The one artist David Byrne called “mind-blowing”
The artistry of David Byrne has blown many minds. From contributing his eccentric vocals and dance moves to Talking Heads to his heartfelt ventures into film and theatre, Byrne’s weird and wonderful creative output has endeared him to a devoted audience.
Born in Scotland, Byrne was well versed in the arts before he even reached high school. He learned to play the guitar, accordion and violin and recorded on a reel-to-reel tape recorder his father fashioned for him. His love for the arts has been unwavering ever since. Amidst a solo career, collaborations with modern artists and comedians, and a sold-out Broadway show, Byrne has kept his finger firmly on the pulse of pop culture.
But music has remained the constant in Byrne’s creative output and consumption. During an interview with Pitchfork, Byrne shared a selection of records that have soundtracked his life. Spanning 65 years, the list ranges from 1940s protest musician Woody Guthrie to 1970s funk outfit Parliament to Brazilian composer and collaborator Caetano Veloso.
For his 45th year, he chose Björk’s futuristic second album, Post, which gained Björk a chart-topping spot in her home country of Iceland and a number two in the UK. Byrne shared: “Björk’s Debut and Post were mind-blowing records at the time – that somebody could use electronic beats and then do super innovative stuff with it. Then she continued doing things that explored lots of different other areas, with the Greenland Choir and with sounds made with the mouth.”
Post was produced by Björk, with collaborators who included electronic Madchester group 808 State and trip-hop producer Tricky from Massive Attack. An experimental, eclectic endeavour, the art pop record featured some of her biggest songs, including ‘Army of Me’, ‘It’s Oh So Quiet’ and ‘Hyperballad.’ Bizarre and erratic soundscapes underpin Björk’s uniquely striking vocals; it’s both ethereal and eerie.
Björk is nothing if not coherent in her vision. The lead single for Post, ‘Army of Me’, was accompanied by an extravagant, surreal video directed by French filmmaker Michel Gondry which sees Björk driving a truck through offices, lifting the vehicle’s hood to find a mouth, and receiving a dental checkup from a gorilla. The album artwork also reflects the album’s scattered nature and its title, featuring Björk in focus, surrounded by vividly coloured but blurry posters.
Byrne specifically points out his admiration for Björk’s commitment to her art and image, stating: “Once in awhile you see this amazing total artist, where you go, ‘This person thinks about the stage, the shows, the costumes, the record covers, and the music, and it’s all part of a total thing.’”
Much like Björk, Byrne has often taken an auteur approach to his art. His creative ventures often focus on similar themes of alienation, culture, and humanity, and there’s a unique Byrne quality to everything he touches. From wearing a big suit onstage to commissioning specific artists for Talking Heads album covers, Byrne, like Björk, is a “total artist”.
