Talk Talk were an English new wave band, active from 1981 until their breakup in 1992. Their early hit singles include "Today", "Talk Talk" (both 1982), "It's My Life" and "Such a Shame" (both 1984). Although the band only experienced moderate success in their native country, they established some international success. Talk Talk moved away from synthpop towards more experimental music in the mid-1980s, helping to pioneer what became known as post-rock. They achieved moderate success in Europe and the UK with the subsequent singles "Life's What You Make It" (1985) and "Living in Another World" (1986), and in 1988 they released their fourth album Spirit of Eden, which was commercially less successful.

Friction with the band's label, EMI, resulted in legal action and countersuing. The band switched to Polydor for their final album, 1991's Laughing Stock, but broke up soon afterwards. Singer Mark Hollis released one solo album in 1998 before retiring from the music industry. Founding bass player and drummer Paul Webb and Lee Harris played in several bands together; de facto fifth member Tim Friese-Greene continued in the business as a musician and producer.