Talking Heads are digging through their vaults again, and this time they’re pulling out two complete concert performances along with a fresh look at one of their most essential records. The band’s 1979 album Fear of Music gets a super-deluxe treatment from Rhino, due November 13, and it promises more than just a remaster. It’s a full box set that pairs studio rarities with live shows from 1979, plus a rare TV appearance.
The package runs three CDs and a Blu-ray, and it’s built around the idea that the album’s reputation as a career highpoint deserves the kind of treatment that puts the whole creative process on display. This isn’t just a remaster. It’s a statement about how the band worked, what got left behind, and how their live shows sounded when the cameras were rolling.
The Record Itself
Fear of Music was Talking Heads’ third album, released in 1979, and it remains one of the most influential records of that year. The songs draw on punk energy and art-punk experimentation, mixing sharp hooks with restless, anxious lyrics. The super-deluxe edition includes a fresh remaster of the original 1979 record, giving listeners a chance to hear the familiar tracks in a new light.
But the real draw is what sits outside the standard tracklist. The CD collection offers a number of alternate versions and studio outtakes, including an unfinished version of “Dancing For Money,” alternate takes of “Mind,” “Life During Wartime,” “Cities,” and “Drugs,” and a 12-inch version of “I Zimbra.” These are the tracks that didn’t make the final cut, and hearing them alongside the finished product shows how the band arrived at their decisions.
The super-deluxe marks the second Talking Heads archival release from Rhino this year.
The set also includes previously-unreleased recordings of two full concerts, both from 1979, the year the album came out. One show takes place at the Berklee Performing Arts Center in Boston on August 24, 1979. The other is at the Capitol Theater in Passaic, New Jersey, on November 17, 1979. Both performances capture the band in a moment when the album was still new, and the live material gives fans a sense of how the songs sounded in front of an audience rather than in the studio.
Live Shows From 1979
The live discs are the centerpiece of this release. CD Two covers the Berklee show, and CD Three covers the Passaic show. Each disc runs through the band’s setlist, with some tracks marked with asterisks indicating slight variations from the standard recording.
The Boston show opens with “Artists Only” and moves through “Stay Hungry,” “Cities,” “Paper,” “Mind,” “Heaven,” “The Book I Read,” “Electric Guitar,” “Air,” “Warning Sign,” “Love Goes To A Building On Fire,” “Memories Can’t Wait,” “Psycho Killer,” and “Take Me To The River.” The Passaic show follows a similar path, though the setlist changes slightly with “Found A Job” replacing “Warning Sign” and “Take Me To The River” appearing later in the sequence.
What makes these shows worth owning is the context they provide. Hearing the band perform live in 1979, shortly after the album’s release, shows how the songs sounded in their natural habitat. The outtakes and alternate versions sit alongside these performances, giving fans a complete picture of the creative process.
The Extras
The physical box set comes with a 60-page photo book, which is a substantial bonus on its own. The book is authored by Will Hermes, who wrote Love Goes to Buildings on Fire: Five Years in New York That Changed Music Forever. His liner notes add historical context to the recordings, helping listeners understand the era in which these performances were captured.
There’s also an accompanying Blu-ray, which includes footage from the Talking Heads’ appearance on BBC’s music show Old Grey Whistle Test. The set features an unearthed performance of the band’s “Life During Wartime” from a 1979 episode, a rare TV moment that hasn’t been widely circulated. That performance is a highlight in itself, offering a glimpse of the band performing one of their signature tracks on British television.
The SiriusXM Channel
The super-deluxe release ties into a broader promotional push. A new dedicated Talking Heads channel launches on SiriusXM Radio at the same time, giving listeners another way to engage with the band’s catalog. The channel will likely feature tracks from the super-deluxe set, archival interviews, and other content related to the band’s history.
For fans who want to dive deeper, the SiriusXM channel provides a complementary listening experience. It’s a way to hear the band’s music in a curated setting, away from the shuffle mode of streaming platforms.
Why This Matters
This release is significant for several reasons. First, it’s a comprehensive document of a crucial period in Talking Heads’ career. The 1979 era saw the band evolve from punk-influenced art-punks into something more ambitious, and Fear of Music captures that transition. The live shows and alternate versions show how the songs changed over time, from studio demos to finished recordings to live performances.
Second, the set is part of a larger archival project. This is the second Talking Heads release from Rhino this year, following the earlier Tentative Decisions: Demos & Live collection, which compiled early live recordings and demos from 1975 to 1977. Together, these releases offer a complete picture of the band’s early years, from their formative demo sessions to their breakthrough albums.
Third, the inclusion of the Old Grey Whistle Test footage adds a cultural artifact to the package. Seeing the band perform on British television in 1979 is a small piece of rock history, and the “Life During Wartime” performance is a rare document of the band’s live presence during that era.
Finally, the super-deluxe edition gives fans a reason to revisit a record they already know well. The remaster, the outtakes, and the live shows all offer new angles on familiar songs. Even if you own the standard Fear of Music, there’s enough new material here to justify the purchase.
What To Listen To First
If you’re diving into this set, the best place to start depends on what you want. The remastered CD one offers the definitive listen, while the live CDs let you hear the songs in motion. The outtakes and alternate versions are the hidden gems, especially the unfinished “Dancing For Money” and the alternate “Mind.”
Here’s how to approach the set:
- Start with the remastered CD one for the definitive listen.
- Move to the live CDs for the full concert experience.
- Dig into the outtakes and alternate versions for the hidden gems.
- Watch the Old Grey Whistle Test footage on the Blu-ray for the rare TV performance.
- Flip through the 60-page photo book for the visual context.
The super-deluxe edition of Fear of Music is a labor of love for Talking Heads fans. It brings together live shows, studio outtakes, rare TV footage, and a detailed book, all packaged together. The release honors the album’s legacy while adding new material that deepens our understanding of the band’s creative process.
For anyone who cares about the history of art-punk and the development of Talking Heads’ sound, this is a must-have. The set is out November 13, and it arrives with a full slate of material that rewards repeated listening.
Source material: “Talking Heads Set Fear of Music Super Deluxe Edition,” Pitchfork.
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