Book Review: A new biography goes long and deep on the rise and fall of rock band Talking Heads
Gould, the author of well-received books on Otis Redding and the Beatles, chronicles in meticulous detail the rise and fall of the band that got its start in New York City's underground punk scene and ended up touring the world with a repertoire shaped by blues, funk and jazz.
He begins 'Burning Down the House: Talking Heads and the New York Scene That Transformed Rock' with a vivid description of the drizzly June night in 1975 when the original trio – singer/songwriter David Byrne, bassist Tina Weymouth and drummer Chris Frantz – made its debut at the seedy club CBGB in downtown Manhattan, opening for the Ramones before a handful of patrons. With their 'unremarkable haircuts' and 'nondescript casual clothes,' they offered a sharp contrast to the 'baroque turn' that rock fashion had taken in the 1970s, Gould observes.
'The qualities that characterized this neophyte group in their first public performance centered on the awkward, disquieting intensity of their singer-guitarist, David Byrne, their sketchy, skeletal arrangements, and the quirky intelligence of their songs,' Gould writes. 'Tall and thin, with a long neck and an anxious, wide-eyed stare, Byrne stood stiffly at the microphone, his upper body jerking and jiggling like a shadow puppet as he scratched out chords on his guitar.… Instead of doing his best to command the stage and the room, Byrne looked trapped by his surroundings, as if he were prepared, at any moment, to make a break for the door.'
Within a couple years of their zeitgeist-changing performances, they enlisted keyboardist/guitarist Jerry Harrison, adding a much-needed dose of professionalism to the band. Gould, a former professional musician, writes exceedingly well about music but suffers from a kind of completism, cramming in an almost mind-numbing level of detail including the name of the elementary school in Pittsburgh where a young Frantz first took up drums to every military posting of Weymouth's naval aviator father.
Though much of the material is fascinating, including his observations about how Byrne's then-undiagnosed Asperger's syndrome may have influenced his music and relationships with the other band members, it is likely to be a bit too much for all but the most diehard fans.
___
AP book reviews: https://apnews.com/hub/book-reviews
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Geek Tyrant
27 minutes ago
- Geek Tyrant
Jason Ritter Offers LANTERNS Update and Teases Comedic Role in DCU Series — GeekTyrant
Jason Ritter has shed some light on the upcoming Lanterns series, offering a small but intriguing update on where things stand behind the scenes. The Parenthood and Raising Dion actor is set to play Billy Macon in DC Studios' Green Lantern series, and according to Ritter, filming is already at the halfway point. In a recent interview with Forbes, Ritter shared: "We've shot four episodes so far and we're about to start shooting episodes three and four. We're doing it all a little out of order. 'The story is kind of jumping all around, but it's been so fun and it's a really well-written, really fun show. I'm just trying to fit into that world and maybe put a little silliness in there." Ritter is bringing some comedy into Lanterns , a show that's otherwise being framed as a gritty, detective-style drama. His character, Billy Macon, is described as 'a good-looking charmer who does his father's bidding. Capitalizing on his family's reputation, he clings to his small-town ego and has everything to lose.' That family might be more important to DC fans than it first appears. There's some talk in the fan community that the Macons could actually be the infamous Hand family, which is tied to William Hand, a.k.a. Black Hand, the death-obsessed villain who plays a pivotal role in DC's Blackest Night storyline. If this speculation pans out, that means Ritter's Billy or Garret Dillahunt's William Macon Sr. might be an early version of Black Hand himself. The show is set to run for eight episodes, and Ritter's comment confirms that production has hit its midpoint. While it's still a ways off from airing, the casting and crew are already generating a lot of curiosity. Lanterns stars Kyle Chandler and Aaron Pierre as Hal Jordan and John Stewart, two iconic Green Lanterns who will lead the show's investigation into a murder mystery set in the American heartland. Nathan Fillion is confirmed to appear as Guy Gardner, which should be a fun addition. The series also includes Ulrich Thomsen as Sinestro, Kelly Macdonald as Sheriff Kerry, Garret Dillahunt as William Macon, Poorna Jagannathan as Zoe, Nicole Ari Parker as John Stewart's mother Bernadette, and Sherman Augustus as his father John Sr. The pilot episodes are in the hands of director James Hawes ( Doctor Who , Black Mirror , Slow Horses ), and he should help set a strong visual tone. As previously described, the series will blend cosmic superhero lore with a darker, more grounded detective narrative. James Gunn teased the concept back when he rolled out the DCU 'Gods and Monsters' slate: "This is a story of a couple of Green Lanterns John Stewart and Hal Jordan. We have a few other Lanterns peppered in there but this is really a terrestrial based TV show which is almost like True Detective with a couple of Green Lanterns who are space cops watching over Precinct Earth—in it they discover a terrifying mystery that ties into our largest story of the DCU." Lanterns is currently slated for release on HBO in early 2026, and it's shaping up to be a very different kind of superhero show.
Geek Tyrant
27 minutes ago
- Geek Tyrant
Paul Rudd and Jeremy Sisto Reunite for Heartfelt Indie RAIN REIGN; Their First Film Together Since CLUELESS — GeekTyrant
Nearly 30 years after co-starring in Amy Heckerling's Clueless , Paul Rudd and Jeremy Sisto are reuniting for something completely different, an emotionally grounded indie drama based on Ann M. Martin's bestselling novel Rain Reign . The film, which just wrapped production, starsFelice Kakaletris ( The Crowded Room ) as 12-year-old Rose Howard, a neurodivergent girl whose life is turned upside down when a superstorm hits her town and her beloved dog, Rain, goes missing. Jeremy Sisto plays Rose's unpredictable single father, while Paul Rudd steps in as her supportive uncle, helping Rose on her emotional quest to find Rain, a journey that tests her inner strength and pushes her to make a deeply personal decision between self-comfort and selflessness. The project marks the feature directorial debut of Erika Burke Rossa, who also adapted the script. Rossa said in a statement: 'What moved me about Ann's novel – and inspired me to adapt Rain Reign into a film – was the Howard family's journey toward breaking cycles of trauma and finding hope in hardship. For me, the story's heart lies in how, even in our darkest moments, the most profound acts of heroism are often the most quiet acts of kindness.' The rest of the cast includes Gretchen Mol, Kirsten Fitzgerald, C.J. Wilson, Mary Stuart Masterson, and Jeremy Davidson. Rain Reign is sure to be a tender, thoughtful family story grounded in quiet resilience. No release date has been announced yet. Source: Deadline
Forbes
29 minutes ago
- Forbes
Taylor Swift's Grammy-Winning Album Surges, Thanks To One Song
August is a very exciting month for Taylor Swift, and the current one is proving to be one of her most thrilling in a while. The singer has a hit song of the same name which surges in consumption every year, and its continued popularity helps the full-length it's featured on become a top performer in her discography yet again — not that Folklore ever really needs the help. Folklore Lifts on Multiple Billboard Charts As sales and streams of 'August' grow considerably, Folklore improves its standing on a number of tallies. The project rises to No. 3 on the Top Alternative Albums chart and No. 4 on the Top Rock & Alternative Albums roster. It also reappears on the Top Streaming Albums list, blasting in at No. 21, seemingly out of nowhere. Folklore's Consumption Grew by 33% Folklore's total number of units shifted grew considerably from one week to the next, and all the activity centered around 'August' is largely to thank for its uptick. Luminate reports that in the past tracking period in America, Folklore shifted more than 22,100 equivalent copies. That's up almost 33% from the period before, when it moved 17,700 units. 2,400 copies of those 22,100 were pure purchases. Taylor Swift's Album Leaps 20 Spaces on the Billboard 200 All that consumption helps Folklore enjoy its greatest leap up the Billboard 200. The full-length sat at No. 45 last time around, and now, just after half a decade on the tally, it rockets to No. 25. 'August' Becomes a Sudden Top 10 Hit Again 'August' itself is a major win yet again this week in America. The track is a top 10 smash once more on both the Alternative Digital Song Sales and Alternative Streaming Songs charts, as it reenters at Nos. 7 and 9, respectively. The tune even manages a worldwide comeback as it breaks back onto the Billboard Global 200 at No. 50 and the Billboard Global Excluding U.S. nine spaces further south. The Life of a Showgirl is Coming in Less Than Two Months August 2025 is especially meaningful for Swift and her massive legion of fans, as they are not only looking back, but also into the future. The singer recently announced her new album The Life of a Showgirl, which is set to drop on October 3.
