David Byrne has been one of my very favorite musicians for a long time. One of the reasons he has remained a favorite is because he has never rested on his back catalogue. His career has been full of interesting detours and side projects, and collaborations. The current tour, in support of his album with Brian Eno called Everything That Happens Will Happen Today, focuses on both this Byrne & Eno music as well as their first collaboration, the landmark album My Life In the Bush Of Ghosts, now 30 years old and still sounding like an artifact fallen to Earth from another planet.
The Asian and American legs of the tour are done, and now he's heading off to Europe for most of April. And you can follow his wanderings, on stage and on bicycle (he is a veteran cyclist, and has designed a series of bike racks that have been installed here in NYC), through his blog. I mean, the guy seems to be constantly writing. If it's not songs, it's musings on city planning and development around the world, or places to eat, or occasionally, even responding to a critical review.
It's really a startling transformation that has happened since Byrne first emerged as the frontman of the band Talking Heads in the mid 70s, when his onstage demeanor was mostly characterized by wide-eyed terror and a guitar held like protection in front of him. Obviously, he performed because he had things to say back then too, but he's become so much more adept at saying them today.
Tell us: What do you think of the new Byrne & Eno record? Disappointed it's not a continuation of their first album all those years ago, or relief/appreciation that they've tried something new?
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John Schaefer has hosted Soundcheck since the show’s inception in 2002. He has also hosted and produced WNYC’s radio series New Sounds since 1982 (“The No. 1 radio show for the Global Village” – Billboard) and the New Sounds Live concert series since 1986.
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