One of my all-time favorites. I saw them in Santa Barbara the week of my 21st birthday and then saw them again in Los Angeles the next day. We caught them on the way out of the theater loading their amps and instruments into their van (they had to schlep their own equipment back in those days) and we told them "you guys kick ass" and they said "you do too." It was a high point. I’ve seen them play live a few times since then and Carole and I saw them play San Francisco a few months ago too. I think I’ve seen them live more times than any other band — Oingo Boingo used to hold that record (I saw them play four times in high school).
You should go to their site now and view all the videos to their Venue Songs record. I was in an extra-cranky mood this evening and watching "The Anaheim House of Blues" made me smile.
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In the category of “showing my age”… I remember when they were just a little local fringe band in NYC and had these funny little ads on the back page of the Village Voice amidst the “I Spy” ads. But the ads didn’t say who they were form. They encouraged readers to call a mystery phone number and there was a recording about them that you would listen to. Very funny and creative. This was in the mid-80’s when we could see them in a local bar for free. It has been fun watching them become the giants that they only thought they might be. :-)
Sounds like I’m just as ancient as you, I turned 21 in the mid-80s too. :)
If you like them, and have a kid on the way, you HAVE to get the TMBG ABC’s. It is an *awesome* kid’s DVD. Probably my favorite one. Techincally my kid is too little for it (it claims for 2 year olds), but he’s been watching it since 9 months (he’s now 1-1/2), and loves it. It’s extremely watchable!
In fact, now that I’m writing this, the “penguins, proudly parading past pandas painting” song is echoing through my mind…