Guide Note

The Talking Heads were a popular Art-Rock band from New York City that were made up of frontman David Byrne, drummer Chris Frantz, bassist Tina Weymouth and guitarist Jerry Harrison. Although they started out as part of the CBGB club scene during the late 1970s, the band eventually gained wider recognition (and a good deal of commercial success) for their unique blend of Punk, Rock, New Wave and World Music influences.

Fast Facts

1. Members: David Byrne, Jerry Harrison, Tina Weymouth, Chris Frantz
2. Years Active: 1974-1991
3. Studio Albums: Eight
4. Inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 2002
5. The band Radiohead took their name from the Talking Heads song "Radio Head"

Byrne, Frantz and Weymouth first met while they were students at the Rhode Island School of Design. After adding Harrison in 1976, the band got their first big break as the opening act for The Ramones at the now-famous rock club CBGBs. The band soon began to attract attention from fans and critics and were eventually signed to Sire Records in 1977 where they released their debut album Talking Heads: 77.

The band's next two albums (with the help of producer Brian Eno) were generally well-received and produced a number of popular singles, including "Psycho Killer", "Life During Wartime" and "Once in a Lifetime". After 1983's Speaking in Tongues, the Heads collaborated with director Jonathan Demme for the live concert film Stop Making Sense.

After officially breaking up in 1991, the members of the Talking Heads took to their own musical side projects. David Byrne released a string of Afro-Pop and World Music inspired albums, while Tina Weymouth and Chris Frantz formed the band the Tom Tom Club, which had a hit with their song "Genius of Love". While the band reunited in 2002 for their induction into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, they haven't performed together since.