Gustavo Antonio "Tav" Falco is an American-born musician, performance artist, filmmaker, actor, author, photographer, and dancer.

Falco was born in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania[1] to a family of Italian descent[2] but grew up in rural southwest Arkansas[3] between Whelen Springs and Gurdon.

[3] In the mid-1970s, he started the nonprofit Televista "art-action" video group with fellow Arkansas poet/performance artist/videographer Randall Lyon to create art and to document local musicians and artists.

[4][5] While with Televista, Falco worked with and trained in photography and filmmaking under Memphis color photographer William Eggleston.

[3][7][8] The two founded the self-styled "art damage" rock and roll band Tav Falco's Panther Burns in 1979.

[15] Falco devoted portions of his musical career to highlighting traditional regional artists from Memphis and Mississippi who had not gained media attention.

[9] Starting in the 1970s, Falco created a number of short films on varying topics focusing on "underground" art-actions and cultural assets around the mid-American South.

Avant-premieres were held at key cinematheques in America and in Europe including a special event at Cinéma Saint-André des Arts in Paris presented by avant-garde cineaste, F.J.

[32] The film starred artist Jean-Michel Basquiat and featured Debbie Harry, James Chance, Arto Lindsay, and August Darnell in supporting roles.

Falco was featured in a cameo role shot on Super 16mm film, where he created and then recited improvised dialogue with Basquiat.

[43] The Los Angeles Times called it "gloriously demented enough to act as a tonic for anyone who can't bear the thought of another dose of sugary sentimentality.

"[45] In April of that year, Falco recorded the sessions that would become the album Cabaret of Daggers at Terminal 2 Studio in Rome, with Mario Monterosso producing once again.