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London, United Kingdom · 1981–1991

Talk Talk

Talk Talk is an English band that left a significant mark on music, particularly in the realms of post-rock and new wave. Formed in 1981 by Mark Hollis, Lee Harris, Paul Webb, and Simon Brenner, they initially presented themselves as a synth-pop group. Their first albums, The Party's Over and It's My Life, managed to enter the UK top 40, with singles like "Talk Talk" and "Such a Shame" resonating in several countries.

The album The Colour of Spring, released in 1986, marked a turning point in their career, receiving critical acclaim and consolidating their presence in Europe. With tracks like "Life's What You Make It", the band began to explore a more complex and mature sound. However, their next work, 1988's Spirit of Eden, took this experimentation to another level, incorporating elements of jazz and improvisation, and is considered a precursor to post-rock. Despite its critical acclaim, it did not achieve the expected commercial success.

new wave Post-rock Synth-pop art pop art rock 1980s
1 Albums
4 Songs
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Most played on DoReSol

Essential songs

01

Such a Shame

It’s My Life · 1984

5:36 02

It’s My Life

It’s My Life · 1984

3:54 03

The Last Time

It’s My Life · 1984

4:23 04

Call In the Night Boy

It’s My Life · 1984

3:48

1 album|s · 1984

Full discography

It’s My Life 1984

It’s My Life

4 song|s · new wave

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Details, awards, members and more

More about Talk Talk

Biography

Tensions with their record label, EMI, led to legal conflicts that culminated in Webb's departure. Subsequently, Talk Talk signed with Polydor to release their final album, Laughing Stock, in 1991, before disbanding shortly after. Mark Hollis continued his solo career, releasing a self-titled album in 1998 before retiring from music and passing away in 2019. Meanwhile, Webb and Harris collaborated on other projects, such as .O.rang, and Tim Friese-Greene, a frequent collaborator, continued his career in the music industry as a producer and musician.

Details

Born
1 Jan 1981
Country
🇬🇧 United Kingdom
Genre
new wave

Members

founder · actual
Lee Harris
founder · actual
Simon Brenner
· actual
Tim Friese‐Greene
founder · 1981–1991
Mark Hollis
founder · 1981–1988
Paul Webb

Record labels

EMI Records EMI * Parlophone * Polydor Records Polydor

Links

Spotify Wikipedia