Byrne Baby Byrne

If I was forced at knife point to choose just ONE BAND that were my favourite band of all time, I would have to go with Talking Heads. They’ve never been my top fave at any given moment, that accolade has gone to such artists as Blondie, The Pretenders, Siouxsie and the Banshees, Prince, Pearl Jam (during my wilderness years) and yes, before one of you fuckers reminds me, ABBA. But Talking Heads have always been consistently in my top 5 since I was 15 and, probably because I’ve never quite played their albums to death like those above, I’ve never got tired of hearing them.

My infatuation with Tom Tom Club since the demise of Talking Heads has been well documented, but I’ve also remained a loyal fan of David Byrne and enjoyed following his career through its various incarnations. I particularly love the Rei Momo album which has Kirsty MacColl singing some fabulous backing vocals, DavidByrne is a firm favourite and I’ve even enjoyed some of his world music compilations.

I had a SCREAM moment years ago when he was performing at Shepherds Bush Empire and came into the Blockbuster store where I was working just around the corner. This is the single ONLY good thing that happened while I was working there, but you would have been impressed with the speed with which I sprinted across the shop floor and practically vaulted the counter to get to serve him. It had taken me a minute to realise that the man with the long black hair who looked a little bit like David Byrne actually WAS David Byrne and then ... yikes! I wanted to gush and babble and tell him how he was one of my biggest heroes but I was quieter back then and the words just echoed around my cranium, never making it as far as the lips. He was very polite though, as you would imagine, and I think I still have his signed American Express payment slip somewhere.

There was another SCREAM of a different variety when I decided to play his first Brian Eno collaboration, My Life in the Bush of Ghosts – a pretty terrifying album - when I was driving home late one evening. The lights had gone out on the dual carriageway I used to speed along to get home to Hounslow, and so I found myself hurtling into the pitch blackness with Jezebel Spirit, a song about exorcism, screaming “OUT JEZEBEL OUT. OUT. LET JESUS IN” at full volume. I was so scared I couldn’t even let go of the steering wheel to turn the cassette off, I didn’t need to backcomb my goth hair for weeks afterwards, it was permanently EEEEK!!!!

David kind of lost me for a while around the Grown Backwards era, I didn’t much like the album and I also seem to recall I tried to get an interview with him for Virgin but he said no. Bastard. Anyway, all is now forgiven and I’m pleased to say he is back with a new album - Everything That Happens Will Happen Today - which is another Brian Eno collaboration, and they're going to be playing the Festival Hall next April.

The album is GENIUS, superb vocally and a little bit Talking Heads in parts. You can listen to it FREE online using this nice little clicky thing, but I’m sure you’ll all be nice little art supporters and also buy a copy.



If you’re quick you might also be in time to get a seat for the London shows. I’m quite pleased with my ticket; it’s for the front row of the rear stall on this bit that’s kind of set apart from the rest of the audience. They’re a bit blummin pricey but as Brian Eno’s involved I’m hoping there will be some nice visuals.

I'm all EXCITED!!