Tears for Fears are an English pop rock band formed in Bath, England, in 1981 by Roland Orzabal and Curt Smith. Founded after the dissolution of their first band, the mod-influenced Graduate, Tears for Fears were initially associated with the new wave synthesizer bands of the early 1980s. Later, the band branched out into more mainstream pop and attained international chart success. Tears for Fears were part of the MTV-driven Second British Invasion of the US.
Elemental is the fourth studio album by the British pop band Tears for Fears. It was released on 7 June 1993 and includes the hit single "Break It Down Again". The album peaked at No. 5 in the UK and No. 45 in the US. It also reached the Top 10 in France and Italy, the Top 20 in Canada and the Top 30 in several European countries. It has been certified Silver in the UK, and Gold in the US and France.
Roland Orzabal is an English musician, singer-songwriter, and record producer. He is best known as a co-founder of Tears for Fears, of which he is the main songwriter and joint vocalist, but he has also achieved success as a producer of other artists such as Oleta Adams. In 2014, Orzabal published his first novel.
Saturnine Martial & Lunatic is a compilation album by the British pop-rock band Tears for Fears, released on 3 June 1996. It is a collection of B-sides and rare tracks, spanning some ten years of recording from the band's era signed to Mercury/Phonogram. The album also includes their 1983 hit single "The Way You Are".
Raoul and the Kings of Spain is the fifth studio album by the British pop-rock band Tears for Fears, released on 10 October 1995. Like the band's previous album, Elemental (1993), it is essentially a solo effort by Roland Orzabal—neither album being made with the involvement of Curt Smith who had left the band by that time.
"Laid So Low " is a song by British band Tears for Fears.
"Break It Down Again" is a song by British band Tears for Fears, released as the first single from their fourth studio album, Elemental (1993). The song was an international hit, reaching number 20 in the United Kingdom, number 25 in the United States, and the top 40 in several other countries. It topped the US Billboard Modern Rock Tracks chart and was particularly successful in Canada and Iceland, reaching numbers four and two respectively. It is one of the band's later songs with the typical late 1980s sound, using synthesizers.
"Cold" is a song by the British band Tears for Fears. Released in July 1993, it was the second single from the album Elemental. The single peaked at #72 in the UK, and also entered the Top 100 in France.
Glaxo Babies are a Bristol-based post-punk band, formed in late 1977. There were three distinct phases in the band's life and after initially breaking up in 1980, they reformed in 1985, only to finally break up again in 1990. The band reformed once again in 2015 for the Un-Peeled 2015 event with Steve Street on bass and Tony Wrafter's son Oscar on vocals.
Europeans were a new wave band formed in Bristol, England in 1977. The line-up was Jonathan Cole, Jon Klein, Steve Street and James Cole. According to Klein, ‘we were going to be called 'The Noses.'
"God's Mistake" is a song by the British band Tears for Fears, featured on their 1995 album Raoul and the Kings of Spain. The song was the first single taken from the album in the United States and Canada, but the second to be taken from the album in the UK.
The Stingrays are a British new wave band, which was originally formed in 1977 in Bristol, England, by Welsh musician Russ Mainwaring and Dean Sidney and are still gigging today.. They have experienced various line up changes over the years, but have included: Russ Mainwaring, Bill Stair, Chris Bostock, Sean McLuskey and Paul Johnson.
Avon Calling is an album of tracks featuring bands from Bristol, UK, on local record label Heartbeat Records, and was originally released in 1979. All but 2 of the tracks were recorded at Crescent Studios in Bath by David Lord and Glenn Tommey, when the bands were "neatly fitting in on "off days" from on-going sessions by the likes of Peter Gabriel, The Korgis & Kate Bush."
The X-Certs were an English band formed in 1978, which originally started as a punk band. They released the track "Blue Movies" on the Heartbeat Records 1979 EP 4 Alternatives, and subsequently had "Anthem" included on the label's seminal compilation album Avon Calling. They contributed two tracks to Bristol Recorder 2, and were including reggae by the time of their 1981 Recreational Records single "Together/Untogether". This was to be their last recording as they split up in early 1981 when Chris Bostock was recruited by Bernie Rhodes to play with Johnny Britton.
Heartbeat Productions is the parent company of a number of record labels originating from Bristol, England. Heartbeat Records was formed in 1978, and other labels have been added over the years to cater for specific niche markets or bands: Riot City Records in 1980, Disorder Records in 1981, FSA Records in 1992 and Trash City Records in 1994.
The Escape were an English new wave band from Bristol, formed in 1981 by Alan Griffiths (vocals/guitar) and Emil (drums) from Apartment with bassist Stuart Morgan.
Stereo Models were an English new wave group, formed in 1979 in Bristol, England. They are best known for the track "Move Fast-Stay Ahead", on the Bristol compilation album, Avon Calling, released by Heartbeat Records in 1979. Rick Joseph of NME writing at the time of the original release said, 'The joys of profligate living are eulogised in "Move Fast, Stay Ahead", a reckless, infectious punkabilly chorus from Stereo Models'. The track was written by Russ Thomas, who provided vocals and played guitar, and was recorded at Horizon Studios, Coventry. The drummer was Mark Hatwood, formally of Coventry band Squad, which included Terry Hall in their line-up. Later Paul Tyler was added on bass and Steve Libby on keyboards.
Essential Bop were an English, Bristol-based post-punk/art band, formed in early 1978 by Dave Robinson, with an initial line-up of Steve Bush, Mike Fewings, Simon Tyler, Nick Tufnell (drums) and Seng-gye Tombs Curtis (‘visualist’). According to Steve Bush, they were originally going to be called Essence of Bop, but instead opted for Essential Bop.
