Talking Heads
About Talking Heads
Ground-breaking rock band Talking Heads is arguably one of the most influential bands of all time. Spearheaded by their slightly crazy lead singer David Byrne, they were at the forefront of the New Wave movement.
The band was formed in 1974 by Byrne and drummer Chris Frantz. Frantz’s then-girlfriend-later-wife Tina Weymouth was quickly recruited to play bass. After a few recordings and performances, guitarist/keyboardist Jerry Harrison was hired to round out the group.
Their first album, Talking Heads: 77, was appropriately released in 1977. It quickly received critical acclaim.
The next year they released More Songs About Buildings And Food, which led to the beginning of a beautiful relationship with legendary producer Brian Eno. He would go on to help produce the bands next two albums.
Their third album, Fear of Music, was released in 1979.
In 1980, the band released what is largely regarded as their magnum opus, Remain In Light.
In 1983, the band released Speaking In Tongues, which contained their only American Top 10 Hit, “Burning Down The House.”
In 1984, the group released a concert film entitled Stop Making Sense, which takes its title from a line in their song “Girlfriend is Better.”
They went on to release three more albums before their eventual break up; 1985’s Little Creatures, 1986’s True Stories, and 1988’s Naked. Their song “Radio Head” from True Stories was even the inspiration for the name of the band Radiohead.
The band split up in 1991, and have only reunited once in 2002 at their Rock and Roll Hall of Fame induction ceremony.
In 2010, Rolling Stone named them the 100th greatest band of all time. Additionally, Rolling Stone included four of their albums on their 2003 500 Greatest Albums of All Time List; More Songs About Buildings And Food came in at 383, Stop Making Sense came in at 345, Talking Heads: 77 came in at 291, and Remain In Light came in at 129. On the updated 2020 list, More Songs About Buildings And Food came in at 364 and Remain In Light came in at 39.
