admittedly, i have never paid the talking heads and their music much mind. i know a lot of people dig em, but that hasnt stopped me from not listening to em. it may all stem from the early days of mtv and their non-stop airing of “burning down the house,” which is kind akin to my unfounded early hatred of van morrison. not their fault, but im just shallow enough to pretend that it is. anyway, i listened to this show, and im definitely impressed with the stuff that i hadnt heard before. anyone got a recommendation on where to start?
1. uh-oh love comes to town
2. with our love
3. the book i read
4. artists only
5. stay hungry
6. the big country
7. new feeling
8. thank you for sending me an angel
9. who is it
10. psycho killer
11. no compassion
12. 1,2,3 red light
Start with “’77″ and proceed to “More songs about buildings and food”. Next, “Fear of Music” followed by “Remain In Light”.
My thoughts exactly, Kit, especially if Gregor’s into this early stuff. Talking Heads are one of the few bands worth exploring chronologically.
You couldn’t do wrong in watching their concert film “Stop Making Sense.” Starts out with David Byrne by himself singing Psycho Killer and more people slowly join with each new song kinda adding new sounds as they work though some early songs. Awesome concert film.
Kit’s got it; I’d just throw in the The Name of This Band is the Talking Heads on Rhino. Thirty years on and I’m still trying to deal with the decline that sets in post-Remain in Light.
Start from the beginning, More Songs About Buildings and Food. Not a bad song on the either side of that solid vinyl disc (that’s right, old schoolin’). You’ll want to listen to all of them after that but, to have seen them play live — and living in New England back in their time — there was not a better live band around.
Yeah, I know ’77′ was their first album but, you’ve already heard most of it above and it’s just not as solid as ‘Buildings and Food’.
[...] you should hurry up and get them. Download sites take stuff down after a few days) They are from 1977 and 1983. The 1977 show was when punk rock/new age was a rumor to much of America. David Byrne [...]
Kit is right on….’stop making sense’ is fantasatic as well…..why is everyone in the movie skinny,sweating profusely, with dilated pupils? (a rhetorical question) As far as post-Remain in Light, I find ‘Little Creatures’ pretty enjoyable. David Byrne/Brian Eno’s ‘My Life in the Bush of Ghosts’ (from 79/80) has recently been re-released and is fascinating.
I am loving this high quality post… thanks for sharing. I’ll be sure to share with other HEADS fans.
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Great sound, great set — thanks!
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gran disco de los talking heads- saludos desde madrid.
Great! I saw Talking Heads about a dozen times in this era (and the year-and-a-half prior) and have never liked them as well since (except for “Naive Melody”). They became less interested as they tried to become a “more proper” band. It’s great to have a recording of this version of “Stay Hungry” — the version on “More Songs” is truncated and not nearly as satisfying.
As for further research, I’d point you to the live album “The Name of This Band Is Talking Heads” — the awesome version of “A Clean Break”(unreleased otherwise) is the closest thing I’ve heard to the experience of seeing the band at CBGB’s (even if it comes from a later era).
Pardon my sloppy typing — they became “less interesting” as they went on.
What an amazing set and excellent quality. I have never heard this version of “Stay Hungry”.