David Byrne (placeholder)

I first met him in new York back in 1995 a few months after I moved there at the age of 21. It was his art show opening in SoHo and I figured out that I could attend even though I was a bit out of place. After watching him interact with others a bit, I finally managed to walk up to him and ask, “Can I meet you?” which made him burst out laughing. We spoke briefly, my social awkwardness somewhat dwarfing his…soon, we were interrupted, he disappeared and I made my way out the door. As I was leaving, he was coming back in and I asked, “Would you mind doing an autograph?” and he replied, “No, I don’t mind!” and he scribbled something down. I quickly stuck it in my shirt pocket and made my way back home. Along the way, I found the courage to pull the note out of my pocket under a street light and began to quiver when I saw what it said: “Good to see you again, really. DB”

Over the next 10 years, I would meet him a few more times after concerts, including the time when my sisters and I were invited backstage in Seattle as well as on the tour bus…what a night that was. David was not that participatory in that event, though as he seemed to be more intent on being alone, or something.

The next meetings are detailed by criminalsalt below…So, I’ve met him several times and each time he was pleasant and quite friendly. I don’t believe the rumors I have heard from others that he is rude or arrogant or aloof…then again, maybe most of us are some of the time anyway…and he is a human being. ;-) I’ve just not witnessed that side of him, I guess.

I was asked to write a story about a long musical he was creating called “The Civil warS” while he was visiting Tokyo. I got to talk to him for about 40 minutes between rehearsals. He was very articulate. But that’s what I expected of the guy who sang lead for “Talking Heads.”

I tend to like Davids…especially David Bs. Davids Byrne, Brock, Brooks, Bloom, Brinkley, Broder, Brancaccio, Bianculi, Bowie…all good and bright people. Davids actually. Not Goliaths.

But that is not why I like David Byrne.
I like him because he is wacky. Watch True Stories if you don’t believe me.

And speaking of which…it was True Stories that brought him to sign books at the Harvard Coop. He had written a companion book to the movie, and was there to hawk it, and sign it, which is about all he did. But what could one expect?

I have met him a few times. The first time was in Italy and I was 19. It was after his show in Firenze and the drummer, who was fond of my hot friend, invited us back. Since it was a tent-like theater “back” meant to the back of the tent. My friend flirted and chatted and I was nervous as hell. I first saw DB when I was 7 on TV and fell for him right then. Growing up I was given a lot of crap about my love of David Byrne and would be asked childish things like, “If your dream guy was at the front door and David Byrne was at the back, which door would you answer?” Connection over Love, I chose David every time. I felt that he spoke the same language as me and that if given the opportunity I bet we could be great friends. Anyway he eventually showed up with a guitar over one arm and what looked like a sherry in the other hand. He seemed so tall in his all black gear and exhausted. It was their 100 something show and he was clearly tired. People flocked around him and he graciously answered questions. I became speechless, with my hand over my heart. I saw him look over at me, but I failed to budge. I would later be so annoyed at myself for reacting like this. He went to walk away and I asked for his autograph, which I didn’t really care about I just wasn’t done with his energy. He signed it, smiled and got on his bus, where he waved a goodbye.

Eleven years later in 2005, my friend and I went to Portland to see his lecture on Power Point as a visual art form. We sat in the front row and laughed our asses off. He laughed too and even had to pause here and there because of it. He remembered my friend and walked right up to her afterwards (I seem to tend to make friends with lovely and memorable women!). She introduced me and yet again I stumbled over myself. He went off to sign his book and we headed off to the private party area, which we paid extra for. He didn’t come in for hours and in that time we drank a little too much with out any food. He finally came in and my lovely friend was graceful and eloquent. I tried to tell him that I felt that he spoke my same language and the connection that it gave me has been so meaningful throughout my life. But I stumbled and struggled and finally stopped and said, oh man I am screwing this up! Again he was exhausted but generous. I had the Zoetrope that he had designed, he signed it and left. I realized that this significant way in which he had enriched my life was about me and was not really about him. It didn’t matter if he understood how I felt or participated in it. What I was enjoying about his personality are perhaps things I should love about myself. When we saw him a few days later at his Seattle talk he was very friendly to us and called us over to chat with him. He asked us what we thought about the two talks and how they were different. We chatted and laughed and it was fun and natural and light and I loved it.

So anyway that is a lot about me and a little about David, but hey that was what my meeting him taught me.

I do not know him personally. I only know him through his creative works. I would really like to share a coffee and some conversation with him. He has a certain JEITO that really impresses me.

I made David Byrne laugh. My friend Kate was super jealous.