Talk Talk The Party's Over

Talk Talk began as a quartet consisting of Mark Hollis (vocals), Simon Brenner (keyboards), Lee Harris (drums) and Paul Webb (bass guitar). They were generally associated with the New Romantic movement; more specifically, in their early years, they were often compared with Duran Duran, as both bands not only featured a double-barreled name and a Roxy Music-inspired musical direction, but also shared the same record label (EMI) and producer (Colin Thurston). Active from 1981 to 1991, the group had a string of international hit singles. In their later years the band's commercial appeal receded, and their critical reputation increased as they moved from synth-pop to a more experimental form. Their debut, The Party's Over, was released in 1982 and was produced by Thurston, who was a former engineer for David Bowie but was better known for producing Duran Duran's first two albums. A product of its time, the album (featuring the singles "Today" and "Talk Talk") is classic synth-pop teamed with lyrical depth that went on to be synonymous with lead singer, Mark Hollis.