I’ve always felt a funny connection with David Byrne’s work. I have this mild delusion that I’m an alien anthropologist, sent here to observe the strange behavior of humans. It makes it easier to accept all the killing, abuse and neglect they engage in with each other. And as a musician, I’ve always leaned on technology and tend to “talk sing” because my voice has a rich timbre but I have no real skill musical or singing skill. If you’re at all familiar with Byrne’s music, alien-like demeanor, disturbing gaze, and unusual speech patterns, I think you can understand why I feel a certain simpatico. Which is why I’m looking forward to the release of the audio version of his book Bicycle Diaries. I haven’t read the actual book, and don’t know if I’ll get around to it. Managing one’s media consumption is a full time job these days, and I’m not that interested in cycling or the insights of genius IQ media stars. But I’m excited about the release of this audio version. I’d be less excited about it if it were simply Byrne reading his book; his strange diction and delivery might easily drive one insane or hypnotize them over the course of an hour. But Byrne has taken a slightly creative approach and added ambient sounds, walla, and occasional music to the recording. The intro is available for free on his site, and if the mixes don’t get any crazier than this, the book should actually be quite listenable. Kind of like those NPR programs that are lightly punctuated with “wild sound” as segment segues. And he’s using a clever marketing method; instead of having to purchase the whole thing for $19.95, you can buy individual chapters for $2.49 after reviewing 30 second clips. The full release is scheduled for September 28. Personally, I’m looking forward to the inevitable mashups. What a treasure trove of material for slicing and dicing into an audio/video collage!

David Byrne’s Bike Racks
Byrne designed some bike racks for an urban design contest. I imagine the racks are more likely to get stolen than the bikes attached to them.

You haven’t really lived until you’ve seen David Byrne in drag interviewing himself in a Big Suit