12 Steps Beyond Prog #255 The one that talked is no more.

Tonight at Midnight on 12 Steps Beyond Prog #255 The One That Talked Does No More.

Mark Hollis died this week. Hopefully easily and certainly without pain.

At this point we know little and possibly that is the way it should be.

He choose to leave music and all of its inherent trappings after leaving us a body of work that speaks for itself.

Some historical relevance as I see it:

In the early 1980's there was a prog recovery of sorts, part of it driven by technology and the synths contained within.

(I am leaving out NEO prog that was happening around this same time. That is another show.)

Continuing:

The other was the publics recovery from the much needed punk revolution that ultimately put the old prog to bed and re-introduced progressive to rock music. This reintroduction/reinvention of prog to popular music came disguised as synth pop, goth then industrial. Clever arrangements, vocals and production albeit with a proto digital sheen that hurts our un-remastered ears at times, but the path was clear. Bands like Talk Talk, 4AD artist like Dead Can Dance, Depeche Mode made it safe again to turn on the radio. Sure it did not contain the huge stacks of synths and 20 minute drum/guitar/insect solos but it was intelligent and it was good.

Talk Talk stood above the others for a very special reason to me and to other musicians. They continued to evolve beyond the trite pop under pinnings of the great 1st 2 albums (The Party's Over and It's My Life). Lyrically dark at times with interesting key changes and textures they somehow pleased/fooled the record company and fans.

The 3rd Album The Colour of Spring fooled everyone. Gone were the synths (for the most part) and out came the acoustic instruments and the mellotron. I was captivated by this album, strong songs and a complete reinvention of the sound of Talk Talk. Mark's lyrics as biting, dark and relevant as ever. This set us up for the masterpieces yet to come. The record company was elated.

The 4th Album Spirt of Eden broke the mold again. Hated by the record company this album had not a single nor did it need one. Another intense shift in sound and recording techniques as documented in Phill Brown's captivating book and chapters of "Are We Still Rolling" was presented. This album made "now" musically possible, by this point popular music had become hair, dance anthems and power ballads. The complete lack of anything familiar besides Mark's voice winding you through a beautifully turgid and sonically unfamiliar landscape made it exciting and haunted me for years to come. And fortunately many others.

There was a 5th album (Laughing Stock) that was just as good as the 4th and just as hated by the record company but I only have a 2 hour show.

Tonight tune in and hear the The Colour of Spring and Spirit of Eden in their entirety. I suggest listening as they were recorded, low lights, smokey atmosphere and your peaks unlimited, these albums have dynamics.

Tonight at Midnight (Pacific) on:

107.1 portland

91.1 portland

99.9 vancouver

And we stream everywhere a record company exec weeps on XRAY.FM