Mark Hollis and Talk Talk

   Talk Talk, left to right: Paul Webb, Mark Hollis and Lee Harris in 1984. Photograph: Rob Verhorst/Redferns

There's no denying that Mark Hollis was always one of my favorite songwriters. It was his music and band that always grabbed my attention during some very busy times for me. I have to say that my music was really at the bottom of the list of what got played around my house. Occasionally when I was alone, I'd put in a CD and dance with myself. 

I never had a Talk Talk CD. I had a cassette tape and you know how that goes. They were fragile things to own.

Hollis was really magical, a dreamy songwriter with a gorgeous voice that just oozed longing. He was self-taught, difficult at times, and he had a very ambivalent relationship with his fame and with the music industry itself. These are things I can identify with strongly. I was very sad when I heard he was not going to play anymore music and then long after he died.

But this songs remain some of my favorites. I recently bought  Natural History, The Very Best of Talk Talk to play on my record player and a CD to play in the car.

Here is a beautiful essay written about Mark Hollis.

https://www.theguardian.com/music/2019/feb/26/mark-hollis-talk-talk-singer