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Talking Heads

Purveyors of quirky, intellectualized, arty pop rock, the Talking Heads had a 12-year career in which they experimented with many musical styles, and they enjoyed huge success in the '80s. The band formed in 1974, when Rhode Island art-school friends David Byrne, Chris Frantz and Tina Weymouth formed a band and left for New York to seek their fortune. They soon got their big break, opening for The Ramones at the fabled CBGB's, and were joined in 1976 by keyboardist Jerry Harrison. With this lineup, they released their debut, Talking Heads '77. This was followed by two considerably more ambitious and experimental albums produced by Brian Eno, who added numerous enhancements including African percussion to the group's original stripped-down sound. Their 1983 release Speaking in Tongues, and the tour the next year (which turned out to be their last), was the pinnacle of their career; the tour was immortalized by Jonathan Demme in the film "Stop Making Sense," which showcased the group's kinetic stage show and Byrne's compelling, often bizarre performance style. After the tour, the band focused mostly on solo projects; while they released two more albums, they officially broke up in 1991. They reunited in 1999 to promote the 15th-anniversary edition of "Stop Making Sense."

Written by: Mary Eisenhart

http://talking-heads.net/

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