Chris Frantz

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Chris Frantz
Chris Frantz, 2010.jpg
Frantz at South by Southwest 2010
Background information
Birth nameCharton Christopher Frantz
Born (1951-05-08) May 8, 1951 (age 72)
Fort Campbell, Kentucky, U.S.
Occupation(s)Drummer
Member of Tom Tom Club
Formerly of Talking Heads
Spouse(s)
​
(m. 1977)​

Charton Christopher Frantz (born May 8, 1951) is an American musician and record producer. He is the drummer for both Talking Heads and Tom Tom Club, both of which he co-founded with wife and Talking Heads bassist, Tina Weymouth. [1] [2] In 2002, Frantz was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame as a member of Talking Heads. [3]

Contents

Career

Born in Fort Campbell, Kentucky, Charton Christopher Frantz graduated from Shady Side Academy in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. He studied in the early 1970s at the Rhode Island School of Design, where he met both David Byrne and Tina Weymouth. Byrne and Frantz formed a band called the Artistics, which went on to become Talking Heads, in 1973. Weymouth, then Frantz's girlfriend, joined the band in 1975 after they had moved to New York City. Frantz and Weymouth were married in 1977 and have two sons. [2] [4]

Frantz and Weymouth formed Tom Tom Club in 1980, when Talking Heads went on hiatus due to Byrne's solo efforts. [2] Weymouth, Frantz, and Jerry Harrison reunited as The Heads for a one-off album called No Talking, Just Head in 1996, featuring a rotating cast of vocalists, including Debbie Harry. [5] He and Weymouth produced the Happy Mondays' 1992 album, Yes Please! and the Scottish group Angelfish's self-titled album, in addition to producing multiple albums for Ziggy Marley and the Melody Makers. [6] Frantz and Weymouth also contributed backing vocals and percussion for Gorillaz self-titled debut album. [7] [8]

He is ranked number 12 in Stylus Magazine 's list of the 50 greatest rock drummers [9] and hosts a monthly radio program, "Chris Frantz the Talking Head", on 89.5 WPKN in Bridgeport, Connecticut. [10] Frantz and Weymouth are also closely associated with the Compass Point All Stars movement. [11] After Phish covered Talking Heads' Remain in Light, Frantz become known as an influence on the modern jamband scene. [12] Frantz's memoir, Remain in Love: Talking Heads, Tom Tom Club, Tina, was published in July 2020 (St. Martin's Press in the US and Faber and Faber in the UK). [13] [14] [15]

Health

On Memorial Day Weekend 2020, Frantz suffered a heart attack that required the insertion of three stents. [16] In March 2022, Frantz and Tina Weymouth were in a car collision with a drunk driver. [17]

Bibliography

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Talking Heads</span> American rock band

Talking Heads were an American rock band that formed in 1975 in New York City. The band was composed of David Byrne, Chris Frantz (drums), Tina Weymouth (bass) and Jerry Harrison. Described as "one of the most critically acclaimed bands of the '80s," Talking Heads helped to pioneer new wave music by combining elements of punk, art rock, funk, and world music with an anxious, clean-cut image.

<i>More Songs About Buildings and Food</i> 1978 album by Talking Heads

More Songs About Buildings and Food is the second studio album by American rock band Talking Heads, released on July 14, 1978, by Sire Records. It was the first of three albums produced by collaborator Brian Eno, and saw the band move toward an increasingly danceable style, crossing singer David Byrne's unusual delivery with new emphasis on the rhythm section composed of bassist Tina Weymouth and her husband, drummer Chris Frantz.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Tina Weymouth</span> American musician, bassist, singer-songwriter (b. 1950)

Martina Michèle "Tina" Weymouth is an American musician, singer, songwriter, and a founding member and bassist of the new wave group Talking Heads and its side project Tom Tom Club, which she co-founded with her husband, Talking Heads drummer Chris Frantz. In 2002, Weymouth was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame as a member of Talking Heads.

<i>Remain in Light</i> 1980 studio album by Talking Heads

Remain in Light is the fourth studio album by the American rock band Talking Heads, released on October 8, 1980, by Sire Records. Produced by Brian Eno, his third album with the band, the audio was recorded at Compass Point Studios in the Bahamas and Sigma Sound Studios in Philadelphia during July and August 1980.

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<span class="mw-page-title-main">Tom Tom Club</span> American rock band

Tom Tom Club is an American new wave band founded in 1981 by husband-and-wife team Chris Frantz and Tina Weymouth and as a side project from Talking Heads. Their best known songs include the UK top 10 hit "Wordy Rappinghood" and the US top 40 hit "Genius of Love", both from their 1981 debut album, and a cover of The Drifters' "Under the Boardwalk" that reached the UK top 30.

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Stop Making Sense is an independently produced 1984 American concert film featuring a live performance by the American rock band Talking Heads. Directed by Jonathan Demme, it was shot over four nights at Hollywood's Pantages Theatre in December 1983, when Talking Heads were touring to promote their 1983 album Speaking in Tongues. Stop Making Sense includes performances of the first Talking Heads single, "Psycho Killer" (1977), through to their most recent hit at the time, "Burning Down the House" (1983). It also includes songs from the solo career of frontman David Byrne and by Tom Tom Club, the side project of Chris Frantz and Tina Weymouth, respectively the drummer and bassist.

<i>Tom Tom Club</i> (album) 1981 studio album by Tom Tom Club

Tom Tom Club is the debut studio album by Tom Tom Club, released in 1981, containing the UK hit singles "Wordy Rappinghood", which reached No. 7 in June 1981 and "Genius of Love", which reached No. 65 in October of the same year. It was re-released in the UK in 1982 to include "Under the Boardwalk", which reached No. 22 in August 1982. When released in the United States, "Genius of Love" peaked at No. 31 on the Billboard Hot 100. Both "Wordy Rappinghood" and "Genius of Love" topped the US dance chart.

<i>Boom Boom Chi Boom Boom</i> 1988 studio album by Tom Tom Club

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<span class="mw-page-title-main">Genius of Love</span> 1981 single by Tom Tom Club

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<i>No Talking, Just Head</i> 1996 studio album by the Heads

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References

  1. ↑ Prato, Greg. "Biography: Chris Frantz". Allmusic . Retrieved June 13, 2010.
  2. 1 2 3 Jacques, Adam (March 17, 2013). "How We Met: Chris Frantz & Tina Weymouth". The Independent. Retrieved May 13, 2017.
  3. ↑ "Talking Heads". Rock & Roll Hall of Fame. Retrieved April 16, 2018.
  4. ↑ Jacques, Adam (March 14, 2013). "How We Met: Chris Frantz & Tina Weymouth". The Independent. Archived from the original on February 4, 2016. Retrieved September 1, 2021.
  5. ↑ "How the Heads Tried to Move On Without David Byrne With 'No Talking Just Head'". Diffuser.fm. October 8, 2016.
  6. ↑ Boehm, Mike (September 10, 1992). "Ex-Heads Say They Got Byrned: Split Still Miffs Frantz, Weymouth, Even Though Tom Tom Club Keeps Them Busy". Los Angeles Times. ISSN   0458-3035 . Retrieved May 13, 2017.
  7. ↑ Kandell, Steve (October 16, 2009). "Chris Frantz on Talking Heads Reunion & More". Spin. Retrieved May 13, 2017.
  8. ↑ Daly, Sean (May 25, 2015). "'Toon In: Gorillaz Animate the Music Scene". The Washington Post. ISSN   0190-8286 . Retrieved May 13, 2017.
  9. ↑ "Happy Birthday To Fairfield's Chris Frantz". Fairfield Daily Voice. May 8, 2016. Retrieved May 13, 2017.
  10. ↑ "Chris Frantz | WPKN Radio". www.wpkn.org. Archived from the original on September 8, 2015. Retrieved May 13, 2017.
  11. ↑ Poplak, Richard (July 9, 2008). "Island dreams". CBC News. Retrieved May 13, 2017.
  12. ↑ Budnick, D., "‘Love’ Stories: Chris Frantz Reflects on Talking Heads, Tom Tom Club, the Dead and the Power of Live", Relix , August 3, 2020.
  13. ↑ Blais-Billie, Braudie (April 24, 2018). "Talking Heads' Chris Frantz Announces Memoir". Pitchfork.
  14. ↑ Laing, O., "Remain in Love by Chris Frantz review – the Talking Heads drummer speaks out", The Guardian , July 15, 2020.
  15. ↑ "Rock and Roll Book Club: Chris Frantz's 'Remain In Love: Talking Heads, Tom Tom Club, Tina". thecurrent.org. Retrieved August 1, 2020.
  16. ↑ Paul, A., "Chris Frantz on the Rise and Fall of Talking Heads", WSJ, July 31, 2020.
  17. ↑ "Talking Heads musicians survive serious collision with drunk driver". TheGuardian.com . March 28, 2022.
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