Biographic - Sunday April 22, 2007 Comic Strip Licensing and Permissions

Transcript

Tears for Fears formed in the early 1980s in Bath, England, when childhood friends Curt Smith and Roland Jaime Orzabal De La Quintana left their first band, Graduate. They originally called themselves History of Headaches, but therapy, adopted the name Tears for Fears. They hit the U.K top 3 in late 1982 with "Mad World" which along with hits such as "Change" and "Pale Shelter." Propelled 1983's "The Hurting" to the top of the British album charts. The next album, 1985's "Songs from the Big Chair" brought phenomenal worldwide success. It topped the U.S. charts for 5 weeks, spawning two number one singles in "Everybody wants to Rule the World" and "Shout" Following an exhausting world tour, the duo retreated from the Soptlight, eventually resurfacing in 1989 with the album "Sowing the Seeds of Love" which debuted at the top of the U.K charts and took Tears for Fears back int the U.S. top 10. The album also showcased Oleta Adams, a singer/Pianist they had discovered while on tour. But the Album's production had been a long and laborious process, during which a series of producers had been tried and rejected and hundreds of studio hours wasted, running up staggering costs. The lengthy production delays exacerbated tensions and prompted an acrimonious parting of the ways, with Curt relocating to the United States. Both undertook new projects, although Roland continued to release material as Tears for Fears. It was 2000 before the pair set aside their differences and talked again. Soon they were collaborating once more, and their reunion led to the 2004 album "Everybody Loves a Happy Ending." the release followed hot on the heels of the worldwide smash hit cover of "Mad World" by Gary Jules, which was featured in the cult movie "Donnie Darko" this helped introduce the music of Tears for Fears to an appreciative new generation of fans, sparking renewed demand for the back catalog of a band that has so far sold more than 20 million albums worldwide!

Tags