TALKING HEADS - LIVE IN ROME (1980)

On this date in 1980, a ‘Remain in Light’-era TALKING HEADS performed a stunning show in Rome, (December 18th, 1980).
Whilst it would be hard to compete with the dazzling editing and polished aesthetics of Jonathan Demme's ‘Stop Making Sense’, LIVE IN ROME, captures the band exuding similar measures of off-kilter energy.
Having shrugged off the stigma of being regarded as "an art band", Talking Heads pursued an avenue of sharp angular dance music that found root in a bedrock of compelling rhythms.
By the time they had reached the Pala Arena in Rome, the Heads had undergone a major change in formation and a dramatic exaggeration of style. The original four-piece with an added guitarist Adrian Belew (future King Crimson frontman) kicked off with 'Psycho Killer' before being joined by a full "Afro-Funk Orchestra" line-up. This expansion in sound was ostensibly inspired by Byrne's passion for African music, but filtered through contemporary influences and technology so that what emerged was a thrilling fusion of funk rhythms and brittle, heady rock arrangements.
The expanded line-up, with performers doubling on keyboards, percussion, guitars and vocals, afforded endless possibilities for different musical ideas and textures, providing a dense backcloth for Byrne's quavering vocals.
Byrne's writing displayed a rare combination of lyrical penetration and musical depth. Remain in Light’s CROSSEYED AND PAINLESS and Fear of Music’s LIFE DURING WARTIME, featured in the linked video, are quite irresistible, while THE GREAT CURVE together does enough to put beyond dispute Talking Head's position as one of the then pre-eminent forces in rock.
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