The Talking Heads: The generation that saved America from Disco

To imagine a band, composed of a variety of different cultural and sub cultural influences is not to uncommon in music today. Spreading from vast corners of the globe, bands and music lovers alike have banned together to further create and let free the music industry of today, but it was not always so. Back in the disco era, our dear American culture was diminished down to an afro-lovin’, bell bottom wearing, disco-roller-skates sort of structure, and it was up to somebody to get us out. The Talking Heads, a band formed in the late 70’s in a “intellectual punk” rebellion against the glittering disco era. Accompanied by The Ramones, the Talking Heads were on the top level in C.B.G.B’s leading bands and artists, which earned their spot in the fame and glamour of New York, New York; however, a band just isn’t formed out of disco. It takes years of practice, continuous strain and effort, and an etch-a-sketch.

“What? What does an etch-a-sketch have to do anything with the Talking Heads,” you may ask? Everything. “When David Byrne applied for readmission to Rhode Island School of design he submitted a project: Xerox copies of “etch-a-sketch” maps of each of the fifty states. The admissions board took one look and said they were sorry, there was nothing more they could do for him. ‘Maybe you should go to New York ’”(Harron, Zilka). In September of 1970, the Rhode Island School of Design eventually allowed just-finished high school student David Byrne into their campus, not expecting the good to come out of it. Enrolled as a freshman, David was not particularly impressed by the art school, but rather came into contact with his soon to be band mates, Chris Frantz and Tina Weymouth, also enrolled as freshmen. “I think art school is a real racket,” Byrne said, “You run into a couple of good teachers and some interesting students but for the amount of money you spend, it’s not worth it.” Born in Dumbarton, Scotland, on the 14th of May, 1952, David moved from Scotland to England to Baltimore, where he resided for most of his childhood. After attending college and being kicked out after only one year, David found himself on the streets, and therefore proceeded to return to Maryland in February, 1971. “As a boy, David Byrne had wanted to be a mailman, reading the postcards of strangers and acquaintances as he made his rounds. And that idea was also somehow incorporated into the band’s eclectic intake, until Talking Heads had a whole catalog of work that resonated with the sympathetic joy of eavesdropping.”(White)