S6 EP5: David Byrne on clashes in Talking Heads, neurodivergence, and culture wars

Louis sits down with David Byrne, the musician, author and iconic frontman of Talking Heads. David tells Louis about personality clashes within the band, how his neurodivergence plays a role in his music, and being at the centre of a culture-war storm. Plus, they discuss whether Donald Trump stole his ‘big suit’.

Warnings: Strong language and adult themes.

Links/Attachments:

Book: Bicycle Diaries, David Byrne (2009)

waterstones.com/book/bicycle-diaries/david-byr…

Album: Who Is The Sky, David Byrne (2025)

open.spotify.com/album/5xDqZQlSx2gRrAyAgHQ8AB

Song: ‘The Book I Read’, Talking Heads (1977)

open.spotify.com/track/4OT7Ndu29Z7JfhwRS2iCJX

Song: ‘That’s the Way (I Like It), KC & The Sunshine Band (1994)

open.spotify.com/track/0RQTbMBgSq7xgdZSHFZg4R

Book: ‘An Anthropologist on Mars’, Oliver Sacks (1995)

oliversacks.com/oliver-sacks-books/an-anthropo…

Song: ‘She Explains Things To Me’, David Byrne (2025) open.spotify.com/album/5f6f5JMGxgNa0LAJqtaUXY

Song: ‘Psycho Killer’, Talking Heads (1977)

open.spotify.com/track/7dSCxR4LqkmxoBrq9MzVSD

Artist: Randy Newman

open.spotify.com/artist/3HQyFCFFfJO3KKBlUfZsyW

Artist: Alice Cooper

open.spotify.com/artist/3EhbVgyfGd7HkpsagwL9GS

Album: Talking Heads 77, Talking Heads (1977) open.spotify.com/album/0r7o2FeARRr23EZ0TJ0a8S

Artist: Ramones

open.spotify.com/artist/1co4F2pPNH8JjTutZkmgSm

Artist: The Clash

open.spotify.com/artist/3RGLhK1IP9jnYFH4BRFJBS

Artist: Sex Pistols

open.spotify.com/artist/1u7kkVrr14iBvrpYnZILJR

2002 Rock & Roll Hall of Fame Talking Heads performance: youtube.com/watch?v=bBr0FJsDk1g

Stop Making Sense (1984)

tv.apple.com/gb/movie/stop-making-sense/umc.cm…

The Silence of the Lambs (1991)

tv.apple.com/gb/movie/the-silence-of-the-lambs…

True Stories (2016)

tv.apple.com/gb/movie/true-stories/umc.cmc.7ff…

Weekly World News:

weeklyworldnews.com

David’s online magazine:

reasonstobecheerful.world

Credits:

Producer: Millie Chu 

Assistant Producer: Artemis Irvine

Production Manager: Francesca Bassett 

Music: Miguel D’Oliveira 

Audio Mixer: Tom Guest

Video Mixer: Scott Edwards

Shownotes compiled by Elly Young

Executive Producer: Arron Fellows 

A Mindhouse Production for Spotify 

mindhouse.co.uk 

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