John Flansburgh

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John Flansburgh
Flansburgh in 2023
Flansburgh in 2023
Background information
Also known as
Rolf Conant[1]
Born
John Conant Flansburgh

(1960-05-06) May 6, 1960 (age 66)
Lexington, Massachusetts[2]
GenresAlternative rock
OccupationsSinger-songwriter, musician, guitarist
Instruments
Years active1980–present
Labels
Spouse
​
(m. 1996)​
AwardsList of awards

John Conant Flansburgh[a][1] (born May 6, 1960) is an American musician and a co-founder of the alternative rock band They Might Be Giants with John Linnell, which was formed in 1982. He is the lead writer and singer, playing rhythm guitar for the band.

Flansburgh was born in Lexington, Massachusetts to Earl Flansburgh and Polly Flansburgh. His brother is political organizer and activist Paxus Calta. Flansburgh attended the George Washington University and got an arts degree at Pratt Institute.

He writes and sings for his band They Might Be Giants though has also done solo projects. Flansburgh founded and was the lead singer of the solo band Mono Puff. He has directed music videos for various artists and produced Jonathon Coulton's album Artificial Heart.

Life and music career

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Childhood and education

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Flansburgh was born left-handed[3][4][5] in Lexington, Massachusetts.[6] His father, Earl Flansburgh, was a well-known Boston architect.[7] His mother, Polly Flansburgh, is the founder and president of Boston By Foot.[8] His brother, Paxus Calta (born Earl Schuyler Flansburgh),[6] is an anti-nuclear activist and political organizer.[9] John Flansburgh attended Lincoln-Sudbury Regional High School where he met future band member John Linnell.[10]

Flansburgh attended the George Washington University, where he learned to play guitar while working as a parking garage attendant. He then attended Antioch College and Pratt Institute, where he graduated with an arts degree.[11][12]

Formation of They Might Be Giants

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Flansburgh and close friend John Linnell united in 1981 after moving to Brooklyn to start their music career.[13] They began performing with Flansburgh on guitar and Linnell on other instruments backed by a drum machine.[14] In 1982, he created a telephone service called Dial-A-Song. In 2000, John Flansburgh wrote and sang the theme song "Boss of Me" for hit show Malcolm in the Middle. The song won a Grammy award in 2002.[15] Today, the band has released 23 albums.

Marriage

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Flansburgh has been married to musician Robin Goldwasser since 1996, with whom he occasionally performs with.[5] Later in 2004, as a one-off, Flansburgh produced and starred in the Off-Broadway musical People Are Wrong!, which was co-written with her.[16]

Early side projects

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Mono Puff

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John Flansburgh made a solo band Mono Puff with his off-time from They Might Be Giants. The side band's bassist was Hal Cragin and drummer was Steve Calhoon. Mono Puff released two albums, Unsupervised (1996) and It's Fun to Steal (1998) in addition to four EPs and one single.[17]

Other side projects

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File:JohnFlansburgh.jpg
Flansburgh performing in 2005

Flansburgh also ran a subscription-based record label called the Hello Recording Club.[18] He has also directed music videos for such artists as Soul Coughing, Ben Folds Five, Frank Black and the Catholics, Harvey Danger, and Jonathan Coulton. He also produced Coulton's album, Artificial Heart.[16]

In 1998, Flansburgh guest-starred as himself in the season 4 finale of the Cartoon Network animated series Space Ghost Coast to Coast.[19] In 2004, Flansburgh created and hosted a series on WNYC entitled Now Hear This. The program spotlighted a variety of his musical interests, featuring interviews with artists such as Stephin Merritt, David Byrne, Matt Stone, and The Darkness. While no longer in production, it continues to be archived on the station's website.[20] In 2007, Flansburgh played a short role as "Computer" in the Adult Swim comedy series Xavier: Renegade Angel.[21]

Car accident and EP

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On June 8, 2022, while in a rideshare on his way home from a They Might Be Giants show at the Bowery Ballroom, Flansburgh's ride was involved in a collision with a drunk driver. Flansburgh had several broken ribs, many of which had multiple fractures, but none of his vital organs were damaged.[23][24]

In 2023, he released a solo EP entitled Forest / Trees.[25]

Political views

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Flansburgh considers himself politically leftist and has spoken of his support for Bernie Sanders for President.[26]

Music style

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Often times, the music style of Flansburgh's songs are described as quirky. They tend to be about good or bad relationships and sometimes surreal topics. The melodies that accompany his eclectic lyrics are usually unique and unconventional.[12] Death is another subject of John Flansburgh's early songs. He said in an interview about his and his band's music, "[Death]'s not just a theme—it's the Swiss army knife of songwriting."[27]

Instruments

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Flansburgh frequently plays a red Gibson ES-335, a sonic blue Fender Telecaster, a candy apple red Fender Jazzmaster, and a goldtop Gibson Les Paul. He owns a custom-made golden Mojo guitar, known as the "Chessmaster".[28] He designed the body himself, taking inspiration from the geometric shapes of old guitar cases.[29]

References

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  14. ^ Brian Butterick, Susan Martin, Kestutis Nakas (eds.) "We Started a Nightclub": The Birth of the Pyramid Cocktail Lounge as Told by Those Who Lived It, Damiani Books, p. 212
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Notes

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  1. ^ Pronounced /flænzˌbərɡ/ FLANZ-berg. Colloquially known by his nicknames Flansy (/flænzi/ FLANZ-ee) or Flans (/flænz/ FLANZ).
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