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Steve KIW – David Byrne special

Genius is an overused term. For me it often describes a type of artist hiding in plain sight without realising their genius is on display for all to see. They transcend one medium: they excel in music and art and theatre and show us new things. David Byrne is one of these.

I recorded a show dedicated to his work some ten years ago but that has been lost to the internet mists of time. I wanted to listen back to it and couldn’t and thought “ah, I’ll do it again” and so here it is, just 48 hours after I went along to see the latest incarnation of Byrne’s band perform the American Utopia tour.

His Talking Heads stuff is familiar to everyone with an ear for listening; the solo stuff opens up all possibilities for those who want to hear more. His Luaka Bop label has given Alice Coltrane and William Onyeabor (and many more) a new audience. His live performances have to be witnessed: breathtaking, exciting and spellbinding.

I’ve loved his work for a lifetime; hope you will too.

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