Talk Talk Laughing Stock

Collection includes all studio albums and two compilations by English musical group Talk Talk. The group had a string of international hit singles including "Today", "Talk Talk", "It's My Life", "Such a Shame", "Dum Dum Girl", "Life's What You Make It" and "Living in Another World". In their later years the band's commercial appeal receded, but their critical reputation increased as they moved from synthpop to a more experimental form. Their final two albums, Spirit of Eden and Laughing Stock, were highly acclaimed and remain influential to experimental alternative rock genres, especially post-rock.

Jan Mikael Sørensen met Håvard Enge in 1978. At the age of 12 they got obsessed with music, and albums like The Hurting by Tears for Fears, The Colour of Spring by Talk Talk and Skylarking by XTC persuaded them to learn to play instruments. In 1986 the band Crazy Dogs (later Cerumen) saw the light of day. The band included Håvards brother Kolbjørn (now drummer/vocalist, Nan Madol).

Jan Mikael Sørensen met Håvard Enge in 1978. At the age of 12 they got obsessed with music, and albums like The Hurting by Tears for Fears, The Colour of Spring by Talk Talk and Skylarking by XTC persuaded them to learn to play instruments. In 1986 the band Crazy Dogs (later Cerumen) saw the light of day. The band included Håvards brother Kolbjørn (now drummer/vocalist, Nan Madol).

A double CD tribute album contains tracks specially recorded by more than 30 contemporary acts from around the globe who have re-invented, re-interpreted and rebooted many of Talk Talk’s greatest moments precisely 30 years since ‘Talk Talk’ made its mark on the mainstream. Among the artists appearing on the CD are: Alan Wilder (Recoil), White Lies, King Creosote, Jason Lytle (Grandaddy), Zero 7, Linton Kwesi Johnson, Richard Reed Parry (Arcade Fire), Joan As Police Woman, Sean Carey (Bon Iver), Lights, Goldheart Assembly, Thomas White (Electric Soft Parade), Fyfe Dangerfield (Guillemots), Thomas Feiner, The Black Ships and Turin Brakes. Also contributing to the album are ex-Talk Talk collaborators Ian Curnow, David Rhodes, Gaynor Sadler and Martin Ditcham.

SUBLIME TALK TALK BROADCAST FROM 1984 Formed in 1981 by Mark Hollis (vocals, guitar, piano), Lee Harris (drums), and Paul Webb (bass), Talk Talk achieved early chart success with the synth-pop singles ‘Talk Talk’ (1982), ‘It's My Life, and ‘Such a Shame’ (both 1984) before moving towards a more experimental approach informed by jazz and free improvisation in the mid-80s, pioneering what became known as post-rock. Talk Talk achieved widespread critical success in Europe and the UK with the singles ‘Life's What You Make It’ (1985) and ‘Living in Another World’ (1986); in 1988, they released their fourth album Spirit of Eden, which was critically acclaimed yet failed to sell. Friction with the band's label, EMI, resulted in legal action and countersuing. Webb departed, and the band switched to Polydor for their final studio album, 1991's Laughing Stock, but split soon afterwards. Singer Mark Hollis released one solo album in 1998 before retiring from the music industry; he died in 2019 aged 64. The band's founding bass player and drummer, Paul Webb and Lee Harris, played in several bands together; long-term collaborator Tim Friese-Greene continued in the business as a musician and producer.