David Byrne reflects on Talking Heads' split: "It was kind of ugly"

Byrne co-founded the group alongside drummer Chris Frantz, before bassist Tina Weymouth and keyboardist/guitarist Jerry Harrison eventually joined the group. Following eight albums, and almost two decades, Byrne had decided to call it quits.

Frantz told the Los Angeles Times in 1992 that Byrne had “just decided to leave” without discussion, which made the other band members shocked and upset.

“As a younger person, I was not as pleasant to be around. When I was working on some Talking Heads shows, I was more of a little tyrant,” Byrne now reflects, noting that their end was "kind of ugly". “I learned to relax, and I also learned that collaborating with people, both sides get more if there’s a good relationship instead of me telling everybody what to do.”

Better than it ever was. We’re bringing Jonathan Demme’s seminal Talking Heads doc STOP MAKING SENSE back to theaters for its 40th anniversary, newly restored in pristine 4K. Experience/re-experience the greatest concert film of all time in @IMAX 9/22 & theaters everywhere 9/29! pic.twitter.com/yhVlpdcnZR

— A24 (@A24) August 17, 2023

“I have regrets on how that was handled. I don’t think I did it in the best way, but I think it was kind of inevitable that would happen anyway,” he continues. “We have a cordial relationship now. We’re sort of in touch, but we don’t hang out together.”

Talking Heads have not been seen publicly together since their 2002 induction to the Roll and Roll Hall of Fame. The quartet are now are set to reunite for the first time in over two decades, as they celebrate the 40th anniversary of their iconic concert film, Stop Making Sense.

The group will partake in a Q&A moderated by filmmaker Spike Lee, before the newly restored version of Stop Making Sense premieres at the Toronto International Film Festival. Accompanying the film will be a new deluxe edition of its soundtrack.