Released 40 years ago this month, the Tom Tom Club’s eponymous debut set the world’s toes tapping in October of 1981. Conceived as a pressure release value by married Talking Heads rhythm section, Tina Weymouth (bass) and Chris Franz (drums), Tom Tom Club was concocted while on holiday in the Bahamas. With work on Talking Heads being so intense and demanding, the need for a lighter side project put the focus on the fun and joy of making music. Aside from Tina & Chris forming the rhythmic core of the group, the rest was filled out with a loose association of players and studio techs. Featured among these were guitarists Adrian Belew & Monte Brown, keyboardist Tyrone Downie, percussionist Uziah "Sticky" Thompson and Weymouth sisters Lani, Laura & Loric filling in the backing vocals.
The album doesn’t stray too far away from the funky dance territory staked out by Talking Heads, but goes for a much more playful, less academic disposition, something which caused Heads’ main man, David Byrne, to be somewhat dismissive of the project. While there are times when its “cuteness” verges on cloying, the album boasts one of the most infectious funk grooves ever committed to vinyl in the form of Genius of Love. Not only is the groove unstoppable, but Adrian Belew’s warped guitar solo is one of the strangest mutations of the instrument I’ve ever heard. The extended mix also served to bring some dub production to the radio top 40 charts! The single was extremely popular in both the US and UK, though it didn’t quite hit the top slot, but its impact would end up going far beyond its original form as its groove would be sampled and recreated over and over by rap, soul & R&B artists for generations after its release.
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