#21 ·
Nice post! First time seeing your thread / collection (I'll check it out)...
It's a shame this isn't also in their main thread, because this was put so perfectly:
The bolded part is exactly what they are, and I guess Eno "just" recognized everything TH already had inside them—he just had this unstoppable creative urge to pull the absolute best out of them. And you need serious talent for that (which is actually pretty rare). I'm fascinated by his unobtrusive, flexible personality, both as a musician and a human, throughout his whole career. Maybe I'm wrong, but he doesn't seem like someone driven by ego, but something else... that's what I value most. He just hears something quality, feels it, recognizes it, and then gives it everything to make it even better (even if it isn't his own work), just because he can. Obviously, there were clashes with co-authors along the way, which is natural.
But on many albums, including "Remain in Light," his role isn't just technical (producing and mixing); it's much more than that. And honestly, how many people know that Brian Eno is behind three TH albums, versus how many actually know about Talking Heads? I mean, I don't think it even mattered to him. We tend to focus way too much on the primary authors or songwriters (or directors and screenwriters), but behind the music (or film), there’s a whole bunch of vital gears turning constantly. They are often indispensable to the final product.
One more thing, from his early days. I heard somewhere that Eno and Ferry couldn't agree on anything during Roxy Music's second album, and there were already tons of conflicts and irreconcilable creative and personality differences. Eno left and went solo, but I remember reading somewhere that years later he said their first album after the split, "Stranded," was actually the best work from Roxy Music and Ferry. It's a nice, selfless thing for him to say, but I still prefer "For Your Pleasure"...
I’m actually pretty curious about this one, and maybe you know the actual timeline better than I do... It's obvious how Talking Heads ended up working with Adrian Belew around the *Remain in Light* era back in 1980, especially since they were all running in those same New York music circles. But since Robert Fripp was only involved on the previous record—and they wouldn't have even crossed paths then—how did his recruitment actually happen? I guess it’s worth asking: did Fripp basically just pull Belew into the fold during King Crimson's *Discipline* era in 1981?
Maybe Brian Eno had a hand in that too? I guess he might have been pulling the strings behind the scenes. 😁
Yeah, that last one—it’s great. And honestly, that solo is beautiful.
It's a shame this isn't also in their main thread, because this was put so perfectly:
granitecyclist said:They started off pretty mild, sort of like a quirky pop band—paranoid, postmodern, goofy, with David Byrne’s high-strung vocals and ultra-modern stream-of-consciousness lyrics, all woven together by a powerful, playful, and precise rhythm section and that infectious, impressive polyrhythmic guitar interplay between Byrne and Harrison.
Later they started adding those ethnic elements (they were pioneers of World beat alongside Peter Gabriel) and they definitely introduced that postmodern sound that influenced thousands of bands.
(...)
Their postmodernism really blossomed when they met Brian Eno, because his modernist production gave them something they never had—emotional resonance. Plus, Eno managed to tame, restrain, and channel Byrne’s personality. He brought humanity to those robotic rhythms and Byrne’s sarcastic, paranoid lyrics. That's why "Fear of Music" and "Remain in Light" are absolute classics.
+
Besides, they weren't just interested in music; they cared about art (from the perspective that music isn't just a subcategory of art).
The bolded part is exactly what they are, and I guess Eno "just" recognized everything TH already had inside them—he just had this unstoppable creative urge to pull the absolute best out of them. And you need serious talent for that (which is actually pretty rare). I'm fascinated by his unobtrusive, flexible personality, both as a musician and a human, throughout his whole career. Maybe I'm wrong, but he doesn't seem like someone driven by ego, but something else... that's what I value most. He just hears something quality, feels it, recognizes it, and then gives it everything to make it even better (even if it isn't his own work), just because he can. Obviously, there were clashes with co-authors along the way, which is natural.
But on many albums, including "Remain in Light," his role isn't just technical (producing and mixing); it's much more than that. And honestly, how many people know that Brian Eno is behind three TH albums, versus how many actually know about Talking Heads? I mean, I don't think it even mattered to him. We tend to focus way too much on the primary authors or songwriters (or directors and screenwriters), but behind the music (or film), there’s a whole bunch of vital gears turning constantly. They are often indispensable to the final product.
/// Brian Eno on why he can't slow down ///
One more thing, from his early days. I heard somewhere that Eno and Ferry couldn't agree on anything during Roxy Music's second album, and there were already tons of conflicts and irreconcilable creative and personality differences. Eno left and went solo, but I remember reading somewhere that years later he said their first album after the split, "Stranded," was actually the best work from Roxy Music and Ferry. It's a nice, selfless thing for him to say, but I still prefer "For Your Pleasure"...
granitecyclist said:Talking Heads' fourth album... maybe?Remain in LightRecorded back in 1980 in Nassau, this came out about a year after what might actually be their best record, Fear of Music. Even though they stuck with their core quartet for the sessions, they had some absolute heavy hitters jumping in to help out. You’ve got Brian Eno handling production while chipping in on bass and keys, plus Adrian Belew absolutely shredding on solo guitar—honestly, he probably blows Byrne or Harrison out of the water. Then there's Jon Hassell on trumpet, along with Robert Palmer and Jose Rossy on percussion, and of course, the one and only Nona Hendryx providing those backing vocals.
(...)
Critics absolutely loved this 8-track album, but sales were pretty mediocre—I guess that single "Once in a Lifetime" just didn't take off. The audience seemed caught off guard by these new, complex sounds. Maybe those lyrics about finding yourself in a beautiful house with a beautiful wife and wondering how you even got there threw people off? Personally, I think the first three tracks—"Born Under Punches (The Heat Goes On)," "Crosseyed And Painless," and "The Great Curve"—are probably the best and most exciting songs in their entire catalog. That whole urban jungle allegory, with all the polyrhythmic guitars and layered vocals, feels strictly controlled and disciplined. Above everything else, though, you’ve just got Byrne's singing and screaming driving it all home. "The Great Curve" is all about that brilliant call-and-response between the ringing guitar and the bass, but honestly, the layered vocal melodies are what really stand out. And then, tucked in there, you’ve got that wild Adrian Belew solo. It's pretty intense.
I’m actually pretty curious about this one, and maybe you know the actual timeline better than I do... It's obvious how Talking Heads ended up working with Adrian Belew around the *Remain in Light* era back in 1980, especially since they were all running in those same New York music circles. But since Robert Fripp was only involved on the previous record—and they wouldn't have even crossed paths then—how did his recruitment actually happen? I guess it’s worth asking: did Fripp basically just pull Belew into the fold during King Crimson's *Discipline* era in 1981?
Maybe Brian Eno had a hand in that too? I guess he might have been pulling the strings behind the scenes. 😁
Yeah, that last one—it’s great. And honestly, that solo is beautiful.
