All of the images david byrne discusses in this essay are in. Byrne is best known as the frontman for talking heads and will actually be making his return to the sketch series after 31 years byrne and talking heads made their debut on the show back in 1979, performing take me to the river and artists only. David byrne talking about psycho killer by davehaslam published on 20121125t19. Research director north tyneside community development project 197477. Though not strictly a memoir, david byrnes book about music explores his. Sep 11, 2012 his new album and book are smart, calculated works that dont leave much of an impression. The first edition hardcover version is a beautifully bound book with a plush. David byrne hosted a variety show at new york citys town hall last night to celebrate the release of a new edition of his 2012 book how music works. David byrne breaks down how music works in new book wired. David byrne speaks in 2012 on the early years of talking. The last time i saw byrne live was when i caught the talking heads on august 19, 1983 at the old forrest hills tennis stadium in new york city. How music happens is a better suggestion as to the content of this fascinating and highly accessible book by david byrne.
David byrne books list of books by author david byrne. It is not exactly a memoir the aging rocker bio is a crowded shelf, as he puts it in his acknowledgments. In an era of punk decadence, talking heads created a pop revolution by combining tight, funkbased rhythms, a. Attended university of newcastle and lse before teaching at durham 197074. Byrne is remarkably forthcoming in his book about how much he gets paid over the course of making an album. In an era of punk decadence, talking heads created a pop revolution by combining tight, funkbased rhythms, a clean. How music works is a nonfiction book by david byrne, a musician, writer, and public figure best known for his work with the group talking heads. How music works the other part of david byrne week is his fabulous new book how music works. Sep 26, 2012 at ted2010, byrne spoke about how the nature of a space effects what kind of music is played there, from a gritty club like new yorks cbgb to the echofilled chambers of a gothic cathedral. All of the images david byrne discusses in this essay are in a slide show at the bottom of the story.
David byrne is a lot more than just the frontman for talking heads. Someone comes up with a pop song or a symphony or feedback, and someone else listens to it. A cofounder of the musical group talking heads, david byrne has also released several solo albums in addition to collaborating with such noted artists as twyla tharp, robert wilson, and brian eno. The book is byrnes take on the industry hes succeeded in. Talking heads frontman rips up the live show rule book on stage in oxford sep 14 2012. David byrnes impressive output over the past four decades reaches far beyond his work as a musician, most famously in talking heads and in. The revolution nothing but flowers talking heads song gods child buck naked broken things and she was talking heads song once in a lifetime talking heads song the great. Use features like bookmarks, note taking and highlighting while reading how music works. David byrne speakers bureau and booking agent info. David byrne s most popular book is how music works.
David byrne knows a few more things, and hes written a book about them. His book bicycle diaries is a journal of what he thought and experienced while cycling through the cities of the world. If you listen to music too soon after reading david byrnes new book, how music works, especially chapter 5 how recording studios shape what we hear, chapter 6 how collaborations shape what we hear, and chapter 7 how recording budgets shape what we hearyou might be in for a disorienting experience, like watching a magic show after youve been. David byrnes how music works was a perfect book for me to take travelingdense with information, observations and concrete advice, all organized in manageable sections and copioiusly illustrated. How music works by david byrne the washington post. David byrne has 34 books on goodreads with 74930 ratings. The book also features contributions from outstanding scientists for each crop species.
His new album and book are smart, calculated works that dont leave much of an impression. Sep, 2012 how music works is david byrne s buoyant celebration of a subject he has spent a lifetime thinking about. Sep 23, 2012 david byrne is a brilliantly original, eccentric rock star, and he has written a book to match his protean talents. How music works by david byrne goodreads share book. Not unlike getting your ears syringed, this book will make you hear music in a different way. David byrne, the principle force behind the alternative band, talking heads, lets his art school education out of the closet with this brightly colored offering of postmodern collage and language as medium work. How music works, by david byrne the new york times. Now, byrne has expanded the ideas from the talk into the book how music works, published on september 12 by mcsweeneys. To celebrate the 2017 edition of how music works published by three rivers press, this months radio is a mix of songs referenced throughout the book. In it he explores how profoundly music is shaped by its time and place, and he explains how the advent of recording technology in the twentieth century forever changed our relationship to playing, performing, and listening to music. For me, the most successful chapters were the ones in the middle of the book that were informed by.
Join facebook to connect with david byrne and others you may know. He offers keen observations about the music industry, the art of making music, telling stories in the book using a combination of history, anthropology, and music theory. Byrne delivers most handsomely on his titles promise. The complete list find recommendations for fiction, nonfiction, mystery, short stories, graphic novels and more. Pretty a music history text book and part david byrne memoir, that is very readable and very informative. Equal parts historian and anthropologist, raconteur and social scientist, byrne draws on his own work over the years with talking heads, brian eno, and his myriad collaborators along with journeys to wagnerian opera houses, african villages, and anywhere.
Best music of 2012 on subjects familiar beethovens fifth and obscure. David byrne the rockandroll hall of fame inductee and cofounder of talking heads presents a celebration of music that offers insight into the roles of time, place and recording technology, discussing how. David byrne is saturdays snl musical guest, marking one of the few times weve seen a classic act take the stage this season. The first edition hardcover version is a beautifully bound book with a plush cover and color photos throughout the book. New york times 100 notable books of 2012 fiction and nonfiction. His art includes photography and installation works and has been published in five books.
Oct 07, 2014 how music works is a very good and interesting book, but its not always a successful one, as it is feels like two different books in one. But im fairly certain its tedium stunned some of the cluster flies on my office windows. Born in scotland but raised in the united states in maryland, byrne began performing musically in high school. A fantastic book written by david byrne of talking heads fame. In david byrnes 2010 tedtalk, the image of cbgb comes from joseph o. How music works is a very good and interesting book, but its not always a successful one, as it is feels like two different books in one. Former talking heads frontman and allround happy mutant david byrne has written several good books, but his latest, how music works, is unquestionably the best of the very good bunch, possibly. But this book is not just, or even primarily, a rock memoir. The book was published through mcsweeneys on september 12, 2012, and was named as one of s best books of the month in that same month. How music works by david byrne 2012, hardcover for sale.
David byrne generally travels from new york, ny, usa and can be booked for private corporate events, personal appearances, keynote speeches, or other performances. About the author 2012 known as the force behind talking heads and later as the creator of the highlyregarded record label luaka bop, scottishborn david byrne also works as a photographer, film director, author and solo artist. Born in scotland but raised in the united states in maryland, byrne began performing musically in. Mar 12, 2020 how music works is david byrne s remarkable and buoyant celebration of a subject he has spent a lifetime thinking about. David byrne talking about psycho killer by davehaslam. The other part of david byrne week is his fabulous new book how music works. How music works is david byrnes buoyant celebration of a subject he has spent a lifetime thinking about.
Its also an exploration of the radical transformationor surprising durabilityof music from the beginning of the age of mechanical reproduction through the era of itunes and mp3s. How music works is david byrne s bestselling, buoyant celebration of a subject he has spent a lifetime thinking about. It is not exactly a memoir the aging rocker bio is a crowded shelf. David byrne is a keynote speaker and industry expert who speaks on a wide range of topics.
Download it once and read it on your kindle device, pc, phones or tablets. The title of david byrne s book is academic, but the way it begins is. Byrne is best known as the frontman for talking heads and will actually be making his return to the sketch series after 31 years. I could made good case for calling this how art works or even how everything works. As the creative force behind talking heads and many solo and collaborative ventures, hes been writing, playing, and recording music for decades. Sep, 2012 david byrnes new book, how music works, is not so bad as that. Drawing on his own work over the years with talking heads, brian eno, and his myriad collaborators along with journeys to wagnerian opera houses, african villages, and anywhere music exists byrne shows how music emerges from cultural circumstance as much as individual. It is not exactly a series of essays about music, either, though it is some of that. Sep 12, 2012 how music works is david byrne s remarkable and buoyant celebration of a subject he has spent a lifetime thinking about.
And his 2012 book how music works expands on his 2010 tedtalk to imagine how music is shaped by its time and place. The edition includes a new chapter on curation that explores four ways we discover music in the digital age. The title of david byrnes book is academic, but the way it begins is. How music works is david byrnes bestselling, buoyant celebration of a subject he has spent a lifetime thinking about. How music works is probably not quite the right title for this book.
He lives in new york and he recently added some new bike racks of his own design. Kurt andersen spoke with david byrne in 2012 about the groups early years. Drawing on his own work over the years with talking heads, brian eno, and his myriad collaborators along with journeys to wagnerian opera houses, african villages, and anywhere music exists byrne shows how music emerges from cultural circumstance as. At ted2010, byrne spoke about how the nature of a space effects what kind of music is played there, from a gritty club like new yorks cbgb to the echofilled chambers of a gothic cathedral. David byrne is an oscar winning composer, songwriter and singer, best known for being frontman of the new wavepunk band talking heads, which was active between 1975 and 1991. What is surprising is how well his voice translates to the page. How music works is david byrnes remarkable and buoyant celebration of a subject he has spent a lifetime thinking about. Former talking heads frontman and allround happy mutant david byrne has written several good books, but his latest, how music works, is unquestionably the best of the very good bunch, possibly the book he was born to write. Its a worthwhile goal and byrne and his book make for good company. He discusses the form and influence of music in a nonlinear narrative fashion, using a variety of experiences from his career to create something part autobiography and part music theory. Equal parts historian and anthropologist, raconteur and social scientist, byrne draws on his own work over the years with talking heads, brian eno, and his myriad collaborators along with journeys to wagnerian opera houses, african villages, and anywhere music exists to show that music.
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