Duran Duran Amps Up Talking Heads ‘Psycho Killer’ Cover
Halloween is getting closer, and Duran Duran are feeling the spooky energy. On Friday, the band will release their studio album Danse Macabre, a 13-song collection featuring covers of on-theme songs from Billie Eilish, Siouxsie and the Banshees, the Rolling Stones, and more — including one rendition of the 1977 Talking Heads single “Psycho Killer” delivered with a special assist from M?neskin bassist Victoria De Angelis.
“I got a call from John [Taylor]…saying he was working on a cover of Psycho Killer, and he wanted to ask me first about playing on it,” De Angelis shared in a statement. “It was insane being asked by one of the greatest bass players ever to play one of my favorite songs with Duran Duran. Absolutely insane.”
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The idea to collaborate with De Angelis was born from a previous conversation she shared with Taylor when they first met at a party where they geeked out over bassist Tina Weymouth. “I told him Tina Weymouth was my absolute pinnacle of cool, attitude and incredible musicianship all rolled into one, and he told me he also started playing bass inspired by her and she was one of his music idols,” De Angelis recalled.
In a statement, Taylor explained: “When Psycho Killer made the cut for the album, I thought, ‘I’m gonna ask her if she’d like to have a bass-off!’” The Duran Duran player has noted De Angelis as being “probably the most important electric bassist out there right now,” so he appearance on a record as electric as Danse Macabre was fitting. “I’m so grateful and honored,” she added. “It was so much fun recording together with John and he was so sweet to me and encouraged me to express myself and play it my own way. I’ll always remember that day.”
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