Latest news with #TalkingHeads'
USA Today
27-06-2025
- Entertainment
- USA Today
New Talking Heads book: Band's song roots, breakups and makeups
For a band that broke up under a cloud of bitterness, Talking Heads still appreciate a good celebration. The belated first video for the band's 1977 cult favorite 'Psycho Killer' debuted in early June; a live rendition of their thumping rendition of Al Green's 'Take Me to the River' from 1978 just landed; and a new CD box set, 'More Songs About Buildings and Food (Super Deluxe Edition)' is due July 25 to celebrate the quartet's 50th anniversary. The recently released biography 'Burning Down the House' (HarperCollins, 512 pages) from New Yorker contributor Jonathan Gould ('Can't Buy Me Love: The Beatles, Britain and America'), takes its name from Talking Heads' biggest hit, an idiosyncratic Parliament Funkadelic-inspired slice of New Wave funk. The book's 42 chapters dutifully cover the journey of singer David Byrne, drummer Chris Frantz and bassist Tina Weymouth – who met at the Rhode Island School of Design in 1975, moved to New York and recruited guitarist Jerry Harrison – through years of fractured existence until they disbanded in 1991. But Gould also digs into the grimy club scene of Lower Manhattan in the 1970s, with colorful reminders of Max's Kansas City – a club where musicians including Velvet Underground, Bruce Springsteen and Billy Joel played foundational shows – and the illustrious CBGB, an art rock/punk playground for Patti Smith, Debbie Harry and a burgeoning Talking Heads. 'This could be our Cavern Club,' Frantz said when the band played a four-night stand at CBGB in 1977, likening it to The Beatles' formative haunt in Liverpool. Major albums augmented by a visual boost from MTV ('Speaking in Tongues' with 'Burning Down the House,' 'Little Creatures' with 'And She Was') and a landmark 1984 live concert film from Jonathan Demme ('Stop Making Sense,' which revived the singles 'Girlfriend is Better' and 'Once in a Lifetime') solidified Talking Heads' worthiness as Rock and Roll Hall of Famers. Here are a few book highlights that showcase how they got there. More: ABBA book revelations: AC/DC connection, the unlikely inspiration for 'Mamma Mia!', more The biblical roots of 'Once in a Lifetime' Gould explores how the band's fourth studio album, 1980's 'Remain in Light,' was sequenced dichotomously. The first side of the album brought 'a dance party unlike any dance party ever heard on a commercial recording before,' he writes. But a flip to Side 2 spotlighted Byrne's influences from months of Bible study for his esoteric solo project with Brian Eno, 'My Life in the Bush of Ghosts.' 'Once in a Lifetime,' the first song of the album's second half, is delivered as a sermon almost by default, with each lyric prefaced with Byrne's spoke-sung, 'and you may find yourself …' before the inevitable big question of, 'how did I get here?' Gould also points out the religious metaphor of the song's chorus, 'letting the days go by, let the water hold me down' as well as its famous repeated refrain, 'same as it ever was,' which provides a 'born-again edge.' By the time Byrne completes this existential exercise, he's looking back at his choices and exclaiming, 'My God! What have I done?' The Tom Tom Club offered an escape from Talking Heads In 1981, Frantz and Weymouth – who married in 1977 – splintered from home base to create Tom Tom Club, named for the Bahamian club where they rehearsed for the first time while on break from Talking Heads. The spinoff that included Weymouth's sisters and King Crimson guitarist Adrian Belew formed because, as Frantz says in the book. 'We wanted to make a real musical anti-snob record, because we're fed up to here with all of the seriousness that surrounds Taking Heads.' The musical approach inspired by the 'happier … Island people,' as well as the kitschy spirit of The B-52s, yielded the dance hit 'Wordy Rappinghood,' anchored by Weymouth's delivery which Gould describes as, 'prim elocution of a grade-school teacher intent on imbuing her students with a lifelong love of words.' But the lasting takeaway from the project is 'Genius of Love,' a blipping ditty that skitters through a lyrical tribute to Bootsy Collins, Smokey Robinson, Bob Marley and James Brown. Its clever hook has been interpolated for decades, from Grandmaster Flash and the Furious Five's 'It's Nasty' in 1981 to Mariah Carey's mega-selling 'Fantasy' in 1995 to Latto's 2021 resurrection of the sample in 'Big Energy.' More: New music documentaries rock the big screen at Tribeca A Talking Heads breakup, and brief makeup The band essentially dissolved in 1991 when Byrne abruptly left, which Frantz says he and Weymouth discovered by reading about it in the Los Angeles Times ('David never called us to say we broke up,' Weymouth recalls). Predictably, lawsuits over trademark use of the band's name followed, along with the equally predictable acrimony between Byrne and the rest of the band. But a 1999 anniversary screening of 'Stop Making Sense' provided a brief ceasefire, although the foursome never made eye contact while sitting on a panel to discuss the film. In 2001, their first year of eligibility, Talking Heads were inducted into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame. Following tradition, a live performance was expected, which would be their first in 18 years. For three songs – 'Psycho Killer,' 'Life During Wartime' and 'Burning Down the House' – a truce was in place, sparking a standing ovation from the audience filled with music-industry types, the very people, Gould says, whom the proudly eccentric band 'had done their best to have as little as possible to do with over the course of their professional careers.'
Ottawa Citizen
27-06-2025
- Entertainment
- Ottawa Citizen
Dunlevy: Mavis Staples kicks off 45th Montreal jazz fest with a whole lotta soul
Article content It was a cool night for a hot start to the 45th Montreal International Jazz Festival as Chicago soul legend Mavis Staples showed tens of thousands of music fans how it's done in the opening night free outdoor blowout. Article content Temperatures hovered just under the 20-degree mark, which wasn't so bad, but coming off an oppressive early-summer heat wave, it felt almost like fall. That wasn't enough to stop the throngs from taking in the sights and sounds on the free stages early in the evening. Or to prevent everyone from gathering in front of the main TD stage just after sunset. Article content Article content Staples made her entrance just after 9:30 p.m., bringing along a lifetime of soul singing that started with her siblings when she was just a little girl. Her dad was pals with Martin Luther King, Jr., leading the family band The Staple Singers (of which she is the last surviving member) to become closely associated with the civil rights movement. Article content Article content 'Montreal!' Staples shouted a few songs in, to enthusiastic cheers and an impromptu call and response. 'Yeah!' she called out. 'Yeah!' the audience called back. Article content 'Oh my,' Staples continued. 'We're so happy to be with you, so happy to see all these smiling faces. Yes indeed. I tell you, we've been trying to get here; we finally made it. Well now, we bring you greetings from the Windy City — Chicago, Ill. We've come this evening to bring you some joy, some happiness, inspiration and some positive vibrations.' She did all that and then some. It was two weeks before her 87th birthday and Staples was in fine form, and fine voice. Her trademark rasp hasn't lost any of its depth, and she let it rip on such songs as her 1996 Gospel number I'll Fly Away From Here, love jam I'm Just Another Soldier and an appropriately rugged rendition of Tom Waits's Chicago. Article content She sounded righteous in delivering her old band's 1984 cover of Talking Heads' 1983 hit Slippery People, bringing out the song's Gospel influences without omitting its new wave edge. Article content And she took us back to the '60s while performing the Staple Singers' downright funky 1967 version of Buffalo Springfield's 1966 peace anthem For What It's Worth. Far from mere nostalgia, Staples delivered her lines like she was belting them out for the first time — with passion and feeling. Article content She unleashed another heartfelt 'Yeah!' at song's end. 'Y'all feel alright? Do you feel alright? OK, I feel pretty good myself.'
Yahoo
17-06-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
David Byrne Stars in ‘The Art of Sound,' L-Acoustics' New Documentary on ‘Audio's Hidden Language'
Professional audio technology specialists L-Acoustics, in collaboration with Black Meteor, have launched 'The Art of Sound,' a three-part documentary series that merges scientific discovery with artistic insight to explore sound's fundamental role in human evolution and its continuing influence. David Byrne stars in the season premiere, 'Sound Is Fundamental,' which was directed by Andrew Lancaster ('Accidents Happen,' 'The Lost Aviator') and debuts today on 'The Art of Sound by L-Acoustics' channel on YouTube. Also featuring researchers Robyn Landau (Kinda Studios) and Dr. Erica Warp as they investigate our primal connection to sound and its fundamental role in human experience. Through EEG research conducted at L-Acoustics London, the episode reveals how our brains and emotions respond to various soundscapes and their impact on humans' wellbeing. More from Variety David Byrne Announces New Album, 'Who Is the Sky?,' and World Tour Saoirse Ronan Goes Feral in Talking Heads' 'Psycho Killer' Video: Director Mike Mills Says 'I Don't Know How She Didn't Just Shrivel Up at the End' David Byrne Regrets Talking Heads' Bitter Split: 'I Was a Little Tyrant' 'It's remarkable how much we can orient ourselves based on sound,' said Byrne. 'We can't close off our ears because that way, we can tell if something or someone is approaching. With your eyes closed, you can tell what kind of space you're in, what kind of room you're in, and what kind of landscape you're in. I think sound probably affects us emotionally and physically. You can sense something you can't see.' Amber Mundinger, Global Director of Creative Engagement at L-Acoustics, added, 'With the release of 'The Art of Sound,' we aim to take viewers on a journey that not only celebrates the artistic and scientific elements of sound but emphasizes its profound impact on our collective experience. Sound is everywhere – it shapes our emotions, influences our well-being, and connects us as a community. As we explore how our relationship with sound influences everything from architecture to entertainment, we invite audiences to reflect on the often-overlooked power of this invisible force and its ability to bring us together.' To view 'Sound is Fundamental,' visit Best of Variety New Movies Out Now in Theaters: What to See This Week 'Harry Potter' TV Show Cast Guide: Who's Who in Hogwarts? 25 Hollywood Legends Who Deserve an Honorary Oscar
Yahoo
10-06-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
Minneapolis Utopia: David Byrne heads to the Orpheum Theatre this fall
Minneapolis Utopia: David Byrne heads to the Orpheum Theatre this fall originally appeared on Bring Me The News. For the first time in seven years, David Byrne is releasing new music. The legendary Talking Heads singer will follow 2018's American Utopia with a new 12-track album, Who Is the Sky?, which will be accompanied by a tour that brings him and a large ensemble to the Orpheum Theatre in Minneapolis on Nov. 3 and 4. He last passed through the Twin Cities on the American Utopia tour, playing the same downtown Minneapolis theater for a tour that later became a Broadway musical and a Spike Lee-directed concert film as well. The new album was recorded with the New York-based chamber music ensemble Ghost Train Orchestra, which also arranged the music. Who Is the Sky? also features appearances from Paramore's Hayley Williams, Smile drummer Tom Skinner, and St. Vincent, aka Annie Clark, with whom Byrne released a collaborative album in 2012. This go-round, the 73-year-old singer will perform with a 16-piece ensemble that includes musicians, singers, and dancers, some of whom were part of his American Utopia band. Similar to that tour, the announcement says that the performers "will be mobile throughout the set." The first taste of Who Is the Sky? was shared last week in a video for the anthemic "Everybody Laughs." A new music video of the Talking Heads' "Psycho Killer," starring Saoirse Ronan, was also recently released to celebrate the Talking Heads' 50th anniversary. Byrne's tour begins in September, passes through the Twin Cities in October, and will head to Australia, New Zealand, and Europe in 2026. Outside of Minneapolis, the tour's only other Upper Midwest pit stops are an Oct. 25 show at the Fox Theatre in Detroit and a three-night stand at The Auditorium in Chicago, beginning on Oct. 28. Tickets will go on sale at 10 a.m. on Friday, June 13. A presale begins on Tuesday through the list on Byrne's story was originally reported by Bring Me The News on Jun 10, 2025, where it first appeared.
Yahoo
10-06-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
David Byrne Announces ‘Who Is the Sky?' Solo Album Featuring Hayley Williams, St. Vincent and Tom Skinner
Just days after performing the Talking Heads' 'Burning Down the House' with Olivia Rodrigo at New York's Governors Ball over the weekend David Byrne announced his 11th solo album, Who Is the Sky? The follow-up to Byrne's 2018 LP American Utopia is due out on Sept. 5 via Matador Records. Produced by Kid Harpoon (Miley Cyrus, Harry Styles), the 12-track album will feature collaborations with Paramore's Hayley Williams, St. Vincent and The Smile drummer Tom Skinner, with arrangements by the New York chamber ensemble Ghost Train Orchestra. Byrne previewed the album on Tuesday (June 10) with a video for the universalist anthem about the emotions and feelings we all share. More from Billboard Olivia Rodrigo Brings Out David Byrne for Scorching 'Burning Down the House' (And Does Some of His Dance Moves) at Gov Ball Quincy Jones Remembered by Lucky Daye, Luke James & Miles Caton With Smooth 2025 BET Awards Tribute Jamie Foxx Honored by Stevie Wonder & Reflects on Health Scare at BET Awards: 'You Can't Go Through Something Like That & Not Testify' 'Everybody laughs and everybody cries/ Everybody lives and everybody dies/ Everybody eats and everybody loves/ Everybody knows what everybody does,' Byrne sings over strummed acoustic guitar and a bouncy rhythm in the clip in which the camera scoots from left to right as dozens of people act out the lyrics and bust into an impromptu marching band performance when they're not dancing with selfie sticks. 'Someone I know said, 'David, you use the word 'everybody' a lot.' I suppose I do that to give an anthropological view of life in New York as we know it,' said Byrne in a statement announcing the album and the single. 'Everybody lives, dies, laughs, cries, sleeps and stares at the ceiling. Everybody's wearing everybody else's shoes, which not everybody does, but I have done. I tried to sing about these things that could be seen as negative in a way balanced by an uplifting feeling from the groove and the melody, especially at the end, when St. Vincent and I are doing a lot of hollering and singing together. Music can do that – hold opposites simultaneously. I realized that when singing with Robyn earlier this year. Her songs are often sad, but the music is joyous.' Producer Kid Harpoon (born Tom Hull) added, 'It took me a second to realize, oh yeah, these songs are personal, but with David's unique perspective on life in general. Walking around New York listening to the demo of 'Everybody Laughs' was so joyous, because it made me feel like we're all the same – we all laugh, cry and sing. The thing about David that resonates with a lot of people is that he's in on the joke. He gets the absurdity of it all, and all of these personal observations are his perspective on it.' Byrne said there are 'more story songs than usual' on the new album, tracks he describes as 'mini-narratives based on personal experience including 'She Explains Things to Me,' 'A Door Called No,' 'My Apartment Is My Friend' and 'I Met the Buddha at a Downtown Party.' The 'jaunty' song with Paramore's Williams, 'What Is the Reason For It?,' is focused on codifying 'love in a way logic can rarely accomplish.' 'Does it do something useful?/ Nobody understands,' goes one line from the song. 'I suspected that intimate orchestral arrangements would bring out the emotion I sense is there in these songs,' Byrne said. 'It's something that folks don't always hear in my work, but this time for sure I thought it was there. At the same time, I also see myself as someone who aspires to be accessible. I imagined that Kid Harpoon would help with that, as well as being a set of trusted ears, since there was a lot going on. People think of producers as people who mainly make a record sound good, and Kid Harpoon did that, but he was also aware of how important the storytelling is.' The collaboration with St. Vincent comes more than a decade after the two musicians teamed up for the 2012 album Love This Giant. Among the other contributors to the LP are American Utopia percussionist Mauro Refosco, who has toured and recorded with Byrne for more than three decades. 'At my age, at least for me, there's a 'don't give a s–t about what people think' attitude that kicks in,' Byrne said. 'I can step outside my comfort zone with the knowledge that I kind of know who I am by now and sort of know what I'm doing. That said, every new set of songs, every song even, is a new adventure. There's always a bit of, 'how do I work this?' I've found that not every collaboration works, but often when they do, it's because I'm able to clearly impart what it is I'm trying to do. They hopefully get that, and as a result, we're now joined together heading to the same unknown place.' Byrne will hit the road with a new live show featuring a 13-person troupe of musicians and dancers to support the album on a world tour slated to kick off on Sept. 14 at Veterans Memorial Auditorium in Providence, R.I. Watch the 'Everybody Laughs' video and check out the Who Is the Sky? tracklist and Byrne's 2025-2026 tour dates below. track list: 'Everybody Laughs' 'When We Are Singing' 'My Apartment Is My Friend' 'A Door Called No' 'What Is the Reason for It?' 'I Met the Buddha at a Downtown Party' 'Don't Be Like That' 'The Avant Garde' 'Moisturizing Thing' 'I'm an Outsider' 'She Explains Things to Me' 'The Truth' North America 2025 tour dates: Sept. 14: Providence, RI @ Veterans Memorial Auditorium Sept. 16: Pittsburgh, PA @ Benedum Center PAC Sept. 17: Columbus, OH @ Mershon Auditorium Sept. 19: Akron, OH @ Akron Civic Theatre Sept. 21: Schenectady, NY @ Proctors Sept. 23: Syracuse, NY @ Landmark Theatre Sept. 25: Buffalo, NY @ Shea's Buffalo Theatre Sept. 27: Washington D.C. @ The Anthem Sept. 28: Washington D.C. @ The Anthem Sept. 30: New York, NY @ Radio City Music Hall Oct. 1: New York, NY @ Radio City Music Hall Oct. 3: Boston, MA @ Boch Center Wang Theatre Oct. 4: Boston, MA @ Boch Center Wang Theatre Oct. 7: Wallingford, CT @ Toyota Oakdale Theatre Oct. 8: Portland, ME @ Merrill Auditorium at City Hall Oct. 10: New York, NY @ Radio City Music Hall Oct. 14: Richmond, VA @ Altria Theater Oct. 16: Philadelphia, PA @ The Met Philadelphia presented by Highmark Oct. 17: Philadelphia, PA @ The Met Philadelphia presented by Highmark Oct. 21: Toronto, ON, Canada @ Massey Hall Oct. 22: Toronto, ON, Canada @ Massey Hall Oct. 25: Detroit, MI @ Fox Theatre Oct. 28: Chicago, IL @ The Auditorium Oct. 29: Chicago, IL @ The Auditorium Oct. 31: Chicago, IL @ The Auditorium Nov. 3: Minneapolis, MN @ Orpheum Theatre Nov. 4: Minneapolis, MN @ Orpheum Theatre Nov. 6: Denver, CO @ Bellco Theatre Nov. 7: Denver, CO @ Bellco Theatre Nov. 11: Seattle, WA @ Paramount Theatre Nov. 12: Seattle, WA @ Paramount Theatre Nov. 16: San Francisco, CA @ The Theater at Bill Graham Civic Auditorium Nov. 17: San Francisco, CA @ The Theater at Bill Graham Civic Auditorium Nov. 20: Los Angeles, CA @ Dolby Theatre Nov. 21: Los Angeles, CA @ Dolby Theatre Nov. 25: Austin, TX @ Bass Concert Hall Nov. 26: Austin, TX @ Bass Concert Hall Nov. 28: Dallas, TX @ Music Hall at Fair Park Nov. 29: Dallas, TX @ Music Hall at Fair Park Dec. 2: Atlanta, GA @ Fox Theatre Dec. 3: Atlanta, GA @ Fox Theatre Dec. 5: Miami, FL @ Fillmore Miami Beach At Jackie Gleason Theatre Dec. 6: Miami, FL @ Fillmore Miami Beach At Jackie Gleason Theatre 2026 Australia & New Zealand dates: Jan. 14: Auckland, New Zealand @ Spark Arena Jan. 17: Brisbane, Australia @ Brisbane Entertainment Center Jan. 21: Sydney, Australia @ ICC Sydney Theatre Jan. 22: Melbourne, Australia @ Sidney Myer Music Bowl Jan. 24: Adelaide, Australia @ Adelaide Entertainment Centre Arena Jan. 27: Perth, Australia @ RAC Arena 2026 Europe & United Kingdom dates: Feb. 12: Berlin, Germany @ Tempodrom Feb. 15: Amsterdam, Netherlands @ AFAS Live Feb. 16: Amsterdam, Netherlands @ AFAS Live Feb. 18: Brussels, Belgium @ Forest National Feb. 21: Milan, Italy @ Teatro degli Arcimboldi Feb. 22: Milan, Italy @ Teatro degli Arcimboldi Feb. 24: Frankfurt, Germany @ Jahrhunderthalle Feb. 27: Zurich, Switzerland @ The Hall March 2: Cardiff, UK @ Utilita Arena March 3: London, UK @ Eventim Apollo March 4: London, UK @ Eventim Apollo March 6: Glasgow, UK @ SEC Armadillo March 7: Glasgow, UK @ SEC Armadillo March 9: Manchester, UK @ o2 Apollo March 10: Manchester, UK @ o2 Apollo March 13: Dublin, Ireland @ 3Arena March 15: London, UK @ Eventim Apollo March 18: Paris, France @ La Seine Musicale March 19: Paris, France @ La Seine Musicale Best of Billboard Chart Rewind: In 1989, New Kids on the Block Were 'Hangin' Tough' at No. 1 Janet Jackson's Biggest Billboard Hot 100 Hits H.E.R. & Chris Brown 'Come Through' to No. 1 on Adult R&B Airplay Chart
