Synth pop artist and frontman of Talk Talk Mark Hollis has passed away at age 64.
mark hollis was a genius. nobody made music that sounded like his. please spend time listening to his work. this one hurts. badly. pic.twitter.com/y3DXJvASIz
— Stars (@youarestars) February 25, 2019
Hollis’ manager, Keith Aspden, confirmed the artist’s death, according to Pitchfork. “I’m still trying to accept this, but sadly it’s true,” Aspden said in a statement. “Mark has died after a short illness from which he never recovered. Deeply felt sorrow for a remarkable person who remained true to himself throughout his life. I can’t tell you how much Mark influenced and changed my perceptions on art and music. I’m grateful for the time I spent with him and for the gentle beauty he shared with us.”
Talk Talk was formed in 1981, and they released a set of hit synth-based tracks in the 80s such as “Talk Talk,” and “It’s My Life.” They really made their name in music for their pioneering art rock tunes, and Hollis was at the forefront of the movement.
Mark Hollis captured so many of us with his haunting approach to song and the compelling ways he presented simplistic mountains of sound. He was an educator of emotion and a voice for the blood throat shadows of tomorrow. This is a loss amongst many.
— Broken Social Scene (@bssmusic) February 25, 2019
No cause of death has been revealed yet, but what we do know is that Hollis will be deeply missed. Rest in peace, Mark Hollis.