Remain in Love

Talking Heads, Tom Tom Club, Tina

By: Chris Frantz

Narrated by: Chris Frantz

Two iconic bands. An unforgettable life.

This program is read by Chris Frantz.

One of the most dynamic groups of the ‘70s and ‘80s, Talking Heads, founded by drummer Chris Frantz, his girlfriend, Tina Weymouth, and lead singer David Byrne, burst onto the music scene, playing at CBGB, touring Europe with the Ramones, and creating hits like "Psycho Killer" and "Burning Down the House" that captured the post-baby boom generation’s intense, affectless style.

In Remain in Love, Frantz writes about the beginnings of Talking Heads - their days as art students in Providence, moving to the sparse Chrystie Street loft Frantz, Weymouth, and Byrne shared where the music that defined an era was written. With immersive vivid detail, Frantz describes life on tour, down to the meals eaten and the clothes worn - and reveals the mechanics of a long and complicated working relationship with a mercurial frontman.

At the heart of Remain in Love is Frantz’s love for Weymouth: their once-in-a-lifetime connection as lovers, musicians, and bandmates and how their creativity surged with the creation of their own band Tom Tom Club, bringing a fresh Afro-Caribbean beat to hits like "Genius of Love".

Studded with memorable places and names from the era - Grace Jones, Andy Warhol, Stephen Sprouse, Lou Reed, Brian Eno, and Debbie Harry among them - Remain in Love is a frank and open memoir of an emblematic life in music and in love.

Barnes and Noble Best New Books of the Year - 2020

A Macmillan Audio production from St. Martin's Press

PLEASE NOTE: When you purchase this title, the accompanying PDF will be available in your Audible Library along with the audio.

©2020 Chris Frantz (P)2020 Macmillan Audio

Love of Genius

A terrific book for fans. Frantz shares a lot of detailed memories of the early days of Talking Heads, including a gig-by-gig recollection of their European tour with The Ramones. Knowing a little about the bad blood between David Byrne and the rest of the band, I was concerned that this would read like a hit piece on the singer, but this wasn't the case at all; there is a lot of love for Byrne, and a lot of pain about Byrne's escalating disinterest in the rest of the band. Frantz acknowledges that some of Byrne's eccentric behavior was due to what we now know are Autism traits, but they don't excuse his attempts to take credit for the work of others, abusive outbursts, and petty behavior when he wasn't in the spotlight. Still, Frantz spends little time in the book on bitterness, choosing to focus on how incredibly grateful he is for the life of love, art, and music he has enjoyed so far. While not the most dynamic reader, Frantz is a warm and funny storyteller with whom it was a pleasure to spend many hours.

My first music memoir

I’m a Talking Heads fan, and I found Chris’ account to be fun, forthcoming and honestly, pretty cool. It makes you want to be a fly on the wall and also transports you back to your own personal interactions with your own band/musical collaborations.

Chris, thank you for sharing and for setting a great example of being an artist while having a healthy marriage and relationships. <3

Lovely

This is a great listen for true Heads fans. The world moves on tinas hips.

The Human Side

I loved Talking Heads from the start. Watching/Listening to their music grow over the years was such an artistic experience. As I listened to Chris tell the story I would stop and listen to some particular song in their catalog that he was referencing, almost like an accompanying soundtrack. Listening to the story as told by Chris put a human face on it. Was struck by three things. The loving relationship between Chris and Tina, the way David chose to walk through live and how I was brought to tears as the story ended. The tears were bittersweet.

Chris is great

This was a joy to listen to — Chris is a great storyteller. The description of the creative process left me wanting to create.