NEWS
David Byrne traded in his iconic oversized suit for a bright orange tracksuit when he appeared on The Tonight Show this week, performing at Rough Trade NYC in Rockefeller Plaza in a set that felt personal and stripped down.
On Wednesday’s episode, the former Talking Heads frontman delivered his latest single, “What Is the Reason for It?” from his forthcoming record, Who Is the Sky?. As he reached the chorus, “What is the reason for it? Why is it there? Is it my body or my brain?” Byrne moved across the stage with his backup singers and band, all dressed in coordinated outfits.
The track is the fifth cut from Who Is the Sky?, arriving this Friday, and features a guest spot from Paramore’s Hayley Williams. Produced by Kid Harpoon, the project follows Byrne’s 2018 release American Utopia. It includes collaborations with St. Vincent, who previously teamed with Byrne on 2012’s Love This Giant, as well as the Smile’s Tom Skinner and others.
Byrne has described the album as “a chance to be the mythical creature we all harbor inside. A chance to step into another reality. A chance to transcend and escape from the prison of our ‘selves.’”
During his chat with host Jimmy Fallon, Byrne recalled that he warned Kid Harpoon, whose credits include Harry Styles, Miley Cyrus, and Maggie Rogers, that his music leaned “a little bit left field” compared to the producer’s usual projects. Still, Kid Harpoon welcomed the challenge and leaned fully into Byrne’s vision.
Recently, Byrne also shared some personal news. Just weeks after revealing his engagement to Mala Gaonkar, he announced that, along with the new album release, he will be getting married this week. To mark the celebration, Byrne created a playlist of instrumental music for his wedding dinner, featuring 42 songs with an emphasis on Latin sounds, including “Pa Japón” by El Alfa, “Perfidia” by Café Tacvba, and “Luz de Luna” by the marimba-punk band Son Rompe Pera.
Tom Morello has called off two scheduled performances as he focuses on supporting his mother following her recent hospital stay.
In a message shared on Instagram on Thursday, the Rage Against the Machine guitarist revealed that he was flying back to the United States to be with his 102 year old mother, Mary Morello, and help care for her.
"Dear friends, fans and comrades, my dear mom, Mary Morello is back in the hospital and I'm headed home to help look after her," he wrote. "Rocking the UK & Europe with you all this summer has been incredible, and I can't wait to be back with you and continue this movement that we started. With much love, unity and power."
The guitarist had been scheduled to perform at the Tons Of Rock Festival in Oslo, Norway, along with the BBK Music Legends Festival in Bilbao, Spain this weekend.
Earlier this month, Morello also cancelled planned appearances in London and Paris, with ticket holders offered refunds through their original point of purchase. However, he still made it to the Pinkpop festival in the Netherlands.
"I am sorry I had to miss a few shows due to my mom's health," the 62 year old noted. "The incredibly resilient, indefatigable Mary Morello at 102 is now feeling somewhat better and has ordered me back into the fray, charging me with rocking you and fighting fascism six strings at a time."
At this point, Morello has not announced when he expects to return to the stage.
Mary Morello, the musician's mother, built a career as a teacher and activist. She also helped establish the anti censorship organization Parents for Rock and Rap during the late 1980s.
