Talk Talk’s Mark Hollis 1955 – 2019
By Andy Kahn Feb 26, 2019 • 7:14 am PST
Influential synth pop and post-rock musician Mark Hollis of Talk Talk has died at the age of 64. Hollis’ death after a short illness was confirmed by his manager Keith Aspden.
Hollis, drummer Lee Harris, bassist Paul Webb and keyboardist Simon Brenner formed Talk Talk in London, England in 1981. The group’s debut album, The Party’s Over, was released in 1982. Brenner left the following year and the remaining trio went on to release several acclaimed albums including 1984’s It’s My Life, 1986’s The Colour Of Spring and 1988’s Spirit Of Eden. Talk Talk’s final album was 1991’s Laughing Stock.
Hollis was born in London on January 4, 1955. He formed the short-lived The Reaction in the late-1970s, recording a lone single, “I Can’t Resist,” prior to breaking up in 1978. Following his stint fronting Talk Talk, during which the band had hits such as “It’s My Life,” “Such a Shame,” “Life’s What You Make It” and “Living in Another World,” Hollis emerged in 1998 with his self-titled debut solo album. Hollis largely retired after the release of Mark Hollis, occasionally appearing on recordings in subsequent years.
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“I am very shocked and saddened to hear the news of the passing of Mark Hollis,” Webb wrote. “Musically he was a genius and it was a honour and a privilege to have been in a band with him. I have not seen Mark for many years, but like many musicians of our generation I have been profoundly influenced by his trailblazing musical ideas. He knew how to create a depth of feeling with sound and space like no other. He was one of the greats, if not the greatest.”
Many other musicians have shared messages of appreciation and admiration for Hollis’ influence on their work. Find some of those tributes below:
