Talk Talk (RIP Mark Hollis)

Another title connect -
Third World War - Ascension Day

Listened to 'Mark Hollis' for the first time through since he passed, this evening. For me, probably the most singular record I know. I love what I included in the mixes and I feel like there's a common spirit. But man, truly nothing really sounds like this record, or really the last two Talk Talk records.

sprit of talk talk book getting a reprint. have pre-ordered. not missing it this time around godammit.

The reprint of the 'Spirit of Talk Talk' book arrived last week, and it's just lovely. I didn't own the original, so I can't compare, but I think the writers did a stand up job reissuing the book and incorporating the death of Mark Hollis in it. It's properly addressed (how could it not?) but in context of the 'story' and history of the band. It's a sterling book, visibly made with so much love.

Aside: for the recluse Hollis came to be it's funny to see there are SO MANY *official PR/Press photos* of the band and of Hollis. I tend to forget they were an 80s band proper, where releasing even "difficult albums" like their last two were accompanied with photo shoots to go with press releases. Endearing photos, it's great to see them all together here.

I thought this might have raised an eyebrow, interesting line-up -

https://www.southbankcentre.co.uk/whats-on/132355-celebration-talk-talk-and-mark-hollis-2019

I saw that listed, but none of the musicians names rang a bell, so I assumed it was like those cheap Cleopatra covers CD's where there are just a bunch of no-names trying to capitalize on another bands legacy. So the participating musicians are from notable bands?

Well, it's weird, Simon Bremner was the original keyboard player and Martin Ditcham and Rupert Black were members of the touring band circa CoS iirc.

No idea about the rest of the names though, I don't recognise them.

Most of them seem to have played with Talk Talk at some point, if only in the short-lived mid-80s live band. David Rhodes played with Peter Gabriel for ages too, the others I didn't recognise until I looked them up, mostly session dudes tbh. Maybe Johnny Turnbull's the 23 Skidoo guy?

xpost

I think David Rhodes played on CoS, that's his guitar lick on Life's What You Make it iirc

i believe turnbull is the mulleted guitar player as seen in the montreux show

Isn't that the guitarist from the Blockheads?

http://youtu.be/NS5bxk89gQg?t=17

Same guy, right? That mullet is something else.

Yeah same guy!

looks like curnow and black played synths on that tour too! i wasn't excited for this tribute before but i've watched montreux so many times that my mind pretty much considers them members of the band

I *finally* purchased Spirit of Talk Talk (shipping costs and all that) and must second how lovely it is. Amazingly put together.

https://aquariumdrunkard.com/2019/08/25/aquarium-drunkard-presents-a-tribute-to-talk-talk-los-angeles-8-26/

Mark Hollis' solo album is getting a vinyl repress, you can order it at Burning Shed, and presumably elsewhere.

I think I pre-ordered this a long time ago. When is it being released?

Looks like I also have the internet. The release date is November 11.

Armistice Day seems apt

Nice little interview with James Marsh over on the Test Pressing site:

http://testpressing.org/magazine/soun-and-vision-james-marsh

just listening to Pass The Mic by the Beastie Boys, and it sounds like they're rapping over Talk Talk.

Aren’t they rapping over Edie Brickell?

Listened to the Mark Hollis solo album today. It’s only flaw is that it comes last in a trilogy of perfect albums.

it's so good

A perfect album.

Various - 'Elegy for Mark Hollis - A Life (1955-2019)'
1982-2000
01 [0:00:00] David Sylvian - "Brilliant Trees" ('Brilliant Trees' 1984)
02 [0:09:05] Rachel's - "Full On Night" ('Handrwiting' 1995)
03 [0:15:40] Neil Young - "Guitar Solo #4" ('Dead Man' 1996)
04 [0:19:45] The Durutti Columm - "Without Mercy (Stanzas IX-XII)" ('Without Mercy' 1984)
05 [0:26:45] The For Carnation - "Moonbeams" ('The For Carnation' 2000)
06 [0:36:05] Scott Walker - "Sleepwalkers Woman" ('Climate of Hunter' 1984)
07 [0:40:05] Robert Wyatt - "Maryan" ('Shleep' 1997)
08 [0:46:15] Paul Motian Trio - "India" ('It Should've Happened a Long Time Ago' 1985)
09 [0:53:35] Low - "Landlord" ('Songs For A Dead Pilot' 1997)
10 [1:00:15] The Comsat Angels - "Pictures" ('Fiction' 1982)
11 [1:04:40] Dif Juz - "Marooned" ('Extractions' 1985)
12 [1:08:35] Shelleyan Orphan - "Supernature on a Superhighway" ('Humroot' 1992)
13 [1:15:30] Danny Thompson - "Till Minne Av Jan" ('Whatever' 1987)
14 [1:20:15] Stina Nordenstam - "Dynamite" ('Dynamite' 1996)
15 [1:24:35] Haruomi Hosono - "Trembling #1" ('The Endless Talking' 1985)
16 [1:27:40] Dead Can Dance - "The Host of Seraphim" ('The Serpent's Egg' 1988)
17 [1:33:25] Yasuaki Shimizu - "Stir In This Way" ('Kakashi' 1982)
18 [1:35:35] Mick Karn - "Dreams of Reason" ('Dreams Of Reason Produce Monsters' 1986)
19 [1:39:15] Arthur Russell - "Not Checking Up" ('World of Echo' demo 1986)
20 [1:43:40] This Mortal Coil - "The Lacemaker" ('Blood' 1991)
21 [1:46:45] Peter Gabriel - "With This Love" ('Passion' 1989)
22 [1:50:05] The Blue Nile - "Regret" ('Tinseltown In the Rain' single 1984)
23 [1:53:30] Talk Talk - "It's Getting Late in the Evening" ('Life's What You Make It' single 1986)

[Total Time: 1:59:17]

Downloadable or streamable here: https://www.mixcloud.com/musicophilia/musicophilia-elegy-for-mark-hollis-a-life-1955-2019/

― Soundslike, Thursday, March 28, 2019 12:38 AM (nine months ago) bookmarkflaglink

Just want to say I've been back to this mix numerous times over the last year, I think it really is something special.

https://www.instagram.com/p/CFUaj8rHN2x/?igshid=29d5ab1a075t

great :)

Paul Webb’s IG is a treat, thanks for posting it

This week has been perfect for Hollis' solo album - the shortening days, the gathering gloom. It's a cliche to say it but it's such a mysterious album, so spare and obtuse that one is driven to look for clues. I keep coming back to the final verse of Westward Bound, which - particularly coming off the back of the Roland Leighton homage of A Life (1895-1915) - carries the weight of an engraving or an inscription:

Migrate
Job on the threshing line
Mute I walk
Idle ground
Westward bound

That's the sparest song on a spare album.

westward bound is my favourite. the voice barely

Various - 'Elegy for Mark Hollis - A Life (1955-2019)'
1982-2000
01 [0:00:00] David Sylvian - "Brilliant Trees" ('Brilliant Trees' 1984)
02 [0:09:05] Rachel's - "Full On Night" ('Handrwiting' 1995)
03 [0:15:40] Neil Young - "Guitar Solo #4" ('Dead Man' 1996)
04 [0:19:45] The Durutti Columm - "Without Mercy (Stanzas IX-XII)" ('Without Mercy' 1984)
05 [0:26:45] The For Carnation - "Moonbeams" ('The For Carnation' 2000)
06 [0:36:05] Scott Walker - "Sleepwalkers Woman" ('Climate of Hunter' 1984)
07 [0:40:05] Robert Wyatt - "Maryan" ('Shleep' 1997)
08 [0:46:15] Paul Motian Trio - "India" ('It Should've Happened a Long Time Ago' 1985)
09 [0:53:35] Low - "Landlord" ('Songs For A Dead Pilot' 1997)
10 [1:00:15] The Comsat Angels - "Pictures" ('Fiction' 1982)
11 [1:04:40] Dif Juz - "Marooned" ('Extractions' 1985)
12 [1:08:35] Shelleyan Orphan - "Supernature on a Superhighway" ('Humroot' 1992)
13 [1:15:30] Danny Thompson - "Till Minne Av Jan" ('Whatever' 1987)
14 [1:20:15] Stina Nordenstam - "Dynamite" ('Dynamite' 1996)
15 [1:24:35] Haruomi Hosono - "Trembling #1" ('The Endless Talking' 1985)
16 [1:27:40] Dead Can Dance - "The Host of Seraphim" ('The Serpent's Egg' 1988)
17 [1:33:25] Yasuaki Shimizu - "Stir In This Way" ('Kakashi' 1982)
18 [1:35:35] Mick Karn - "Dreams of Reason" ('Dreams Of Reason Produce Monsters' 1986)
19 [1:39:15] Arthur Russell - "Not Checking Up" ('World of Echo' demo 1986)
20 [1:43:40] This Mortal Coil - "The Lacemaker" ('Blood' 1991)
21 [1:46:45] Peter Gabriel - "With This Love" ('Passion' 1989)
22 [1:50:05] The Blue Nile - "Regret" ('Tinseltown In the Rain' single 1984)
23 [1:53:30] Talk Talk - "It's Getting Late in the Evening" ('Life's What You Make It' single 1986)

[Total Time: 1:59:17]

Downloadable or streamable here: https://www.mixcloud.com/musicophilia/musicophilia-elegy-for-mark-hollis-a-life-1955-2019/

― Soundslike, Thursday, March 28, 2019 12:38 AM (nine months ago) bookmarkflaglink

Just want to say I've been back to this mix numerous times over the last year, I think it really is something special.

I've come back to these Hollis tribute mixes a lot, too. Thank you--really glad you dig them.

Should probably post this one here, too--not specifically a Hollis tribute, but certainly inspired by him (especially solo album) and trying to find that sparer-than-spare sound. 'Westward Bound' is the kick-off and the cornerstone:

https://musicophilia.files.wordpress.com/2020/02/musicophilia_00__various_-_pith-echo_1968-2019_cover-a.jpg?w=768

Various – ‘Pith & Echo’
1968-2019

Part I

01 [00:00] Mark Hollis – “Westward Bound” (‘Mark Hollis’ 1998)
02 [04:10] Low – “It’s All Been Done” (‘Double Negative’ 2018)
03 [07:40] David Sylvian – “The Only Daughter” (‘Blemish’ 2003)
04 [12:55] The Knife – “Still LIght” (‘SIlent Shout’ 2006)
05 [16:00] Areski – “Liberte” (‘Un Beau Matin’ 1971)
06 [17:55] Melanie De Biasio – “Brother” (‘Lilies’ 2017)
07 [21:00] Brian Eno – “By This River” (‘Before And After Science’ 1977)
08 [24:00] Orchestral Manoeuvres in the Dark – “Sealand” (‘Architecture & Morality’ 1981)
09 [31:40] Yves Jarvis – “To Say That Is Easy” (‘The Same But By Different Means’ 2019)
10 [35:50] Jansen / Barbieri – “The Insomniac’s Bed” (‘Stories Across Borders’ 1991)
11 [39:40] Tor Lundvall – “Falling Trees” (‘Sleeping And Hiding’ 2005)
12 [42:45] Anja Garbarek – “It Seems We Talk” (‘Smiling & Waving’ 2001)
13 [47:20] Grouper – “Blouse” (‘Grid of Points’ 2018)

Part II

14 [49:40] John Martyn – “Small Hours” (‘One World’ 1977)
15 [58:35] Nico – “Frozen Warnings (Alternate)” (‘The Marble Index’ 1968)
16 [62:55] Arthur Russell – “All-Boy All-Girl” (‘World of Echo’ 1986)
17 [66:35] Richard Skelton – “Votive” (‘Border Ballads’ 2019)
18 [69:05] Beth Gibbons & Rustin Man – “Show” (‘Out of Season’ 2002)
19 [73:25] Bonnie Prince Billy – “Banks of Red Roses” (‘When We Are Inhuman’ 2019)
20 [79:05] Bjork – “All Is Full of Love” (‘Homogenic’ 1997)
21 [83:20] Colin Self – “Once More” (‘Orphans’ EP 2019)
22 [90:05] Yosuke Tokunaga – “Table” (‘8 Furnitures’ 2019)
23 [93:50] Duendita – “Bury Me” (‘direct line to My Creator’ 2018)
24 [98:25] Moses Sumney – “Doomed” (‘Aromanticism’ 2017)

[Total Time: 1:42:50]

download/stream here: https://musicophilia.wordpress.com/2020/02/23/pith-and-echo/

Another winner imo, right up my alley.

Just out of curiosity: you're not compiling these as playlists too, are you? Like a mixtape instead of a mix, on Spotify or Tidal or whatever. What is the appeal for you of a mix instead of a mixtape/playlist with the songs from beginning to end? (not that I've ever come across a ruthless cut/break in a song in a mix of yours, just curious)

It can be subtle in mixes where they're closer to "compilations" than mixes (though many of my mixes are more heavily mixed), but I spend a sort of silly amount of effort on getting the levels right, getting the segues (even if small) right, on the flow/sequencing, etc. Also, as I make these downloadable, I want them to be a single mp3 (like a podcast) instead of individual tracks, so there's no misunderstanding I'm bootlegging music. Also, I've never really checked, but it's likely Spotify wouldn't have a lot of the tracks I mix.

Really, my intent/hope is to get people to go buy music--I don't personally use or support Spotify et al, and their 0.007 cents per stream bullshit.

Oh shit I can’t wait to listen to these! I listened to all 5 of their albums yesterday, it’s such perfect fall music. I also threw in Sarah McLachlan’s Fumbling Towards Ecstasy bcz it is basically a Talk Talk album

Feel like there's an early Lilys' song or two that would make a very nice Hollis-inspired mix...

maybe "The Turtle Which Died Before Knowing"

Sarah McLachlan performed Give It Up from The Colour of Spring when I saw her in 1991. The big influence that Hollis seems to have had on her later work is taking years between records.

So this was Tim Friese-Greene's big hit before Talk Talk, you can see why Mark Hollis wanted to work with him.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WScEJKNMdgI

The colour of spanx

Strong Brenda Bristols vibe to the brunette.

A trial run before the video to 'Life's What You Make It', clearly.

I can no longer claim to be a Talk Talk completist.

Not fair, TFG had also produced Wang Chung's first record (Huang Chung) as well as Thomas Dolby's "She Blinded Me With Science" during that same stretch.

No. 1 single though! Also he seems to have been quite closely involved with the 'band' Tight Fit in a way he wouldn't be again till Talk Talk:

Later in the year, record producer Tim Friese-Greene recorded a version of the song "The Lion Sleeps Tonight" with another group of session singers. The singer was Roy Ward, the former drummer and percussionist from the British 1970s band City Boy. The song was released in early 1982, again under the name Tight Fit. The song gained instant attention and so a new group was formed to front it. Dancer, singer and model Steve Grant was teamed with female singers Denise Gyngell and Julie Harris. The song reached No.1 in the UK for three weeks in March 1982 and the line-up was catapulted into sudden and unexpected stardom.[4]

Satisfied this line-up could actually sing in their own right, Friese-Greene produced their next single, "Fantasy Island" – a song by The Millionaires which had been in the Dutch Eurovision Song Contest heats. The song, in a very similar vein to the pop group Abba, was also a success, reaching No.5 in May 1982.[5]

LOL he also produced the Nolans!

Goodness I remember that Tight Fit song. I'm old.

The B-side is called "Rhythm, Movement And Throbbing".

I can just picture Hollis getting hammered in an after hours studio sesh and cranking out a cover of it.