Talking heads - Ian Gittins

Forget Blondie, the Ramones and Suicide - Talking Heads were arguably the most significant band to emerge from the late seventies' New York punk scene. Critics were beguiled by Talking Heads' cerebral rock, and particularly by skittery, herky-jerky frontman Byrne, but it was when producer Brian Eno came on board for 1978's More Songs About Buildings And Food, 1979's Fear Of Music and the following year's virtuoso Remain in Light that the band's appeal spread from a knowing cult through to the mainstream. The band enjoyed major chart success on both sides of the Atlantic with infectious, incendiary singles like 'Road To Nowhere', 'Psycho Killer' and 'Once In A Lifetime'. During their influential 17-year career, Talking Heads assembled a body of raw yet intellectual rock music second to none. Then in 2002, having vowed to never work together again, the four original Heads reconvened and played live when they were inducted into the Rock'N'Roll Hall Of Fame. Maybe, just maybe, their curious history is not quite over yet...