PSA Press's $15 Stop Making Sense pin is jointed for moving Big Suit action, just like in the greatest concert movie ever made; I just bought one at Wondercon and it's superb. Read the rest

Angélique Kidjo is a Beninese musician of enormous talent and repute (and three Grammys!); with 10 brilliant albums to her credit; album number ten is special, though: a tribute to Talking Heads' 1980 album Remain in Light (available for $7.92 as DRM-free MP3s); I've been listening to it all morning and, speaking as someone who would give any of the Talking Heads principals one of my kidneys if need be, I am head-over-heels in love with this album: Kidjo is touring the world with it and judging by the videos, she's an electrifying performer. Read the rest

The Beautiful Shitholes is David Byrne's Spotify playlist of music from the countries Donald Trump infamously condemned as "shitholes." Read the rest

Into the blue again after the money's gone. Read the rest

In 1975 The Talking Heads recorded some demo songs at CBS studios. Open Culture has them.

We’ve featured a fair few early Talking Heads performances, from Dortmund and Rome in 1980 to Syracuse in 1978 all the way back to CBGB in 1975. But you haven’t really heard early Talking Heads until you’ve heard the earliest Talking Heads. The same year of that CBGB show (one of many they played after their debut there opening for the Ramones), the trio of David Byrne, Chris Frantz, and Tina Weymouth recorded a series of demos at CBS studios. Still unsigned and in their early twenties, this first configuration of the Heads (after the band, newly arrived in New York, shed their identity as “The Artistics” from their days together at the Rhode Island School of Design) laid down the very first known recorded versions of such notable tracks as “Psycho Killer” above, “Thank You for Sending Me an Angel” below, and “I’m Not in Love” below.

Here's Talking Heads performing at CBGB in 1975. At this stage, the band was a three-piece consisting of David Byrne, Chris Frantz and Tina Weymouth. Some of this video (and much more) is included on the Talking Heads: Chronology Deluxe DVD. (Thanks, FP!) Read the rest