Talking Heads Quiz Questions and Answers
Q1. In what year was the band Talking Heads formed in New York City?
A. 1973
B. 1975
C. 1977
D. 1979
Answer: B. 1975
Q2. Which institution did David Byrne, Chris Frantz, and Tina Weymouth attend before forming Talking Heads?
A. Juilliard School
B. Berklee College of Music
C. Rhode Island School of Design
D. Columbia University
Answer: C. Rhode Island School of Design
Q3. What was the name of the early band formed by David Byrne and Chris Frantz at art school before becoming Talking Heads?
A. The Artistics
B. The Modern Lovers
C. The Heads
D. Tom Tom Club
Answer: A. The Artistics
Q4. Where did Talking Heads play their first gig as a band on June 5, 1975?
A. The Bottom Line
B. Madison Square Garden
C. CBGB
D. Max’s Kansas City
Answer: C. CBGB
Q5. What does the band name “Talking Heads” refer to, according to Tina Weymouth?
A. A carnival fortune-telling display
B. A TV Guide term for close-up shots
C. Lyrics from a punk song
D. A philosophical art concept
Answer: B. A TV Guide term for close-up shots
Q6. Which label did Talking Heads sign with in November 1976?
A. Atlantic Records
B. Elektra Records
C. Sire Records
D. Warner Bros. Records
Answer: C. Sire Records
Q7. Who joined Talking Heads in March 1977 as their keyboardist and guitarist?
A. Adrian Belew
B. Jerry Harrison
C. Bernie Worrell
D. Brian Eno
Answer: B. Jerry Harrison
Q8. What was Talking Heads’ debut single, released in February 1977?
A. Love – Building on Fire
B. Psycho Killer
C. Take Me to the River
D. Once in a Lifetime
Answer: A. Love – Building on Fire
Q9. Which 1977 album marked Talking Heads’ debut and received critical acclaim for its minimalist punk style?
A. Fear of Music
B. Talking Heads: 77
C. Remain in Light
D. Speaking in Tongues
Answer: B. Talking Heads: 77
Q10. What real-life event did some fans mistakenly link to the song “Psycho Killer” upon its 1977 release?
A. The Son of Sam murders
B. The punk riots at CBGB
C. The Watergate scandal
D. Studio 54’s closure
Answer: C. The Watergate scandal
Q11. Who produced Talking Heads’ first three albums and later collaborated on their experimental phase?
A. Lee Perry
B. Tony Visconti
C. Phil Ramone
D. Brian Eno
Answer: D. Brian Eno
Q12. Which 1978 album was Talking Heads’ first collaboration with Brian Eno and included a cover of Al Green’s “Take Me to the River”?
A. More Songs About Buildings and Food
B. Little Creatures
C. Naked
D. True Stories
Answer: A. More Songs About Buildings and Food
Q13. What cover song from the 1978 album More Songs About Buildings and Food became Talking Heads’ first major chart success?
A. Once in a Lifetime
B. Take Me to the River
C. Burning Down the House
D. Road to Nowhere
Answer: B. Take Me to the River
Q14. Which 1979 album featured the track “Life During Wartime” and explored themes of urban paranoia?
A. Fear of Music
B. Speaking in Tongues
C. Little Creatures
D. Remain in Light
Answer: A. Fear of Music
Q15. What catchphrase from the 1979 song “Life During Wartime” references New York nightclubs like the Mudd Club and CBGB?
A. “Once in a lifetime”
B. “Burning down the house”
C. “This ain’t no party, this ain’t no disco”
D. “Road to nowhere”
Answer: C. “This ain’t no party, this ain’t no disco”
Q16. Which 1980 album, heavily influenced by Fela Kuti’s Afrobeat, was produced by Brian Eno and featured “Once in a Lifetime”?
A. Naked
B. Remain in Light
C. True Stories
D. Fear of Music
Answer: B. Remain in Light
Q17. What innovative technique did Talking Heads use in recording Remain in Light (1980), where band members overdubbed parts without hearing each other?
A. Live jamming sessions
B. Field recordings in Africa
C. Isolated overdubbing
D. Analog tape looping
Answer: C. Isolated overdubbing
Q18. Which single from Remain in Light (1980) became a UK Top 20 hit and is known for its surreal music video?
A. The Great Curve
B. Seen and Not Seen
C. Houses in Motion
D. Once in a Lifetime
Answer: D. Once in a Lifetime
Q19. After releasing four albums in four years, what did Talking Heads enter in 1980 before their next studio release?
A. A world tour
B. A recording hiatus
C. A legal battle
D. A name change
Answer: B. A recording hiatus
Q20. What 1982 live album captured Talking Heads’ evolution from a trio to an expanded eight-piece group?
A. Stop Making Sense
B. Sand in the Vaseline
C. The Name of This Band Is Talking Heads
D. Once in a Lifetime
Answer: C. The Name of This Band Is Talking Heads
Q21. Which 1983 album yielded Talking Heads’ only U.S. Top 10 single and marked their commercial peak?
A. Speaking in Tongues
B. Little Creatures
C. Naked
D. True Stories
Answer: A. Speaking in Tongues
Q22. What U.S. Top 10 hit from Speaking in Tongues (1983) was inspired by audience chants at live shows?
A. Girlfriend Is Better
B. Burning Down the House
C. This Must Be the Place (Naive Melody)
D. Slippery People
Answer: B. Burning Down the House
Q23. Which renowned concert film, directed by Jonathan Demme, documented Talking Heads’ 1983 tour and was released in 1984?
A. The Concert for New York City
B. Under the Volcano
C. True Stories Live
D. Stop Making Sense
Answer: C. True Stories Live
Q24. Who was the guitarist from King Crimson that joined Talking Heads’ expanded lineup for their 1980-1981 tours?
A. Robert Fripp
B. Adrian Belew
C. Tony Levin
D. Greg Lake
Answer: B. Adrian Belew
Q25. Which keyboardist from Parliament-Funkadelic became a de facto fifth member of Talking Heads during their 1980s live performances?
A. Bernie Worrell
B. George Clinton
C. Bootsy Collins
D. Eddie Hazel
Answer: A. Bernie Worrell