Mark Hollis death: Talk Talk singer hailed as ‘musical genius’ by bandmates after death, aged 64
Tributes have poured in from family, friends, and fellow musicians
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Your support makes all the difference.Mark Hollis, the frontman of the band Talk Talk, has died aged 64, according to reports.
His cousin-in-law Anthony Costello tweeted on Monday: “RIP Mark Hollis. Cousin-in-law. Wonderful husband and father. Fascinating and principled man. Retired from the music business 20 years ago but an indefinable musical icon.”
Talk Talk’s bassist Mark Webb, aka Rustin Man, wrote on Instagram: “I am very shocked and saddened to hear the news of the passing of Mark Hollis. Musically he was a genius and it was a honour and a privilege to have been in a band with him.”
“I have not seen Mark for many years, but like many musicians of our generation I have been profoundly influenced by his trailblazing musical ideas.”
Simon Le Bon from Duran Duran wrote on Twitter: “We, Duran Duran, are very sorry to learn that one of music’s great innovators Mark Hollis has died. The band Talk Talk, which he co-founded and fronted, were on tour with us in 1982; it made for a tremendous & very entertaining bill. Mark was the main songwriter of some truly great songs, including ‘It’s My Life’ & ‘Such a Shame’.”
“In 1988 the extraordinary album ‘Spirit of Eden’ was released. His talent will be remembered & his music will live on."
The synth-pop band released several hit singles in the 1980s, including “Talk Talk” (1982), “It’s My Life” (1984), and “Such a Shame” (1984).
Under Hollis’s direction, the band then shifted towards a more experimental approach in the mid-1980s and pioneering what became known as post-rock, including hit singles “Life’s What You Make It” (1985) and “Living in Another World” (1986).
Talk Talk disbanded in 1992, with Hollis returning to music in 1998 to release a self-titled solo album, which stripped the band’s trademark sound down to a more minimal, acoustic style. After its release, Hollis largely retired from the music industry.
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