Spirit Of Talk Talk

TALK TALK NEWS

19/04/01 - Missing Pieces

Voiceprint changed the original scheduled release date of "Missing Pieces". It is now available and can be purchased from Amazon.co.uk for Ł11.99 plus postage. The new remix album by EMI is also now available to buy.

31/03/01 - "New" Remix compilation

The forthcoming remix album by EMI has been delayed one week. It will now be available from 16th April. The tracklisting is:

1. Talk talk (extended mix)
2. Today (extended mix)
3. My foolish friend (extended mix)
4. It's my life (extended mix)
5. Such a shame (extended mix)
6. Dum dum girl (12" mix)
7. Without you (12" mix)
8. Life's what you make it (extended mix)
9. Living in another world (extended remix)
10. Pictures of Bernadette (dance mix)
11. Happiness is easy (12")
12. Such a shame (dub mix)

Sound familiar? If you can't wait until the 16th April, then why not buy the "12x12" compilation or "Asides Besides"? The tracklisting for this "new" album is completely identical to that for "12 x 12" and Cd1 from "Asides Besides". The words from The Smiths' "Paint A Vulgar Picture" spring to mind:

"Best of, most of
Satiate the need
Slip them into different sleeves
Buy both and feel deceived"

It's hard to believe that according to Amazon's website, their sales rank of pre-orders is already over 10,000.

24/03/01 - May Release

Voiceprint have confirmed that "Missing Pieces" is set to be released in May. The tracklisting is:

After the Flood (edit)
Myrrhman
New Grass
Stump
Ascension Day
5:09
Piano

07/03/01 - Missing Pieces

"Missing Pieces" has now vanished from the Siren Records catalogue, suggesting that it will not be released on 12th March after all. This would appear to be the case, as Amazon do not have the title to pre-order, whilst the new remix album is in their future releases catalogue. Quite where Siren Records picked the 5th March as a release date from is something of a mystery. An e-mail was sent to Voiceprint, who distribute Pond Life releases, asking for information about tracklisting and a release date, but no reply has been received to date.

24/02/01 - Another New Release!

Yet another new Talk Talk compilation is being released. "The Best Of - Remixed" will be available in the UK on the 9th April. Exact tracklisting to be confirmed but you can pre-order a copy now at Amazon. Over 4,000 people have done just that already.

The Anja Garbarek album will be released on 26th March. The full tracklisting is:

1. Her room
2. Gown
3. Spin the context
4. Stay tuned
5. You know
6. Big mouth
7. Diver
8. That's all
9. And then
10. It seems we talk

The tracks "Diver" and "Gown" were produced by Mark Hollis and Phil Brown. You can also pre-order a copy of this release at Amazon.

08/02/01 - Missing Pieces

A new Talk Talk compilation Cd will be released later this year, and unlike those from EMI this will be very worthwhile. On the Pondlife label, "Missing Pieces" will feature the lengthy, minimalist "Piano" piece by Mark Hollis (from the AV1 cd, credited as John Cope). The compilation will also feature the tracks "Stump" and "5:09", from the Laughing Stock box-sets, which many fans will not be lucky enough to have owned or maybe even heard before. The exact tracklisting and release date will be added here as soon as it's confirmed.

Another release to look forward to is "Smiling and Waving" by Anja Garbarek. Two of the album's tracks, entitled "Diver" and "Gown" have been produced by Mark Hollis and Phil Brown. This album is due to be released in March. Full details on this release will be added soon.

06/01/01 - 2001 Expectations

2 new Talk Talk related releases are expected in 2001. This includes the third .O.Rang album, with .O.Rang now minus Paul Webb. Tim Friese-Greene has also been busy recording tracks for his debut album. As soon as release dates are confirmed, they will be published here at Spirit Of Talk Talk. The two Talk Talk concerts recorded at Montreaux and Hammersmith in 1986 are expected to be released on video later this year too, and will give many fans who didn't get to see the band perform live a chance to see what it was like - those fans with London 86 will already know what it sounded like, and how remarkable Talk Talk were in concert, possibly the best live band of all time. One man who won't be releasing new material in 2001 is Mark Hollis - he has now retired from actively recording music, as stated at Within Without last year. Finally, would anyone like to place a bet on EMI having another repackaged collection of Talk Talk tracks out later this year?

16/08/00 - New Compilation

EMI Gold are to release a new Talk Talk compilation, "The Collection". The tracklisting is as follows:

01. Talk Talk
02. It's My Life
03. Without You
04. Strike Up The Band
05. Life's What You Make It
06. It's Getting Late in the Evening
07. Pictures Of Bernadette
08. Happiness Is Easy
09. The Last Time
10. I Don't Believe In You
11. It's You
12. Talk Talk (Demo version)
13. It's So Serious
14. The Party's Over
15. Dum Dum Girl
16. Candy

The album contains no tracks from "Spirit Of Eden" and it's also interesting to note the absence of "Living In Another World", "Such A Shame", "Today" and "Give It Up". The catalogue number of the cd is 5285592. It will be released in the UK on 4th September, and can be pre-ordered from Amazon now, for only Ł6.99.

A boxset of the albums "It's My Life", "Colour Of Spring" and "Spirit Of Eden" will also be released on the same date - this can also be pre-ordered from Amazon now, for Ł19.99. This album is available on Parlophone, catalogue number 5283432. On 30th June this year, these albums were all re-issued individually by EMI on vinyl.

Another forthcoming release is rumoured to be the Hammersmith concert from 1986, being made available on video via the Pond Life label.

19/04/00 - Top Collectable Artist

Talk Talk have been included in a list of the top 500 most collectable artists for 2000 by Record Collector magazine. The band reached no. 348, a slight fall from last year's position of 313. Talk Talk fans may also be interested to know that David Sylvian featured in the Top 500 too, at the impressive position of 227. The full list is accessible online here at Spirit Of Talk Talk.

30/03/00 - No New Live Release

Contrary to recent rumours, there will be no new live album released by EMI Records. It had been reported that following on from the success of London 86 on the Pond Life label, Talk Talk's former record company were to release a live cd of their own, entitled "Talk Talk Around The World - Live". Unfortunately, this will not be another addition to the Talk Talk catalogue. A new release by .O.Rang is expected before the end of the year, however, and let's hope Mark Hollis' next work won't be too long in following.

26/03/00 - Mark Hollis Re-Release

Mark Hollis' debut album is being re-released, this time on the Pond Life record label. The release date is scheduled as 16th April. The release can be pre-ordered at Cd Now and Amazon.com. It will be the first time the album has been available in the USA except via import. According to sources at Amazon, the album is to be distributed by Blueprint. Thanks to Stanz for providing the other information.

10/03/00 - Laughing Stock Re-Released

Talk Talk's valedictory Laughing Stock album has been re-released on the Pond Life label, the same label that provided fans with "London 86" last year. The release has been given excellent reviews in much of the music press. The newspaper, The Times, concluded its review with the following words of praise:

"Most vitally though, this is music brimming with ideas, unafraid to turn from populism to musical libertarianism. Simon Le Bon might not have had too much to worry about, but the rest of us should feel humbled - and in certain cases, ashamed - that such music could slip through the net."