MusicRadar

From punk to new wave to funk to reggae and African music, drummer Chris Frantz has done it all. © Dziekan/Retna Ltd./Corbis

"I never imagined that Genius Of Love would have the life it's had, but boy, it's great that it does," says Tom Tom Club's Chris Frantz of the 1981 hit that keeps going and going. "That's the song that allows Tina and I to tour the world and do what we do. That song and Wordy Rappinghood – those are what get us the gigs."

Tina, of course, being Tina Weymouth, Frantz's wife of 34 years. The married, drum-and-bass team are Rock And Roll Hall Of Famers thanks to their co-founding (along with David Byrne and Jerry Harrison) the adventurous and wildly influential Talking Heads.

Tom Tom Club started as a side project, but their first two albums hit big, and by the time Talking Heads folded, Frantz and Weymouth made it their full-time gig. Recently, the band finished a tour of Europe and the US, and have begun recording at Frantz and Weymouth's home studio in Fairfield, Connecticut.

MusicRadar sat down with Frantz recently to get the skinny on current doings. In addition, we talked about his drumming influences and how he incorporated African rhythms into the music of Talking Heads. What's more, Frantz shared his memories of the legendary CBGB back in the day, and he answered the burning question on everybody's mind: What's he really think about drum solos?

Tom Tom Club just finished a tour with the Psychedelic Furs. How'd it go?

"It was fabulous. In fact, I recently did an interview with Richard Butler for this radio show I do every week on our local listener-supported station, WPKN. You can listen to it online at WPKN.org. The tour was great. It was the first major American run we'd done in some time, so we had a ball."

What's the status of the recording you're doing? You're working on songs, but not necessarily for an album. EPs, possibly?

"We're working on one now, actually. We hoped to have something available already, but because of touring we just weren't able to. We recorded some tracks last month, Tina's working on the vocals right now, and I think the tunes will be ready in the new year. We're talking five tracks or so.

"Doing an entire album is so stressful. And right now, people just want to hear a couple of songs; they're not into full albums. That's fine. We'll still give some something good."

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