Oh man. Sad news. Talk Talk are, lets be honest, one of the ultimate Balearic bands. Imagine how great it would have been hearing their music in the clubs in the mid-80s... Anyway, when I was little one of the first CDs I bought when they came out as a format was Talk Talk's 'Colour Of Spring'. I can't remember why I bought it but I loved it to death and I still have the same copy. A truly brilliant album from start to finish and my personal favourite due to my young attachment to it. Mark Hollis was obviously Talk Talk's singer and far more...

True story. The first CD I ever bought was Talk Talk's 'The Colour Of Spring'. I got busted at school once and got banned from playing basketball which I loved. I was sat on the side while my mates all played looking at this CD when my games teacher came over and said ‘what have you got there?’ I showed him and he incredulously said ‘you like Talk Talk??’ And I said yeah. He said ‘why aren’t you doing games?’ And I explained he banned me the week previously. He said ‘go and get your kit on’. Proof if you ever need it that Talk Talk makes your life better.

When I worked full time in music I had this dream (and tried to) of starting a label called The Café where I'd sign people like Mark Hollis (and people of his calibre) to just make the records they wanted to make with no record company pressure. It never happened. He was apparently scarred from a guest performance with a band who shall remain nameless and now just wanted to play his instruments for his own enjoyment.

There's so much "great" in his back catalogue and, fittingly for this news, often has an ecclesiastical feel. I'm sad that he's gone even though he was no longer making music. Here's Talk Talk live in Montreaux, 1986 playing in front a Keith Haring backdrop. Mark Hollis R.I.P. x.