The Talking Heads: The CBS/Columbia Demos is an exclusive 2LP black vinyl release arriving for Record Store Day on April 18, 2026. This archival set marks the first time these specific 1975 sessions have been issued on vinyl, offering fans a high-fidelity look at the band’s formative year. Released via Rhino, the collection is limited to a worldwide pressing of 7,000 copies.
To ensure the highest audio quality, the album is pressed on 140g black vinyl and cut at 45 RPM. Joe Nino-Hernes cut the lacquers at Sterling Sound, a detail that highlights the release’s appeal to audiophile collectors. This configuration allows for greater dynamic range across the fifteen tracks included in the set.
The material captures the band during their residency at CBS/Columbia in 1975. At this stage, the lineup consisted of the original three-piece: David Byrne, Tina Weymouth, and Chris Frantz. These recordings predate the arrival of Jerry Harrison and provide a skeletal, high-energy look at the songs that would eventually define their early career. This era was also recently explored in the 3CD archival project, Tentative Decisions: Demos & Live.
The 2LP set organizes fifteen songs across four sides, featuring early versions of tracks found on their first two studio albums.
As an RSD Exclusive, this title will be available at participating independent record stores starting April 18, 2026. Given the limited run of 7,000 and the 45 RPM mastering, it is positioned as a premium archival release. It serves as a significant alternative to previous bootlegs and the recent CD-only archival sets, focusing specifically on the raw, CBGB-era sound of the band’s earliest demos.
Sign up for exclusive offers, original stories, events, and more.
