“I can’t seem to face up to the facts, I’m tense and nervous and I can’t relax…” – Talking Heads, “Psycho Killer,” and an apt description of me in 1984…

Last Friday, while I was unconscious and recuperating from a minor surgery for some torn tendons in my hip, post-punk/New Wave band the Talking Heads released Stop Making Sense (Deluxe Edition), that expands the original 1984 single-LP live record to double-album length. The release coincides with the re-release of the iconic concert film of the same name. While the Heads released an expanded version of Stop Making Sense in 1999 for the 15th anniversary that helped flesh out the disparity between the soundtrack/live album and the film, this new version includes two tracks that weren’t previously released, “Cities” and “Big Business/I Zimbra.” This new release even includes a double album vinyl version, which is a first. While the price tag on this vinyl version is cost prohibitive in my estimation, this newly enhanced album is certainly worth revisiting. And sadly, in all my time here at B&V I haven’t really touched on the Talking Heads in any substantial way. Despite my hobbled condition, this album almost gets me out of my chair to dance around the room… and I don’t dance.

I can sit here today and say with great confidence that I’m a huge Talking Heads fan. But if I’m being honest I’m not cool enough to tell you that I was in on the early part of their career, 1977 to say, 1982. They came along about the same time I started listening to rock n roll music in the late 70s, you’d think I’d have gotten in on the ground floor on these guys. But I’m from the American Midwest. We were a little more “guitar forward” in our rock n roll in those days. You were more likely to hear Foghat or, gads, REO Speedwagon than the Talking Heads on our local rock radio stations. New Wave made it on the air here but not like it did elsewhere. For a very long time, I thought the excellent Al Green cover these guys do, “Take Me To The River” was from their debut album. I thought that because it was the first thing we ever heard from them. Their actual debut album, Talking Heads: 77 didn’t get any airplay. I can’t really say if I thought More Songs About Buildings And Food was their debut or that I thought “Take Me To The River” was on Talking Heads: 77 because I couldn’t have named a Talking Heads LP back then… sigh.

I now look at Talking Heads: 77 as one of those great debut albums. Sadly, back in the late 70s/early 80s I can’t say either of their next few LPs made a dent on my psyche either. Fear Of Music is now one of my absolute favorites… but in 1979 I was listening to The Wall and In Through The Out Door, not twitchy New Wave. Remain In Light didn’t fair much better on my stereo. I’m not sure I ever heard any of it until college. Ah, college! I don’t think there was a more perfect time to discover the Talking Heads than when I was in college. By then I’d met “dudes” with more diverse musical tastes like my old roomie Drew. My musical IQ had increased. By then I’d discovered Bowie and he really opened my mind musically. I could feel new synapses forming while I listened to him. It was like some secret hinge on the back of my skull opened up and my brain became more receptive to music that wasn’t heavy metal or heavily blues based. Suddenly I was listening to Neil Young’s country tinged folk, early U2, the aforementioned Bowie and yes, the Talking Heads.

My early notice of the Talking Heads (David Byrne, guitar/vocals; Jerry Harrison, keyboards/guitar; Tina Weymouth, bass; Chris Frantz, drums) came through their eye catching videos on MTV. I specifically remember sitting and watching “Once In A Lifetime” and thinking… wow. In 1983 the Heads released their commercial “breakthrough” Speaking In Tongues with the big single “Burning Down The House.” I dug that song, but again, mostly experienced it through the video. Speaking In Tongues was the first album of theirs that I began to hear more and more, not on radio, but in rooms I passed in the halls where I lived. I began to think, perhaps it’s time to dig deeper…

It wasn’t until a year later that I finally took the plunge on the Talking Heads, and it was this live album – albeit considerably shorter at 9 songs in it’s original incarnation – that broke the ice for me on these guys. I used to hang out in these guys room – RK and Wally (names obscured to protect the guilty) – and RK had the album and it was on heavy rotation for a while. There was something about the enthusiasm and warmth of the performances that drew me in. I especially liked “Psycho Killer” and consider this live version on Stop Making Sense to be definitive. Byrne sounds so deliciously unhinged on that song. I was only vaguely aware there was a movie associated with this music and didn’t see the film until later.

Jonathon Demme, who directed the film this music is from, who later went on to direct Silence of the Lambs, created along with the band one of the most iconic concert films ever. It ranks up there with the Band’s The Last Waltz. However, like that record, Stop Making Sense as a live album is overshadowed by the film. And like the Band’s Rock of Ages, the Talking Heads’ best live album is probably The Name Of This Band Is Talking Heads. So it’s not only overshadowed by the film, it’s overshadowed for the purists out there – and there are plenty of those – by a different live LP in the artist’s catalog. But all of that said, I still love this album. Even in it’s original, truncated form. For me, who was 5 albums behind by 1984, it was the perfect intro primer into the Talking Heads. When you’re young and you start collecting  music and you want to buy… everything… but can’t afford it you were reduced to grabbing those old school 1-album greatest hits records or the band’s live album as a way to catch up. For me on the Talking Heads, it was the live album that was my gateway drug.

The concert the film is based on shows the band starting completely stripped down, the stage is bare. It’s just Byrne, a boom box with a beat playing and his acoustic guitar/vocals. One by one, additional band members come out and join him. First Tina Weymouth on bass and then they roll Christ Frantz and his drum kit out on stage. Jerry Harrison comes out on keys. They augment their 4 piece configuration with a number of great musicians including: Bernie Worrell (keyboards), Alex Weir (guitar) with a percussionist and a couple of back up singers. Visually it’s quite striking. Byrne, at one point comes out in a giant grey suit. It’s fucking iconic now.

I’ll admit, in it’s original incarnation, the live album/soundtrack didn’t perhaps capture that additive musical effect as well as it could have. But again, these are passionate performances and capture an energy not present in those studio recordings. Don’t get me wrong, I love the studio LPs, but this live album just grabs me. With the album fleshed out here, as it is in the Deluxe version, you do get the same vibe as the concert film.

“Psycho Killer,” as mentioned is definitive for me but I also love the version of “Heaven” with just Byrne and Weymouth on stage. These are killer versions of the tracks. I’ve been listening to this album during my hazy recovery and I can’t get “Slippery People” out of my head. “What’s the matter with him (He’s alright).” I’m delighted to finally get a live version of one of my all time favs “Cities.” The set list is Speaking In Tongues heavy but you’d have to expect that as that was what they were touring behind. And lets face it, it’s one of their most popular albums so that’s a plus in my book. “Live During Wartime” and “Once In A Lifetime” are damn near definitive here too. Byrne’s solo track “What A Day That Was” is also a big favorite. I’m a bit put off by the Tom Tom Club track “Genius Of Love,” but what can you do… you’re in a band, it’s about compromise.

The final tracks are a powerhouse. “Girlfriend Is Better,” “Take Me To The River” with total gospel treatment of the back up singers, and “Crosseyed And Painless” is a tour de force. This is just a great concert document – now finally fleshed out to it’s full glory – and is worth everyone’s time. I highly recommend this album as a part of everyone’s record collection… Ok, maybe not the expensive vinyl version of this record, but as a download or a stream, this a must listen/must have music. I know I’m a huge fan of live albums, but this one is just special… I think it’s where a lot of us got on the Talking Heads train.

After Stop Making Sense, I purchased a number of Talking Heads albums until I finally bit the bullet and purchased their box set of the Complete Albums. The Talking Heads were one of the really important bands of the late 70s/early 80s. It’s a shame these guys can’t pull back together for a reunion tour… Heaven knows Byrne’s last solo LP, American Utopia was his most Talking Heads sounding thing he’d done solo… a man can dream, can’t he?

And heaven knows, every now and then we need to “Stop making sense, stop making sense…”

Cheers.