Talking Heads

New York New Wave rock band Talking Heads was formed in 1975 by vocalist and guitarist David Byrne, bassist Tina Weymouth, and drummer Chris Frantz. Jerry Harrison, formerly of The Modern Lovers, would soon join on keyboards and guitar. The band was foundational in the trajectory of new wave and post-punk, combining art rock, funk, punk, and world music in a way previously unseen.

Byrne, Frantz, and Weymouth met at the Rhode Island School of Design, and Byrne and Frantz were in a band called The Artistics. in 1975 the trio moved to New York City and formed Talking Heads. Their debut, Talking Heads: 77, gave them immediate critical attention, and the following trilogy of albums were produced by Brian Eno. These three albums saw a gradual increase in experimentation, fusing their art school backgrounds with funk and world music. For 1980's Remain In Light, the band included additional musicians for tours and sessions.

Following an album-per-year run for four years, the band stepped back and Frantz and Weymouth formed the side project Tom Tom Club. A sprawling live album titled The Name of This Band Is Talking Heads was released. The band returned with another album in 1983 titled Speaking In Tongues, which produced the U.S. Top 10 hit "Burning Down the House." Following its success, the band released the concert film Stop Making Sense in 1984, and followed it in 1985 with their best-selling album, Little Creatures.

Their last two albums were a soundtrack to Byrne's film True Stories, and another funk/world influenced record titled Naked. The band broke up in 1991 , but has reunited a small handful of times to celebrate anniversaries, induction ceremonies, etc. Since their breakup, there has been conflict between band members, namely Weymouth and Byrne, and there have been no tours. They were offered a lucrative sum for a reunion tour in 2024, including a performance at Coachella, but turned it down.