The musician David Byrne deemed his hero
Talking Heads frontman David Byrne is a hero to many. From pioneering new wave to speaking out about his experience of being on the autism spectrum, the multi-talented creative has inspired countless budding musicians through his artistic and personal output. Byrne’s art is consistently eclectic and innovative while also retaining humanity and heart at the centre, endearing him to huge audiences worldwide.
Somewhere in between his work penning Broadway musicals, creating sonic masterpieces for Talking Heads, and cycling around New York City, Byrne found the time to set up a label called Luaka Bop. Looking to extend the reach of his homemade cassettes outside of his own friendship circle, Byrne put out his first compilation with the label in 1989, Brazil Classics 1: Beleza Tropical, an album which included music from his own hero.
The record featured a number of Brazilian artists, including Jorge Ben and Gilberto Gil. Perhaps most importantly to Byrne, though, it included several songs by Brazilian composer and activist Caetano Veloso – the artist he once named his hero.
Speaking of his love for Veloso, Byrne shared: “There’s a Brazilian musician, Caetano Veloso, that I’ve known for quite a number of years, and for me, he’s a kind of mentor”. The two have worked together several times since the release of Byrne’s first Brazil Classics compilation album, collaborating on a song for the Red Hot Organization compilation, Red Hot + Rio 2, and performing together at Carnegie Hall in 2004. The latter spawned a gorgeous full live album from the duo.
Veloso’s heroic influence on Byrne extends far beyond music, however. As the former Talking Heads leader noted, Veloso takes the title of Byrne’s hero for his personal history and political activism, too. He said: “There was a documentary that he did where it’s basically just him in a room talking about his arrest and incarceration during the dictatorship in Brazil [in 1969]. It’s interesting that he finds humour in some of it, or just that some of the things that happened to him were surreal. Thank goodness he wasn’t tortured.”
Byrne continued to share his admiration for Veloso’s attitude, recalling: “You can kind of see a little smile there, because he’s thinking, ‘This was so absurd, so surreal, and so ridiculous,’ and then there’s other parts that are very moving and emotional.”
Byrne went on to share his admiration for Veloso’s ever-changing artistry, stating, “He’s also someone who, like a number of other artists, is constantly changing his style and exploring different kinds of music and different ways to make the music, so that’s an inspiration for me.”
This element can also be found in Byrne’s artistry – from the new wave sound of Talking Heads to his collaboration with Fatboy Slim, the Talking Heads frontman has always been open to exploring new areas of music. In fact, this curiosity permeates his approach to art in general – he’s always looking to try his hand at new art forms, pushing their boundaries along the way.
