Talk Talk

With the addition of unofficial fourth member Tim Friese-Greene in 1983, replacing Simon Brenner on keyboards and becoming producer for the band, each successive Talk Talk release became more sophisticated and original. In 1970, The Turtles released More Golden Hits, which contained the singles Sound Asleep and The Story of Rock and Roll, and in 1971, a B-sides and rarities album, Wooden Head, their last album. Though they were identified with the New Romantic movement and bands such as Duran Duran, Talk Talk had a progressive depth their contemporaries lacked. In spite of Turtle Soup's critical success, commercial acclaim was low and the band soon began disintegrating. The band achieved moderate success in the early to mid 1980s with several hit singles, including, "Today" (1982), "Talk Talk" (1982), "Such A Shame" (1984), "Its My Life" (1984) and "Life's What You Make It" (1986). Kaylan and Volman then rebelled against White Whale's attempts to push The Turtles towards Monkees-style studio chicanery, and they recorded Turtle Soup, a critically well-received album that was inspired by The Kinks' Village Green Preservation Society. Talk Talk were an English synth-pop group formed in 1981 by Mark Hollis (vocals/guitar/songwriter), Paul Webb (bass), Lee Harris (drums), and Simon Brenner (keyboards). Elenore may be the only Top Ten single to contain the lyrics et cetera.

Ascension Day (1991). "Elenore" and "You Showed Me" were Top Ten singles. New Grass (1991). Later in the year, The Turtles released a concept album called The Turtles Present the Battle of the Bands, in which the group pretended to be eleven different bands, each with a song. After The Flood (1991). 1968 was a fairly successful year: The next two singles, Sound Asleep and The Story of Rock and Roll charted in the middle of the top 100, but were never received quite as well. Living In Another World (1991). Golden Hits was released later that year, charting in the top 10.

Such A Shame (1990). Two other top-15 singles followed, You Know What I Mean, and She's My Girl, which marked a shift by the band towards psychedelic music as the genre became more popular. Life's What You Make It (1990). 1967 became The Turtles' most successful year in the charts, with another song written by Bonner and Gordon, She'd Rather Be With Me, which reached #3 on the US charts in the late spring, and actually outcharted Happy Together overseas. It's My Life (1990). The album by the same name was released in April and charted at a high of #25. I Believe In You (1988). With its tongue-in-cheek atmosphere, incessant background guitar riff, addictive chorus and backing vocals, simple drum and organ lines, and even an oboe playing along during the second chorus, it spent three weeks at #1 on the American charts in 1967, the only Turtles record to do so.

I Don't Believe In You (1986). Their biggest hit and signature song, "Happy Together", considered 1960s pop at its best, provided a turning point for The Turtles. Give It Up (1986). It occurred to the band that, for eight months, they had been performing a certain song on stage that was moderately popular with the fans, but had yet to be recorded; originally written by songwriters Garry Bonner and Alan Gordon, Happy Together seemed almost a parody of itself, and had been rejected already. Living In Another World (1986). In the beginning of 1967, a heavy touring schedule combined with a lack of recent chart success were cited by Don Murray (drums) and Chuck Portz (bass), who left the group to be replaced by John Barbata and Chip Douglas, respectively. Life's What You Make It (1986) (USA #90, UK #16). However, their second album You Baby never entered the top 200, and of several singles released that year only two (Grim Reaper of Love, Can I Get to Know You Better) entered the top 100.

Dum Dum Girl (1984). Their third single, You Baby charted in the top 20 in early 1966. Such A Shame (1984) (USA #89). Their second single, Let Me Be also appeared in the top 30 that fall. It's My Life (1984) (USA #31). Similarly to The Byrds' career, The Turtles' first break was with a Bob Dylan cover, It Ain't Me Babe, which was a Top Ten hit in summer 1965 (see 1965 in music) and the title track to their first album. My Foolish Friend (1983). With the help of DJ and club owner Reb Foster, The Crossfires signed to White Whale Records, and, adjusting to the prevailing musical trends of the time, became a folk-rock group known as The Tyrtles, the misspelling an ode to The Byrds that was soon dropped.

Today (1982) (UK #14). The band was formed by Howard Kaylan and Mark Volman in Westchester, California in the 1965, as a surf rock group called The Crossfires. Talk Talk (1982) (UK #23). The Turtles are an American bubblegum pop, psychedelic and folk-rock band, best known for 1967's "Happy Together" (see 1967 in music). Mirror Man (1982). Remixed (2001).

12X12 Original Remixes (2000). History Revisited (1991). Time It's Time (2003). Introducing (2003).

Essential (2003). Missing Pieces (2001). The Collection (2000). Asides Besides (1998).

The Very Best of Talk Talk (1997). Natural History (1990). London 1986 (live) (1999). Laughing Stock (1991).

Spirit of Eden (1988). The Colour of Spring (1986). It's My Life (1984). The Party's Over (1982).