TEARS FOR FEARS - SEEDS OF LOVE- BLUE VINYL

Tears for Fears are an English pop rock band formed in Bath in 1981 by Curt Smith and Roland Orzabal. The band was established following the dissolution of Graduate, an earlier group influenced by mod revival music. Associated with the synth-pop movement of the 1980s, Tears for Fears achieved international commercial success during the Second British Invasion. The band's debut studio album, "The Hurting", was released in 1983 and reached number one on the UK Albums Chart. Its first three hit singles, "Mad World", "Change" and "Pale Shelter", all reached the top five of the UK Singles Chart. Their second album, "Songs from the Big Chair" (1985), reached number one on the US Billboard 200 and achieved multi-platinum certification in both the United States and the United Kingdom. It produced two US Billboard Hot 100 number-one singles, "Shout" and "Everybody Wants to Rule the World". Both songs reached the top five in the UK, and "Everybody Wants to Rule the World" won the Brit Award for Best British Single in 1986. The band's third studio album, "The Seeds of Love" (1989), entered the UK Albums Chart at number one and produced the international hit "Sowing the Seeds of Love". Following a tour in support of "The Seeds of Love" in 1990, Smith and Orzabal separated in 1991. Orzabal retained the Tears for Fears name and released the albums "Elemental" (1993) and "Raoul and the Kings of Spain" (1995). The duo reconciled in 2000 and released "Everybody Loves a Happy Ending" in 2004. They subsequently resumed touring together. Their seventh studio album, "The Tipping Point", was released in 2022 after an extended development period. It reached number two on the UK Albums Chart and number eight on the US Billboard 200, becoming their highest-charting UK album in three decades. In 2021, Smith and Orzabal received the Ivor Novello Award for Outstanding Song Collection in recognition of their songwriting. Smith and Orzabal met as teenagers in Bath, Somerset, and shared an interest in rock bands including Thin Lizzy and Blue Öyster Cult. They began their professional careers as members of Graduate, a mod revival and new wave band influenced by the Jam and two-tone music. In 1980, Graduate released the album "Acting My Age" and the single "Elvis Should Play Ska", a reference to Elvis Costello. The single narrowly missed the UK pop chart but achieved greater success in Spain and Switzerland. Graduate disbanded in 1981. Following the band's dissolution, Smith and Orzabal worked as session musicians for Neon, where they met drummer Manny Elias, who later joined Tears for Fears. Neon also included Pete Byrne and Rob Fisher, who subsequently formed Naked Eyes. Smith and Orzabal continued collaborating and drew inspiration from artists such as Talking Heads, Peter Gabriel and Brian Eno. Influenced by the electronic sound of Tubeway Army's "Are 'Friends' Electric?" (1979), Smith and Orzabal began exploring synthesizers and electronic music. They were also influenced by Orchestral Manoeuvres in the Dark, Depeche Mode and the Human League. The duo adopted a format associated with contemporary synth-pop acts such as Orchestral Manoeuvres in the Dark and Soft Cell. Orzabal also cited the post-punk band Joy Division as an influence, particularly its exploration of psychological distress and suicidal thoughts. The pair initially considered the name History of Headaches before adopting Tears for Fears. The name was inspired by primal therapy, a form of psychotherapy developed by American psychologist Arthur Janov. The treatment attracted widespread attention after John Lennon became Janov's patient in 1970. Smith and Orzabal met Janov in the mid-1980s but did not pursue a collaboration after finding that he wanted them to develop a musical based on his work. Smith and Orzabal intended to form the core of Tears for Fears while collaborating with additional musicians. They met keyboardist Ian Stanley, who offered them access to his home recording studio. Stanley subsequently joined the group as keyboardist. After recording two demo tracks, the duo signed with Mercury Records in the UK in 1981 through A&R manager Dave Bates. The band's first single, "Suffer the Children", was released in November 1981 and produced by David Lord. A first version of "Pale Shelter", produced by Mike Howlett, followed in March 1982. Neither release achieved significant commercial success. Tears for Fears gained their first major success with "Mad World", released in 1982, which reached number three on the UK Singles Chart in November. Their debut album, "The Hurting", followed in March 1983. Produced by Chris Hughes and Ross Cullum, it combined guitar-based arrangements with synthesizers and featured lyrics reflecting Orzabal's childhood experiences and interest in primal therapy. "The Hurting" spent 65 weeks on the UK Albums Chart, reached number one and received platinum certification. It also reached the top 20 in several other countries. Its singles included "Mad World", "Change" and a re-recorded version of "Pale Shelter", all of which reached the top five in the UK. "Change" became the band's first single to enter the US Billboard Hot 100 and reached the top 40 in several countries, including Australia, Canada, Ireland, Israel, Italy, the Netherlands, Poland and South Africa. In late 1983, the band released "The Way You Are", an experimental single featuring extensive sampling and programmed rhythms. It reached the UK top 30 but did not match the commercial success of the preceding singles. The band undertook a UK concert tour in December, documented in the video release "In My Mind's Eye". In the liner notes to the 1996 compilation "Saturnine Martial & Lunatic", the band identified "The Way You Are" as a turning point in their musical development. In early 1984, Tears for Fears began working with producer Jeremy Green on "Mothers Talk". Dissatisfied with the initial recording, they brought Chris Hughes back to produce a revised version, which was released in August 1984 and reached the UK top 20. Their next single, "Shout", was released in the UK in November 1984 and became a major international hit. "Shout" reached the UK top five and preceded the release of the band's second album, "Songs from the Big Chair", in February 1985. The album entered the UK Albums Chart at number two and remained near the top of the chart for approximately a year. Compared with "The Hurting", it featured a more expansive sound that combined synthesizers, guitars and layered production. The album was developed primarily by Orzabal, Stanley and Hughes and became one of the best-selling albums of 1985. It was certified triple platinum in the UK and quintuple platinum in the United States, where it spent five weeks at number one on the Billboard 200 during the summer of 1985. The title of "Songs from the Big Chair" was inspired by "Sybil", a book and television miniseries about a woman with dissociative identity disorder who finds refuge in her analyst's office chair. Smith and Orzabal explained that they regarded each song on the album as having a distinct personality. A track titled "The Big Chair" was released as the B-side of "Shout" but was not included on the album. The album produced several successful singles. "Mothers Talk" was re-recorded for the North American market in 1986. "Shout" reached number one in the United States, Australia, Canada, Germany, the Netherlands and Switzerland. "Everybody Wants to Rule the World" reached number two in the UK and Ireland and number one in the United States and Canada. "Head over Heels" reached number 12 in the UK and number three in the United States. "I Believe (A Soulful Re-Recording)" reached number 23 in the UK and number 10 in Ireland. The singles were issued in various formats, including limited-edition 10-inch records, double packs and picture discs. Tears for Fears undertook an extensive world tour in 1985, including a performance at the Montreux Golden Rose Rock and Pop Festival in May. In September, they performed "Shout" at the 1985 MTV Video Music Awards in New York City. During the tour, Smith and Orzabal encountered American singer and pianist Oleta Adams while she was performing in a hotel bar in Kansas City. They invited her to collaborate on their next album. The band also released the video collection and documentary "Scenes from the Big Chair". In February 1986, Tears for Fears received the Brit Award for Best British Single for "Everybody Wants to Rule the World". They were also nominated for Best British Group and Best British Album, while Hughes received a nomination for Best Producer. The band performed the winning single at the ceremony, marking the final public performance of drummer Manny Elias, who left the group shortly afterwards. The band was also nominated for Favorite Pop/Rock Duo or Group and Favorite Pop/Rock Duo or Group Video Artist at the 1986 American Music Awards in Los Angeles. They performed "Everybody Wants to Rule the World" during the televised ceremony. In April 1986, a remixed version of "Mothers Talk" was released in North America and reached the US top 40. In 1986, Orzabal and Stanley collaborated on the side project Mancrab, releasing the single "Fish for Life" for the soundtrack of the film "The Karate Kid, Part II". Orzabal and Stanley wrote and produced the song, which featured vocals by American singer and dancer Eddie Thomas. Tears for Fears had been scheduled to perform at the Live Aid charity concert at JFK Stadium in Philadelphia on 13 July 1985 but withdrew on the day of the event. The band had been listed on the programme before formally agreeing to participate. Their withdrawal was attributed to the departure of two backing musicians, guitarist Andrew Sanders and saxophonist Will Gregory, following the expiration of their contracts. Alan Griffiths and Josephine Wells replaced them for the remainder of the 1985 tour. Instead of performing at Live Aid, the band pledged to donate proceeds from concerts in Tokyo, Sydney, London and New York. In 1986, Tears for Fears recorded "Everybody Wants to Run the World", a revised version of their earlier hit, for Sport Aid, a fundraising initiative associated with Band Aid that supported famine relief projects in Africa. The song reached number five in the UK and number four in Ireland. The band had also contributed indirectly to the 1984 Band Aid single "Do They Know It's Christmas?", which included a slowed-down sample of "The Hurting" in its introduction. Tears for Fears released their third studio album, "The Seeds of Love", in 1989. Its production reportedly cost more than one million pounds. Ian Stanley, who had participated in the early sessions, left the project during its development, along with producer Chris Hughes, following creative differences. Orzabal wrote much of the material with keyboardist Nicky Holland, who had toured with the band in 1985. The recording process involved multiple studios and producers over several months. The band eventually discarded much of the earlier material and took greater control of production, working with engineer Dave Bascombe. Several tracks originated in jam sessions and were subsequently edited. The lengthy production contributed to financial pressures on the band's management company, which had anticipated an earlier release. "The Seeds of Love" retained elements of the band's established sound while incorporating influences from jazz, blues and the Beatles. The lead single, "Sowing the Seeds of Love", reflected these influences and became an international hit. The second single, "Woman in Chains", featured Phil Collins on drums and shared vocals by Orzabal and Oleta Adams. The song reached the top 40 in the UK, Canada, France, Ireland, Italy, the Netherlands, Sweden and the United States. Orzabal subsequently helped Adams develop her solo career. "The Seeds of Love" entered the UK Albums Chart at number one and reached the top 10 in the United States and several other countries. It sold millions of copies internationally. Tears for Fears embarked on an extensive world tour sponsored by Philips to support the album and offset production costs. A performance in Santa Barbara, California, in May 1990 was documented in the live video "Going to California". The singles "Advice for the Young at Heart" and "Famous Last Words" achieved moderate chart success. In 1990, Virgin Books published a 64-page companion volume titled "Tears for Fears - The Seeds of Love". The book included interviews with Orzabal, Holland and Adams, information about the album's songwriting and production, musical scores for its tracks and promotional photographs. Following the tour, Smith and Orzabal experienced a breakdown in their working relationship and separated in 1991. Accounts of the split cited Orzabal's perfectionist approach to production, Smith's preference for a slower working pace and his frequent travel, as well as Smith's divorce. The financial problems of their manager, Paul King, were also a factor. King declared bankruptcy in 1990 and was convicted of fraud in 2004. Orzabal retained the Tears for Fears name and released the single "Laid So Low (Tears Roll Down)" in 1992. The song promoted the compilation album "Tears Roll Down (Greatest Hits 82-92)", which included the band's singles that had reached the top 20 in the UK or internationally, excluding the Sport Aid release. The compilation reached number two on the UK Albums Chart and received double-platinum certification. It also reached the top 10 in France, Italy, New Zealand and several other countries. In 1993, Orzabal released "Elemental" under the Tears for Fears name, collaborating with longtime associate Alan Griffiths. Co-produced by Tim Palmer, the album produced the international hit "Break It Down Again", which reached the top 20 in the UK, Canada, France and Italy. The release was supported by a world tour that included a college tour in the United States, where the single reached number 25. Although "Elemental" peaked at number 45 in the United States, it received gold certification there for sales exceeding 500,000 copies. Orzabal and Griffiths, working again with Palmer, released "Raoul and the Kings of Spain" in 1995. The album incorporated Latin musical influences and explored Orzabal's Spanish heritage. Raoul was the name his parents had originally intended to give him and was also the name of his first son. The album achieved less commercial success than the band's earlier releases. Its title track reached the UK top 40, while "God's Mistake" had more limited chart success. In 1996, Mercury Records released "Saturnine Martial & Lunatic", a compilation of B-sides and rare tracks recorded between 1982 and 1993. Smith and Orzabal resumed contact around 2000 after Orzabal helped Smith with legal paperwork. Smith returned to England, where Orzabal lived, and the pair met for dinner before deciding to work on new material together. The songwriting sessions included Charlton Pettus, Smith's collaborator since the mid-1990s. The musicians wrote and recorded 14 songs in less than six months. They initially signed with Arista Records in 2003, but changes within the company following a merger and the departure of executive L.A. Reid led them to terminate the contract. The resulting album, "Everybody Loves a Happy Ending", was released in the United States in September 2004 on New Door Records. Two US tours followed, including a 2004 performance in Kansas City at which Oleta Adams joined the band for an unplanned rendition of "Woman in Chains". The album was released in the UK and Europe in March 2005 through Gut Records. Its lead single, "Closest Thing to Heaven", became the band's first UK top 40 hit in ten years. The promotional video featured actress Brittany Murphy in a hot-air balloon. European editions of the album contained all 14 songs recorded during the sessions, while the US version contained 12. The band toured larger UK venues in April 2005. A concert recorded at the Parc des Princes stadium in Paris in June 2005 was released on CD and DVD in France and the Benelux countries. Titled "Secret World - Live in Paris", it appeared on the XIII Bis label in early 2006 and sold more than 70,000 physical copies, in addition to digital downloads. The CD included the new studio track "Floating Down the River" and a remastered version of "What Are We Fighting For?", a collaboration between Smith and Mayfield. In 2001, Michael Andrews and Gary Jules recorded a version of "Mad World" for the soundtrack of the film "Donnie Darko". Released as a single in 2003, their version reached number one on the UK Singles Chart for three consecutive weeks and earned Orzabal a second Ivor Novello Award. It subsequently reached the top 40 in several other countries between 2003 and 2013. In 2006, Universal Music reissued "Songs from the Big Chair", including a rare piano version of "The Working Hour" that had previously been available only in a limited edition. The band also performed at the Night of the Proms concerts in Belgium in 2006, 2007 and 2008. In August 2009, Cherry Red Records reissued "Raoul and the Kings of Spain" with seven bonus B-sides from the period of its original release. In April 2010, Tears for Fears joined Spandau Ballet on a seven-date tour of Australia and New Zealand. The band subsequently performed four headline shows in Southeast Asia, including the Philippines, Singapore, Hong Kong and Taiwan, followed by a 17-date tour of the United States. In 2011 and 2012, they performed in the United States, Japan, South Korea, the Philippines and South America. In May 2013, Smith confirmed that he was writing and recording new material with Orzabal and Pettus. In August, Tears for Fears released a cover of Arcade Fire's "Ready to Start" on SoundCloud, marking their first newly recorded material in nearly a decade. In 2014, the recording was included on the limited-edition three-track 10-inch vinyl EP "Ready Boy & Girls?", released for Record Store Day. The EP also featured covers of Hot Chip's "Boy from School" and Animal Collective's "My Girls". The recordings were undertaken as initial projects while the band began work on a new studio album. In an October 2014 interview on BBC Radio Devon, Orzabal confirmed that the band had signed with Warner Music Group and had completed approximately five or six songs for their next album. Universal Music reissued "The Hurting" in two deluxe editions in October 2013 to mark the album's 30th anniversary. Deluxe editions of "Songs from the Big Chair" followed on 10 November 2014. On 12 November 2014, Tears for Fears performed "Everybody Wants to Rule the World" on the television programme "Jimmy Kimmel Live!". In mid-2015, the band began a series of concerts in the United States and Canada. In July 2016, Tears for Fears performed live in the UK for the first time in more than ten years, appearing at Newmarket Nights at Newmarket Racecourse on 29 July and headlining the closing night of Camp Bestival at Lulworth Castle in Dorset on 31 July. These were their first UK festival appearances since Knebworth in 1990. The band subsequently toured the United States and Canada in September and October 2016. In 2017, Tears for Fears toured North America with Hall & Oates as co-headliners. They also performed in Israel, at the British Summer Time Festival in London's Hyde Park on 8 July and at Rock in Rio in Brazil on 22 September. In July, Orzabal confirmed that the band had collaborated with songwriter and producer Sacha Skarbek on their forthcoming seventh studio album, provisionally titled "The Tipping Point". Songs discussed during interviews included "My Demons", "I Love You but I'm Lost", "End of Night" and "Up Above the World". The band had signed with Warner Music to release the album, which was initially scheduled for October 2017, but Universal Music subsequently approached Warner Music about acquiring the rights to the project. Orzabal's wife, Caroline, died in 2017. Tears for Fears initially withdrew from the remaining dates of their North American tour but resumed performing in September, beginning with a concert at the Staples Center in Los Angeles. During his wife's illness, Orzabal began writing material that would later appear on "The Tipping Point". On 26 October 2017, the band performed a 65-minute set at the BBC Radio Theatre in London for the Radio 2 in Concert series. The performance was broadcast on radio and television through the BBC Red Button service. The following evening, they played their first full-length UK concert since 2005 at the Royal Albert Hall in London. On 12 October 2017, Tears for Fears released "I Love You but I'm Lost" as a single from the compilation "Rule the World: The Greatest Hits", which contained 16 tracks. In October, the band announced an 11-date UK arena tour scheduled for April and May 2018, with Alison Moyet as the support act. The tour was postponed until early 2019 because Orzabal experienced health problems following his wife's death. In the summer of 2019, Tears for Fears performed at several UK and European festivals, including the Hampton Court Palace Festival on 18 and 19 June, Forest Live at Delamere Forest on 21 June and the Nocturne Live Concert Series at Blenheim Palace on 22 June. In February 2020, "Songs from the Big Chair" was featured in an episode of the BBC television series "Classic Albums", which included new interviews with the band and people involved in the album's production. To mark the album's 35th anniversary, Universal Music reissued the 2014 deluxe boxed set and released a 12-inch vinyl picture disc. In October 2020, various deluxe editions of "The Seeds of Love" were released, and the album returned to the UK top 40. In November 2020, following a change in management, "Everybody Loves a Happy Ending" became available on several streaming services for the first time. On 12 June 2021, Tears for Fears released the live double album "Live at Massey Hall", recorded in 1985, for Record Store Day. In September 2021, Smith and Orzabal received the Ivor Novello Award for Outstanding Song Collection. On 7 October 2021, Smith appeared on BBC Radio 2's "The Zoe Ball Breakfast Show" to introduce "The Tipping Point", the title track and first single from the band's seventh studio album. "The Tipping Point" was released by Concord Records on 25 February 2022. In November 2021, the band announced a summer tour of the United States and the UK scheduled to begin in May 2022. The tour was cancelled before its completion after Smith suffered four broken ribs in a road accident in July 2022. Two additional singles, "No Small Thing" and "Break the Man", were released in December 2021 and January 2022, respectively. "The Tipping Point" received generally positive reviews from music critics and entered the UK Albums Chart at number two. It topped the UK Album Sales Chart, UK Physical Albums Sales Chart, UK Downloads Albums Chart, UK Vinyl Albums Chart and Scottish Albums Chart. The album also reached the top 10 in several other countries, including the United States, where it entered the Billboard 200 at number eight. It topped Billboard's Top Alternative Albums, Top Rock Albums and Top Album Sales charts. On 1 June 2022, the band released a music video for "My Demons", the fourth single from "The Tipping Point". During the band's tour that year, "Everybody Wants to Rule the World" re-entered the UK Singles Chart and appeared on the Billboard Global 200. In April 2023, Tears for Fears announced the second leg of the Tipping Point World Tour. In June, "Everybody Wants to Rule the World" returned to the UK Singles Chart for another 22-week run, reaching number 72 in September. On 12 September 2024, Tears for Fears announced the album "Songs for a Nervous Planet". The release features 18 live tracks recorded on 11 July 2023 in Franklin, Tennessee, during the Tipping Point World Tour, along with four new studio recordings, or five on certain limited editions. Two of the new songs, "The Girl That I Call Home" and "Astronaut", were released as singles on 12 September and 4 October 2024, respectively. "Songs for a Nervous Planet" reached the UK top 10, becoming the band's seventh album to do so, and entered the top 40 in several other countries. In November 2025, a special edition of "Songs from the Big Chair" was released to mark the album's 40th anniversary. The reissue reached the UK top 40 and charted in Austria, Belgium and the Netherlands. Following the reissue, "Everybody Wants to Rule the World" returned to the UK Singles Chart. Full Wikipedia article: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tears_for_Fears Studio albums The Hurting (1983) Songs from the Big Chair (1985) The Seeds of Love (1989) Elemental (1993) (without Curt Smith) Raoul and the Kings of Spain (1995) (without Curt Smith) Everybody Loves a Happy Ending (2004) The Tipping Point (2022) Read more on Last.fm. 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