Talk Talk were an English rock band, active from 1981 until their breakup in 1992. Their early hit singles include "Today", "Talk Talk" (both 1982), "It's My Life" and "Such a Shame" (both 1984). Although the band only experienced moderate success in their native country, they established some international success. Talk Talk moved away from synth-pop towards more experimental music in the mid-1980s, helping to pioneer what became known as post-rock. They achieved moderate success in Europe and the UK with the subsequent singles "Life's What You Make It" (1985) and "Living in Another World" (1986), and in 1988 they released their fourth album Spirit of Eden, which was commercially less succe...
Talk Talk were an English rock band, active from 1981 until their breakup in 1992. Their early hit singles include "Today", "Talk Talk" (both 1982), "It's My Life" and "Such a Shame" (both 1984). Although the band only experienced moderate success in their native country, they established some international success. Talk Talk moved away from synth-pop towards more experimental music in the mid-1980s, helping to pioneer what became known as post-rock. They achieved moderate success in Europe and the UK with the subsequent singles "Life's What You Make It" (1985) and "Living in Another World" (1986), and in 1988 they released their fourth album Spirit of Eden, which was commercially less successful.
Friction with the band's label, EMI, resulted in legal action and countersuing. The band switched to Polydor for their final album, 1991's Laughing Stock, but broke up soon afterwards. Singer Mark Hollis released one solo album in 1998 before retiring from the music industry. The band's founding bass player and drummer, Paul Webb and Lee Harris, played in several bands together; long-term collaborator Tim Friese-Greene continued in the business as a musician and producer.
Talk Talk's influence upon musicians has exceeded the band's visibility among the general public. Along with the band Slint, Talk Talk are credited with inventing "post-rock" in their last two albums, Spirit of Eden and Laughing Stock. The artists who have praised the band or cited them as an influence include Tears for Fears, Matthew Good, Elbow, Shearwater, M83, Bark Psychosis, Cedric Bixler-Zavala of The Mars Volta, Steven Wilson of Porcupine Tree, Storm Corrosion (a joint project between Opeth's Mikael Åkerfeldt and Porcupine Tree's Steven Wilson), Steve Hogarth of Marillion, Richard Barbieri of Japan and Porcupine Tree, and Death Cab for Cutie. The bands Placebo, Weezer, The Divine Comedy and The Gathering covered their song "Life's What You Make It" and No Doubt scored a global hit with a cover of "It's My Life" in 2003. Lights recorded a cover of "Living In Another World" in 2012. Guy Garvey of the band Elbow has 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."
A tribute album and anthological book, both titled Spirit 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 (a double CD) includes covers by various artists, proceeds going to the conservation organization BirdLife International.
Hollis and Talk Talk continue to be praised as artists who did not cave in to the pressures of corporate and commercial interests. Says Alan McGee, "I find the whole story of one man against the system in a bid to maintain creative control incredibly heartening.
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