Talk Talk began as a quartet consisting of Mark Hollis on the vocals, Simon Brenner, Lee Harris and Paul Webb. They were generally associated with the New Romantic movement; more specifically, in their early years, they were often compared with Duran Duran, as both bands not only featured a double-barrelled name and a Roxy Music-inspired musical direction, but also shared the same record label (EMI) and producer (Colin Thurston).
Talk Talk's first album in 1982 entitled The Party's Over. The band charted with 'Talk Talk' (a remake of the The Reaction's 1977 song and 'Today', both produced by Thurston (whose other production credits include The Human League, Duran Duran and Kajagoogoo).
They were introduced to a much wider live audience in October that year when they supported a Genesis reunion concert in Milton Keynes. But the reaction of the audience to their New Romantic style that day was one more of hostility than mild acceptance, as Mark Hollis spent a lot of time on stage avoiding missiles directed at him. The irony of the situation was that it would only be a matter of three years before the band would be making music that an average Genesis audience would find acceptable.
Talk Talk achieved considerable international success in 1984/85, particularly in continental Europe, with the album It's My Life. The single release 'Such a Shame', a song inspired by the book The Dice Man, went on to become one of their most successful, charting high in Austria, Germany, Italy and Switzerland. The title track of the album was also a Top10 hit in Italy, and made it in the US, Canadian, French, German, New Zealand and Dutch Top 40, although the album and its singles were largely ignored in their native UK.
They eventually abandoned the New Wave style completely with The Colour of Spring in 1986. This became their biggest studio album success in the UK.
Talk Talk split after their album Laughing Stock, with Mark Hollis briefly trying to embark on a solo career, however, he did call it a day soon after.
It's My Life was successfully covered by No Doubt.
Talk Talk - Talk Talk (1982)
UK#52
Talk Talk - Today (1982)
NZ#10, UK#14, IRL#16
Talk Talk - My Foolish Friend (1983)
UK#57
Talk Talk - It's My Life (1984)
IT#7, FR#25, NL#30, CAN#30, US#31, NZ#32, UK#46
Talk Talk - Such A Shame (1984)
CH#1, DE#2, IT#4, FR#7, NL#9, NZ#39, UK#49, US#89
Talk Talk - Dum Dum Girl (1984)
DE#20, CH#24, NL#31, NZ#34, UK#74
Talk Talk - Life's What You Make It (1986)
NZ#11, NL#11, IT#14, UK#16, IRL#17, CH#17, DE#24, CAN#48, FR#49, US#90
Talk Talk - Living In Another World (1986)
NL#22, CH#23, IT#26, DE#34, FR#44, UK#48
Nice collection
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