David Byrne

b. 14 May 1952, Dumbarton, Scotland, but raised in Baltimore, Maryland, USA. Briefly a student of the Rhode Island School of Design, Byrne abandoned his training in visual and conceptual arts in favour of rock. He teamed up fellow design student, Chris Frantz, in the Artistics. After relocating to New York's Lower East Side, Byrne, Frantz and Tina Weymouth formed Talking Heads in 1974. This highly respected unit, completed with the addition of seasoned multi-instrumentalist Jerry Harrison, evolved from its origins in the New York punk milieu into one of America's leading new post-punk attractions. Much of its appeal was derived from Byrne's quirky, almost paranoid, diction and imaginative compositions, but the band rapidly proved too limiting for his widening artistic palette.

A 1981 collaboration with Brian Eno, My Life In The Bush Of Ghosts, was widely praised by critics for its adventurous blend of sound collages, ethnic influences and vibrant percussion, which contrasted with Byrne's ensuing solo debut, The Catherine Wheel. The soundtrack to Twyla Tharp's modern ballet, this fascinating set was the prelude to an intensive period in the parent act's career, following which the artist began composing and scripting a feature film. Released in 1986, True Stories, which Byrne also directed and starred in, was the subject of an attendant Talking Heads album. Music For The Knee Plays, on which Byrne worked with playwright Robert Wilson, confirmed interests emphasized in 1987 by his collaboration with Ryûichi Sakamoto and Cong Su on the soundtrack for Bernardo Bertolucci's The Last Emperor. This highly acclaimed movie won several Oscars, including one for Best Original Score.

Byrne, meanwhile, continued recording commitments to Talking Heads, but by the end of the 80s intimated a reluctance to appear live with them. He instead assembled a 14-strong Latin-American ensemble that toured the USA, Canada, Europe and Japan to promote the Latin flavoured solo set Rei Momo, while a 1991 statement established that Talking Heads were on "indefinite furlough". The Forest, another collaboration with Wilson, confirmed the artist's prodigious talent by invoking European orchestral music. His Luaka Bop label, founded in 1988, established itself as a leading outlet for world music albums with a pop edge, including several devoted to Brazilian recordings.

After two lacklustre rock-orientated releases, 1997's Feelings gained Byrne some of his best reviews for years. The album employed several guest producers, including UK trip-hop outfit Morcheeba. The follow-up Look Into The Eyeball was even better, a perfect fusion of exotic world rhythms and pop melody. Byrne's profile was further raised by his collaboration with UK dance act X-Press 2 on "Lazy". Featuring Byrne's witty lyrics and distinctive vocal delivery, the track stirred a great deal of excitement in the UK music media and was released amid much press and radio hype in March 2002. It eventually reached number 2 in the UK singles chart. Byrne maintained his creative surge with the excellent Grown Backwards (2004), which revealed an artist totally at ease within a myriad of musical styles.

In addition to his musical pursuits, Byrne is a highly respected visual artist who has exhibited in a number of leading art galleries and museums around the world.