You may ask yourself, how do I work this? David Byrne on robots

August 8, 2008 8:50 AM

David Byrne writes three thoughtful essays on robots, song, and the uncanny valley on the occasion of the creation of a robot which sings in his voice at a Madrid museum: Visiting the robot factory in Texas, regarding the uncanny valley, on machines and souls.
posted by whir (15 comments total)

Thanks. And I was just about to post yesterday about Byrne and Eno's forthcoming album, Everything That Happens Will Happen Today.
posted by aught at 8:59 AM on August 8, 2008

In my mind, Byrne and others will have a tough time beating the robotics in No Money Down...
posted by Blazecock Pileon at 9:08 AM on August 8, 2008

Just because I'm in that sort of mood, and it tangentially relates to Mr. Byrne, if you have not seen Stop Making Sense [Amazon, DVD link], Jonathan Demme's capture of a great Talking Heads performance, you really should check it out. It's a treat.
posted by cavalier at 9:08 AM on August 8, 2008

Okay, that was indeed creepy. Although you would never confuse Julio for a real person, it's still more realistic than it has any right to be.
posted by tommasz at 9:11 AM on August 8, 2008

Robot and song
posted by papafrita at 9:19 AM on August 8, 2008

Wait - David Byrne isn't a robot?
posted by It's Raining Florence Henderson at 9:49 AM on August 8, 2008

Not yet.
posted by tommasz at 9:56 AM on August 8, 2008

Drunk David Byrne falls off his bicycle and sober David Byrne designs bike racks. Sweet.
posted by fixedgear at 10:04 AM on August 8, 2008

I fully expected the "robot factory in Texas" link to send me to a UT undergrad program page.
posted by SaintCynr at 10:12 AM on August 8, 2008

I would like to take this opportunity to say that my partner and I would gladly accept David Byrne's semen so that we might have the honour of bearing his children.

*ahem*
posted by pookzilla at 11:05 AM on August 8, 2008

I would like to take this opportunity to say that my partner and I would gladly accept David Byrne's semen so that we might have the honour of bearing his children.

I don't know if David Byrne is into that, but David Crosby might be available.
posted by fixedgear at 11:45 AM on August 8, 2008

I'd put David Byrne himself r-i-i-i-i-ght. . . about. . . (plink) there --
on the Uncanny Valley graph.
posted by Herodios at 11:47 AM on August 8, 2008 [1 favorite]

Song from the new Eno-Byrne album -- Strange Overtones
posted by vronsky at 11:52 AM on August 8, 2008

All of Stop Making Sense is on youtube. Here's a playlist.
posted by maxwelton at 2:12 PM on August 8, 2008

Excellent links, thanks for posting them.
posted by voltairemodern at 8:30 PM on August 8, 2008