Talking Heads

The singer-songwriter and Talking Heads frontman presents some of his favorite holiday music — including songs by The Pogues, James Brown and LCD Soundsystem. Originally broadcast Dec. 20, 2023.

When I interviewed David Byrne in November, I enjoyed it so much that when the interview was over, I asked if he'd consider returning before Christmas to play some of his favorite Christmas recordings. I am very grateful that he said yes. He's brought his list of songs, and he's here to play and talk about them.

David Byrne was a founding member of the band Talking Heads, one of the seminal bands of the punk, new wave period of the '70s. They recorded eight albums between 1977 and when they stopped playing together in 1988. If you love their music or if you never saw or heard them, this is a great time to watch the 40th anniversary edition of their concert film "Stop Making Sense," which is playing in theaters. It's newly restored with a remastered soundtrack.

In his autobiography, Siren Song, Stein writes about how he started out in the music business as a teen before going on to sign groundbreaking artists like Talking Heads, Madonna, Ice-T and k.d. lang.

Since the group disbanded, Byrne has made several solo albums and collaborated with other performers like Brian Eno and Phillip Glass. He also scored several films. In 1989, Byrne released an album, "Rei Momo," of original songs combining Latin and pop styles. His latest album, "Uh-Oh," encompasses all the styles that Byrne has explored throughout his career. He also has a new book of photography, called "American Originals."

Musician Jerry Harrison of the Talking Heads. His new album's called "Walk on Water." (Interview by Amy Salit)

Drummer Chris Frantz and bassist Tina Weymouth are a married couple who comprise the Talking Heads' rhythm section. Despite the band's success, they found it hard to support their two children. To make ends meet, Frantz and Weymouth started a new band called Tom-Tom Club. Their new album is called Boom Boom Chi Boom Boom.