Mark Hollis facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Mark Hollis
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Hollis in 1988
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| Background information | |
| Birth name | Mark David Hollis |
| Born | 4 January 1955 Tottenham, London, England |
| Died | February 2019 (aged 64) |
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| Years active |
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| Labels | Polydor |
Mark David Hollis (born 4 January 1955 – died February 2019) was an English musician. He was a singer and songwriter. Mark became very famous and respected in the 1980s and 1990s. He was a co-founder, lead singer, and main songwriter for the band Talk Talk.
Mark Hollis wrote or helped write most of Talk Talk's songs. These included popular hits like "It's My Life" and "Life's What You Make It". Later, his music became more experimental and thoughtful.
Talk Talk started in 1981 as a synth-pop group. Their sound changed a lot under Mark's guidance. For their third album, The Colour of Spring (1986), Talk Talk used an art pop sound. This album was very popular and sold well. It is still their biggest success.
The band's last two albums, Spirit of Eden (1988) and Laughing Stock (1991), were very different. They were inspired by jazz, folk, classical, and experimental music. At first, these albums did not sell well. But later, music experts praised them highly. They are now seen as important early examples of post-rock music.
After Talk Talk broke up in 1991, Mark Hollis released a solo album in 1998. It was called Mark Hollis. This album continued the band's sound but was simpler and more acoustic. After this album, Mark mostly stopped making music. He passed away in February 2019, at the age of 64.
Contents
Biography
Early life and first steps in music
Mark Hollis was born on 4 January 1955 in Tottenham, London. He had two brothers. Not much is known about his early life. Mark did not like to give many interviews. He went to Tollington School in London. He once said he left school before finishing his A-levels. He also said he studied child psychology for a short time. Before becoming a musician, he worked in factories and as a lab technician. He later shared that he always looked forward to writing songs. He would jot down ideas all day.
Mark's older brother, Ed Hollis, helped him get into music. Ed was a DJ, producer, and manager for bands. With Ed's help, Mark started his first band, The Reaction, in 1977. This was during the post-punk music time. The Reaction recorded a demo for Island Records. One of their songs, "Talk Talk Talk Talk", appeared on a punk music album called Streets. This song was an early version of Talk Talk's 1982 single, "Talk Talk". The Reaction released only one single, "I Can't Resist", in 1978. The band broke up the next year.
Around this time, Mark's taste in music grew wider. He started listening to progressive rock bands like King Crimson and Pink Floyd. These bands were not popular during the punk era. His brother Ed also introduced him to jazz music. Mark was especially influenced by Miles Davis's albums Porgy and Bess and Sketches of Spain. He said these albums had "space, tight arrangement and technique". He felt they were very important to him.
Talk Talk band
Mark Hollis was best known as the lead singer and main songwriter for the band Talk Talk. He led the band from 1981 to 1991. People often praised his amazing voice. Along with Talk Talk's producer, Tim Friese-Greene, Mark helped the band's music change. It went from New Romantic to a more experimental and thoughtful style. This style later became known as post-rock.
Mark Hollis believed in the power of silence in music. He once said, "Before you play two notes, learn how to play one note." He also said, "The silence is above everything." He preferred to hear one note over two, and silence over one note. In 1982, he mentioned that Burt Bacharach and William Burroughs were his biggest influences.
Solo work and retirement
Talk Talk broke up in 1991. In 1998, Mark Hollis released his only solo album, Mark Hollis. At that time, he said his main goal was to make music that would last forever. He wanted to create music that would be enjoyed long after his time. He also said that feeling in music was more important to him than perfect technique.
After his solo album, Mark mostly stopped making music. In 2008, he explained his decision to retire from performing. He said, "I choose for my family." He felt he could not tour and be a good dad at the same time. Even though he stayed out of the public eye, he was still seen as an artist who put his art before money. He was considered one of the most important musicians of his time. His quiet life continued to interest music critics. By the time his solo album came out, Mark had moved back to London. He wanted his two sons to grow up in a more exciting city environment.
In 2004, Mark Hollis briefly appeared to receive an award. It was a Broadcast Music Inc. Award for writing "It's My Life". In 2012, a piece of music he created, "ARB Section 1", was used in the TV show Boss.
Collaborations
Mark Hollis also worked with other artists. He played piano on a song called "Piano" in 1998. This was for an album by Phill Brown and Dave Allinson. He used the name John Cope for this. The song was later included on a Talk Talk album called Missing Pieces in 2001. He also played piano and helped write the song "Chaos" for the band Unkle in 1998. He later asked for his name to be removed from the album credits for that song. In 2001, he helped produce and arrange two songs for Anja Garbarek's album Smiling & Waving. He also played bass guitar, piano, and melodica on those songs.
Personal life
From 1998 to 2017, Mark Hollis lived in Wimbledon, London. He lived there with his wife, Flick, who was a teacher, and their two sons. Later, they moved to Heathfield, East Sussex. Mark's wish to spend more time with his family was a big reason why Talk Talk stopped touring after 1986. It was also why he retired from the music industry in 1998.
Death
Mark Hollis passed away from cancer in February 2019. He was 64 years old. News of his death first came from his cousin-in-law and a tribute from Talk Talk's bassist, Paul Webb. His former manager then confirmed his death to the media on 26 February.
Many other musicians and artists shared their sadness and respect for Mark Hollis. These included Duran Duran, Depeche Mode, Peter Gabriel, and Elijah Wood.
Discography
Solo album
- Mark Hollis (1998)
See also
In Spanish: Mark Hollis para niños
