Happy Birthday Adrian Belew: Talking Heads In Germany 1980

Famed guitarist/songwriter and producer Adrian Belew was born in Covington, Kentucky on this date in 1949. Belew’s awe-inspiring “stunt” guitar work earned him roles in the touring lineups for King Crimson, David Bowie, Nine Inch Nails, Frank Zappa and Talking Heads, among others. The guitarist was part of an expanded Talking Heads lineup that toured in support of Remain In Light. Belew and Talking Heads ended 1980 with a performance in Dortmund, Germany that was filmed for the television show Rockpop.

The version of Talking Heads seen below features David Byrne, drummer Chris Frantz, bassist Tina Weymouth, multi-instrumentalist Jerry Harrison, Belew, keyboardist Bernie Worrell, bassist Busta Jones, percussionist Steve Scales and vocalist Dollette McDonald. Adrian shows off his wild guitar work on “Psycho Killer,” “Cities” and particularly inspired renditions of “Crosseyed & Painless” and “The Great Curve”:

• Psycho Killer 0:16
• Cities 5:46
• I Zimbra 11:50
• Once in a Lifetime 16:17
• Animals 22:22
• Crosseyed and Painless 26:53
• Life During Wartime 34:35
• The Great Curve 41:14