Episode 93- Talking Head Chris Frantz

Over here at “Why?” we’ve been lucky to have interviewed some of the world’s most fascinating people. Among those guests, we’ve had the privilege to interview some incredible musicians, who not only rocked the world, but created sounds unlike any before them.

This week we talk to someone who epitomizes that description. He’s a founding member of Talking Heads and the Tom Tom Club and played a pivotal role in the bands’ impacts on the world. He’s also married to fellow band member, and icon Tina Weymouth. We had the once in a lifetime opportunity to interview Chris Frantz. Yes, we intended that pun. Yes, there will likely be a whole lot of Talking Heads lyrics popping up in everything we write this week.

Chris recently published “Remain in Love: Talking Heads, Tom Tom Club, Tina” for St. Martin’s Press. The book is a riveting tale of Chris’ and his fellow bandmates’ beginnings, rise and ultimate place in the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. The book is great. It takes readers on a journey that includes touring with the Ramones, all the delicious and gory details of CBGB, the birth of the B-52s and many more fellow legends. It talks about how Talking Heads came to be and how they continued to change the world of music with their constant evolution of their art. It unapologetically tells the love story of Chris and Tina- and it’s a great one.

Getting to talk to Chris about the book and further dive into his incredible career thus far, was an amazing experience. He was such a warm and fabulous conversationalist, and he went with all our off the wall questions. So yes, if you’ve read or listened to any other interviews with him, you’ll definitely get some new details from ours.

We kept it together without coming across as psycho superfans, even though we know Tina was likely in the next room. And, she was. We too can be consummate professionals if we try very hard because we know interviewing ain’t no party, it ain’t no disco, it ain’t no fooling around. Well, actually for us, it’s all three and that’s what we love about it.

Chris told us some of his favorite moments in his career and what he looks back on most fondly. We refrained from asking your basic, “Qu’est-ce que c’est?” but may or may not have asked some other worthy questions based on classic lines of his songs and we, of course, shared our own thoughts and ideas on everything from their memorabilia at the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame to our personal quest for the Tom Tom Club’s return to the airwaves.

Whether you fancy yourself a fan or not, we’re sure you’ll enjoy this interview and we’re sure Chris and the rest of the crew have influenced or been influenced by some of your favorite musicians in history. To get a chance to devour the book for yourself, you can find it here. You can also follow Chris on Twitter.

Special shout out to our listeners who’ve helped us reach a level to be able to talk to Chris. When we ask ourselves, “How did we get here?” My God… we thank you!