I probably should've written about these guys before mentioning Wonder Showzen [and that's assuming I should mention Wonder Showzen at all around here]. Pancake Mountain is an independent kids music TV show produced in Washington, DC by some rockers [yeah, Fugazi's involved. You can't throw an indie rock in this town without hitting an obligatory Fugazi namecheck.], and it's actually for kids, unlike WS, which is mostly about kids [and about possibly warping their fragile little minds for our sick amusement, but hey].
It's the kind of show parents want to watch with their kids, basically. It's a little dorky, but it's indie rock dorky, and they somehow manage to book some pretty street credible bands and musicians--and Juliette Lewis to play the show--and to be interviewed by the cynical-yet-harmless sheep puppet mascot.
Frankly, I've never seen the show, and I don't go to Pitchfork, so most of the musicians aren't on my playlist. But since the kid has started demanding to "watch movie on daddy's 'puter" 12/7, we've ended up watching the little video clips online a hundred times a day. While I'm partial to "Dough Socks," in which the roadie dork Captain Perfect starts explaining how to make your own gifts--socks--out of pizza dough, the kid's favorite: a cute-sad-funny animation called "Blueberry Boy," which she now asks for by name. The real earworm, though, is Senor Sudsalot, a fake commercial for an eco-friendly extra bubbly bubble bath.
Pancake Mountain is on public access channels here [dc] and there [nyc], but it's pretty erratic, so the best thing to do is to buy the DVD's. The better thing is for them to launch some gear with Senor Sudsalot's mug on it.
Panake Mountain
ouch greg, that hurts. I haven't been to pitchfork in a dog's age, but seeing these bands making kids music and an "indie rock sesame street" still warms my heart.
see: I thought I was going to be stuck with that "they might be giants" crap and just have to grin and bear it.
[then it hurts me more, because I have so little idea. Obviously, I need to watch more Conan. Totally with you on TMBG, btw. -ed.]