Talking Heads to reform ?

Ok, I'll bite. Are we talking actual equipment or...

 

I've seen the Tom Tom Club in this century. I mean it was ok, but probably 1/10th or less of the crowd that would be there for a bona fide Talking Heads tour. Even if Tina and Chris are comfortable (and not sure why they wouldn't be, with TH royalties and don't forget about sampling credits on at least one huge song that sampled Tom Tom Club) their careers have been decidedly low key since TH. Byrne has kept a high profile and done a lot even if his music hasn't lived up, to put it kindly, to his past glories. I would also speculate that David Byrne is not hugely rich, and that, again, Talking Heads is still a big chunk of his earnings.

 

I love the Talking Heads, but I'd take Feelings or Look inside the eyeball over anything the Talking Heads recorded after Remain in Light. I think it's good they broke up when they did.

 

Would Byrne really stand to earn bigger with a Heads tour than with his own "play the hits" tour? He'd be in arenas instead of theaters but would presumably get a much smaller chunk. I was a huge fan but I think it is too late in the day for this to be worthwhile. I also doubt it will happen but I'd certainly be glad to be shown wrong on both counts.

 

no, he wouldn't. He mentioned in an interview a number of years back that after taxes, management fees and paying off supporting staff, he'd stand to make a million at the most from a lengthy reunion tour.

 

Well, Keith did call out Mick's "tiny todger" and those two guys are still out there grabbing the cash.

 

Byrne made Weymouth re-audition for the band when they got signed, when they were still a trio, even though she'd been in the band for a year and a half. The divide between David and Tina goes way back.

 

Hey, thanks for the reminder....been meaning to get Everything Happens & putting it off. Mission accomplished.

 

More Songs About Food and Bicycles?

 

You may have something there...

 

Of course — the size of his microphone. What else could we be talking about?

 

Well, half the band is on record now calling the reunion rumors false...

Talking Heads’ Jerry Harrison and Chris Frantz Call Reunion Rumors “False” – BlastEcho »

Consolation prize, if like me you've never heard it until recently: Jerry Harrison's 1981 LP The Red and the Black. Like a whole disc of outtakes from Remain in Light!

 

Oy, should have said it was between Weymouth and Byrne, not Frantz and Byrne. The brain box works most of the time...

 

Darn, I was hoping for a album of Blue Oyster Cult covers.

 

I'm pretty sure Tina and Chris weren't happy when Byrne insisted on adding Busta Jones to the live lineup (with a much louder bass rig to boot).

 

I admire the way Byrne has carried out his career over the past few decades. He really does do what he wants when he wants to. He's not in it to maintain a conventional recording career in any practical sense (record, release, tour, relax, repeat), and as such he doesn't have any expectations to meet.

I reckon Byrne's doing just fine as regards the ol' Maslow hierarchy. This is probably why a reunion has never happened.

 

When oh when will this terrific album get a full reissue on CD?? From the looks of it, it was only available on CD for about ten minutes or so in the early 90s and copies are extraordinarily hard-to-find and expensive when they do turn up.

 

I suppose it's natural for people to want another shot hearing things they've loved in the past. But let's face it, this is a terrible idea.

Byrne has moved on big time, making all kinds of experimental works, along with albums that could well have been TH releases, style wise. Jerry Harrison had three solo albums - the first sounds like outtakes from Remain in Light, the second has not aged well at all (heavy 80's production), and a third that was lighter, but did nothing sales wise. The Weymouths i'm less sure about, since I've not followed the Tom Tom Club thing at all. The No Talking... album was TERRIBLE.

At the end of the day, other than money, there is no good reason for them to get back together. Artistically they seem miles apart. I think fans should really enjoy what we have, and not attempt to project greatness on future possible releases. Talking Heads are done. You can't go back. Nor should they, imo.

 

A friend of mine who knows someone who does bookings swears that the band has asked to book one of the venues here in Toronto later this year (can't remember the month) for two dates.

Yes, this is a "guy I know post" so take it as you will!

 

It's more likely that one member of each of these would form a band than TH reforming. I would love to be wrong about them not reforming.

 

Let's consider that, in the late 70s and early 80s, a female bass player had a much bigger hill to climb for respect than her male counterparts. Even in as liberated an atmosphere/culture as the NYC/CBGB new wave scene, it still had to be rough.

 

Did that happen? Ouch.

 

Not to be cynical but only ABBA have proven resistant to the all mighty paycheque.

 

Yep - apparently, during a bizarro fit of pique several years ago, she was telling any friend who would listen that Byrne had a "baby *****". Now this was a surprise to me as I'd assumed he was all smooth down there, but I can't assume that he took it well.

 

For as much as Byrne comes off as the guy with the problem in all of this, it's pretty infantile (excuse the pun) to go around talking that kind of smack about someone - even someone you legitimately have reason to dislike. Can't say I'd blame Byrne for not having an iota of interest in working with her under the circumstances...