Mark Hollis, lead singer and songwriter with influential ‘80s band Talk Talk, dies aged 64

News
By
published

The band scored several big hits and were critically acclaimed

(Image credit: Martyn Goodacre/Getty Images)

Mark Hollis, the lead singer and principal songwriter of acclaimed ‘80s band Talk Talk, has died at the age of 64, it’s being reported.

Talk Talk were formed in 1981 and were initially part of the New Romantic movement, scoring a bit hit in 1984 with It’s My Life, taken from their second album of the same name. Further commercial success came in 1986, with Life’s What You Make It, taken from The Colour of Spring.

With their later albums, 1988’s Spirit of Eden and Laughing Stock, from 1991, Talk Talk became poster boys for the burgeoning post-rock scene, with many artists that followed them citing the band as a key influence.

Talk Talk disbanded in 1992, but Hollis returned in 1998 to release his eponymous, critically-acclaimed solo album, before largely retiring from the music industry. When interviewed by Danish TV in1998 about his approach to music, he's reported to have said: “Before you play two notes, learn how to play one note, y’know. And that, it’s as simple as that really.  And don’t play one note unless you’ve got a reason to play it.”

The circumstances surrounding Hollis’s death have yet to be confirmed. The news was broken by a family member on Twitter, and musicians, including former Talk Talk bassist Paul Webb (aka Rustin Man) have also taken to social media to pay tribute.

Posted by RustinManOfficial on 
Ben Rogerson
Ben Rogerson
Deputy Editor

I’m the Deputy Editor of MusicRadar, having worked on the site since its launch in 2007. I previously spent eight years working on our sister magazine, Computer Music. I’ve been playing the piano, gigging in bands and failing to finish tracks at home for more than 30 years, 24 of which I’ve also spent writing about music and the ever-changing technology used to make it.