Posted by By Josh Quinn and Lucas Camiola, Staff Writers
And you may ask yourself, “well how did I get here?”
Once In a Lifetime, Talking Heads
On October 8, 1980, The Talking Heads released “Remain In Light”, one of the most influential rock albums of the 1980s. Consisting of four members, The Talking Heads were a new-wave band that produced eight studio albums beginning in 1974 and ending in 1991. Often considered their magnum opus, “Remain In Light” skillfully blends African poly-rhythms and new-wave rock. This technical achievement is the direct consequence of their producer Brain Eno. By introducing unconventional concepts to the album such as looping grooves, the experimental instrumentals and vocals, the sounds that came to shape the 1980s were born. Both the band and Eno were heavily influenced by Nigerian musician and activist Fela Aníkúlápó Kútì drawing upon his blending of West African music with American funk and jazz. Both groundbreaking and genre-bending, “Remain in Light” by the Talking Heads has stood the test of time, and solidified itself as one of the greatest albums of the 1980s.
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Although it is considered by many critics to be their best album and a source of inspiration for many artists today, “Remain In Light” is only the band’s fourth most popular album. Likely as a consequence of the album’s unconventional recording and sound, it was also only the 116th most popular album of that year. However, some of the best songs on the album, “Once in a Lifetime”, and “Houses In Motion”, became some of their most well known songs regardless. English band, Radiohead, specifically credits Remain in Light as a major influence for their 2000 album “Kid A”. Likewise, other popular artists such as The Weeknd, The 1975, and LCD Soundsystem credit The Talking Heads as an inspiration for their own discography and musical journey. While not the most popular album of the decade, “Remain In Light” by The Talking Heads, serves as an inspiration for artists today, and introduced several novel recording techniques that have transformed the modern sonic landscape.
The Maroon 