Paul Kelly and the Dots had formed in August 1978 in Melbourne from the remains of High Rise Bombers, which included Martin Armiger. Their debut single "Recognition" was issued in 1979, under the name The Dots, on an independent label, but had no chart success.[1][2] "Recognition" line-up were Kelly (vocals), Chris Langman (guitars), Chris Worrall (guitars), Paul Gadsby (bass guitar) and John Lloyd (drums). The version of "Recognition" included on Talk is not the single version, but a re-recording.
The Dots were signed to Mushroom Records, and underwent further line-up changes prior to the album's release.[2] The band name was changed to "Paul Kelly and the Dots" at the record company's insistence.
Armiger produced part of the album, while Joe Camilleri produced the majority of the LP. The group released "Billy Baxter" in 1980, which peaked at No. 38 on the Australian Kent Music Report Singles Chart.[3] The song's subject, Billy Baxter, is an Australian musician and comedian.[2] "Hard Knocks", the sole track produced by Trevor Lucas, is the title track of the feature film, Hard Knocks (June 1980), for which Lucas paid post-production costs.[5] It appeared on the film soundtrack by various artists in September 1980.[6] Due to a back injury, Kelly had recorded his vocal track for that song while laying on the studio floor.[7]
Talk was issued on 30 March 1981 and peaked at No. 44 on the related albums chart.[3] "Lowdown" was released as a single in May but had no chart success.[2] The group then travelled to the Philippines' capital to record their second album Manila during July and August 1981, but further line-up changes delayed its release until August 1982.[2] Kelly was later dissatisfied with both of these albums: "I wish I could grab the other two and put 'em in a big hole".[8] They were briefly reissued on CD in 1991 but have been out of print ever since.
The album's liner notes quote the opening stanzas of Charles Baudelaire's 1857 poem, "Les Foules" (see "The Crowds" for English translation).[9]
Reviewed at the time of release, Roadrunner said, "In songs like "Recognition" and "Cherry", Kelly's voice takes on irresistible quality. No-one in Australia presents songs in this manner. Few seem to appreciate subtlety like this." However, the song "Billy Baxter" was deemed "unlistenable."[11]
^Jenkins, Jeff; Meldrum, Ian (2007). Molly Meldrum presents 50 years of rock in Australia. Melbourne, Vic: Wilkinson Publishing. ISBN978-1-921332-11-1.
^Blanda, Eva (2003). "The Recordings of Paul Kelly with bands". Other People's Houses. Retrieved 17 February 2012. It is not given to every man to take a bath of multitude; enjoying a crowd is an art; and only he can relish a debauch of vitality at the expense of the human species, on whom, in his cradle, a fairy has bestowed the love of masks and masquerading, the hate of home, and the passion for roaming. Multitude solitude: identical terms, and interchangebly [sic] the active and fertile poet. The man who is unable to people his solitude is equally unable to be alone in a bustling crowd. C.B. 1857
