David Byrne is best known for his role as the main songwriter, singer, and guitarist of American new wave band Talking Heads. However, Byrne has gone on to do so much more than just lead one of the most formative bands of the new wave scene. Across his lengthy career he has had a wonderful solo musical career including collaborations with Brian Eno (who collaborated with Talking Heads as well) and St. Vincent. Byrne has also expanded into other mediums as well, such as film, acting, writing, music theory, and visual art.
Byrne was born in Scotland, but moved to Canada when he was two. At the age of eight or nine, his family again relocated to Maryland in The United States.
Byrne's debut non-Talking Heads release was a collaboration with Eno that came out in 1981 following the Talking Heads album Remain In Light. The album, My Life In the Bush of Ghosts, was a different style than Talking Heads records, with heavy use of sampling and plunderphonics.
Byrne's future solo releases following the breakdown of Talking Heads, such as 1989's Rei Momo and 1992's Uh-Oh featured heavy influence from world music, something Byrne has always taken a liking to, and was heavily incorporated into Talking Heads' discography.
In 2008 Byrne released another collaborative album with Brian Eno, followed in 2012 by a collaborative album with St. Vincent. His next truly solo album would not come until 2018, in the form of American Utopia. American Utopia also saw a theatrical release on Broadway.
Byrne is a passionate cycler, known for his activism in the field.
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