Several surviving Talk Talk contributors will honor the band’s late frontman, Mark Hollis, this fall with a tribute concert in London. The musicians will perform material from throughout the band’s catalog at the event, set for November 26th at London’s Royal Festival Hall.
According to the venue’s website, as-yet-unannounced “special guests” will also take part in the show, dubbed “A Celebration of Talk Talk and Mark Hollis.” No band members are specified on the site, though NME reports that founding keyboardist Simon Brenner — who played on the band’s debut LP, 1982’s The Party’s Over, but left the following year — will participate.
Other participants will include guest musicians who played on the band’s albums and tours, including percussionist Martin Ditcham, pianist Rupert Black, guitarist Jeep Hook and bassist John McKenzie. Phil Ramacon, who co-wrote “The Colour of Spring” from Hollis’ lone, self-titled studio record, will serve as musical director.
NME emphasizes that bassist Paul Webb and drummer Lee Harris, both official members during the band’s run, are not playing the show. (Writer/multi-instrumentalist/producer Tim Friese-Greene, who contributed to the band’s following four albums — 1984’s It’s My Life, 1986’s The Colour of Spring, 1988’s Spirit of Eden and 1991’s Laughing Stock — is also not involved.)
Hollis died in February at age 64, following what his manager called a “short illness from which he never recovered.” After the news broke, Webb saluted his former bandmate’s “genius” in a poignant Facebook post.
“It was a honour and a privilege to have been in a band with him,” he said. “I have not seen Mark for many years, but like many musicians of our generation I have been profoundly influenced by his trailblazing musical ideas. He knew how to create a depth of feeling with sound and space like no other. He was one of the greats, if not the greatest.”
