Talk Talk were an English band formed in 1981, led by Mark Hollis (vocals, guitar, piano), Lee Harris (drums), and Paul Webb (bass).
The group achieved early chart success with the synth-pop singles “Talk Talk” (1982), “It’s My Life”, and “Such a Shame” (both 1984) before moving towards more experimental music in the mid-1980s, pioneering what became known as post-rock.
Talk Talk achieved widespread critical success in Europe and the UK with the 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 critically acclaimed yet commercially less successful.
Friction with the band’s label, EMI, resulted in legal action and counter-suing.
Webb departed, and the band switched to Polydor for their final studio album, 1991’s Laughing Stock, but split soon afterwards.
Singer Mark Hollis released 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; long-term collaborator Tim Friese-Greene continued in the business as a musician and producer.
Tracklist
A 1 Renee
A 2 Talk Talk
A 3 Magic Moments(Today)
A 4 It’s So Serious
B 1 Why Is It So Hard?
B 2 Again A Game
B 3 For What It’s Worth…
B 4 Night Boys
Side A: November 5th, 1981 Kid Jensen Sessions
Side B: March 27th, 1983 Kid Jensen Sessions
Past members
Mark Hollis
Lee Harris
Paul Webb
Simon Brenner
Discography
The Party’s Over (1982)
It’s My Life (1984)
The Colour of Spring (1986)
Spirit of Eden (1988)
Laughing Stock (1991)
Notable covers
In 2002, Sandra released a cover version of “Such a Shame” which was not a hit.
In 2003, No Doubt released a cover version of “It’s My Life” which became a major international hit, reaching number 20 in the UK charts in December 2003 and number 10 on the US Billboard charts in January 2004.
In other media
In 2002, the song “Life’s What You Make It” was featured in the Grand Theft Auto: Vice City.
In 2006, the song “It’s My Life” (extended version) was featured in the Grand Theft Auto: Vice City Stories.
In 2011, “It’s My Life” was featured in Saints Row: The Third.
In 2018, “Such a Shame” backs a scene at the 32 minute mark in Episode 3 of Deutschland 86.
