Stop Making Sense, the great Talking Heads concert movie, is being shown at the Cleveland Cinematheque on Wednesday night. As I understand it, this is a nation wide thing, theaters all over the US are showing the film on Wednesday, I guess as some sort of big tribute to Jonathan Demme (who directed the film). So if you're a Heads head (see what I did there?) you might want to see if it's playing somewhere near you.
I have not yet seen it. Byrne was getting into some music and dance moves at this point that I could not follow him into, so I never bothered.
Did I miss much?
saw the movie at least thrice at local second-run moviehouses in the early 80's (where we saw TSRTS, The Wall, RHPS and so many others)
Though I never own the music-only discs, I always held the movie-media (VHS) and I still own the DVD
Yesss you did/do (and will, if you don't see it once in your life)...Originally Posted by rcarlberg
Despite the enlarged line-up (but this was the second wave tour that was filmed, where Adrian Belew was not in anymore), this is essential TH stuff...
I features a lot from Speaking In Tongues and Remain in Light, which are their best albums...
the gradual introduction of members and Byrne's spectacular stage antics are pure bliss if you a TH enthusiast.
my music collection increased tenfolds when I switched from drug-addicts to complete nutcases.
Only one of the greatest concert films ever made.
Okay, people do get hyperbolic talking about this one, but it deserves the iconic status. It was one of the first (and arguably among the best) pop-rock theatrical productions. By which I meant it was thoroughly thought-out as a stage show, as opposed to a band accompanied by lights/videos. To be fair, one's appreciation for that is probably proportionate to one's enjoyment of that trademark David Byrne quirkiness, so it also comes down to personal taste.
Oh, you don't have to dance along with him.
Agree about the two best albums!
My all time second favorite concert film.
So yeah, you missed something.
One helluva performance piece. It'd be great to see it in a theater with the proper volume. I didn't like everything Byrne was doing at this point but on stage it all worked. That big band was a bruiser.
I don't like country music, but I don't mean to denigrate those who do. And for the people who like country music, denigrate means 'put down.'- Bob Newhart
But do I have to wear The Big Suit?
Out of curiosity, what's your #1?
I'm confused - there's hardly any soloing in Talking Heads music.
I'm glad you're trying to keep up. But that doesn't really apply to pop music for me. But I do like for pop songs to have interesting instrumental sections, and a lot of TH songs do.
Cardiacs ~ Mares nest
Lots of Radiohead songs have interesting instrumental sections.
Okay, I watched some clips on YouTube. I see what the excitement is about. The backup singers aren't wearing bras!
I'll give them more of a try some time.
Are they female?
Very.
Great film! Had a great time last night, seeing this film in a theater. One of the things that's interesting (for those who still haven't seen it), is the way the film begins. David Byrne walks out onstage (with no backdrop curtain or anything, you see the "guts" of the backstage area, if you will) with a Martin and a tape deck. He puts the tape deck down on the stage floor presses play, and a drum machine pattern starts on the tape, and he starts strumming away and launches into a solo version of Psycho Killer. Then toward the end of the song, there's this extended instrumental section, where he sort of stumbles around the stage, as the roadies start moving equipment out onstage. T
Then over the next few songs, the stage is built, as the group expands, first with Tina Weymouth (and some offstage backup vocals) on the second song, then Chris Frantz joins for the third song, then Jerry Harrison joins for the fourth. By about the fifth or sixth song, the entire expanded band is onstage, and the backdrop curtain gets lowered into place. Don't ask me why, but I always thought that was whole process of building the stage and the band across the first 25 or so minutes was an innovative approach to live performance (as opposed to having the stage made up before the audience is let in, and kicking off with a big number with full production and stage show and everything).
The other really cool thing is, I forget which song it was, but there's one where David Byrne himself plays a very Adrian Belew style guitar solo. I'm thinking, "Wait a minute! David Byrne can play guitar like that?!" I always reckoned he was a "rhythm" guitarist only.
Oh yeah, and I love the bit where Byrne leaves the stage and the rest of the band launches into Genius Of Love (especially Tina's little dance she does during the breakdown near the end of the song, and Chris Frantz announcing at the song's conclusion, "We're turning back into the Talking Heads now!").
I prefer the four-person version of the band.
The Prog Corner
Saw this tour live in Berkeley. The film captures it as well as I suppose a film can...
Cobra handling and cocaine use are a bad mix.
Watched the first 25 minutes on Vudu this morning. There's no shortage of parts with a line of people jumping or running in unison. Have to admit that schtick hasn't aged well.
No, it doesn't, it is one of the greatest concert films ever made. Period. Full stop.
"And this is the chorus.....or perhaps it's a bridge...."
it gets better as the film goes along... the last couple of tracks (including an extended Take Me To The River) are an unstoppable awesome machine
my music collection increased tenfolds when I switched from drug-addicts to complete nutcases.
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