Direct from the USA, Start Making Sense: Talking Heads Tribute celebrate the Talking Heads Classic “Speaking in Tongues” (This Must Be the Place, Burning Down the House, Girlfriend is Better, Slippery People) performing the album in Full plus an Encore of other Talking Heads Hits – Psycho Killer, Once in a Lifetime, Road to Nowhere, And She Was, Take Me to the River, Life During Wartime and many more

Much more than an ordinary tribute band, Start Making Sense recreate the spectacle of the new-wave art punk band you loved from the 80s – Talking Heads.

Talking Heads Bio

Talking Heads formed in New York City in 1975 and disbanded in 1991. Over the course of their career, Talking Heads innovated a unique art rock blend of post-punk, melodic pop, funk, world music and rock ‘n roll that set them apart from their New Wave contemporaries. Talking Heads were one of the most critically acclaimed bands of the 1980s, innovating new sounds, music and methods of creative expression while also producing several chart-topping pop hits. The Talking Heads’ discography has stood the test of time and has proved to be one of the most enduring and beloved legacies of the New Wave movement.

Talking Heads origins date back to 1973 at the Rhode Island School of Design. Art students David Byrne and Chris Frantz formed a band called The Artisitcs. Comprising Byrne on guitar and vocals and Frantz on drums, the band dissolved within the year. Byrne, Frantz and Frantz’s girlfriend, Tina Weymouth relocated to New York to form a new band. The three shared a communal loft. When Byrne and Frantz were unable to find a bassist for their new band, Frantz encouraged Tina to learn bass and she joined the group after auditioning three times. This initial trio was the first line up of Talking Heads. The band performed their first gig, opening for the Ramones at CBGB on June 5, 1975. This trio would go on to record demos for CBS but they did not earn a record contract at that time. Talking Head’s jumpy agitated energy and removed and subdued emotion earned them a following in the New York City New Wave / Art Punk scene and eventually saw to them signed to Site Records in November of 1976. They released their first single in February of 1977, “Love → Building on Fire” (read as Love Goes to Building on Fire). The single was produced by Tony Bongiovi, cousin of future star Jon Bon Jovi. After the single’s release, the band added Jerry Harrison to the group on guitar and keyboards. Harrison had previously been a member of Modern Lovers. This line up recorded the band’s debut studio album, Talking Heads: 77. Talking Heads: 77 received widespread critical acclaim and their first charting single in “Psycho Killer”. The song is included in The Rock and Roll Hall of Fame’s 500 Songs that Shaped Rock and Roll.

Talking Heads’ second album, More Songs About Buildings and Food would mark the start of an ongoing and prodigious collaboration with producer Brian Eno. Eno had previously worked with artists such as Roxy Music, Robert Fripp, David Bowie and John Cale. With Eno producing the band leaned into its increasingly diverse range of musical influences incorporating African music and psychedelic funk influenced by artists like Fela Kuti and Parliament-Funkadelic. More Songs About Buildings and Food included a cover of Al Green’s “Take Me to the River”, which became the band’s first Top 30 hit in the United States. Byrne initially did not want the band to record the cover but was convinced when Eno suggested the band play the song as slowly as possible.

Talking Heads’ work with Brian Eno continued with 1979’s Fear of Music. A darker and more mature record, the album included more influence of post punk, disco, afrobeat and funkadelia. The single “Life During Wartime” produced the catchphrase “This ain’t no party, this ain’t no disco”. The album included catchy singles in “I Zimbra” and “Cities” alongside heavy and intense songs like “Memories Can’t Wait”. “I Zimbra” featured a guest guitar solo from Robert Fripp. Fear of Music was named as the best album of 1979 by NME, Melody Maker and the Los Angeles Times. It has gone on to have a lasting legacy frequently being included on lists of the greatest albums of all time.

1980’s album Remain in Light built upon the afrobeat elements on Fear of Music, incorporating West African polyrhythms and Arabic music. The experimentation and innovations were praised by critics and led to commercial success. The album peaked at 19 on the Billboard 200 in the USA and 21 on the UK Albums chart. The albums is considered by many to be Talking Heads’ best work and in 2017 it was selected for preservation in the National Recording Registry by the Library of Congress for being “culturally, historically or artistically significant”. Remain in Light’s lead single, “Once in a Lifetime” was a top 20 hit in the UK but initially flopped in the USA. It did grow in popularity over the next several years thanks to the strength of its music video. Talking Heads’ touring line up expanded to an eight piece band including a horn section, ex-Parliament-Funkadelic keyboardist Bernie Worrell and guitarist/vocalist Adrian Belew who had also performed guitar and synthesizer on the Remain in Light album. Belew had previously worked with Frank Zappa, Eno and David Bowie and would go on to join King Crimson.

Following the Remain in Light tour Talking Heads had produced and toured four albums in under four years. In 1981 Byrne released an experimental album with Brian Eno, My Llife in the Bush of Ghosts, which was recorded in 1980. Jerry Harrison released a solo album, The Red and the Black. Frantz and Weymouth formed Tom Tom Club. Intially formed as a side project, Tom Tom Club’s debut self titled album featured hit singles, “Wordy Rappinghood” and “Genius of Love”. “Genius of Love” would eventually make its way into Talking Heads’ live sets. In 1982 Talking Heads continued to tour as an eight piece band and released the live album, The Name of This Band is Talking Heads.

In 1983 Talking Heads released the self-produced album, Speaking in Tongues. Speaking in Tongues was a huge commercial breakthrough producing the band’s biggest hit, “Burning Down the House” which reached number 9 on the Billboard Chart. Three shows during the tour for Speaking in Tongues were filmed by director Jonathan Demme for the concert film, Stop Making Sense. Film critic Pauline Kael described the film as “close to perfection”. It is widely considered a cult classic. In 2021 Stop Making Sense was selected for preservation in the United States National Film Registry by the Library of Congress.

Talking Heads recorded three more studio albums. 1985’s Little Creatures produced the hit singles “And She Was” and “Road to Nowhere”. Little Creatures was much more commercial compared to the band’s previous works. In 1986 the band released True Stories, which featured Talking Heads covering songs from the soundtrack for David Byrne’s musical comedy feature film of the same name. The album produced the single “Wild Wild Life” which would be the band’s final top 40 hit single in the USA. In 1988 the band released their final album, Naked. Naked was a return to the band’s more world music inspired sound. The album featured guest contributions from the Smiths guitarist Johnny Marr and singer Kirsty MacColl. The album was a commercial success, peaking at number 19 on the US Billboard 200 and number 3 on the UK Albums chart.

Talking Heads announced they had dissolved in 1991. Frantz claimed he discovered Byrne had left the band from an article in the Los Angeles Times, saying “As far as we’re concerned, the band never really broke up. David just decided to leave”. Weymouth, Frantz and Harrison toured without Byrne as Shrunken Heads in the early 90s and in 1996 released the album, No Talking, Just Head under the name The Heads. The album featured guest vocalists including Debbie Harrie, Andy Partridge, Gordon Gano, Richard Hell and Michael Hutchence.

Since Talking Heads disbanded, David Byrne has pursued a solo career to much critical and commercial success. Tina Weymouth & Chris Frantz have continued with Tom Tom Club. Jerry Harrison went on to produce hit albums by artists including Live, No Doubt, Kenny Wayne Shepherd and Crash Test Dummies. Talking Heads briefly reformed in 2002 for their induction into the Rock ‘n Roll Hall of Fame. Talking Heads legacy has only grown in stature and has far eclipsed the band’s 13 year lifespan.

Start Making Sense Bio

Direct from the USA, Start Making Sense: Talking Heads Tribute celebrate the Talking Heads Classic “Speaking in Tongues” (This Must Be the Place, Burning Down the House, Girlfriend is Better, Slippery People) performing the album in Full plus an Encore of other Talking Heads Hits – Psycho Killer, Once in a Lifetime, Road to Nowhere, And She Was, Take Me to the River, Life During Wartime and many more

Known for their uncanny ability to faithfully recreate the eclectic sound, stage presence and electrifying energy of Talking Heads. Start Making Sense has gained a dedicated following and established itself as a preeminent tribute act with tours throughout North America. The band features lead vocalist Jon Braun, who masterfully channels the charisma and distinct vocal style of Talking Heads’ frontman, David Byrne. Start Making Sense’s line up fluctuates between a 7 and 10 piece band who collectively contribute their musical prowess to recreate various eras of Talking Head’s unique songs with precision and passion.

Start Making Sense’s incredible attention to detail, infectious energy, and genuine love for the source material ensure that every concert is a memorable and immersive experience. It’s not merely a cover band performance; it’s a celebration of the music that reshaped the rock and new wave genres in the 1980s. As liveforlivemusic.com wrote in a review “Cover bands like Start Making Sense give a new generation of fans a chance to see the incredible music of yesteryear played live.”

Much more than an ordinary tribute band, Start Making Sense recreate the spectacle of the new-wave art punk band you loved from the 80s – Talking Heads. This is most definitely a “once in a lifetime” experience!