John Linnell
John Linnell | |
|---|---|
Linnell in 2011 | |
| Background information | |
| Birth name | John Sidney Linnell |
| Born | June 12, 1959 New York City, New York, U.S. |
| Origin | Brooklyn, New York, U.S. |
| Genres | Alternative rock |
| Occupation(s) | Musician, singer-songwriter |
| Instrument(s) | Vocals, accordion, keyboards, saxophone, clarinet, bass, guitar, autoharp, banjo, stylophone, marxophone |
| Years active | 1976–present |
| Labels | Bar/None Records, Elektra Records, Restless Records, Idlewild Records |
| Spouse |
Karen Brown
(m. 1997) |
John Sidney Linnell (/lɪˈnɛl/ lih-NEL; born June 12, 1959) is an American musician and multi-instrumentalist, and is one half of the Brooklyn-based alternative rock band They Might Be Giants, with John Flansburgh, which was formed in 1982. In addition to singing and songwriting, he plays accordion, baritone and bass saxophone, clarinet, and keyboards for the group.
Linnell's lyrics include strange subject matter and word play. Persistent themes include aging, delusional behavior, bad relationships, death, and the personification of inanimate objects. Conversely to some of these dark themes, the accompanying melodies are usually cascading and upbeat.