I've been following David Byrne's blog for years (and a fan of his music since the 70's) so this revelation is old news. He put it in his blog back in 2006.
Sure, I like his music too - better than that of the Vines or Gary Numan, in fact. Although I'm not sure if I own enough of his albums to call myself a fan, I do really like "Remain in Light", and the "My Life in the Buish of Ghosts" collaboration that he did with Brian Eno - that was such an obvious precursor to a lot of the electronica I liked in the early 90s that my jaw dropped when I was told it had been recorded ten years before. His Luaka Bop label has put out loads of cool Latin American music as well.
Unfortunately, I don't have time to read that whole blog as I'm on my lunchbreak at work, but does it mention whether or not he had an independent diagnosis, or whether he's self-diagnosed?
In his blog he says "most likely" Asperger's. That makes it sound self-diagnosed to me.
Well, if such does turn out to be true, I'd not be surprised as, the drummer for the band"Rush" has Asperger Syndrome however, one does not outgrow AS as, probably an individual learns how to better react in some situations perhaps..That's the best I'm able to offer at this moment..
Joined: Jun 06, 2006 Posts: 13 Location: Composer, Researcher
Posted: Thu Sep 17, 2009 7:20 pm Post subject: Aspergers, musicians and age
The discussion between Byrne and Daniel Levitin in Seed magazine is interesting in that Levitin has a strong interest in Williams Syndrome, which is almost opposite aspergers in symptoms, but has strong musicality. I know many musicians and other creative people with ASD or heightened autistic traits - it is the subject of my Doctoral thesis (when it is finished it will be an open website and I'll post a link here)
I have Aspergers, am 42 and a successful musician and academic. My diagnosis is described as "residual" - meaning that I a definitely fit the criteria for traits etc but I have developed coping mechanisms over time (mostly cognitive processes) and the impact is lessened (but certainly not removed.
No you don't "grow out of it", you learn to work around it to some degree, to hide it and to "pretend to be normal"
Joined: Jun 09, 2009 Age: 34 Posts: 333 Location: going
Posted: Thu Sep 17, 2009 7:30 pm Post subject:
Yes. Byrne is also in the position where he can make a living by going around go around the world working with his favourite artists and doing things like turning entire buildings into musical instruments. He can get away with acting strange
Joined: Oct 08, 2011 Age: 17 Posts: 3615 Location: Indonesia
Posted: Sun Jan 22, 2012 8:21 pm Post subject:
I don't know much about him, but I heard an interview with him on NPR today, and as I was listening to it I was thinking "it sounds a little like he might have Aspergers" and sure enough AS was brought up.
I guess you can outgrow AS through technicalities in the criteria, but your brain is still autistic. _________________ Cinnamon and sugary
Softly Spoken lies
You never know just how you look
Through other people's eyes
Joined: Sep 22, 2008 Age: 76 Posts: 29709 Location: New Jersey
Posted: Sun Jan 22, 2012 8:31 pm Post subject:
jelibean wrote:
Once HAD Aspergers but grew out of it?? ROFLMAO!!!!!!
Poor lamb, no one told him once an aspie always an aspie!! Priceless! Bless
But one can become well adapted to the NT world. I am an Aspie, but after 76 years I have learned to "pass" as an NT in many social situations. It is just a matter of learning the moves which one can do if one sets his/her mind to it.
I have even learned to read facial expressions. It took me a long time, but I did it. It is like learning a foreign language while one is an adult. Difficult, but possible.
I wouldn't be surprised that a great portion of people that think they have Asperger's think they have it because they grew up in a socially and emotionally retarding environment. _________________ *some atheist walks outside and picks up stick*
Joined: Feb 07, 2005 Posts: 14856 Location: A beautiful vector among many
Posted: Mon Jan 23, 2012 12:47 pm Post subject:
jelibean wrote:
Once HAD Aspergers but grew out of it?? ROFLMAO!!!!!!
Poor lamb, no one told him once an aspie always an aspie!! Priceless! Bless
I remember reading an article somehere that stated he had Aspergers....but then he took an arrow to the knee.
NocturnalQuilter wrote:
Don't be so ignorant. Many of us older people who were diagnosed late(r) in life have found rather sucessful methods of overcoming the Asperger's shortcomings without the aid or support of anyone person or organization. So much so in fact that we barely register on the spectrum at all anymore.
So yes, one CAN grow out of it (or at least adapt).
And NO, one doesn't need to suffer from Asperger's for life.
I'd disagree - you can outgrow poor social skills or even eye contact issues and whatevers hallmark with outward manifestations, but, in most cases that's still a far cry from being fully 'normal'.
Well quite a few of his big hits have done offly well in the Billboard Charts, which I guess should give meaning that people should respect Aspergers as being a "Gifted" condition, but in reality people don't see that in any way, and it makes me not so happy about it.
Joined: Dec 08, 2010 Age: 37 Posts: 1797 Location: Bellows Falls,Vermont USA
Posted: Sat Feb 04, 2012 4:40 am Post subject:
listen to bela bartok he was the greatest aspie musician ever.try maybe his 1st 2nd and 6th string quartets _________________ Abstract concepts are for those who dont know there facts.Liaison for the political forum.Please contact if you have any questions or problems
Once HAD Aspergers but grew out of it?? 
