Talking Heads - Transmission Impossible (2015)

Alumni of the Rhode Island School of Design in Providence, Rhode Island, David Byrne, Chris Frantz and Tina Weymouth formed The Artistics in 1974. They played their first gig as Talking Heads opening for the Ramones at CBGB on June 20, 1975, and signed to Sire Records in 1977. The group released their first single, "Love Building on Fire" in February that year. In March 1977, they added Jerry Harrison (keyboards, guitar, backing vocals), formerly of Jonathan Richman's band The Modern Lovers. Their first album, Talking Heads: 77, was released soon afterwards. The album received considerable acclaim and spawned what became the group's first chart single, "Psycho Killer". 1978's More Songs About Buildings and Food initiated the band's long-term collaboration with producer Brian Eno. The record s cover of Al Green's "Take Me to the River" broke Talking Heads into general public consciousness, and gave the band their first Billboard Top 30 hit. The Eno-Talking Heads experiment continued with 1979's Fear of Music, which flirted with the darker stylings of post-punk, mixed with white funkadelia. 1980's Remain in Light, heavily influenced by the afrobeat of Nigerian bandleader Fela Kuti, explored West African polyrhythms, weaving these together with Arabic music from North Africa, disco funk, and 'found' voices. These combinations foreshadowed Byrne's later interest in world music. During this period, Tina Weymouth and Chris Frantz also formed the successful splinter group Tom Tom Club, influenced by the foundational elements of hip hop. Likewise, Byrne - in collaboration with Eno - released My Life in the Bush of Ghosts, which incorporated world music, 'found' sounds, and included a number of other prominent international and post-punk musicians. It is the music and performances from the first five years of Talking Heads career that is featured on this three CD set. Featuring complete broadcasts of shows recorded in Chicago, San Francisco & Boston, in 1978 & 1979, this collection is testimony to a band who appeared to arrive fully formed and one who immediately sprang into action to make some of the most challenging yet listenable, experimental yet joyous music of the era.

TRACKLIST

CD1
1. The Big Country (Live In I.L. 1978) (5:15)
2. Warning Sign (Live In I.L. 1978) (4:23)
3. The Book I Read (Live In I.L. 1978) (5:18)
4. Stay Hungry (Live In I.L. 1978) (3:13)
5. Artists Only (Live In I.L. 1978) (5:21)
6. The Girls Want To Be With The Girls (Live In I.L. 1978) (4:06)
7. Don't Worry About The Government (Live In I.L. 1978) (2:59)
8. The Good Thing (Live In I.L. 1978) (3:30)
9. Uh-Oh Love Comes To Town (Live In I.L. 1978) (2:51)
10. Love-Building On Fire (Live In I.L. 1978) (3:00)
11. New Feeling (Live In I.L. 1978) (3:05)
12. Psycho Killer (Live In I.L. 1978) (6:02)
13. Thank You For Sending Me An Angel (Live In I.L. 1978) (2:03)
14. Take Me To The River (Live In I.L. 1978) (5:29)

CD2
1. The Big Country (Live In C.A. 1978) (5:15)
2. Warning Sign (Live In C.A. 1978) (4:30)
3. The Book I Read (Live In C.A. 1978) (5:22)
4. Stay Hungry (Live In C.A. 1978) (3:07)
5. Artists Only (Live In C.A. 1978) (5:10)
6. The Girls Want To Be With The Girls (Live In C.A. 1978) (3:52)
7. The Good Thing (Live In C.A. 1978) (3:10)
8. Love Goes To Building On Fire (Live In C.A. 1978) (3:34)
9. Electricity (Drugs) [Live In C.A. 1978] (3:32)
10. New Feeling (Live In C.A. 1978) (5:07)
11. Pulled Up (Live In C.A. 1978) (7:09)
12. Psycho Killer (Live In C.A. 1978) (6:52)
13. Take Me To The River (Live In C.A. 1978) (5:44)
14. I'm Not In Love (Live In C.A. 1978) (4:57)
15. No Compassion (Live In C.A. 1978) (4:55)

CD3
1. Artists Only (Live In M.A. 1979) (6:09)
2. Stay Hungry (Live In M.A. 1979) (3:38)
3. Cities (Live In M.A. 1979) (5:09)
4. Paper (Live In M.A. 1979) (2:40)
5. Mind (Live In M.A. 1979) (5:16)
6. Heaven (Live In M.A. 1979) (4:24)
7. The Book I Read (Live In M.A. 1979) (5:33)
8. Electric Guitar (Live In M.A. 1979) (3:07)
9. Air (Live In M.A. 1979) (4:06)
10. Warning Sign (Live In M.A. 1979) (5:03)
11. Love Goes To Building On Fire (Live In M.A. 1979) (3:45)
12. Memories Can't Wait (Live In M.A. 1979) (3:56)
13. Psycho Killer (Live In M.A. 1979) (7:51)
14. Life During Wartime (Live In M.A. 1979) (4:12)
15. Take Me To The River (Live In M.A. 1979) (5:37)
16. Take Me To The River (Saturday Night Live 1979) (3:57)
17. Artists Only (Saturday Night Live 1979) (3:35)