As a sort-of postscript to my post last month on David Byrne, here's some other news on what the head Talking Head is doing regarding bikes: He's written a 294-page book about his experiences bicycling in cities around the world called Bicycle Diaries. The listing on Amazon.com says it'll be released September 19.When my wife and I got a chance to talk to him after his July 15 show at Budapest's Millenáris Teatrum, he told us that he has a fold-out bike in his tour bus that he rides whenever and wherever he has a chance. This would have given him an easy opportunity to push his new book on us (Amazon list price: $17.13). But he's probably too dignified and modest for that type of thing -- I mentioned in my post how, when Kristin introduced herself to him, he replied, as if he were just another member of the crew: "Hi, I'm David."
From the advance articles on Bicycle Diaries (a short review of the book and a longer piece including an interview, both in the UK's Guardian), we learn that it covers cycling experiences in cities such as Berlin, Buenos Aires, Istanbul, Manila, Sydney and Detroit. I didn't see any reference to Budapest, which is probably because the book was finalised well before his recent visit here. (His previous shows in Hungary were with the Talking Heads in the 1980s -- possibly before he became the cycling zealot that he is now.)
He does write some words about Budapest in his blog, and he has a very positive impression: "I love this city!" he exclaims, then goes on about all the construction projects he saw downtown, which reminded him of the massive rebuilding of East Berlin after the political changes:
For now, everything is possible (sort of), and everything is in flux. Alternative arts spaces appear and disappear. Exhibitions and performances are held in former industrial spaces.
Hey! I think it was Kristin who told him about how the Millenáris was created from the old Ganz Electrical Factory. Happy to be of service, David!
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