Welcome to the official website for David Byrne's 2007 Nonesuch Records reissue of the Knee Plays. Here you will find all things Knee Plays — from its original conception, as part of Robert Wilson's epic play the CIVIL warS, to the groundbreaking stand-alone album it became. On the site, you'll find exclusive, never-before-released bonus material and works-in-progress, including photos, essays, reviews, and sketches.
THE ALBUM
- ESSAY
- TRACKS, LYRICS, & AUDIO
- CURRENT REVIEWS
- LIVE DATES (COMING SOON)
- CREDITS
- BUY CD (AMAZON.com)
- DOWNLOAD (COMING SOON)
IDEAS & NOTES
An assortment of archival materials documenting the creative development of the plays. Includes unused lyrics and notes on the music.
TIME LAPSE SLIDESHOW
W/ MUSIC
During the premiere performance of the Knee Plays at the Walker Art Center in Minneapolis in 1984, JoAnn Verburg took hundreds of sequential pictures. A 57-minute bonus DVD with these photos in synch with the music accompanies the album re-release. Watch two of the plays here.
*Flash plug-in required.
THE KNEE PLAYS LIVE
DAVID BYRNE AND THE LES MISÉRABLES BRASS BAND PERFORM THE KNEE PLAYS
This performance was part of an ICA benefit concert, shown on BBC2 in the summer of 1988. ©ICA, LONDON 1988
THE PLAYS
THE KNEE PLAYS 1-13
An interactive presentation of the 13 plays complete with photographs, drawings, and lyrics.
WALKER CENTER PRODUCTION
The Walker Art Center in Minneapolis, Minnesota produced and presented the Knee Plays, April 26-28, 1984. In this section, browse through essays and images from the original catalog published on the occasion of the production.
ORIGINAL
PRESS CLIPPINGS
the CIVIL warS
