When it comes to cover and tribute bands, very rarely do you come across one that not only gets the sound right, but also the actual act itself. The presence. The dress. The antics, with all of the original band’s unique quirks and mannerisms. After all, stage presence is certainly part of the performance, and recreating that coupled with recreating the music can often be quite the challenge. Try doing it for a band with a wildly eclectic sound and an even wilder stage presence—like, say, the Talking Heads—and you’ve got one that pretty much seems impossible.
Enter Start Making Sense, one of the world’s few tribute bands, let alone Talking Heads tribute band, that actually gets it right. Something that could easily be surmised from their name itself, not to mention their extremely talented cast of musicians, including a frontman whose David Byrne impression often seems to give the star himself a run for his money.
We recently had the chance to sit down with this frontman, a Mr. Jon Braun, to talk music, fashion, and yes, even cannabis.
I’ve seen a lot of cover bands in my day, and I have to say, you guys are probably one of my all-time favorites. How long has the band been together?
Thanks for the kind words! We’re currently going into our 9th year of this particular project.
And how did you guys form?
Everyone in the band has worked together in some way, shape, or form over the last 18 years or so. It’s a large group of musicians, students, teachers, etc. that have known each other both on and off stage for a long time. We’ve never had any “hired guns.” Even when we have people subbing and filling in, they’re usually people we know. That being said, about 9 years ago a few of us had gotten together to do one night of music at our local bar in Bethlehem, Pennsylvania—The Funhouse, which has live music 7 days a week and has been a huge part of why we’re all able to do what we do. Some of us have been playing there for more than 20 years now. They allow us to have a place to play and try things out whenever we want. Anyways, we did a night of Led Zeppelin songs and most of the Who’s Quadrophenia album, and at the end of the night the owner, Tina, suggested that we do something similar a few months later. We all thought it was a great idea, but didn’t really have anything in mind, so we asked her what she thought might make for an entertaining evening. She said, “Why don’t you do Talking Heads?” Sounded good to us. We all love the Talking Heads and grew up listening to their music, so we put a band together comprised of all our local friends and musicians who we thought would be into it, all the while thinking it would just be a one night event—fun for us, fun for whoever came out. About 200 people showed up that night and we immediately started getting inquiries for more gigs the following week.
And the rest is history?
Pretty much. It all kind of snowballed from there. We really didn’t have any intention of being a band, let alone a tribute band, but once we started taking it out there, people started showing up and enjoying it, so we figured we should see how far we can take it. And here we are this many years later, still seeing where it can go!
Wow, that’s a great story. What about the name? Why “Start Making Sense”? Don’t get me wrong, I love the film and appreciate the twist, as I’m sure many other folks do, but with so many songs and what not to choose from, how did you land on that?
Naming a tribute band was a situation none of us had really dealt with before. Luckily we were close with keyboard legend and genius Bernie Worrell (Parliament/Funkadelic, Talking Heads, etc.), so we bounced some ideas off of him. He even gave us a few suggestions himself, but this one seemed to fit best. It wasn’t just a song title, album title, or obscure lyric, which is what most tribute bands revert to. It’s a play on a lyric and the film, which even beyond Talking Heads fans is quite an iconic film and title in of itself. Then of course there’s the flip from “Stop” to “Start,” which definitely gives it a nice twist. Also, when those three words are in front of you, it kind of becomes a command, and a pretty damn good one at that! For any Talking Heads fan the name becomes instantly recognizable, and unlike other more obscure lyrics and album titles, it’s pretty obvious what the band will be doing once you see them. And to button it all up, Bernie gave us his seal of approval, so there’s that.
I mean, if Bernie says it’s a winner, then it’s gotta be a winner.
(Laughs) Exactly.
Speaking of winners, what are some of your more favorite songs or moments from the original film?
Oh, wow, there are so many! Like I said, it’s such an iconic film. We actually recreated live in its entirety last September at a 1000-seat theater in Bethlehem—note for note, move for move, look for look.
For real? That sounds awesome. Must’ve been a wild experience…
It definitely was. We rented the exact keyboards that were used in the film, got schematics from the original lighting designer, etc. It was a huge undertaking, but it allowed us to study the film even closer than we already had over the years. It made me really appreciate some of the more subtle moments in the film that I hadn’t noticed before. The look Bernie Worrell makes at the beginning of “Burning Down the House,” the smile David Byrne throws at the backup singers during the chorus of “Slippery People,” the fancy footwork of Jerry Harrison during “Found a Job.” Of course the obvious moments are still always great to see—the opening scene with the boombox walk-on, the Big Suit, the “Life During Wartime” jog and arm dance. I actually always found it awesome that David Byrne not only thanks the crew during “Crosseyed and Painless,” but makes it a point to bring them out on stage. Their role in making that show and film come together is unparalleled. It wouldn’t have been what it was without the crew, which we quickly learned from recreating it. And the way Jonathan Demme was able to capture the show using different lighting and angles that weren’t necessarily part of the tour, in order for it to translate to film—it really made you feel as though you were actually at the show. I don’t think anyone has ever done that before or since. There’s just a very unique feel to that film.
For sure. A lot of creativity and originality throughout it, not to mention all the great music and performances. Speaking of which, any specific songs or moments you enjoy playing or re-creating more than others?
I have to admit that the crowd reaction every time I come out in the Big Suit blows me away. It’s so awesome to see people’s faces when they have no clue it’s coming. I also really enjoy watching the crowd when we do “Genius of Love.” Jenny Founds, our vocalist who usually sings lead on that, just destroys it. I’m usually changing into the Big Suit so I have a moment to watch the band and the crowd. The band is so amazing sometimes it’s hard for me to comprehend, but when I’m not a part of it I get to see it from the audience perspective, so to speak, and I’m floored every time.
Well I can tell you from my perspective that I am too. It’s really a lot of fun to watch. I find it rather amazing that you guys are able to not just sound like them, but also manage to nail down the act itself—all the unique David Byrne-esque moves and antics—they really help bring the show to life. How do you transform yourself like that? What’s the process like? How do you prepare, both mentally and physically, for turning yourself into an 80’s-era David Byrne?
(Laughs) I’d love to say there’s some huge preparation process and that I took acting classes or something like that, but it’s just not the case. Obviously the longer we do it the more refined and comfortable it gets. It definitely wasn’t as spot-on for the first couple of years. I actually base my onstage persona on a good friend of mine who I grew up with, Aaron Kinsman. He sometimes fills in for us on guitar. As kids he always had a very unique demeanor—very much like David Byrne’s role in True Stories. He’d literally be driving around talking to me while I was in the passenger seat, looking right at me while he was driving. Exactly like those scenes in True Stories. Since I know Aaron so well, it’s a bit easier for me to try and act like him rather than David Byrne. But of course I’ve studied all the live footage that’s out there. I’ve watched countless interviews, seen Stop Making Sense more times than any human should, and I’ve seen David live a bunch of times. Because of the physical aspect of the stage show a lot of people who see us say, “Wow, doing this 3 or 4 times a week must really keep you in shape!” But it’s actually the other way around. I have to keep in shape in order to do the show. I run 1.5 miles almost every day, do yoga, pilates, and generally eat pretty healthy. Not only does it allow me to do the show, but it keeps me feeling good and healthy. It’s actually been a kind of blessing in disguise.
Speaking of disguises, what about the ones you wear on stage? Not sure you’d actually call them disguises, per se, but after seeing you several times now, I notice that you seem to have a rather large wardrobe of Byrne-esque outfits. How do you go about finding them? And what helps you inform your outfit choices?
Again, I wish there was a cooler backstory, but in reality I usually just have one gray suit that gets dry cleaned every 2 weeks or so. I’m on my 5th or 6th one at this point (Laughs), but they’ve all mainly come from thrift shops. I just keep an eye out every few months and grab one when it fits the parameters. I did look into actually buying a nice suit and getting it properly fitted and tailored once, but I just couldn’t bring myself to spend that much money on something that would literally be destroyed in under a year by sweat, the road, and just general wear and tear. Finding the right color and stripes is really the trickiest part. It’s a very unique shade of light gray with very tight/light pin stripes. Obviously styles are different now than they were in the 80’s, although lots of that is coming back. Otherwise it’s a white dress shirt, white ankle socks, and white sneakers. I’ve had to start buying custom Vans because the shoes David wore were kind of a no-name brand that doesn’t exist anymore. Getting that blue stripe around the sole is tricky.
I could imagine… You mentioned thrift stores. Any specific ones you frequent? Any favorites?
Definitely American Family Thrift Shoppe in Hellertown, Pennsylvania and also the Salvation Army in Quakertown.
I really love the big suit. As you mentioned before, it always seems to be a crowd pleaser… How do you re-create it for every show?
I saw a great interview with David Byrne where someone asked him during the Q & A about the Big Suit. He said it was like the Elvis jumpsuit. It’s currently on a tour of it’s own somewhere (Laughs). But like I said before, our band is so ridiculously talented. Not only musically but across the board. My brother, who’s the drummer, does all of our tour managing, I do our business and managerial duties. Everyone does so much more than just play their instrument in this project. Jenny Founds, our backup singer, is actually a graduate of Marymount Manhattan College where she majored in theater and music, so she designed and handcrafted all of our costumes when we recreated Stop Making Sense last September. She literally built the Big Suit from scratch. Just like everything else, it gets upgrades and needs to constantly be maintained, but she nailed it from the get-go.
And is it always in your repertoire?
We try to use it as many nights as possible, but it really all depends on the venue we’re playing. If the green room or some sort of other area is close enough to the stage that I can run offstage, jump into it and get back on in under 30 or 40 seconds, we’ll usually use it. If not, we have to forgo it unfortunately. I’d say it happens at about 40% of our shows.
So with the big suit, the music, and all the other parts of Talking Heads you guys seem to nail, has David Byrne ever taken notice? Ever hear from him or meet him? Is he a fan? Has he been to a show?
Long story short, no. But as I mentioned before, we were very close with Bernie Worrell. Our sometimes bass player, Julie Slick, has been Adrian Belew’s bass player for the past 15 years or so, and we’ve had the pleasure of speaking with him about his time in Talking Heads as well. Both Chris and Tina are aware of us too. They’ve said some nice things about us in the press, so all in all we’ve had a very favorable response from a large amount of the people involved with Talking Heads over the years.
I remember seeing you a guys a while back and you were covering Hall & Oates as an opening band before Start Making Sense came on. The crowd seemed to really enjoy it. Is that a regular thing? And why Hall & Oates? Do you feel there’s a connection between them and Talking Heads?
Yeah, HmFO.
HmFO?
Yup!
Does that stand for what I think it does?
(Laughs). Sure does—HALL AND MOTHER FUCKIN OATES!
What is it with you guys and band names? One’s better than the next! Okay, so, HmFO, huh?
Yeah, HmFO, our Hall and Oates tribute band. It was basically Start Making Sense, but with the addition of the amazing Doug Hawk on lead vocals and keys. Unfortunately due to scheduling and the wear and tear it took on our voices we’ve had to put that on the shelf for now. It was so much fun to do and the crowd really did enjoy it. We did a lot of shows and touring with just HmFO as well. There was no thought of a connection between them and Talking Heads, just our own love for that music and wanting to play it live for people. A lot of music from the 80’s gets a bad rap because the production of 80’s music in the studio was very specific, and some people often think cheesey and robotic—very processed. Hall and Oates seem to fall into that more than they should. Those songs are ridiculous and they as a band have been around since the early 70’s, so when you’re able to hear those songs in a live setting with a live band, they take on such a different quality. I can’t even count how many people have come up to me after the shows and said how much more they enjoyed the songs hearing them live as opposed to on the record.
They’re certainly a lot of fun to dance to.
For sure.
Being that we’re a cannabis-themed publication, I’ve gotta ask—do you enjoy the plant? And if so, how do you normally go about it? Smoke? Vape? Edibles?
Great question. I’m not a smoker. I mean, I definitely had my time of being a very heavy smoker in my 20’s, but eventually smoking just didn’t work for me. I took a very long break from any cannabis products too. In the last few years I’ve been using a lot of CBD salves and creams for my aging body ailments (Laughs), and with great results. I mean, I do enjoy small amounts of edibles on a semi-regular basis too. Mostly just as a sleep aid on those nights when I just can’t seem to get my brain to slow down. We travel to Colorado a few times a year to do some shows and I really enjoy the edibles there because they’re measured out so well. You know exactly how much you’re taking and how it will affect you. Hopefully that makes its way across the country soon. With CBD and all the other medicinal benefits of the plant, it’s a real shame to see people suffering from so many things when the solution to most of their problems is right there and really has been since the dawn of time.
That’s for sure. In regards to the edibles and the rare occasion you do consume, is there any particular strain you enjoy? Are you more of an indica guy? Sativa?
“Indacouch” for me
I know you’re back in NYC this week for the Rocks Off boat show this Thursday. I remember seeing you guys on there last year and you killed it! What do you think of the boat show? Fun? Challenging? How does it differ from playing a regular venue like, say, Brooklyn Bowl?
We love the boat shows and we love Rocks Off. We’ve been working with Jake, Bill, Karina, Shane, and the whole Rocks Off crew for a really long time now. They’re all truly amazing people doing some pretty ridiculous things. I mean, how could you not love staring at the NYC skyline for 3 hours cruising around on a boat watching great music? It’s definitely a little more challenging than a normal club show as we have to load everything onto the boat, and the boat tends to shift when you’re out on the river, but those are such minor things. To do something truly memorable or unique takes a bit more work than just sitting on your couch watching TV. It’s a completely unique experience that you can only have in New York.
It really is, and I can tell you from personal experience that it’s always such a fun time. I also find it to be a lot more intimate than your regular shows.
Yeah, it’s definitely more intimate as we’re not on a stage and the capacity of the boat is much smaller than most of our regular shows.
So what’s next for you guys? Are you doing a national tour any time soon or mainly sticking to the East Coast?
We work every week. No stopping! In fact, we just got back from a 4-day run to Kalamazoo, Detroit and Chicago. Almost every week we play Thursday, Friday, and Saturday, then drive home on Sunday. Recuperate on Monday, work on Tuesday and Wednesday, then head back out on the road again Thursday. We go from Maine to Florida to Chicago to Colorado and everywhere in between.
Wow, that’s quite a schedule. Always the same music and setlists? Does it ever get tiring?
The setlist actually changes from night to night. We try to keep it fresh for both the audience and ourselves. I actually save all of our setlists and make sure when we return to a town or venue that the list is as different as possible from the last time we were there. Obviously we play the big songs every night, but a good quarter or so of the setlist changes drastically from night to night. The only thing that can be a bit tiring is the constant traveling, but the shows themselves are always a blast, and that’s really almost always because of the crowds. They’re so into it night after night, that the energy, it becomes reciprocal between the band and the audience. Our audiences really have a ton of great energy.
I can certainly vouch for that. Any other exciting projects in the works?
Yes! In addition to Stop Making Sense, all of the members have their own original projects. In fact, a few of us just started writing and recording new original material together too. We’re hoping to have it out and be playing it live by the Fall, so definitely keep an eye out for that. I also play drums in an original project of which I’m a founding member called Insidious Rays. We’ve been playing and touring for the last 15 years or so. We’ll have a new album coming out this Fall. My brother, Doug Hawk, and myself also play in a David Bowie tribute band which does a few shows a year called Band from Mars. We’ll be at the Brooklyn Bowl Aug 10th and the Ardmore Music Hall in Ardmore, Pennsylvania on July 27th with the Jonathan Scales Fourchestra. We’re also hoping to recreate Stop Making Sense somewhere in the NYC area in 2018, so be on the lookout for that as well.
Amazing. Seems like you guys really have your hands full, huh?
We sure do, but we love it! The logistics of it can certainly get kind of crazy at times, but nothing beats playing music, especially music you love. Most of us have been playing and/or teaching music for the last 15+ years, and there’s nothing else we’d rather do but bring live music to those who want to hear it. I feel blessed and honored to be able to do it every time I stand on a stage.
Or a boat…
(Laughs) Yes, or a boat.
Start Making Sense will be performing in New York City, on a boat, this Thursday, July 13th as part of the summer Rocks Off concert series. You can purchase tickets now at rocksoff.com/shows/5777.
Photography by Taylor Shields and Dave Gannon
