office. She does stuff like take care of
>>orders from their online store, email list, etc.
>
>I thought Operator Dot worked for Hornblow, the company that manages
>(among others) TMBG.

I don't think so, although Hornblow Group is in the same office.

Nathan Mulac DeHoff

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Oct 28, 2001, 10:01:31 PM10/28/01
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"Mike May" <prop...@aol.comPOSTHEAP> wrote in message
news:20011027101406...@nso-cg.aol.com...

> In article <3BDA3FBE...@iodynamics.conm>, Chadd VanZanten
> <ch...@iodynamics.conm> writes:
>
> >>Operator Dot works in TMBG's office. She does stuff like take care of
> >>orders from their online store, email list, etc.
> >
> >I thought Operator Dot worked for Hornblow, the company that manages
> >(among others) TMBG.
>
> I don't think so, although Hornblow Group is in the same office.

Someone (I think it was TDK) once stated that Dot worked for Hornblow, and
she replied with "No, I work for TMBG." This might have been on the mailing
list, though.

Nathan
But she's really working undercover for the man. Sha la la la la.

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