from beginning (above) to end:

There are very few groups that maintain a level of brilliance over 30 years so there's no reason to think that Talking Heads would have done. If they reformed now I would be extremely apprehensive about hearing anything new. I'd love to see them perform live again though. The Pixies have proved that you don't need to release any new stuff to be taken seriously so why not Talking Heads.

Can't see that ever happening. I think David Byrne's relations with TH are very similar as those of Robert Plant and LZ. The ball's in his court and while he has a flourishing solo career sees no reason to make retrogressive move. However i too would like to be proved wrong.

During their imperial phase (early-80's), they really could do no wrong - hipsters liked them, pop-pickers liked them, they did great videos, they were great live, they even made 2 movies.

It's hard to imagine anyone having that kind of across-the-board appeal now, though a quick glance at my book of hit singles/albums shows they weren't as successful as I remembered...

I know everyone who likes them must have seen this a million times, but....

The closing moments when the camera shows them from the side and it's like they're all moving in a trance... Sigh.

For a spell they were close to untouchable. Indeed, I was marvelling at "The name of " yesterday. However, once you get past Remain in Lights, or maybe Speaking in Tongues, did they really give us much we still treasure like the earlier stuff? so maybe they split up just in time.

Also, much of Byrne's solo material isn't great, although the latest album with Eno was. so, maybe the real quetsion should be if only Byrne and Eno had stayed together how good would that have been?

I'm reminded of that perennial favourite for discussion over a pint or two in the pub, i.e. the one-shot time machine which allows you to go back and see a single gig by a single band, and after due reflection I decided some time ago my choice would be early 80s Talking Heads (beating those other reunion refuseniks The Jam by a short head...probably).

I feel less deprived than I used to, having seen DB's recent tour with the Eno-related songs, which is probably as close as anything will come to a proper reunion gig. When I heard the announcement of the format, I admit my feelings were mixed - it's always a pleasure to see DB live, even more so with a setlist which was going to involve most of my favourite Talking Heads songs; and yet I admit I was not thinking "You know what these gigs need to make them really special? That's right, David, some interpretative dance." As it turned out, it was a great show, which could only really have been bettered if the original personnel had been part of the dozen or so people who ended up on stage by the end.

From what I recall, DB has explained it quite bluntly: he thinks a reunion would be pointless and backwards-looking from an artistic point of view - he's moved on, why doesn't everyone else? - and he's rich enough to be able to ignore the blandishments of promoters. He doesn't think he needs it, in any sense, so presumably the chances remain slim to none (and while you have to respect his view, it doesn't stop me occasionally wishing for a massive and unexpected tax bill to land on his doormat, and make him think again).

Anyone who likes this track from Stop Making Sense...

...will enjoy the nod to the past at about 1:45 in