HERE LIES LOVE by David Byrne & Fatboy Slim
Here Lies Love – A Song Cycle deals with the life of Imelda Marcos, co-ruler of the Philippines in the 70s and 80s, as well as the life of Estrella Cumpas, the woman who raised her.
Through a series of songs written by David Byrne, with musical contributions from Fatboy Slim (Norman Cook), Songs from Here Lies Love presents Imelda Marcos meditating on events in her life, from her childhood spent in poverty and her rise to power to her ultimate departure from the palace.
In particular, the production looks at the relationship between Imelda and a servant from her childhood, Estrella Cumpas, who appeared at key moments in Imelda's life.
To be released April 6th 2010 on Todomundo/Nonesuch Records
“The story I am interested in is about asking what drives a powerful person—what makes them tick? How do they make and then remake themselves? I thought to myself, wouldn’t it be great if—as this piece would be principally composed of clubby dance music—one could experience it in a club setting? Could one bring a ‘story’ and a kind of theater to the disco? Was that possible? If so, wouldn’t that be amazing!”
—DB, from the introduction
The album is available in multiple formats (MP3, FLAC, Apple Lossless, and CD/DVD).
The Band:
David Byrne – guitar, vocals
Joan Almedilla – “Imelda” vocals
Ganda Suthivarakom – “Estrella” vocals
Paul Frazier – bass
Graham Hawthorne – drums
Mauro Refosco – percussion
Thomas Bartlett – keys
Production:
Mark Edwards – Production Manager
Terry Pearson – Sound
Kris Umezawa – Monitor
Contributors:
David Whitehead – Manager
Frank Hendler – Project Coördinator
RZO – Business Management
