Wikipedia

Talk Talk

This article is about the music group. For the British telecommunications group, seeTalkTalk Group.For other uses, seeTalk Talk (disambiguation).

Talk Talkwere an English band formed in 1981, led byMark Hollis(vocals, guitar, piano),Lee Harris(drums), andPaul Webb(bass). Initially asynth-popgroup, Talk Talk's first two albums,The Party's Over(1982) andIt's My Life(1984), reached top 40 in the UK and produced the international hit singles "Talk Talk","Today","It's My Life",and"Such a Shame".They achieved widespread critical success in Europe and the UK with the albumThe Colour of Spring(1986) along with its singles "Life's What You Make It"and"Living in Another World".1988'sSpirit of Edenmoved the group towards a more experimental sound informed byjazzand improvisation, pioneering what became known aspost-rock;[6][4]it was critically acclaimed but commercially unsuccessful.

Talk Talk
High-contrast black-and-white photo of the three foremembers of the band.
Talk Talk in 1988 (photo by Stephen Lovell-Davis[1]); from left to right:Mark Hollis,Paul Webb,Lee Harris
Background information
OriginLondon,England
Genres
Years active1981–1991
Labels
Spinoffs.O.rang
Past members

Friction with the band'slabel,EMI,resulted in legal action and countersuing. Webb departed, and the band switched toPolydorfor their final studio album, 1991'sLaughing Stock,but split soon afterwards. SingerMark Hollisreleased one solo album in 1998 before retiring from the music industry; he died in 2019. The band's founding bass player and drummer, Paul Webb and Lee Harris, played in several bands together, including.O.rang;long-term collaboratorTim Friese-Greenecontinued in the business as a musician and producer.

History

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1981–1983: Formation

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Talk Talk began as a quartet consisting ofMark Hollis,formerly from The Reaction (vocals/main songwriter),Lee Harris(drums),Paul Webb(bass guitar), and Simon Brenner (keyboards). In their early years they were often compared withDuran Duran.In addition to a band name consisting of a repeated word, the two shared aRoxy Music-inspired musical direction, as well as the same record label (EMI) and producer (Colin Thurston). The band also supported Duran Duran on tour in 1982.[9]

The band released their first single, "Mirror Man", on EMI in February 1982. The single was not a great success, but was quickly followed by theirself-titled singlein April 1982 (a rerecording of a track by The Reaction) which reached No. 52 in the UK. The band's first album, titledThe Party's Over,was released in July 1982. The band had their first UKTop 40hits with the singles "Today"(UK No. 14) and a re-release of"Talk Talk"(UK No. 23). These singles also were hits in other countries, including Ireland, South Africa, Australia and New Zealand. The re-release of the" Talk Talk "single reached the U.S. Top 75. The album was produced byColin Thurston,who wasDuran Duran's in-house EMI producer at the time, but picked by Hollis because of his involvement withDavid Bowie'sHeroes.[10]It was a moderate success in the UK reaching No. 21, and was later certified Silver by theBPIfor sales of 60,000 copies by 1985. It was a Top 10 hit in New Zealand.[11]

Brenner left after the 1983 non-LP hit single "My Foolish Friend", which was produced by frequentRoxy MusiccollaboratorRhett Davies.At this point, Talk Talk was a trio, as Brenner was never officially replaced. However,Tim Friese-Greenewas recruited to assist with the recording of their second album,It's My Life,[12]and he became the band's producer as well as keyboardist and Hollis' songwriting partner. Although a major contributor to the band's studio output and a de facto fourth member,[13]Friese-Greene never officially joined the band. As such, he did not play with the touring band on live dates, and was absent from the band's publicity material.[citation needed]

1984–1986: Commercial success

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Although major success eluded them in the UK, Talk Talk achieved considerable international success in 1984/85, particularly in continental Europe, North America and New Zealand, with the albumIt's My Life.The accompanying single "Such a Shame" (inspired by the bookThe Dice Man) became a Top 10 hit in Austria,[14]Italy, France, Germany,NetherlandsandSwitzerland[15]during this period. The title track of the album entered the U.S., Canadian, French, German, New Zealand[16]and Netherlands[17]Top 40. A third single, "Dum Dum Girl", was a success in some European countries and in New Zealand;[18]however, the album and its singles were largely ignored in the UK. Commercial success notwithstanding, the band made deliberate choices that moved them away from the mainstream. The music video for "It's My Life", for instance, featured a grumpy Hollis who mocks lip-synching; after EMI protested, they re-shot the video, turning it into "a total piss-take of lip-synching", inAlan McGee's words.[19]

The artistJames Marshdesigned the first cover image forIt's My Lifebased on the band's name. He followed the theme for subsequent singles, remaining the band's artistic frontman and creating all their covers and posters throughout their career.

Talk Talk abandoned the synthpop style completely with their third album, 1986'sThe Colour of Spring.It became their biggest success in the UK, making the Top 10 (and certified Gold by the BPI for sales over 100,000 copies), in part due to the Top 20 single "Life's What You Make It",which was also successful internationally.[20]Another single, "Living in Another World",charted in the Top 40 in Germany, the Netherlands, Switzerland, Belgium and Italy (and just outside the Top 40 in the UK and France). By this time, all Talk Talk songs were being written by Hollis and Friese-Greene. The extended line-up for the 1986 tour consisted of Hollis, Webb and Harris, plusJohn Turnbull(guitars), Rupert Black and Ian Curnow (keyboards), Phil Reis and Leroy Williams (percussion), andMark Feltham(harmonica). Most notable among these concerts was their appearance at theMontreux Jazz Festival,11 July 1986, released on DVD in 2008 asLive at Montreux 1986.

1987–1991: Experimental period

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The success ofThe Colour of Springafforded the band a bigger budget and schedule for the recording of their next album. Over a year in the making, and featuring contributions from many outside musicians,Spirit of Edenwas released in 1988, on EMI'sParlophonelabel. The album was assembled from many hours of improvised instrumentation that Hollis and Friese-Greene had edited and arranged using digital equipment. The result was a mix of rock, jazz, classical, and ambient music. Critically praised, the album reached the UK Top 20 and was certified Silver by the BPI for sales of over 60,000 copies. The band announced they would not be attempting to recreate the album live (since, according to Hollis, "People would just want to hear the songs as they are on the album and for me that's not satisfying enough" ). Without touring or music videos or singles as the band intended, there was little marketing left that the record company could do; in the end the band grudgingly agreed to a video for the remixed version of "I Believe in You",released as first single. Hollis, though, was unhappy with the video, as he made clear in an interview withQ Magazine:"I really feel that [the video] was a massive mistake... I thought just by sitting there and listening and really thinking about what it was about, I could get that in my eyes. But you cannot do it. It just feels stupid. It was depressing and I wish I'd never done it."[21]

During the making ofSpirit of Eden,Talk Talk manager Keith Aspden had attempted to free the band from their record contract with EMI. Relations between the band and label continued to degrade after the album's release, eventually culminating in litigation brought by Aspden which extracted the band from their EMI contract. In 2011, Aspden clarified the conditions surrounding the dispute: "in essence our motivation in the court case with EMI was all about money and an opportunity to secure a better deal with another record company. EMI in our view had misinterpreted the meaning of the clause which specified when they should exercise their option. They lost the case on appeal."[22]EMI then sued the band, claiming thatSpirit of Edenwas not "commercially satisfactory", but the case was thrown out of court.[19]Webb left the band in late 1988.

With the band now released from EMI, the label released the retrospective compilationNatural Historyin 1990. It peaked at number 3 on the UK album chart and was certified Gold by the BPI for sales of over 100,000 copies. It was also an international success and eventually went on to sell more than 1 million copies worldwide. The 1984 single "It's My Life" was also re-released, and this time became the band's highest charting single in their native country, reaching number 13 on theUK Singles Chart.A re-release of the single "Life's What You Make It" also reached the Top 30. Following up on this renewed popular interest in the band, the label then releasedHistory Revisitedin 1991, a compilation of new remixes, which made the UK Top 40 (it also reached the Top 30 in Germany and the Top 75 in the Netherlands). The band sued EMI for releasing the remixed material without their permission.[19][23]

By 1990, the band had essentially morphed into a vehicle for the studio recordings of Hollis and long-term collaborator Friese-Greene, along with session musicians (including long-term Talk Talk drummer Harris). The group signed a two-album contract withPolydor Recordsand releasedLaughing Stockon Polydor'sVerve Recordsimprint in 1991.Laughing Stockcrystallised the experimental sound the band started withSpirit of Eden(which has been retroactively categorised as "post-rock"by some critics).[4]Even more minimalist than its predecessor,Laughing Stockreached just No. 26 on theUK Albums Chart.[citation needed]

Post break-up

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AfterLaughing Stock,Talk Talk disbanded in 1991;Hollissaid that he wished to focus on his family.[24]Paul Webb rejoined Lee Harris, and the two went on to form the band.O.rang,while Tim Friese-Greene started recording under the nameHeligoland.In 1998, Mark Hollis released his self-titled solo débutMark Hollis,which was much in keeping with the minimalist post-rock sound ofSpirit of EdenandLaughing Stock,but he retired from the music industry shortly afterwards.[citation needed]

Webb also collaborated under the name ofRustin ManwithPortisheadlead singerBeth Gibbonsand releasedOut of Seasonin 2002,Drift Codein 2019 andClockdustin 2020. Harris also featured on theBark Psychosis2004 album,///Codename: Dustsucker.

Mark Hollis died on 25 February 2019, aged 64.[25]

Legacy and influence

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Talk Talk's influence upon musicians has exceeded the band's visibility among the general public. Along with the bandSlint,Talk Talk are credited with inventing "post-rock"in their last two albums,Spirit of EdenandLaughing Stock.[26]The artists who have praised the band or cited them as an influence includePearl Jam'sJeff Ament,[27]Kate Bush,[28]Tears for Fears,[29]Matthew Good,[30]Radiohead,[31]Doves,[32]Elbow,[33]Shearwater,[34]M83,[35]Bark Psychosis,[36]The Notwist,[37]Cedric Bixler-Zavalaofthe Mars Volta,[38]Steven WilsonofPorcupine Tree,[39]Storm Corrosion(a joint project betweenOpeth'sMikael Åkerfeldtand Porcupine Tree's Steven Wilson),[40]Steve HogarthofMarillion,[41]Richard BarbieriofJapanand Porcupine Tree,[42]Death Cab for Cutie,[43]andRichard WrightofPink Floyd.[44]The main influence of theHeld By Treesproject is Talk Talk and Mark Hollis and it has come to involve many associates of the band.[45]

The bandsPlacebo,Weezer,the Divine Comedyandthe Gatheringcovered their song "Life's What You Make It" andNo Doubtscored a global hit with a cover of "It's My Life" in 2003 which reached number 20 on the UK charts.Lightsrecorded a cover of "Living in Another World"[46]Guy Garveyof the band Elbow said: "Mark Hollis started from punk and by his own admission he had no musical ability. To go from only having the urge, to writing some of the most timeless, intricate and original music ever is as impressive as the moon landings for me."[47]

A tribute album and anthological book, both titledSpirit of Talk Talk,were released in 2012. The book includes all the artwork James Marsh did for the band, and hand-written lyrics (by the band). The album includes covers by various artists, proceeds going to the conservation organisation BirdLife International.[48]

On Tuesday 26 November 2019,Spirit of Talk Talkorganised A Celebration of Mark Hollis and Talk Talk concert[49]at the Royal Festival Hall, London, UK. Founding band member Simon Brenner, who played keyboards on studio album,The Party's Overwas amongst the long list of guest musicians who performed songs from all five Talk Talk studio albums and Mark Hollis' solo album. The evening was described asA Majestic Tributeby the London-based daily newspaper The Evening Standard.[50]

In March 2020, a documentary about Talk Talk by the Belgian directorGwenaël Breëswas screened for the first time at theCopenhagen International Documentary Film Festival.EntitledIn a Silent Way,filmed before Mark Hollis' death and without the participation of the main band members, it pays tribute to the musical journey and integrity of Talk Talk.[51]In September 2021, the film won the prize for best music documentary awarded by the jury of the Musical Ecran festival in France.[52]

Hollis and Talk Talk continue to be praised as artists who did not cave in to the pressures of corporate and commercial interests. SaysAlan McGee,"I find the whole story of one man against the system in a bid to maintain creative control incredibly heartening."[19]

Discography

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Main article:Talk Talk discography

References

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  1. ^Lovell-Davis, Stephen."Stephen-Lovell-Davis Photographer".Stephen-Lovell-Davis Photographer.
  2. ^Harvell, Jess (21 October 2011)."Talk Talk / Mark Hollis: Laughing Stock / Mark Hollis".Pitchfork.Retrieved6 April2015.
  3. ^Wallace, Wyndham (13 September 2012)."All Talked Out: Dismantling The History Of Talk Talk".The Quietus.Retrieved18 February2018.
  4. ^abcChuter, Jack (November 2015).Storm Static Sleep(PDF).Function. Archived fromthe original(PDF)on 6 October 2016.Retrieved21 August2016.
  5. ^Thomson, Graeme (13 September 2012)."Talk Talk: the band who disappeared from view".The Guardian.Retrieved18 February2018.
  6. ^abPhillips, Amy (31 August 2012)."Talk Talk's Mark Hollis Resurfaces With New Music for the Kelsey Grammer TV Show" Boss "".Pitchfork.Retrieved19 June2016.
  7. ^abAnkeny, Jason."Talk Talk Biography".AllMusic.Retrieved15 May2017.
  8. ^"Mark Hollis of Talk Talk Has Passed Away".Post-punk.25 February 2019.Retrieved14 October2021.
  9. ^"Talk Talk".Trouser Press.
  10. ^Seabrook, Thomas Jerome (February 2008).Bowie in Berlin: A New Career in a New Town.Jawbone. pp. 250–51.ISBN978-1-906002-08-4.
  11. ^"Talk Talk – The Party's Over (Album)".charts.nz.Hung Medien / eMedia Jungden. 2011.Retrieved31 December2011.
  12. ^Crane, Larry; Eckman, Chris (2010)."Sharing food and conversation with Phil Brown".In Larry Crane (ed.).Tape Op: The Book about Creative Music Recording, Volume 2.Hal Leonard. pp. 74–77.ISBN978-0-9779903-0-6.
  13. ^Slotnik, Daniel E. (27 February 2019)."Mark Hollis, Leader of '80s Band Talk Talk, Is Dead".The New York Times.Retrieved28 February2019.
  14. ^Steffen Hung."Talk Talk – Such A Shame".austriancharts.at.Retrieved4 February2010.
  15. ^Steffen Hung."Talk Talk – Such A Shame".hitparade.ch.Retrieved4 February2010.
  16. ^Steffen Hung."Talk Talk – It's My Life".charts.nz.Retrieved4 February2010.
  17. ^Steffen Hung."Talk Talk – It's My Life".dutchcharts.nl.Retrieved4 February2010.
  18. ^Steffen Hung."Talk Talk – Dum Dum Girl".Hitparade.ch.Retrieved11 March2016.
  19. ^abcdMcGee, Alan (9 April 2008)."Wherefore art thou Mark Hollis".The Guardian.
  20. ^Steffen Hung."Talk Talk – Life's What You Make It".Hitparade.ch.Retrieved16 June2017.
  21. ^Deevoy, Adrian (28 August 2013)."Talk Talk: 'You should never listen to music as background music' – a classic interview from the vaults".The Guardian.Retrieved25 September2013.
  22. ^Wallace, Wyndham."After The Flood: Talk Talk's Laughing Stock 30 Years On".TheQuietus.The Quietus.Retrieved19 January2023.
  23. ^Buckley, Peter. "The rough guide to rock". Rough Guides, 2003. vii.ISBN1-84353-105-4
  24. ^Myers, Ben (28 February 2012)."How Talk Talk spoke to today's artists".The Guardian.Retrieved25 September2013.
  25. ^Aubrey, Elizabeth (25 February 2019)."Talk Talk's Mark Hollis has reportedly died, aged 64".NME.Archivedfrom the original on 25 February 2019.Retrieved25 February2019.
  26. ^"Music Genres".AllMusic.Retrieved11 March2013.
  27. ^"5 Albums I Can't Live Without: Jeff Ament of Pearl Jam".Spin.10 December 2021.Retrieved17 January2022.
  28. ^"Mark Hollis of Talk Talk: A Life (1955 - 2019) - The Singer is Dead at Age 64".Retrieved14 December2023.
  29. ^"Roland Orzabal & Curt Smith - Choose their favourite 80s Tracks - Radio Broadcast 16/10/2020".Retrieved17 January2022– viaYouTube.
  30. ^Corus Radio (24 May 2011),An Evening With Matt Good – Part 1 of 2,archivedfrom the original on 18 November 2021,retrieved13 September2016
  31. ^ @BBC6Music (16 September 2018).""It redefines how you listen to music" - @Radiohead's Philip Selway on Spirit of Eden "(Tweet) – viaTwitter.
  32. ^Goodwin, Jimi."Why I love the Enigma of Talk Talk & Mark Hollis by Doves' Jimi Goodwin - exclusive extract".Q.Retrieved5 March2019.
  33. ^"Elbow makes its bones in 'Seldom Seen Kid'".Daily News.New York. 19 April 2008.Retrieved11 March2016.
  34. ^"A Body, Not Just a Brain": An Interview with Shearwater's Jonathan Meiburg – Arts.The Wesleyan Argus. Retrieved 10 April 2012.
  35. ^"M83".Chicago Innerview. Archived fromthe originalon 22 December 2015.Retrieved11 March2016.
  36. ^Wallace, Wyndham (14 August 2014)."I Put A Spell on You: The Story Of Bark Psychosis & Hex".The Quietus.Retrieved28 March2017.
  37. ^Solis, Jose (12 March 2014)."From One Wrong Place to the Next: An Interview with The Notwist".PopMatters.Retrieved5 March2019.
  38. ^"Influences".thecomatorium.25 April 2005. Archived fromthe originalon 15 July 2021.Retrieved28 March2017.Q:Does music sometimes make you cry?
    Cedric Bixler-Zavala:Yeah definitely. [...] Talk Talk records...because you get moved by them...The last one they did, where they did a complete turnaround musically –Laughing Stock– it's a good rainy day album. I think a person in the band was getting a major divorce and you can hear it in the album. I was attracted to it to it cause the guy who told us about it told us that they recorded it with candles and stuff and it was real dark album for them and the label hated it. So instantly I was attracted to it...It's a big downer, but you know, downer music is good, though, too.
  39. ^Prasad, Anil(2012)."Steven Wilson | Art as a mirror".Innerviews.org.Retrieved28 March2017.
  40. ^"Storm Corrosion – Fan Q&A – Making Something Different".Roadrunner Records UK.19 April 2012.Retrieved28 March2017– via YouTube.
  41. ^Randall, David (2004)."10QUESTIONS with... STEVE HOGARTH (MARILLION)".Getreadytorock.Retrieved28 March2017.
  42. ^Powell, Jim."The Richard Barbieri Interview".2uptop.Retrieved28 March2017.
  43. ^Death Cab For Cutie on Arcade Fire, U2 and their influences – Q25.YouTube (28 July 2012). Retrieved 10 April 2012.
  44. ^Whatley, Jack (21 September 2021)."Pink Floyd member Richard Wright named his 10 favourite albums of all time".Far Out.Retrieved3 January2024.
  45. ^"Talk Talk veterans team up on inspired post-rock project".prog.11 March 2022.Retrieved19 November2024.
  46. ^"Lights- Living in Another World feat. Darkstars (+ Download!)".YouTube.25 May 2012.Archivedfrom the original on 18 November 2021.Retrieved14 October2021.
  47. ^Alexander, Phil, ed. (May 2012). "All back to my place – Guy Garvey".Mojo Magazine.No. 222. London: Bauer. p. 9.ISSN1351-0193.
  48. ^Battan, Carrie (25 January 2012)."Talk Talk Celebrated With Tribute Album, Book".Pitchfork Media.Retrieved25 September2013.
  49. ^"Surviving Talk Talk musicians announce show to honour Mark Hollis".NME Music News, Reviews, Videos, Galleries, Tickets and Blogs | NME.COM.29 July 2019.Retrieved28 November2019.
  50. ^"Mark Hollis tribute gig at the Southbank Centre 'majestic, complex stuff'".Evening Standard.27 November 2019.Retrieved28 November2019.
  51. ^"In a Silent Way (film)".Indie-Eye(in Italian). 3 February 2021.Retrieved25 August2021.
  52. ^"Festival Musical Écran: découvrez le palmarès de la 7e édition".Rolling Stone(in French).Retrieved15 September2021.
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