Talking Heads Once in a Lifetime - a 4 CD retrospective

Lee Scoggins · 11-25-2003, 10:14 AM

Friends,

I picked up this four disc greatest hits collection and I am really enjoying it so far. I will do more in-depth listening and share some further thoughts.

There are several rare tracks in this long rectangle book of a box set. The pictures and band member recollections are very interesting and at times insightful.

I was in college during their heyday and saw them perform a Stop Making Sense (this is the tour where they built the stage a musician or two at a time) concert in Charlottesville, Virginia from row 4 at University Hall. I had a blast and danced for most of the concert. When I hear certain tunes, it is a real trip down memory lane. Somehow UVAs student union signed them up right before Burning Down the House made them really famous. One of my punk friends turned me on to them when Brian Eno was assisting. I think Remain in Light is a classic influential album of its time.

Has anyone else picked it up yet and enjoyed it as well?

This is an early Christmas for me.

Highly recommended.

Doug Otte · 11-25-2003, 11:46 AM

Hi, Lee. Were the tracks remastered? If so, how do they sound? Are you able to compare them to the original CDs?
Thanks.
Doug

PS I saw the Heads during that tour, too (& the original Remain in Light tour w/ Adrian Belew). They were both memorable experiences.

Michael_T · 11-25-2003, 12:14 PM

I picked up the box set but have yet to listen.

I really would like to know why they thought garish pictures of naked people would make for good graphics on the box? The paintings are quite odd (and very explicit).

I also saw the Heads, twice at the Capitol Theater in Passaic, NJ. I saw them on the "Fear of Music" tour, and then on the "Remain in Light" tour with Adrian Belew also. In fact one of the shows I was at is one of the album sides from "The Name of This Band Is The Talking Heads".

KevinJ · 11-25-2003, 01:27 PM

the tracks were indeed remastered and sound as good imho as they'll probably ever sound[unless they do sacd reissues of their albums]

Lee Scoggins · 11-25-2003, 02:48 PM

Quote:

Were the tracks remastered?

I have read that they were, but I don't yet have an opinion on sound quality yet. I will compare the tracks over the holidays versus my copies of Remain in Light, 77, Little Creatures, Stop Making Sense, etc.

Quote:

I really would like to know why they thought garish pictures of naked people would make for good graphics on the box?

I suspect it's related to David Byrne's ongoing interest in modern art. They are quite explicit...I wish they had put in more tour photos, including the preppy photos from the early days.

**HTF Ads**

Stu Rosen · 11-25-2003, 08:49 PM

Forget about the artwork -- this is the strangest box I've ever seen -- it's about 3 1/2" x 10". Not practical at all.

Set sounds great, though.

Lee Scoggins · 01-05-2004, 02:42 PM

Matt Rowe, of Music Tap, has a great review up:

http://www.musictap.net/Reviews/Talk...fetimeBox.html

GarySI · 01-05-2004, 05:39 PM

Is this the retrospective with the collection of videos? If this is the one I'll have to order it ASAP. I saw the Stop Making Sense tour at Forest Hill Tennis Stadium and it was stunning. I went down to the refreshment tent and the food vendors were dancing behind the counter. Being a Heads fan since seeing them at CBGB's in '77 I felt I was finally vindicated. Maybe the last time Americans listened and not just heard.

Lee Scoggins · 01-05-2004, 05:55 PM

Quote:

Is this the retrospective with the collection of videos?

Yes. An enclosed DVD for your enjoyment.

Quote:

I saw the Stop Making Sense tour at Forest Hill Tennis Stadium and it was stunning.

This concert was the one that converted me to a Heads fan.

Quote:

Maybe the last time Americans listened and not just heard.

Quite possible.

Michael Caicedo · 01-06-2004, 10:52 AM

The Stop Making Sense live concert DVD is quite good. I had it playing when(not-so-hip-to-rock-music) relatives came over and no one could stop watching.

DaveDickey · 01-06-2004, 07:33 PM

$60 seems like a lot of money to pay for redbook CD's that the buyer already owns (unless the remastering offers a huge leap forward). Maybe the naked pictures make it worthwhile?

The Talking Heads would sound great in SACD multi-channel or DVD-A. In fact, I can't think of an 80s band that would sound better.