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Re: RIP Mark Hollis (Talk Talk)

PostPosted: Fri Mar 01, 2019 8:56 pm
by Barmy
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Re: RIP Mark Hollis (Talk Talk)

PostPosted: Sat Mar 02, 2019 5:30 am
by Passing_Stranger
I love early Talk Talk. They had it all - music, melodies, sound, voice. Fantastic - especially the first album with that dry early 1980s sound. Even the B-sides were class - still have goosebumps when I hear "Strike up the Band"! "It's My Life" was a late discovery, but I agree it's a masterpiece of an album. I still don't really understand what happened after that - perhaps Mark was shaken by their worldwide success - but music started to go away. "Colour of Spring" only had glimpses of old magic and that anguished voice he adopted was a disaster of Gary Numan proportions - chewing on words to soil the listener's experience. Thankfully he started doing something I'm not remotely interested in - so I simply stopped listening.

Overall I get the impression that what powered the evolution was equally his artistic vision and bloody-mindedness. From interviews he appeared a moody guy, rather stuck-up, very proud of what he accomplished and uninterested in sharing the experience. "You either get it or you don't, I won't talk about it". I have a hard time with this. "Tortured artist" stance is always a bit off-putting. Though perhaps it stemmed from not being taken seriously and perhaps his creative evolution has only been a way to get respect from critics... But he wouldn't talk about it so we cannot say for sure.

Come to think about it, the 1980s were actually filled with moody... persons like this. Geldof, Morisey, Orzabal, Weller, Sylvian, Bono...

As for his death, well, of course it's a tragedy for his family, and it was surprising news, shocking even. But let me say that - he actually lived a normal life (on the surface of it, at least). Grown up, followed - and fulfilled - his ambitions, had great success along the way, had family and kids, retired comfortably and lived life the way he wanted to. A very right way of doing things, an example to follow - and we cannot say he didn't do this or haven't accomplished that. So I don't really get the hopes of him doing something in music again - did he want to and did he have "it" in him anymore, after a couple dozen years of silence? I doubt it - and there's nothing wrong with it. Much better to retire than to expand the discography with uninspired "releases".

Re: RIP Mark Hollis (Talk Talk)

PostPosted: Sat Mar 02, 2019 1:06 pm
by InvisibleMan
very sad news, RIP

Re: RIP Mark Hollis (Talk Talk)

PostPosted: Wed Mar 06, 2019 5:02 am
by ABOATES
IMO Spirit of Eden and Laughing Stock are two of the most important, amazing, genre-bending/creating albums of all-time. Mark will be missed for sure. I secretly hoped that he would record again. I guess not. I should add to the list of amazing albums his 1998 solo record as well. The first two albums did nothing at all for me. Duran Duran wannabees that they were... Honestly, to read form a previous forum member that Spirit of Eden and Laughing Stock are a waste of time pretty much confirms what I already knew...I really don't have much in common with the majority of the folks that post here and I should seek out another site. I cannot relate at all with someone that would prefer The Party's Over to Laughing Stock! WTH???!!!! :shock:

Re: RIP Mark Hollis (Talk Talk)

PostPosted: Wed Mar 06, 2019 5:04 am
by ABOATES
jaybag wrote:I admit I'm with -1 and humanracer on this - I've listened to those last two albums and his solo album a few times and just never got into them. But I'm cycling through all my Talk Talk today in honor of Mr. Hollis's passing and will give those albums another go. It's funny how squarely in one of two camps people are: either "their early stuff is classic, their later stuff is crap" or "their early stuff blows, Spirit Of Eden is when they really started to shine." Nobody ever seems to say "I love all their stuff".

I do.

Re: RIP Mark Hollis (Talk Talk)

PostPosted: Wed Mar 06, 2019 5:10 am
by AJWAVE
i love all the talk talk/hollis/o-rang stuff
pd: listening "missing pieces" now :)

Re: RIP Mark Hollis (Talk Talk)

PostPosted: Wed Mar 06, 2019 5:34 am
by ABOATES
Yeh... not going to post anything else about this because I've already stated my opinion, but, honestly, it really caught me the wrong way to check in here and see that the majority of the posters dismiss SOE and LS and laud the first two records. I feel like saying hey people, go read like every tribute being put out after Mark's passing...The Guardian, Pitchfork, Spin, Rolling Stone, NME, etc etc etc...do you notice how the articles spend 99% of their time talking about the creative brilliance of the last two albums but don't even mention the name of the first one (hardly)? Just odd. But like I said, I guess if you are strictly into early 80's cheesy dance music-style "New Wave" music, then yes, the first two albums would be your thing. They aren't mine. It's OK...I forgive you, but man you guys need to broaden your horizons a bit.
PS Would the majority in this neck of the woods prefer Japan's Quiet Life to Sylvian's Secrets of the Beehive masterpiece? Ugh.

Re: RIP Mark Hollis (Talk Talk)

PostPosted: Wed Mar 06, 2019 7:31 am
by fixion
I am really fond of all the Talk Talk albums. Very different from start to end, but great music.
And I must say I prefer Japan to David`s solo work, even though I like his music too.

Re: RIP Mark Hollis (Talk Talk)

PostPosted: Wed Mar 06, 2019 12:16 pm
by Sean
I actually don't consider Talk Talk's 80's stuff as cheesey, even their first album. Their second and third album were to me already very mature sounding. The last 2 albums in my opinion are just too experimental. Although I love the basic sounds of New Wave, I have an extremely broad music horizon. No matter how hard I try to listen to their later albums, it just never clicks and believe me I've tried and tried and tried.

Re: RIP Mark Hollis (Talk Talk)

PostPosted: Wed Mar 06, 2019 3:35 pm
by ABOATES
All cool my friend. Music is what hits you...if it doesn't, you aren't wrong...it just is that way. : )

Re: RIP Mark Hollis (Talk Talk)

PostPosted: Wed Mar 06, 2019 4:51 pm
by moni
ABOATES wrote:I really don't have much in common with the majority of the folks that post here and I should seek out another site. I cannot relate at all with someone that would prefer The Party's Over to Laughing Stock! WTH???!!!! :shock:


Why don't you take your own advice and seek another site where everybody will agree with your opinion instead of coming on here criticizing people for their taste in music.

Re: RIP Mark Hollis (Talk Talk)

PostPosted: Thu Mar 07, 2019 12:00 am
by ABOATES
I don't like being in places or around people that all agree with me....but I get your point. :-) I just went back and read through this entire thread to remind myself why I posted what I did. To read that Hollis' solo record is "dreadful" and that his voice was "chewing on words to soil the listener's experience" and the albums being talked about in that fashion are actually Spirit of Eden, Laughing Stock, and Mark Hollis!!! A few days after his death as well. Honestly, I find it mind boggling and it has highlighted how ridiculous this forum is to me. You are completely right...I'm embarrassed to be posting on this forum. I'll leave you to your Visage and Culture Club 12" dance remixes. Have fun with that. Peace out!

Re: RIP Mark Hollis (Talk Talk)

PostPosted: Sat Mar 09, 2019 5:36 am
by Passing_Stranger
To think people come to a forum called New Wave Outpost and in all seriousness rant about Talk Talk's "New Wave" albums being crap and unworthy and "cheesy" (?) and "not my thing", while boasting about their avant garde phase being "masterpieces" (sic!)... I know rationality is not one of the inherent human features but such behaviour never fails to confuse me.

Re: RIP Mark Hollis (Talk Talk)

PostPosted: Sat Mar 09, 2019 5:23 pm
by negative1
i wouldn't be that harsh about talking about mark hollis solo album, or the last 2 talk talk albums.

the point is, if you started with the band in the early 80's, that what influenced you, and thats what made the impression.

with groups celebrating their 30th and 40th anniversaries, this is what a lot of people remembered, and enjoyed.

yes, groups move on, times change, and eras and musical styles change, i never expected talk talk to keep making
the same music on every album, especially since the first 3, although the might have a few similarities for some
tracks, are completely different. colour of spring is very richly textured, and thoughtful album, but still has
accessible songs, and there were plenty of releases and remixes.

if you happened to catch talk talk in the 90's as your starting point, then of course your impression would
be completely different, and you would evaluate them differently. yes, some people did appreciate the
change in direction, and welcomed the change of pace an style.

i bought all the singles, and both albums, spirit of eden and laughingstock the day they came out, as imports.
i listened to every track, and after about a week, probably didn't listen to either one until several years later.
i also bought missing pieces, all the compilations, and then the mark hollis solo album after awhile from when
it was released. i listened to it a few times, and probably haven't listened to it again.

if people think that those are the pinnacle of their sound, and representative of the band, i feel sorry for them,
that they cant enjoy a time when the band made other styles that were catchy, or upbeat, and melodic for
many many people. sure a lot of cheesy music falls into this category, but even in the first 2 albums, there's
depth and darkness, along with the catchy more upbeat songs.

if you come to the new wave complex and expect people to think that the tracks are terrible, then maybe
you need to go to the 90's alternative experimental forum where everybody will think that the last few
albums from them were indeed great. that's not going to happen here.

we can criticize mark's music all we want, it doesn't mean we hate mark, or him as a person, he's the one
that made us like the band in the first place. don't be so defensive, if you can't see that we appreciate his
musical contributions regardless of what we think of it.

later
-1

Re: RIP Mark Hollis (Talk Talk)

PostPosted: Sun Mar 10, 2019 7:51 am
by ABOATES
Search Mark Hollis in Google and read the first five tribute articles honoring him after his passing. Do you note that the first two albums are passed over quickly as insignificant and the last three albums are discussed in depth and detail? Why do you think that is? What, because your average person just doesn't understand the subtleties, nuances, and sheer brilliance of early synth-pop New Wave music? or maybe, perhaps maybe, you should broaden your horizons, live a little, and step outside of what is tried and true and give something different a try every once and a while. Look...I agree, that I am being a dick here...so what...Out of all of the things I ever thought I would read in a neck of the woods of people that I previously respected, would be contempt and criticism for the last two Talk Talk records...referring to them as an avant garde phase...what a freaking joke..those albums totally invented a brand new genre out of thin air (post-rock). OK..rant over...no worries folks...you are rid of me. I am not usually this over the top, but to hear Hollis' solo record described the way that is was literally blew my mind. How can people be so stupid?
You people seriously prefer All you do to me is Talk Talk over Ascension Day and New Grass and John Cope and Desire...That is mind boggling to me...like how?