Mark Hollis
Mark Hollis |
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Mark Hollis (born 4 January 1955 in Tottenham, London, England) is a composer, musician, singer-songwriter. Having achieved considerable success in the 1980s leading the synth pop band Talk Talk, he retired from the music industry after one critically praised solo album.
Career
The younger brother of Ed Hollis, a disc jockey and producer who went on to manage bands such as Eddie and the Hot Rods, Hollis originally planned to become a child psychologist but in 1975 left university to relocate to London, eventually forming a band called the Reaction. In 1977, the Reaction recorded a demo for Island Records; among the tracks was a Hollis original titled "Talk Talk" which later surfaced on the Beggars Banquet punk compilation Streets. After just one single, 1978's "I Can't Resist," the Reaction disbanded, and through his brother, Hollis was first introduced to musicians Paul Webb, Lee Harris, and Simon Brenner, with whom he formed Talk Talk in 1981, soon signing to the EMI label.[1]
Hollis is most famous as the lead singer of the band Talk Talk, and was praised for his "always remarkable voice."[2] It was he, along with unofficial Talk Talk member Tim Friese-Greene, who took the lead in evolving the band's style from New Romantic into what would later become known as post-rock.
In 1998 he released an eponymous solo debut album, Mark Hollis,[3] and participated on a few musical projects (see below). He has now retired from the music business.[4] Despite Hollis's absence from the public eye, he (as well as Talk Talk) continue to be mentioned in the press, inside Britain and outside, often as an example of an artist who refused to sacrifice his artistic ambition to commercial success and as a yardstick for current artists.[5][6][7] His complete withdrawal from the public eye continues to fascinate music critics.[8][4]
Solo discography
- Mark Hollis (1998)
See also Talk Talk discography
Collaborations
- Hollis played the piano on the track 'Piano' from the 1998 minimalist album AV 1, by Phill Brown and Dave Allinson, under the pseudonym John Cope.
- Hollis played piano on the track "Chaos" on the 1998 trip-hop album Psyence Fiction by UNKLE.
- Hollis provided "musical accompaniment" on Anja Garbarek's 2001 album Smiling & Waving.
References
- ^ [1]
- ^ Gilbert, Ruth (1989-01-23). "Hotline: Music (Spirit of Eden)". New York Magazine. Retrieved 2009-06-27.
{{cite news}}: Cite has empty unknown parameter:|coauthors=(help) - ^ "A record that floors me each time." Parkes, Jason A. (2007-05-12). "Rev. of Mark Hollis, Mark Hollis". Julian Cope Presents Head Heritage. Retrieved 2009-06-27.
{{cite web}}: Cite has empty unknown parameter:|coauthors=(help) - ^ a b McGee, Alan (2008-04-09). "Wherefore art thou Mark Hollis?". The Guardian. Retrieved 2009-06-27.
{{cite news}}: Cite has empty unknown parameter:|coauthors=(help) - ^ Aizlewood, John (2002-11-18). "Why Ashcroft is missing Verve". Evening Standard.
{{cite news}}:|access-date=requires|url=(help); Cite has empty unknown parameter:|coauthors=(help) - ^ Schmickl, Gerald (2001-12-14). "Rev. of Talk Talk, Missing Pieces". Wiener Zeitung. Retrieved 2009-06-27.
{{cite news}}: Cite has empty unknown parameter:|coauthors=(help) - ^ Lees, Alasdair (2008-09-19). "Shearwater, Bush Hall, London". The Independent. Retrieved 2009-06-27.
{{cite news}}: Cite has empty unknown parameter:|coauthors=(help) - ^ Masi, Bruno (2006-03-18). "Retour sur la planète Merz". Liberation. Retrieved 2009-06-27.
{{cite news}}: Cite has empty unknown parameter:|coauthors=(help)
External links
- Within Without - large unofficial Mark Hollis and Talk Talk homepage
- Talkingspace German Mark Hollis and Talk Talk fan page
- It's My Talk Talk Pages - Unofficial French Talk Talk page
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