Mark Hollis

Singer/songwriter Mark Hollis formed a band called the Reaction, which in 1977 recorded a demo for Island. After a single and a compilation appearance, the Reaction disbanded, and Hollis subsequently formed Talk Talk in 1981. With their 1982 debut, The Party's Over, Talk Talk emerged as an archetype of new wave ideals, but with each successive record their sound grew more atmospheric and complex, ultimately developing into an organic, often acoustic sound textured by elements of jazz and ambient music. After completing 1991's Laughing Stock, the group was essentially finished. Hollis resurfaced in 1998, when he issued his self-titled solo debut, a continuation of the final Talk Talk records. ~ Jason Ankeny