Alternative Weekend: Talk Talk

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(Edited)

I do feel like a right old fart when writing these Alternative Weekends..., 'more like Alternative music from 35+ years ago'.

In 1980 when I was barely out of school I would have been horrified to be presented with music this old. What was about in 1945, Glen Miller and his big band and Vera Lynn singing to the war time soldiers?

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That's the stuff my late father might have been listening to, though not quite. His music tastes might have sucked but at least I inherited the 'music-loving genes' from him.

To place things in perspective I do feel the music of the early 1980s compared to now is not so 'that' far apart if you get my meaning?

So if you're a young lad or lass you won't have heard of Talk Talk who started as a synth-pop band in the very early '80s and mutated into a kind of weird progressive band a decade later.

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Vocalist, Mark Hollis died in 2019, from what’s been noted as 'after a short illness from which he never recovered'.

His vocal style was different, to say the least, but unique. Like Marmite, you either liked it or you did not.


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Today – Talk Talk (The Party's Over - 1982)

This is the song that made me take notice. I loved the synth-pop sounds of this era and though 'Today' was only a minor hit reaching the top twenty it made me a fan.

The voice, like David Sylvan of Japan and Bryan Ferry who Mr. Sylvan tried to imitate, was noticeable and different.

I often wondered if these guys from that period deliberately tried to sing with weird warbles to stand out and get some attention.


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Living in Another World – Talk Talk (The Colour of Spring - 1986)

The band hit their commercial peak around 1984-1985 and had that massive hit, 'Life's What You Make It' which made some waves in America.

Though I like the song with it's very distinctive guitar riff I will omit it from this post as I consider it a little mainstream.

More recently I discovered this gem and preferred the live longer version that has a lot more balls to it, closer to the end. It also showed the direction the band was heading in with the extra-long slow start.


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Eden – Talk Talk (The Sprit of Eden - 1988)

Choosing something from the highly acclaimed ‘The Spirit of Eden' was always going to be difficult.

That's because although the reviews of this 'ground-breaking' album are all so positive, I find myself struggling to hear what all the fuss is about.

After several listens to ‘Eden’, I found it palatable although strange and nothing like their earlier material.

Maybe you need to be tripping to appreciate ‘The Spirit of Eden. I think I could probably hear something in that state of mind. Now if I could just find some of those mushrooms....

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61 comments
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Like you, I preferred the poppier stuff - I struggled with the more critically acclaimed 'muso' albums. They did grow on me over time, but it's not often I reach for the later albums before the first two...

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After listening to 'Eden' a few more times, it is growing. The chorus is great and full of emotion. Still need those mushrooms for the rest of it though... for now at least!

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Just listen a bit more and you can do without the mushrooms... Though I'm not advising against this fungus at all. Let's try! :)

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I preferred the poppier stuff

This is what I hear a lot, not too many like their last two albums. But too me, they are the best. That said, I love all their albums! And regularly listen to them, all of them :)

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This may sound strange, but I can understand why folk like them. They just don't move me as much. I have to be properly in the right mood.

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For every combnations of ears, hearing and brains there is the right kind of music. Some ring, others don't. All good by nature, since the world would be boring when we all love the same 😉

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There are a couple of stations on Sirius XM that I like to listen to occasionally, but I need to start doing it more. One is Underground Garage and the other is First Wave. I think they both have a lot of music that you would like. There are actually a lot of stations I don't listen to because I know my wife would say "what are we listening to?". I will have to check out Talk Talk. The name actually sounds familiar to me.

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(Edited)

I'll be honest with you @bozz, these guys are probably before your time. What you might have heard is a certain No Doubt (Gwen Stefani) song called 'It's my Life' from 2003.

This was co-written by Mark Hollis and was a minor hit for them in 1984 which I also picked up on. The video is fucking awful.. but I still prefer the Talk Talk version, though No Doubt did a good job.

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Oh yep, I totally know this song. I hear it quite often on the 80's channel. Plus I pretty much grew up in the 80's, so there is that too. I know the No Doubt version as well, but I am quite familiar with this one. That voice is pretty unforgettable.

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(Edited)

Yea, the Its my Life is probably the most well known. But Talk Talk never was really popular and known. It was in my youth they created their albums. Not too many liked them as I recollect. But, fun fact, I come across younger people from time to time, mostly born after the band stopped producing records, who are in love with Talk Talk! Goosebump time when this happens :)

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'Talk Talk' (the song) was the first single I noticed, but Today the one that hit me. They were never that popular here, but I fell in love with that pure synth sound they had on the earlier songs.

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I think they were never that popualr anywhere. And when they went Spirit of Eden, even less popular. Just a tat to unconfomists to be liked by the mass.

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That is too funny.

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Not to bad of a sound, I missed them in my mid 80's listening of music, but I missed a lot of music then, so it is always nice to find some stuff from the past.

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I grew up listening to all this, music was decent then (mostly!).

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Remember when there was music? I miss music...

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I know what you mean. Have you tried listening to the current Top 40? I did a few days ago. It's still terrible and sounds just the same as it did several years ago when I tried.

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He'll no I quit even trying about 10 years ago, the shit now is sound based programming...

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My advice: Don't even try to listen to the top 40. I stopped doing so back in the late 80s when I had access to a CD rental shop having everything that was published on CD in their collection. My way of discovering music back then. These days its Soundcloud and Spotify (mainly) that allows me to discover great music. And recommendations from others. No need to watch MTV or listen to some radio station listening to whatever is pushed to the mass :)

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I have the Spotify app on my desktop machine, but never use it. My daughter does and has a subscription I think.

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Subscription is the best way to go with Spotify. All feature working + the ability to download songs/albums locally on eg smartphone to listen while not connected with the big dangerous internet.

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Music everywhere. Even when you think no music is around, eg when walking alone in nature, no humans around, no human-created sounds around, you can hear music in nature making sounds. Maybe even in the steps you take, the sounds your feet make when they hit the ground :)

Music is just in everything. That said, so much good music around, discoverable and playable from your smartphone, no need to listen to radio, or top x of recent :)

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It's funny in a way that the 'futuristic' sound of synths and electronic drums make some stuff from the 80s sound dated now. Not that they were a pure synth band. I knew the hits, but haven't listened to the albums. Maybe I should.

Just watched a nice show on Sky Arts called Soundbreaking about how various artists have worked in the studio. Some nice bits on that like the Eurythmics with their DIY studio. Also talked about how self-indulgent some bands could be spending months in the studio.

I saw some mention recently about us listening to really old music, but then pop goes back about 70 years now. Some of the earlier 'popular music' sounds more old-fashioned compared even to 50s rock and roll. Something happened around there to change music.

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It's funny in a way that the 'futuristic' sound of synths and electronic drums make some stuff from the 80s sound dated now.

Dated or not I still resonate with it. I loved the synth era, and when you mix guitars in you get the likes of Porcupine Tree coming out of the other end.

I watch those docos all the time on late night TV about old bands of the past. There's a lot of history to take in. !WINE

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Maybe I should

Owww owwww, please do! :) I'll not explain why in this comment, you can read my other comments to this post :)

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I have been exploring various stuff on Spotify. I don't listen to much mainstream 'top 40' radio as I find it boring. I seem to buy more music from Bandcamp than other sources.

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I don't listen to much mainstream 'top 40' radio as I find it boring

I can imagine. Though I have no clue what's on top 40 radio for a few dacdes already :) bandcamp is a good source indeed. I see more and more artists using all kind of popular services like Beatport, starting to use more and more Bandcamp as well.

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Lol, thats funny. When you look back and suddenly realise exactly how many years ago it is that you are talking about and realise how you would sound to a young un!!

I hadn't really heard them. Listened to the first video and oh my, how very eighties. I was going to click the second one but the good lady was staring at the noises coming from the laptop in absolutely horror :OD

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Listened to the first video and oh my, how very eighties.

Oh yeah, there's no mistaking it. Does the good lady prefer the songs of the current charts? You should have a listen, or maybe not.., I don't want to torture your ears. !WINE

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Lol. Hell no. Hey tests are actually quite strictly grounded in the eighties so I had no idea why she didn't like the undulating synths and waily vocals. I thought it would right up her street!

Cor blimey, I'm going to try that!

!WINE

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Nooooo Nooooo, laptop speakers are not the way to go. Get your headphones out, the good ones, not the shitty smartphone ones. Or your HIFI + speakers and then, listen to all their albums :) You may check my other comments to this post to understand why I start my comment like I started it :) But, the music should speak for itself. Maybe you need a few times listening before it gets to you, but start with good headphones and speakers, and 100% attention to the music (my advise: get comfy, close the eyes, and let the sound get into your most inner parts of your brains) :)

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HAhahah, I did indeed check the other comments! I like those other covers that were done. I myself am not much of an eighties synthy pop man. I like my meat chuggy and roary of the guitar! :OD

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It all good. We like what we like. I have my preferences as well, but music taste goes all over the place, from old to new, from sad to happy, from classical to dance, from instrumental to acapella. Can't say I'm a synth pop fan, but Talk Talk is a band that got and gets to me big time :)

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I could tell! The enthusiasm was bubbling out of every comment!!

It's good to have a favourite all time band and hear others enjoy it too. I get the same way when people talk about Judas priest even though they are old and a bit dated!

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Its indeed super to see how enthousiastic people are about a specific artist! Love it!

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This is as chuggy as it gets! !WINE

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An absolute classic and indeed it is the proper chuggy that gets me going! That reminds me I really must give it a bash on guitar. I don't think I have ever tried but it doesn't sound hard!

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It was extremely hard on Guitar Hero II hehe..!

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I used to love that. A gang of us did drink druggy guitar hero contest nights. They were insanely fun!

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Owwww Owwww mister Slobberchops! What a delight you dedicated a post to my most favourite band of all times!

Am not too much into this type of bands, so more or less easy to say this is my most favourite band, but nonetheless, it's ALL the albums of Talk Talk I regularly listen... for some time I had a TIDAL account next to my Spotify account just because one or two albums of Talk Talk was only available at TIDAL... Needless to say, I have all their CDs but CDs don't fit in my smartphone :)

I discovered Talk Talk through their 'Colour of Spring' album. Loved it so much back then, I rented all their previous albums (from a newly established CD rental shop back in 1988), recorded all of them on tape and quickly after that, started to buy all their albums on CD, and all the other albums when they came out.

I never really followed the news, reviews and critics, but when the Spirit of Eden album came out, I was dumbstruck, in a very positive sense. In an instant, it became my most favourite album by Talk Talk. And then their last album (not counting all the compilation albums), Laughing Stock. A jewel as well. I can't really tell why I love their last two albums so much, albums you seem not to like, but I think it has to do with the idea I have the band went totally artsy... no concessions for the sake of the business side of music. I do like the large instrumental parts, the lesser focus on vocals. I do like the more experimental approach, the lesser mainstream sound. I do like the large variations in their tracks (and the lengths of them), combinations of subtle parts to full-on heavy instrumental parts. I simply LOVE them!

Check this out... Two HIVE users taking up the task to create acoustic versions of a Talk Talk song. As you notice, two totally different interpretations, but love them both :)

NJOY without boundaries and limitations :)

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wow! @edprivat is forever the king of smooth! loved his version!

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Hey Hey, your version is d*rn cool as well! 😍

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Fun fact: A few years ago @edprivat had a lyric writing contest. He would write and produce a song to the winning lyrics.... I entered the contest and was surprised when I won! I haven't heard it in ages but have been forever impressed with his skill since.

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I must admit, I was impressed with what he came back with, and the whole process he went through, including the video take in nature, the radical approach which he then left again hahahaha Its really fun when we see others to spend energy, time and effort in creating something based on some others request. Salute to you both :)

What's the link to your winning lyrics and Ed's song?

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wish i had it but I think it died somewhere on st**m and dsound

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(Edited)

owwww such a shame 😉

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Oh yeah we had a lot of fun doing it!

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Thx my friend, I adore your version also ^^

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(Edited)

I know about 'Laughing Stock', it came after quite a break and then that was it. More along the same lines of Spirit I believe? I have tried to get into Spirit but it didn't happen.

Mind you.., that Eden song is getting into my brain. I will add the album to my car again and see what happens this time. I am quite cursed when it comes to new stuff digging itself in my head. !WINE

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True, Laughing Stock is more similar to Spirit of Eden than to all their previous work. You know, when listening to something a lot, we tend to start liking it. This is what the radio pluggers and advertisers so to us. If we can get you hooked on Talk Talk, driven by your own force, super.... We are glad to welcome you to the club of Eden fans, but of course, you may choose to join our Talk Talk fan club instead 🎶😉

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What shall I say here - I am running into my cellar to dig out some old 45 vinyls for a soon post (alternative electronic - if I find the time to post)

I do feel like a right old fart when writing these Alternative Weekends..., 'more like Alternative music from 35+ years ago'. In 1980 when I was barely out of school I would have been horrified to be presented with music this old.

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I only wish I still had mine. They took up lots of room tho, I like my digital collection just as much.

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