This Must Be the Place

Description

A fascinating glimpse behind the big suitsand deadpan looks to the heart and soul of a bandthat made it big by playing it coolWith their minimalist beats, sophisticated lyrics, and stoic mien, the Talking Heads were indisputably one of the most influential and intriguing bands of their time. Rising from the ashes of punk and the smoldering embers of the disco inferno, they effectively straddled the boundaries between critical and commercial success as few other groups did, with music you could deconstruct and dance to at the same time.Culture critic David Bowman tells the fascinating story of how this brain trust of talented musicians turned pop music on its head. From the band’s inception at the Rhode Island School of Design to their first big gig opening for the Ramones at CBGB, from their prominence in the worlds of art and fashion to the clash of egos and ideals that left them angry, jealous, and ready to call it quits, Bowman closely chronicles the rise and fall of a stunningly original and gloriously dysfunctional rock 'n' roll band that stayed together longer than anyone thought possible, and left a legacy that influences artists to this day.

First Sentence

In the summer of 1973, Chris Frantz was trimming Tina Weymouth's hair.

Description

"Could there have been a more improbable band to rise from the ashes of punk and the smoldering embers of the disco inferno than Talking Heads? Made up of art school students, "military brats," and an Ivy League dropout, the Heads came of rock age in New York, 1976 - the Summer of Sam - thrilling the arty downtown crowd that filled the hallowed dirty halls of the infamous CBGB. This ain't no party, this ain't no disco: This was something no one had heard the likes of before.". "In This Must Be the Place, David Bowman gives us a stunning in-depth view of the changing world, the unique sound, and the remarkable clashing personalities of four exceptional artists who refused to paint inside the lines: Jerry Harrison, Chris Franz, the beautiful blond bass player Tina Weymouth...and her nemesis, a brilliant, loose-limbed, bug-eyed "carny geek" named David Byrne. No band in rock 'n' roll history was ever less mainstream yet so adept at producing FM hits and MTV eye candy, securing the group remarkable pop success. Bowman examines the band's collaborations with artists as diverse as Brian Eno, Robert Rauschenberg, and Robert Wilson, as well as the group's cultural borrowings from African pop, minimalism, and Tin Pan Alley."--BOOK JACKET.

Subjects

Other Editions

• This Must Be the Place: The Adventures of Talking Heads in the Twentieth CenturyHarperEntertainment2001-04-03
• This Must Be the PlaceHarper Paperbacks2002-11-26
• This Must Be the PlacePaperbackHarper Paperbacks2002-11-26
• This Must Be the PlaceElectronic resourceHarperCollins2009-01-01