Perfect Sound Forever

Ed Ward tribute


Chris Frantz (Talking Heads, Tom Tom Club)
interviewed by Jason Gross
(June 2021)


I had read Ed's pieces in various rock magazines and papers over the years. I think we were first introduced to each other by Sterling Morrison at one of our shows at the Armadillo World Headquarters in Austin. But how I really got to "know" him was on Facebook when he was living in Montpelier, France and Tina and I were also spending a good deal of time in France. He did some preliminary interviews with me about life in Soho, NYC and the influence of the Avant Garde. He was very interested in that period of NYC in the '60's, '70's and early '80's and wanted to write a book about it, but I understand that in the end, his publishers didn't go for it.

Then we bumped into each other outside of the Guggenheim Museum, NYC when we both went to see a performance by saxophonist Dickie Landry [2012], who was a mutual friend. Dickie was an original and longtime member of the Phillip Glass Ensemble. On a personal level, Ed could be a bit of a cranky curmudgeon but he was always kind to Tina and me and very interested in what we were doing. He was into all types of music and art, not only Rock and Roll.

We last saw him when Tina and I sat on a panel at SXSW a couple of years ago [2018]. We took him out for drinks and dinner. He felt a little weird about SXSW because he was one of the founders but felt persona non grata there now.

I know he was known as a very uncompromising critic so it made me feel very good when he wrote a very thoughtful and understanding review of my memoir Remain In Love less that a year ago.

I feel like Ed was brilliant guy who whose heart was in the right place. I wish his final years had been better for him. He deserved better. He really did.

Thanks for a chance to say a few kind words about a wonderful writer and raconteur.


See the Tom Tom Club website

See the rest of our tribute to Ed Ward


Check out the rest of PERFECT SOUND FOREVER

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