Talking Heads reunite for first time in over 20 years to celebrate anniversary of Stop Making Sense

The iconic band, Talking Heads, reunited on Monday, making their first public appearance as a band in over 20 years, commemorating the 40th anniversary of Stop Making Sense. Consisting of frontman David Byrne, bassist Tina Weymouth, drummer Chris Frantz, and guitarist Jerry Harrison, the band announced last month that the reunion would take place.

The eagerly anticipated event included a screening of A24’s 4K restoration of the film as well as a Q&A, moderated by director and producer of David Byrne's American Utopia (2020), Spike Lee.

“It’s so good to be here with my bandmates tonight,” said Frantz, “It’s been a long time.”

Once in a lifetime. Talking Heads reunite at #TIFF2023 for the @IMAX world premiere of STOP MAKING SENSE. pic.twitter.com/OPKhukAJmF

— A24 (@A24) September 11, 2023

The art rockers announced that they would be disbanding in 1991, with frontman Byrne citing creative differences and increasingly fraught relations between bandmates. However, the group briefly united for the 15th anniversary of Stop Making Sense and a 2002 live performance at the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame induction ceremony.

Though members of the band reportedly sat in separate rows of the cinema, the Los Angeles Times claims that despite past tensions, no hostilities were on display.

Detailing the origins of the iconic oversized suit he wears in the film, Byrne explained, “I was having dinner in Japan after we finished the tour, and this designer there said, ‘Well, David. In the theatre, everything is bigger than [in] real life.' He’s referring to like gestures… you sing louder and all that.”

"I’m thinking, ‘Oh, my suit should be bigger too,'" he added.

Of the reunion, Harrison, former member of Modern Lovers expressed "[There is] love and fun, and the audience is brought right into it." “Every time anybody watches it, it brings back that wonderful emotion.”

During the discussion, Talking Heads largely avoided talk of their split, mainly focusing instead, on Johnathan Demme directed concert film Stop Making Sense, which Lee appraised as "the greatest concert film ever."

Briefly addressing the band's current state, however, Byrne had this to say: “We get along OK. It’s all very cordial and whatever,” he said. “It’s not like we’re all best friends. But everybody’s very happy to see this film coming back out."

“We’re all united in the fact that we really love what we did here. So that kind of helps us talk to one another and get along.”

The 4k restoration of Stop Making Sense is set for wider IMAX release in late September.