How Brian Wilson allowed Talking Heads to flourish
Few artists have fused artistic integrity with commercial prowess quite like the Beach Boys and Talking Heads, each band winning over the hearts of music snobs and chart fans alike. While the Beach Boys penned songs about the niche Californian experience – sun, surfing, and sand – Talking Heads spawned out of the New York art scene to create new wave.
Both frontmen had distinct visions for their sonic artistry. Brian Wilson spearheaded pop and new recording techniques, while David Byrne made on-stage theatrics cool with his oversized suit and quirky dance movies. But had Brian Wilson and the Beach Boys not preceded them, Talking Heads’ artistry might never have been allowed to flourish.
Bassist Tina Weymouth explained the influence of Wilson and the Beach Boys on a young Talking Heads in a quote on the Brian Wilson website. She explained how the two bands were both signed to Sire Records, a wing of Warner Music Group, which was also home to the likes of Madonna, The Cure, and The Smiths.
Sire, according to Weymouth, were particularly enthusiastic about Wilson and The Beach Boys. This only worked in Talking Heads’ favour. She recalled: “It helped us a lot that they were so in love with the Beach Boys, because there were difficulties with Brian Wilson, and his need for great care in regards to his condition – which was being a very sensitive artist”.
Sire had to get used to Wilson’s sensitive artistry, which paved the way for Talking Heads to exercise their own creative freedom. As Weymouth concludes, Wilson “made it so that we were allowed to do what we needed to do as opposed to being pushed into a preconceived mould.”
Following in Wilson’s footsteps, Talking Heads refused to be limited, moulded or contained by a label. Rather, their music became a melting pot of influences, including funk and afrobeat, and their live performance grew to be wonderfully weird. With angular soundscapes, art school influences, and absurd artistry, Talking Heads became a critical and commercial success that still retains influence over the modern post-punk bands of today.
Similarly, the Beach Boys have enjoyed long-standing commercial and critical success since their heyday in the 1960s. By following their artistry rather than commercial pressures, they were able to create some of the greatest music of all time and open the floodgates for other artists to do the same. From the euphoric ‘God Only Knows’ to the progressive Pet Sounds, the Beach Boys cultivated a legacy and influence that stretches far beyond Talking Heads.
