CHILDREN TELEVISION: rock on

I was getting worried. I thought Steve Burns was a one album kind of guy. In case you don't remember him, Steve Burns is this the guy in the dorky sweater. That's right, he was the original host in the beloved Nick Jr show called Blues Clues. Rumor had it he died of a drug overdose and his cousin took over the show, but that is completely wrong.

The real story is Steve Burns left the glamorous life of being a childrens television star to hang out with the members from the flaming lips and rock out. His first album, Song's for Dust Mites, came out in August of 2003. It was focused around the idea of space lobsters coming down from outerspace. Now when you go to Steve's Web Page he has an extensive research report on children listening to his last album.

His wit and crazy sci-fi logic continues to astound me. His new topics of interest include:

Learn the awful truth about steve burns and the imminent attack by naked hot-headed arctic ice borers

Find out how to plan for the revenge of the mean-spirited monkeys

See how steve single-handedly replaces the president of the galactic confederacy with a log of thinking cheese

Learn about how television will be watched in pill form



This album is no doubt going to be imaginative, weird, and influenced greatly by the great Wayne Coyne of the Flaming Lips.
I already like what I hear: Steve Burns is back

It makes me wonder what the life inside the children show industry is like. No one imagined Blues Clues was connected to the Flaming Lips when it began. Now the Aquabats have left their traditional pop punk roots and landed a Nick Jr show that premiered this month called YO GABBA GABBA! I can only explain this new show as Sesame Street on organic hallucigenics created for the ex-punks and current hipsters embracing the strollers with their preschool children. This show must be the hottest topic in Park Slope right now.

Matt Prior, originally the singer from the Get Up Kids is now singing to children with his act, The Terrible Twos.
And They Might Be Giants did an album in the past to entertain children.

Basically these talented musicians start a family and when their children become their life they change their style so it is part of them.

I ENCOURAGE YOU TO WATCH ALL OF THESE ON YO GABBA GABBA: Elijah Woods, Tony Hawk, The Aqua Bats



behind the scenes