A beautifully-produced book which I’ve been reading a little of, every so often, when in the mood for Talk Talk. Many people know only the hits such as ‘It’s My Life’ and ‘Life’s What You Make It’, but there is a lot more to their music, particularly their less commercial but critically acclaimed albums Spirit of Eden and Laughing Stock. This book is a celebration and exploration of Talk Talk’s work, generously illustrated with photos and James Marsh’s wonderful artwork.
The narrative follows the history of the band, from their beginnings and then album by album, interspersed with interviews with people who worked on the records. There are many contributions from musicians and fans who put into words how special Talk Talk were, more eloquently than I could. This is the 2nd edition of the book from 2019, which was published by Rocket 88 with an afterword, following the death of Mark Hollis. The 1st edition was in 2012, the same year as the excellent tribute album Spirit of Talk Talk.
If you love Talk Talk’s music, this book is a must-have.
