Talk Talk: special event and reunion of band members for the 40th anniversary of “The Colour Of Spring”

A special evening in London, at the O2 Forum Kentish Town, will pay tribute to one of the key chapters in the history of Talk Talk. On September 5th, under the title "Spirit Of Talk Talk", a unique concert will take place to celebrate the fortieth anniversary of "The Colour Of Spring", the British band's third album, released in 1986 and a crucial turning point in their sonic evolution.

Taking the stage will be several key figures from that era: founding keyboardist Simon Brenner, alongside Phil Ramocon and Ian Curnow, will perform the album in full. Joining them will be a lineup of guests: Sophie Barker (Zero 7), Gale Paridjanian (Turin Brakes), Tim Eisenburg (Sweet Billy Pilgrim), as well as Chris Hampson and Jacob Brown. Also expected are appearances by Ed Harcourt and Fyfe Dangerfield of Guillemots, both of whom will also take part in the opening sets alongside Mark Gardener of Ride.

Seven years on from the death of Mark Hollis, who passed away on February 25, 2019 at the age of 64, the legacy of Talk Talk continues to be reassessed starting precisely from "The Colour Of Spring", the work that marked their break from the synth-pop of their early years to embrace a more organic style of songwriting, opening up to jazz and art rock and paving the way for the radical developments of "Spirit Of Eden" and "Laughing Stock".

The London event fits into a recent phase of renewed interest in that body of work: from the half-speed reissue of "Spirit Of Eden", overseen by Charlie Hollis together with Lee Harris and producer Matt Colton, to the documentary "Talk Talk: In A Silent Way", dedicated to the genesis of one of the most influential albums in their discography.

The artistic metamorphosis of Talk Talk is a fascinating phenomenon. Around the mid-1980s, the English band set aside the "chart-friendly" synth-pop wonders that had defined their second album in particular, "It's My Life", steering with divine grace toward a melodically dreamlike formula, inherently delicate and intricate. The band led by the much-missed Mark Hollis remains a genuine singularity to this day. Their second life also anticipated classic post-rock moods, standing as a shining example of unconditional compositional freedom to be handed down to future generations. The path the English group followed to definitively shed its skin is a trail of a thousand colours. A path whose blossoming flowers give off intoxicating scents. The journey that would lead Hollis and his bandmates to the figurative Eden of their 1988 masterpiece can be traced precisely through the eight tracks of "The Colour Of Spring". A Middle-earth, so to speak, to borrow from Tolkien. The tree from which to draw life force for the future. It's thanks to this record that Talk Talk changed course. It is above all within its folds that we find both the seeds and the sprouts of a future not so distant from their earlier past.

The flowering of Talk Talk takes shape in the songs of a milestone in the entire history of music. Had Hollis and his bandmates not brought this record into being, the equally seminal "Spirit Of Eden" and "Laughing Stock" would never have seen the light of day. These last two works owe practically everything to their predecessor, the album that set in motion that unrepeatable process of transformation mentioned above.

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