Sign-In
Cart
Iconic Albums - Talking Heads - Fear of Music
Paperback
Series: Iconic Albums
Publisher: Independently Published
Published: Sep 30 2025
Pages: 98
Weight: 0.31
Height: 0.20 Width: 6.00 Depth: 9.00
Language: English
Fear of Music (1979) is one of Talking Heads' strangest, most innovative, and most enduring works-a paranoid masterpiece where absurdity becomes profound and fear itself is made danceable. With Brian Eno shaping the sound and David Byrne at his most unsettling and poetic, the album blends funk grooves, post-punk textures, and surreal lyrics to create a record that still feels ahead of its time.
This book takes you deep into the making and meaning of Fear of Music, with 35 in-depth chapters covering:
The recording sessions in a loft and Eno's groundbreaking studio innovations.
Track-by-track analysis, from the futurist opening I Zimbra to the apocalyptic anthem Life During Wartime.
The roles of Tina Weymouth, Chris Frantz, and Jerry Harrison in shaping the grooves and textures.
Critical reception, commercial performance, and the album's evolution on stage.
The legacy of Fear of Music-how it foreshadowed Remain in Light and influenced post-punk, new wave, and beyond.
Part history, part analysis, and part cultural study, this volume reveals why Fear of Music continues to resonate in a world where everyday life often feels strange, uncertain, and anxious.
Perfect for Talking Heads fans, post-punk enthusiasts, and anyone fascinated by albums that pushed music into uncharted territory, this book celebrates Fear of Music as both a landmark and a prophecy.
Also from
Ward, Richard
Iconic Album John Lennon The Double Fantasy Era (1980): A Track-by-Track Journey through Love, Rebirth and Return
Ward, Richard
Paperback
Iconic Albums Queen The Queen Era (1973): A Track-by-Track Through the Birth of a Legend
Ward, Richard
Paperback
Iconic Albums Electric Light Orchestra The ELO 2 Era (1973): A Track-by-Track Journey through Expansion and Ambition
Ward, Richard
Paperback
Iconic Albums - The Beatles White Album Era (1968): A Track-by-Track Journey Through a Double Album Classic
Ward, Richard
Paperback
Iconic Albums Genesis The Trespass Era (1970): A Track-by-Track Journey through Ambition and Adventure
Ward, Richard
Paperback
Iconic Actors Sean Connery: A Definitive Study of Film, Persona and Influence
Ward, Richard
Paperback
Iconic Albums Phil Collins No Jacket Required Era (1985): A Track-by-Track Journey Through Intimacy and Invisibility
Ward, Richard
Paperback
Iconic Albums - The Sex Pistols - Never Mind The Bollocks, Here's The Sex Pistols
Ward, Richard
Paperback
Iconic Albums - A Hard Days Night Era (1964): A Track-By- Track Journey Through A Cinematic Classic
Ward, Richard
Paperback
Iconic Albums - The Beatles - The Let It Be Era (1970): A Track-By-Track Journey Through A Bittersweet Farewell
Ward, Richard
Paperback
Iconic Albums The Beatles With The Beatles Era (1963): A Track-by-Track Journey Through a Breakthrough Record
Ward, Richard
Paperback
Iconic Albums John Lennon The Imagine Era (1971): A Track-by-track journey through dreams and reflections
Ward, Richard
Paperback
Iconic Albums John Lennon The Rock 'N' Roll Era (1975): A Track-by-Track Journey Through Roots, Rebellion and Return
Ward, Richard
Paperback
Iconic Albums - The Beatles' Early Years: A Track-By- Track Journey Through The Red Album Era
Ward, Richard
Paperback
Iconic Albums - The Bealtes Later Years (1967-1970): A Track-by-Track Journey Through the Blue Album Era
Ward, Richard
Paperback
Iconic Albums - The Beatles Help Era (1965): A Track-by-Track Journey Through a Cinematic Classic
Ward, Richard
Paperback
Iconic Albums - David Bowie - The Rise and Fall of Ziggy Stardust and the Spiders from Mars
Ward, Richard
Paperback
Iconic Albums Genesis The Abacab Era (1981): A Track-by-Track Journey Through Experimentation and Edge
Ward, Richard
Paperback
Iconic Albums Phil Collins The Face Value Years (1981): A Track-by-Track Journey through Heartbreak and Confession
Ward, Richard
Paperback
Iconic Albums Genesis The Genesis Era (1983): A Track-by-Track Journey Through Darkness and Identity
Ward, Richard
Paperback
Also in
Music Reference
Designed for Hi-Fi Living: The Vinyl LP in Midcentury America
Borgerson, Janet
Schroeder, Jonathan
Paperback
Must-See Sci-Fi: 50 Movies That Are Out of This World
Turner Classic Movies
de Forest, Sloan
Paperback
Nothing But Love in God's Water: Volume 1: Black Sacred Music from the Civil War to the Civil Rights Movement
Darden, Robert
Hardcover
Smash!: Green Day, the Offspring, Bad Religion, Nofx, and the '90s Punk Explosion
Winwood, Ian
Hardcover
Days of Miracle and Wonder: Paul Simon and the Trials and Triumphs of Graceland
Kahn, Ashley
Hardcover
With a Little Help from Their Friends: The Beatles and the People Who Made Them
Maconie, Stuart
Hardcover
Here Beside the Rising Tide: Jerry Garcia, the Grateful Dead, and an American Awakening
Newton, Jim
Hardcover
Emo Revival: Community, Diy, and Rebirth in Post-Hardcore and Emo (2008-2018)
Sacher, Andrew
Paperback
Such Great Heights: The Complete Cultural History of the Indie Rock Explosion
Deville, Chris
Hardcover
Punk in 50 Pieces: Punk Rock, Post-Punk, New Wave, and the Five Years That Changed Pop Music Forever
Dettmar, Kevin
Hardcover
Bust a Move: Matt Dike, Delicious Vinyl, and the Hip-Hop Hits That First Conquered Pop
Relic, Peter
Hardcover
Here, There and Everywhere: My Life Recording the Music of the Beatles
Massey, Howard
Emerick, Geoff
Paperback
Raised on Radio: Power Ballads, Cocaine & Payola - The Aor Glory Years 1976-1986
Rees, Paul
Hardcover
The Cello Who Loved Me: An accidental pilgrimage to master the world's most beautiful instrument
Sorensen, George
Paperback
Meet Me in the Bathroom: Rebirth and Rock and Roll in New York City 2001-2011
Goodman, Lizzy
Paperback
Where Are Your Boys Tonight?: The Oral History of Emo's Mainstream Explosion 1999-2008
Payne, Chris
Paperback
Our Band Could Be Your Life: Scenes from the American Indie Underground 1981-1991
Azerrad, Michael
Paperback
Stradivari's Genius: Five Violins, One Cello, and Three Centuries of Enduring Perfection
Faber, Toby
Paperback
Burning Down the House: Talking Heads and the New York Scene That Transformed Rock
Gould, Jonathan
Hardcover
This Is What It Sounds Like: A Legendary Producer Turned Neuroscientist on Finding Yourself Through Music
Ogas, Ogi
Rogers, Susan
Paperback
Raps of Resistance: How Kendrick Lamar and J. Cole Reignited a Hip-Hop Tradition
Hopkins, Earl
McCool, Jeremy C.
Hardcover
Quadrivium: The Four Classical Liberal Arts of Number, Geometry, Music, & Cosmology
Sutton, Daud
Lundy, Miranda
Ashton, Anthony
Hardcover
Made on Earth for Rising Stars: The Electro-Harmonix Story
Epstein, Dan
Scott, Josh
Danger, Daniel
Paperback
Last Night a DJ Saved My Life: The History of the Disc Jockey
Broughton, Frank
Brewster, Bill
Paperback
Altamont: The Rolling Stones, the Hells Angels, and the Inside Story of Rock's Darkest Day
Selvin, Joel
Paperback
Beethoven's Hair: An Extraordinary Historical Odyssey and a Scientific Mystery Solved
Martin, Russell
Paperback
Positively Fourth and Mercer: The Inside Story of New York's Iconic Music Club, the Bottom Line
Altman, Billy
Pepper, Allan
Hardcover
Let's Spend the Night Together: Backstage Secrets of Rock Muses and Supergroupies
Des Barres, Pamela
Paperback
Uncharted Territory: What Numbers Tell Us about the Biggest Hit Songs and Ourselves
Riva, Chris Dalla
Hardcover
Good Rockin' Tonight: Sun Records and the Birth of Rock 'n' Roll
Escott, Colin
Hawkins, Martin
Paperback
Mystery Train, 50th Anniversary Edition: Images of America in Rock 'n' Roll Music
Marcus, Greil
Paperback
The Jazz Barn: Music Inn, the Berkshires, and the Place of Jazz in American Life
Gennari, John
Hardcover
Deliver Me from Nowhere (Movie Tie-In): The Making of Bruce Springsteen's Nebraska
Zanes, Warren
Paperback
Ocean of Sound: Ambient Sound and Radical Listening in the Age of Communication
Toop, David
Paperback
The Complete Beatles Recording Sessions: The Official Story of the Abbey Road Years 1962-1970
Lewisohn, Mark
Paperback
Love Goes to Buildings on Fire: Five Years in New York That Changed Music Forever
Hermes, Will
Paperback
Pink Floyd All the Songs: The Story Behind Every Track
Guesdon, Jean-Michel
Margotin, Philippe
Hardcover
Verdi With a Vengeance: An Energetic Guide to the Life and Complete Works of the King of Opera
Berger, William
Paperback
Dylan Goes Electric!: Newport, Seeger, Dylan, and the Night That Split the Sixties
Wald, Elijah
Paperback
Are We Still Rolling? Studios, Drugs and Rock 'n' Roll - One Man's Journey Recording Classic Albums
Brown, Phill
Paperback
Beatles Gear: All the Fab Four's Instruments from Stage to Studio, the Ultimate Edition
Babiuk, Andy
Hardcover
The Dirt: Confessions of the World's Most Notorious Rock Band
Neil, Vince
Sixx, Nikki
Lee, Tommy
Paperback
A Century of Music Under the Stars: A History of the Mann Center for the Performing Arts and Robin Hood Dell
McCarthy, Jack
The Mann Center for the Performing Arts
Hardcover
How Women Made Music: A Revolutionary History from NPR Music
National Public Radio Inc
Fensterstock, Alison
Hardcover
Willie, Waylon, and the Boys: How Nashville Outsiders Changed Country Music Forever
Fairbanks, Brian
Hardcover
A Modern Guide to Old World Singing: Concepts of the Swedish-Italian and Italian Singing Schools
Jones, David L.
Paperback
Making Rumours: The Inside Story of the Classic Fleetwood Mac Album
Caillat, Ken
Stiefel, Steve
Paperback