David Byrne discusses new book Sleeping Beauties and rediscovered ideas

David Byrne, the former Talking Heads frontman, has discussed his new book Sleeping Beauties and what it says about how artistic and inventive ideas are lost, ignored and later brought back to life. He spoke to the Ways to Change the World podcast about the book and about how people judge works of art.

Byrne rose to fame fronting Talking Heads in the 1970s and 1980s, with hits including Psycho Killer, Road to Nowhere and Burning Down the House. He was always more than a singer-songwriter, and he later branched out into visual arts and film. His latest book examines how great ideas from artists and inventors get buried, then suddenly leap back into public view.

In the interview, Byrne set out what he called a possibly naive belief. He said you can make work that is somewhat innovative, somewhat new, and sometimes a little challenging, but if it is still accessible, you have a chance of reaching an audience and making a living. On that view, he said, it might be your own fault if you end up being a sleeping beauty. He accepted there are a few examples of people who are simply very stubborn.

He was asked how to tell which forgotten works are sleeping beauties and which are best left undisturbed. Byrne said opinions about a painter, a writer or other artists are often not entirely our own. They are shaped by social consensus, reviewers, academics and what is current. He would like to believe that people can trust their own instincts, but he said he is no different from anyone else and is swayed by mass opinion.

Byrne also discussed how artists can avoid subverting their own inclinations for popularity. His answer was curiosity and a willingness to investigate what is going on. He mentioned his 19-year-old coming home and asking about a musician, and credited streaming with making discovery less risky. Music files, he said, do not carry dates or other information that pegs them to a particular era, which can encourage wider musical tastes.

On whether digital archives and artificial intelligence will make rediscovery easier, Byrne was cautious. He said one would like to think so, but the internet does not contain everything. He noted that authors researching contemporary history sometimes find key information in a box in someone's basement rather than online. AI, he said, is good at recognising patterns and can speed some work along, but it does not get everything.

The full interview is available on the Ways to Change the World podcast on YouTube and on podcast platforms.