Talk Talk began as a quartet consisting of Mark Hollis (vocals), Simon Brenner (keyboards), Lee Harris (drums) and Paul Webb (bass guitar). They were generally associated with the New Romantic movement; more specifically, in their early years, they were often compared with Duran Duran, as both bands not only featured a double-barrelled name and a Roxy Music-inspired musical direction, but also shared the same record label (EMI) and producer (Colin Thurston).

Active from 1981 to 1991,  the group had a string of international hit singles including “Today”, “Talk Talk”, “It’s My Life”, “Such a Shame”, “Dum Dum Girl” and , “Life’s What You Make It”.

In their later years the band’s commercial appeal receded, and their critical reputation increased as they moved from synthpop to a more experimental form. Their last two albums, Spirit of Eden and Laughing Stock, were highly acclaimed and remain influential to experimental alternative rock genres.