Author:Ben Wardle
This sumptuous top quality book is brought to you by the same people who produced the recent top notch tomes on Jethro Tull and ELP, which should be recommendation enough before we even begin! Mark Hollis was always something of an enigmatic, reclusive figure right up to his untimely passing in 2019, but boy did he produce some great music once he hit his stride. The transformation from the fairly formulaic new wave debut set by Talk Talk in 1982 to their minimalist farewell of 1991’s Laughing Stock was both radical and remarkable – five albums in eight years, travelling from fairly run of the mill art pop through to almost avant garde experimentation, producing some quite astonishing and beautiful music which has endured to this day. After that, a seven year gap before his last work, a self titled solo effort originally intended to be a Talk Talk album titled Mountains of the Moon, and that was that – twenty years of silence was its only follow up. This book has been put together by A&R man Ben Wardle, and is probably the definitive look at Hollis and his work, drawing on contemporary interviews together with contributions from key figures such as his brother, Ed, and a collection of various sundry collaborators from over the years. It’s a well balanced and very comprehensively researched examination of the life of this maverick and his body of work – the absence of input from, among others, his wife and children, is a pity, but he was, after all, a very private man so that is probably exactly the way he would have wanted it. An extremely good read though, and surely as close to the final word on this subject as we’re ever going to get.
Length of Read:Medium
Might appeal to people who enjoyed…
Listen to Spirit of Eden and Laughing Stock and prepare to be converted!
One thing you’ve learned
If the book interests you, it’s only available by ordering direct from www.markhollisbook.com
I’ll be ordering this. I still really like the first album even if The Colour of Spring is their meisterwerk. And, yes, you can quote me on that.
Started reading this thread as I was listening to April 5th. I’d agree with you that its their best.
I think one of the chapters in Jude Rogers’ latest book is about April 5th.
This is straight on my shopping list. If there’s anyone here who hasn’t really done Talk Talk yet their 5 albums would be a great project. As Bargepole says the journey from Talk Talk to Laughing Stock is radical and remarkable.
That’s actually an intriguing prospect. I’m a bit of a Talk Talk virgin. Well actually I’ve dabbled a bit (and like what I’ve heard) but never got past first base. I’m tempted, but hesitent because I’m too flighty and would probably lose interest (or forget) before I got to the end.
@arthur-cowslip
Do it!
I’m also a Talk Talk virgin…I disliked what I heard in the early ’80s and stopped listening. However, what I’ve read on this site (and given the music that I like) suggests that I should start with Laughing Stock and work my way back…
Ordered mine a while ago. Hopefully it’s on its way. Looking forward to reading it and should be a nice accompaniment to the Spirit of Talk Talk book published a few years ago.
I’m honestly not being obtuse but I honestly don’t understand a Word of what’s going on here
ps Ben Wardle???
Fkin hell, here’s someone more successful than MH at living under a rock…
Wardle – the new app where you have 6 goes to recognise a hospital from an outline map.
Chriiiiiiiiiiiiiiiis Wardle!
Talking of Talk Talk, I notice that they have started to release the original singles onto digital / streaming / hi-res platforms – Mirror Man / Strike Up The Band came out in Feb and Talk Talk / ? came out a couple of weeks ago.
They both have “2022 Master” – does this mean we are about to see a re-release / remastering campaign ? Anyone know any details ?
I wondered that, too. The Hollis-assisted recent* remasters sound ruddy fantastic.
I checked. 2014-2016. Not that recent, then.
Hoffmanites are on it , of course,
@chrisf
And here’s the link if you have a few spare days.
https://forums.stevehoffman.tv/threads/lets-talk-about-talk-talk.486547/page-44#post-29017372
Mine arrived on Saturday. And I’m not allowed to get my hands on it until next week’s significant birthday.
I feel I have enough Talk Talk products so probs I won’t get this. The transformation of this band over a relative few albums is unrivalled in terms of how much the sound and direction changed. I’m no real fan of the early stuff but the final 3 are sublime. I really love the B side song John Cope which feels like a bridge between the 2 halves of their career – which is probably why it didn’t appear on any official album
B-side of I Believe In You, the smash pop hit single* from Spirit of Eden
(*citation needed)
ICYMI there’s a new instrumental album out by Held By Trees which is new music made by musicians who played on latter day Talk Talk albums and Hollis’ solo album. It’s very good indeed. It’s on Spotify etc.