David Byrne: From rock to Broadway
David Byrne is best known for his work with the band, the Talking Heads, a new wave group he co-created in 1976. They became one of the most influential bands of the 1980s; blending rock, African influences, funk and electronic sounds.
His latest endeavor is a rock-musical with British rapper Fatboy Slim, "Here Lies Love," based on the life of the former first lady of the Phillipines, Imelda Marcos.
"She's a character," Byrne said on "CBS This Morning." "When I read she had a disco ball installed in her New York townhouse on one floor - effectively one floor turned into a disco."
Famous for her lavish lifestyle, including a collection of over a thousand pairs of shoes, Marcos' rise from financial hardship to political celebrity was documented internationally.
Among her extravagant habits, Byrne noted she frequented discos, including the popular Studio 54 in New York City, and even converted the palace roof in Manila into a club.
"I thought, 'She's really living the life and has the music going all the time in her life,'" he said.
His goal was to find a story behind Marcos, other than her rise to fame.
"I thought, 'I wonder if there's a way to tell it through the music she already has surrounding her,'" Bryne said.
While this latest artistic accomplishment, a feat that took nearly nine years to produce, has Byrne back in the spotlight, it may be his achievements with the Talking Heads that fans remember the most.
The 1984 film, "Stop Making Sense" documented three concerts performed by The Talking Heads. It changed how to capture a rock concert on film and had audiences dancing in the aisles.
Their innovative music videos bolstered the band's popularity, thanks in part to their heavy rotation on MTV.
The Talking Heads were inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 2002.
In his solo career, Byrne recorded eight albums of his own and won an Academy Award for the 1987 film "The Last Emperor."
"Here Lies Love," is an interactive theater-experience that, true to Byrne's style, asks the audience to become part of the show.
The play now runs in New York City and London.