Chris Frantz

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, the latter 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]

Chris Frantz
Frantz in 2010
Background information
Birth nameCharton Christopher Frantz
Born (1951-05-08) May 8, 1951
Fort Campbell, Kentucky, U.S.
InstrumentsDrums, percussion
Associated actsTalking Heads, Tom Tom Club

Career

Born in Fort Campbell, Kentucky, Charlton 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 Weymouth. Byrne and Frantz formed a band called the Artistics, which went on to become Talking Heads, in the winter of 1974. Tina Weymouth, then Frantz's girlfriend, also joined the band while the three were at RISD. Frantz and Weymouth were married in 1977.[2]

Frantz and Weymouth formed Tom Tom Club in 1980 when the 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.[4]

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.[5] Frantz and Weymouth also contributed backing vocals and percussion for Gorillaz self-titled debut album[6][7]

He is ranked number 12 in Stylus Magazine's list of the 50 greatest rock drummers[8] and hosts a monthly radio program, "Chris Frantz the Talking Head," on 89.5 WPKN in Bridgeport, Connecticut.[9]

Frantz and Weymouth are also closely associated with the Compass Point All Stars movement.[10] After Phish covered Talking Heads' Remain in Light, Frantz become known as an influence on the modern jamband scene.[11]

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).[12][13][14]

Health

On Memorial Day Weekend 2020 Frantz suffered a heart attack that required the implantation of three stents.[15]

Bibliography
  • Remain in Love: Talking Heads, Tom Tom Club, Tina (2020)

References
  1. Prato, Greg. "Biography: Chris Frantz". Allmusic. Retrieved June 13, 2010.
  2. 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. "How the Heads Tried to Move On Without David Byrne With 'No Talking Just Head'". Diffuser.fm.
  5. 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.
  6. Kandell, Steve (October 16, 2009). "Chris Frantz on Talking Heads Reunion & More". Spin. Retrieved May 13, 2017.
  7. Daly, Sean (May 25, 2015). "'Toon In: Gorillaz Animate the Music Scene". The Washington Post. ISSN 0190-8286. Retrieved May 13, 2017.
  8. "Happy Birthday To Fairfield's Chris Frantz". Fairfield Daily Voice. May 8, 2016. Retrieved May 13, 2017.
  9. "Chris Frantz | WPKN Radio". www.wpkn.org. Archived from the original on September 8, 2015. Retrieved May 13, 2017.
  10. Poplak, Richard (July 9, 2008). "Island dreams". CBC News. Retrieved May 13, 2017.
  11. Budnick, D., "‘Love’ Stories: Chris Frantz Reflects on Talking Heads, Tom Tom Club, the Dead and the Power of Live", Relix, August 3, 2020.
  12. Blais-Billie, Braudie. "Talking Heads' Chris Frantz Announces Memoir". Pitchfork.
  13. Laing, O., "Remain in Love by Chris Frantz review – the Talking Heads drummer speaks out", The Guardian, July 15, 2020.
  14. "Rock and Roll Book Club: Chris Frantz's 'Remain In Love: Talking Heads, Tom Tom Club, Tina". thecurrent.org. Retrieved August 1, 2020.
  15. Paul, A., "Chris Frantz on the Rise and Fall of Talking Heads",WSJ, July 31, 2020.
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