The Talking Heads have written music history in a short time and have probably released more relevant albums in 16 years than most in twice the time. As an art-pop band, they were always above all doubt and far ahead of their time (see “Remain In Light”, see now once more “Stop Making Sense” for the re-release in cinemas).
Still, the Talking Heads didn’t manage to hold out any longer. After “Speaking In Tongues” they stopped touring, the production of the last records became more and more strange for all other members except David Byrne. Eventually, the end inevitably came. The singer now regrets the way his group divorced in an interview with “People”.
“When I was younger, I wasn’t that easy to deal with,” says the now 71-year-old. “When I worked on some Talking Heads shows, I was more of a little bully. And then I learned to relax, and I also learned that when working with people, when there is a good relationship, both sides benefit more than I tell everyone what to do…
The Talking Heads can now talk to each other again
Byrne went on to say that “divorce can be ugly.” He didn’t handle the ending well, the band didn’t break up in the best possible way. “But I think it was kind of inevitable that that would happen,” he also said. “We have a friendly relationship now. We’re kind of in touch, but we don’t hang out all the time.”
In the period after Talking Heads disbanded in 1991, the musicians appeared together only twice in public, making a vital live effort for induction into the Rock’n’Roll Hall Of Fame and “Life During Wartime”, ” Psycho Killer” and “Burning Down the House” played.
Now there is another (small) reunion. For the premiere of the edited theatrical version of “Stop Making Sense”, all members of the Talking Heads will be at the Toronto Film Festival on September 11th for a question and answer session moderated by director Spike Lee. David Byrne sometimes wonders how he managed to do all that with his voice back then, like saying “People”, also because he sings in a different register today. For the concert film, he hopes to attract a new audience that will experience the magic of Talking Heads for the first time. However, Byrne had vehemently ruled out a joint comeback on stage in the past.
Incidentally, the peacefulness that has now been proclaimed was far more fragile just a few months ago. Talking Heads bassist Tina Weymouth called Byrne a deeply “insecure person” in an interview with The Sunday Times and wondered why he failed to name the ex-colleagues and acknowledge their work for the group . In his autobiography, Remain In Love, drummer Chris Frantz, who is married to Weymouth, also addressed the difficult relationship with the singer.