''Live at Montreux 1986'' is a concert video release by the English band
Talk Talk
Talk Talk were an English band formed in 1981, led by Mark Hollis (vocals, guitar, piano), Lee Harris (drums), and Paul Webb (bass). The group achieved early chart success with the synth-pop singles " Talk Talk" (1982), " It's My Life", and " ...
of a concert at 1986
Montreux Jazz Festival
The Montreux Jazz Festival (formerly Festival de Jazz Montreux and Festival International de Jazz Montreux) is a music festival in Switzerland, held annually in early July in Montreux on the Lake Geneva shoreline. It is the second-largest annual ...
. The show was part of a tour that started in April 1986 to promote the band's recent album ''
The Colour of Spring
''The Colour of Spring'' is the third studio album by English band Talk Talk, released on 17 February 1986. Written by Mark Hollis and producer Tim Friese-Greene, the album combines elements of jazz and art pop in an effort by Hollis to embrac ...
'', and was to be their only appearance at Montreux, from their last tour.
The video captures Talk Talk at the peak of their career.
For this tour, the usual trio of
Mark Hollis (vocals),
Paul Webb
Paul may refer to:
*Paul (given name), a given name (includes a list of people with that name)
*Paul (surname), a list of people
People
Christianity
*Paul the Apostle (AD c.5–c.64/65), also known as Saul of Tarsus or Saint Paul, early Chris ...
(bass), and
Lee Harris (drums) was augmented by
John Turnbull on guitar (who plays a
Fender Stratocaster
The Fender Stratocaster, colloquially known as the Strat, is a model of electric guitar designed from 1952 into 1954 by Leo Fender, Bill Carson, George Fullerton, and Freddie Tavares. The Fender Musical Instruments Corporation has continuousl ...
and
Telecaster
The Fender Telecaster, colloquially known as the Tele , is an electric guitar produced by Fender. Together with its sister model the Esquire, it is the world's first mass-produced, commercially successfulLes Paul had built a prototype solid body ...
, as well as an
electroacoustic guitar), two percussionists and two keyboardists. As often, de facto fourth band member
Tim Friese-Greene
Timothy Alan Friese-Greene is an English musician and producer. He worked with the band Talk Talk from 1983 to their breakup in 1991. He currently releases solo albums under the name "Heligoland". He is the grandson of filmmaker Claude Friese-Gre ...
did not play on stage with the band.
Critical response
Bill Gibron, at ''
DVD Talk
DVD Talk is a home video news and review website launched in 1999 by Geoffrey Kleinman.
History
Kleinman founded the site in January 1999 in Beaverton, Oregon. Besides news and reviews, it features information on hidden DVD features known as ...
'', highly recommends the DVD, praising its "solid set list matched by equally effortless performance." He calls it "an excellent way to get introduced to one of the '80s best, and most baffling, acts." A German reviewer at Music Headquarter praises singer
Mark Hollis for his charismatic performance and the band for their jazzy variations and improvisations.
A reviewer at the German ''
MSN
MSN (meaning Microsoft Network) is a web portal and related collection of Internet services and apps for Windows and mobile devices, provided by Microsoft and launched on August 24, 1995, alongside the release of Windows 95.
The Microsoft Net ...
'' website was less positive about Hollis' performance and appearance, complaining about the singer's well-known introversion and his penchant for hiding behind sunglasses, as well as the backdrop (Montreux's design was in the hands of
Keith Haring
Keith Allen Haring (May 4, 1958 – February 16, 1990) was an American artist whose pop art emerged from the New York City graffiti subculture of the 1980s. His animated imagery has "become a widely recognized visual language". Much of his wor ...
in 1986) and the 1980s clothes worn by the band.
Track listing
# "
Talk Talk
Talk Talk were an English band formed in 1981, led by Mark Hollis (vocals, guitar, piano), Lee Harris (drums), and Paul Webb (bass). The group achieved early chart success with the synth-pop singles " Talk Talk" (1982), " It's My Life", and " ...
" – 3:08
# "Dum Dum Girl" – 3:44
# "Call in the Night Boy" – 6:55
# "Tomorrow Started" – 7:38
# "My Foolish Friend" – 4:45
# "
Life's What You Make It" – 4:37
# "Mirror Man / Does Caroline Know?" – 8:11
# "It's You" – 4:02
# "Chameleon Day /
Living in Another World" – 7:55
# "
Give It Up" – 5:39
# "
It's My Life" – 6:52
# "
I Don't Believe in You
"I Don't Believe in You" is a song by English band Talk Talk, released by Parlophone in 1986 as the fourth and final single from their third studio album ''The Colour of Spring''. The song was written by Mark Hollis and Tim Friese-Greene, and pro ...
" – 6:05
# "
Such a Shame
"Such a Shame" is a song written by Mark Hollis for the English band Talk Talk's second album '' It's My Life'' (1984). It was released as the album's second single and went on to become a top 10 hit across Europe.
Overview
"Such a Shame" was ...
" – 8:45
# "Renée" – 7:53
Personnel
;Talk Talk
*
Mark Hollis – lead vocals
*
Paul Webb
Paul may refer to:
*Paul (given name), a given name (includes a list of people with that name)
*Paul (surname), a list of people
People
Christianity
*Paul the Apostle (AD c.5–c.64/65), also known as Saul of Tarsus or Saint Paul, early Chris ...
– bass, backing vocals
*
Lee Harris – drums
;Additional members
*
John Turnbull – guitars, backing vocals
*Ian Curnow – synthesizers,
organ,
programming, piano
*Rupert Black – synthesizers,
electric piano,
drum machine
*Phil Reis – percussion
*
Leroy Williams
Leroy Williams (February 3, 1941 – June 1, 2022) was an American drummer, mostly known for his work in jazz.
Williams first began playing drums as a teenager in the 1950s. From 1959 to the middle of the 1960s he played with singer Judy Roberts, ...
– percussion
References
{{DEFAULTSORT:Live At Montreux 1986
Talk Talk video albums
Talk Talk live albums
Eagle Rock Entertainment live albums
Eagle Rock Entertainment video albums
Live video albums
2008 video albums
2008 live albums