Talking Heads drummer Chris Frantz celebrates his 70th birthday on Saturday

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getty_chrisfrantz630_050721

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A 70th birthday is a once in a lifetime event, and for Talking Heads drummer Chris Frantz, that milestone takes place this Saturday, May 8.

In 1973, Frantz played in a band called The Artistics with singer/guitarist David Byrne while attending the Rhode Island School of Design. After that group broke up, Frantz, Byrne and Chris’ then-girlfriend and future wife Tina Weymouth relocated to New York City, and the trio formed the Talking Heads there after Tina taught herself to play bass.

The band soon became part of the New York punk scene, playing regularly at the famed club CBGB. The group’s classic lineup was solidified when Jerry Harrison, a former member of The Modern Lovers, joined as the keyboardist and second guitarist.

Talking Heads went on to become one of the most popular and influential bands to emerge from the punk and New Wave scene. Frantz co-wrote many of the Talking Heads’ most famous songs, including “Psycho Killer,” “Life During Wartime,” “Once in a Lifetime” and “Burning Down the House.”

Frantz also enjoyed major success with his and Weymouth’s side project, Tom Tom Club, which formed in 1980 and scored a top-40 hit with “Genius of Love.”

Talking Heads broke up in 1991, and in 2002, the band was inducted into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame. In 2020, Frantz released a memoir titled Remain In Love in which he shared stories about his adventures with Talking Heads and Tom Tom Club, his strained relationship with Byrne, and his long romance with Weymouth.

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