The reason John Lydon compared himself to Talking Heads
Led by multi-talented artist and big suit aficionado David Byrne, new wave pioneers Talking Heads are one of the most ingenious bands of all time. Pulling from polyrhythms and a plethora of genres, they created some of the most well-loved songs not only in the post-punk realm but in guitar music as a whole, from ‘Psycho Killer’ to ‘Once in a Lifetime’.
Oddly, part of what made Talking Heads so successful was just how committed Byrne and his bandmates were to their art rather than pandering to huge audiences. They were rarely concerned with commerciality, always setting out to follow their own path of creativity. Committed to the ethos espoused by the title of their 1985 concert film, they refused to make sense.
Rather than turning audiences away with this originality, their experimental and nonsensical approach to songwriting endeared them to the masses. For their unwaveringly creative output, they remain one of the most referenced bands of all time, as budding bands desperately try to recreate Byrne’s talky vocals.
To compare yourself to Talking Heads is a bold move, but Sex Pistols and Public Image Ltd singer John Lydon has always been a brazen and polarising character. After inhabiting the punk scene in the late 1970s, the London-born vocalist moved into Talking Heads’ realm with PiL, forging his own form of post-punk.
Like Talking Heads, PiL would become a staple in the genre, but Lydon suggests that there are more comparisons to draw between his work and Byrne’s. Speaking with the LA Times about greed within the industry, he suggested that both he and the Talking Heads frontman were “one of few” who were not motivated by it.
“Talking Heads seem to have other things on their minds than the pursuit of the dollar,” he commented. Though Lydon acknowledged that Byrne is a “shrewd businessman”, he suggested that this “doesn’t diminish the fact that he makes an effort to do more than just glorify a persona.”
He’s certainly right about Talking Heads, but some would argue that Lydon’s persona wasn’t entirely authentic. Although he spearheaded the movement in the 1970s as Johnny Rotten, a red-haired force for rebellion and raucous guitar music, he has since experienced a fall from punk grace.
Lydon’s lack of concern with controversy and the establishment has since been undercut by his support for the likes of Jacob Rees-Mogg and Donald Trump. He’s certainly earned his “rotten” title. Lydon may not have been motivated by commerciality, but he certainly glorified a punk persona that he has since failed to abide by in later life.
It’s always the right decision to favour creativity over commerciality, but it’s equally important to uphold a punk ethos beyond the sound of your music. To compare yourself to Talking Heads is a bold move and not one Lydon is entirely worthy of making.
While the two artists may have initially shared a prioritisation of art over money, Byrne’s continued career and commitment to his ethos has been far kinder to him. While Lydon is left to appear in British reality shows and advertisements, the Talking Heads frontman is now penning tunes for A24 films and enjoying continued reverence for helming the greatest concert film of all time.
Revisit the music video for ‘Once in a Lifetime’ by Talking Heads below.