Curt Smith | |
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Background information | |
Born | Bath, Somerset, England | 24 June 1961
Origin | Los Angeles, California, U.S |
Genres | |
Occupations |
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Instruments |
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Years active | 1978–present |
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Member of | Tears for Fears |
Formerly of | |
Spouses | Lynda Altman (m. 1982;div. 1988)Frances Pennington (m. 1996) |
Curt Smith (born 24 June 1961) is an English singer, songwriter, musician and record producer, who is best known as the co-lead vocalist, bassist and co-founding member of the pop rock band Tears for Fears along with childhood friend Roland Orzabal. Smith has co-written several of the band's songs, and sings lead vocals on the hits "Mad World", "Pale Shelter", "Change", "The Way You Are", "Everybody Wants to Rule the World", and "Advice for the Young at Heart".
After his departure from Tears for Fears in 1991, Smith pursued a solo career and released his debut studio album, Soul on Board , in 1993. In total, he has released five studio albums and one EP, and has also dabbled in acting. He rejoined Tears for Fears in 2000.
Smith grew up in Bath, Somerset in England, and lived on the Snow Hill council estate. [1] He attended the Beechen Cliff School. [2]
Smith met Roland Orzabal when both were teenagers. [3] They first formed a band in their teens, and Smith taught himself to play bass guitar.[ citation needed ] They next formed the ska-influenced band Graduate. [4] Graduate released their sole studio album in 1980, achieving minor success in Europe. Around this time, Smith and Orzabal also became session musicians for the band Neon. Fellow band members included Pete Byrne and Rob Fisher, who went on to become the duo Naked Eyes. [5]
After Graduate and Neon disbanded, [6] Smith and Orzabal founded Tears for Fears in 1981. [7] Smith is the band's bass player [8] and co-lead vocalist. [9] [10] Their debut studio album, 1983's The Hurting , reached no. 1 in the UK [11] and produced three international hit singles—"Mad World", "Change" and "Pale Shelter"—each with lead vocals performed by Smith. [12] [13]
The duo's second studio album Songs from the Big Chair (1985) hit number one in the United States [14] [15] and went multi-platinum. [16] The album yielded hits including "Everybody Wants to Rule the World" (with Smith again on lead vocals), [17] "Shout," and "Head Over Heels" (which Smith co-wrote). [18]
The next Tears for Fears studio album, The Seeds of Love (1989), proved to be another international success. Smith's only lead vocal track on the album was "Advice for the Young at Heart". [19] Increasing tensions between Smith and Orzabal prompted Smith to leave the band in 1991, [20] [21] and he moved to New York. [21]
In 2000, routine legal paperwork obligations led to Orzabal and Smith's first conversation in nearly a decade. [22] The two patched up their differences and, along with Smith's associate Charlton Pettus, began writing a new studio album— Everybody Loves a Happy Ending —released in 2004. [21]
"Mad World" was re-recorded by Michael Andrews and Gary Jules for the soundtrack of the 2001 film Donnie Darko . A 2003 single release of the song reached number one in the UK for three consecutive weeks [23] and won Orzabal his second Ivor Novello Award. [24] The single re-ignited interest in the group's earlier work. Their 1992 Greatest Hits album was re-released and re-entered the UK Top 10 for several weeks, garnering its second UK platinum disc. [25]
In 2021, Smith and Roland Orzabal were honoured with the Ivor Novello Award for Outstanding Song Collection. [26]
The seventh Tears for Fears studio album (the fifth with Smith as a member), The Tipping Point , was released in February 2022. [27]
After leaving Tears for Fears, Smith released his debut solo studio album, Soul on Board , in 1993. The album was unsuccessful in the UK, and was not released at all in the United States. Smith later claimed that he made the album purely to fulfill his recording contract with Mercury/Phonogram.[ citation needed ]
After moving to New York, Smith formed the band Mayfield with guitarist-producer Charlton Pettus. The band featured Russ Irwin and Doug Petty on keyboards, Smith himself on bass and vocals, and Shawn Pelton on drums. According to Smith, the name of the band was a play on words (Curt is Mayfield) based on the name of the legendary American soul singer Curtis Mayfield. The band was mostly a live act, but did release a self-titled studio album in 1998; it met with little success. [28]
Smith later released the solo studio album Aeroplane under his own name. In the U.S., this was a six-track EP, but in Canada and elsewhere, it was essentially the earlier Mayfield album combined with additional songs from the U.S. EP.[ citation needed ]
In October 2011, Smith announced on his website that he would re-release the Mayfield album on 15 November 2011. [29] [ better source needed ] The new release, on his KOOK Media label, would include a bonus version of the song "Trees" featuring Janice Whaley.
During 2000, Smith began work on what was to become Halfway, Pleased , but the project was put on hold when he began with Roland Orzabal again after almost a decade of silence. In 2006, Smith resumed work on Halfway, Pleased. The semi-autobiographical album explores Smith's relationships with his children, parents and friends.[ citation needed ] Smith finally released the album in the U.S. and the rest of the world in May 2008 via his own KOOK Media label. [30]
Smith made limited live concert appearances in the Los Angeles area to support Halfway, Pleased. In January 2009, he announced that he would perform a weekly residency at The Standard Hollywood in West Hollywood, CA during the month of February 2009. [31]
Smith's fourth solo studio album, Deceptively Heavy, was released on 16 July 2013. [32]
In January 2010, Smith released the standalone single "All Is Love" (featuring Zoë Keating), the first track in what he said would be an album-length project of collaborations with artists he had met via social media. [33] Smith met Keating, a contemporary classical cellist, via Twitter. The second track in the series, "Perfectly...Still (featuring Universal Hall Pass)" was released in August 2010. [34]
Smith occasionally collaborates with other artists. He worked with the French singer So (Sophie Saillet) providing vocals on her track "Les Autres", and the pair worked together again on Smith's track "Seven of Sundays" (Saillet also appeared in both videos for the song).[ citation needed ] Smith is also featured on the Shadow Bureau's 2011 track "Don't Give Yourself Away" with artist Linda Strawberry, [35] inspired by the 2010 Australian film Griff the Invisible . In May 2011, Smith tweeted that he was working on a track with Junkie XL [36] [ better source needed ] which features on JXL's studio album Synthesized (2012). He also recorded a vocal track for the American punk band American Eyes on their song entitled "The Day We Died" from the album Never Trust Anything That Bleeds (2005).[ citation needed ]
Smith and longtime collaborator Charlton Pettus composed and recorded the score for the 2011 film Meth Head (starring Lukas Haas) [37] and the 2015 film Gravy. [38]
Smith contributed an original song, "This Is Christmas", to an episode of the fifth season of the USA Network series Psych . [39]
In August 2010, Smith debuted a live music web series, "Stripped Down Live with Curt Smith", [40] which he produced along with his manager Arlene Wszalek and Streamin' Garage CEO Mike Rotman. Each episode was devoted to a single featured artist. The band or musician played acoustic versions of their songs (the show was streamed live via Ustream); Smith interviewed them between sets, as well as took viewer questions via Skype and the show's chat room. Smith's guests included Hypnogaja, Carina Round, Chris Pierce, Peter Himmelman, Common Rotation, Gary Jules, All Day Sucker, the Daylights, Matthew Sweet, the Fallen Stars, Nightmare & the Cat, Whiskey Saints, Fitz and the Tantrums and Friendly Indians. [41]
In 1988, Smith appeared at the Nelson Mandela 70th Birthday Tribute performing "Everybody Wants to Rule the World", with accompanying musicians Phil Collins, Midge Ure and Mark Brzezicki on stage. [42]
Smith is an avid user and advocate of social media. [33] Since 2008, he has been asked to speak at a variety of social media, technology and creative conferences, including 140TC, [43] the Creative Commons Los Angeles Salon, [44] the 2010 ITV Fest, [45] [ dead link ] TEDxHollywood [46] and TEDxSF. [47] He has also guest-lectured at the USC Annenberg School's graduate Online Communities program. [48] [ better source needed ]
Smith has also tried his hand at acting. He had a minor role as a desk clerk in The Dead Connection (1994), and a more significant role as a professor in 2000's The Private Public. [49] Smith made a surprise appearance to open Psych 's 2010 Comic Con panel, [50] where he sang onstage with Psych co-stars James Roday and Dulé Hill. Roday's character Shawn Spencer makes several proclamations throughout the series about his admiration for Tears for Fears, especially Smith. He then appeared, as himself, in the Psych episode "Shawn 2.0", [51] an episode for which he also wrote a variation of the opening theme. His single "This Is Christmas" later appeared in the episode "The Polarizing Express". [52] He again appeared as himself in the show's 100th episode, "100 Clues", in March 2013. [53] He also appeared in the series' penultimate episode "A Nightmare on State Street" as himself. [54] Most recently, he appeared as himself in Psych 3: This Is Gus (2021).
In September 2016, Smith and his drummer Jamie Wollam appeared in the "Orchard" with Ted Yoder to accompany him on a re-recording of his popular rendition of "Everybody Wants to Rule the World" played on the hammered dulcimer. [55]
Smith has been married twice. His first wife was Lynda "Lynne" Altman, whom he married in 1982. They divorced in 1988, and he then began a relationship with marketing executive Frances Pennington. They married in 1996 and now live in Los Angeles with their two daughters, Diva and Wilder, born in 1999 and 2001. [56] Diva is also a musician, and released a song titled "Bet" in 2021. [57] Smith became a naturalised U.S. citizen in 2007. [58] He is a supporter of Manchester United and Los Angeles FC. [59]
This article may contain an excessive amount of intricate detail that may interest only a particular audience.(April 2024) |
Throughout the 1980s, Smith was arguably the biggest user of the then new headless bass design. The only bass he played on stage from September 1982 to the end of 1985 was a Steinberger L2, which he later gave to a roadie at the end of the Big Chair Tour in 1985. [60]
Below is a list of all the basses that Smith has used (in chronological order):
Solo
EP
In Mayfield
Tears for Fears are an English pop rock band formed in Bath in 1981 by Curt Smith and Roland Orzabal. Founded after the dissolution of their first band, the mod-influenced Graduate, Tears for Fears were associated with the synth-pop bands of the 1980s, and attained international chart success as part of the Second British Invasion.
Everybody Loves a Happy Ending is the sixth studio album by English pop rock band Tears for Fears, released on 14 September 2004 in the United States and on 7 March 2005 in the United Kingdom and Europe.
The Seeds of Love is the third studio album by English pop rock band Tears for Fears, released on 25 September 1989 by Fontana Records. It retained the band's epic sound while incorporating influences ranging from jazz and soul to Beatlesque pop. Its lengthy production and scrapped recording sessions cost over £1 million. The album spawned the title hit single "Sowing the Seeds of Love", as well as "Woman in Chains", and "Advice for the Young at Heart", both of which reached the top 40 in several countries.
Elemental is the fourth studio album by English pop rock band Tears for Fears, released on 7 June 1993 by Mercury Records. It was the band's first album recorded following the departure of co-founder Curt Smith, with Roland Orzabal assuming sole leadership with the help of additional musicians.
Songs from the Big Chair is the second studio album by the English band Tears for Fears, released on 25 February 1985 by Mercury Records, distributed by Phonogram Inc. A follow-up to the band's successful debut album, The Hurting (1983), Songs from the Big Chair was a significant departure from that album's dark, introspective synth-pop, featuring a more mainstream, guitar-based pop rock sound, sophisticated production values and diverse stylistic influences, while Roland Orzabal and Ian Stanley's lyrics displayed socially and politically conscious themes.
The Hurting is the debut studio album by British new wave band Tears for Fears, released on 7 March 1983 by Mercury Records distributed by Phonogram Inc. The album peaked at No. 1 on the UK Albums Chart in its second week of release and was certified Gold by the BPI within three weeks of release. The album also entered the Top 40 in several other countries including Canada, Germany, and Australia. It was certified Platinum in the UK in January 1985.
Roland Jaime Orzábal De La Quintana is an English musician, singer, songwriter, record producer, and author. He is the guitarist, co-lead vocalist, main songwriter, co-founder, and the only constant member of Tears for Fears. He is also a producer of artists such as Oleta Adams. In 2014, Orzabal published his first novel, a romantic comedy.
Ian Christopher Stanley is a British musician, songwriter and record producer. He was a member of Tears for Fears for most of the 1980s, and played a key role in the making of their multi-platinum-selling second studio album Songs from the Big Chair.
"Everybody Wants to Rule the World" is a song by English pop rock band Tears for Fears from their second studio album Songs from the Big Chair (1985). It was written by Roland Orzabal, Ian Stanley, and Chris Hughes and produced by Hughes. It was released on 22 March 1985 by Phonogram, Mercury, and Vertigo Records as the third single from the album. "Everybody Wants to Rule the World" is a new wave and synth-pop song with lyrics that detail the desire humans have for control and power and centre on themes of corruption.
"Shout" is a song by English pop rock band Tears for Fears, released as the second single from their second studio album, Songs from the Big Chair (1985), on 23 November 1984. Roland Orzabal is the lead singer on the track, and he described it as "a simple song about protest". The single became the group's fourth top 5 hit on the UK Singles Chart, peaking at No. 4 in January 1985. In the US, it reached No. 1 on the Billboard Hot 100 on 3 August 1985 and remained there for three weeks; also topping the Cash Box chart. "Shout" became one of the most successful songs of 1985, eventually reaching No. 1 in multiple countries.
The English new wave/pop rock band Tears for Fears have released seven studio albums, along with numerous singles, compilations and videos. Formed in 1981 by Roland Orzabal and Curt Smith, the duo signed to Phonogram Records in the UK and released their first single the same year. It was not until Tears for Fears' third single, "Mad World" (1982), that they scored their first hit, and their platinum-selling debut album The Hurting (1983) was a UK number one.
"Suffer the Children" is the debut single by the British band Tears for Fears. Written and sung by Roland Orzabal and released in October 1981, it was the band's first release, recorded shortly after the break-up of Orzabal and Curt Smith's previous band Graduate. The original single was produced by David Lord and recorded at his own facility, Crescent Studios in Bath, England. The song would eventually be re-recorded for inclusion on Tears for Fears' debut LP The Hurting (1983), this time produced by Chris Hughes and Ross Cullum.
"Change" is a song by the British band Tears for Fears. Written by Roland Orzabal and sung by bassist Curt Smith, it was the band's fourth single release. It would eventually become the second hit from their debut LP The Hurting (1983) and second UK Top 5 chart hit, following the success of "Mad World". The song also gave Tears for Fears their first charting single in the United States when it cracked the Billboard Hot 100 in August 1983. "Change" was also a big international success, reaching the Top 40 in numerous countries.
"Pale Shelter" is a song by the British band Tears for Fears. Written by Roland Orzabal and sung by bassist Curt Smith, it was originally the band's second single release in early 1982. The original version of the song, entitled "Pale Shelter (You Don't Give Me Love)", did not see chart success at the time of its original UK release. However, it did later become a top 20 hit in Canada and a top 75 hit when it was reissued in the UK in 1985.
"Mothers Talk" is a 1984 song by the British band Tears for Fears. Written by Roland Orzabal and Ian Stanley and sung by Orzabal, it was the band's seventh single release (the first to be taken from their second album Songs from the Big Chair and fifth UK Top 40 chart hit. The song was released six months in advance of the album, and enjoyed moderate success internationally.
Secret World – Live in Paris is a live album by English pop rock band Tears for Fears released in 2006.
Michael Wainwright is a singer-songwriter from Canada. He has released two albums, The Circus Is Coming To Town and Wainwright. He is the background vocalist and opening act for Tears For Fears.
Going to California is a concert performance video by the British group Tears for Fears. Released in 1990, it is a recording of the band's show at the Santa Barbara County Bowl in May 1990 during their "Seeds of Love" World Tour.
Neil Martin Taylor is an English guitarist, best known for his long-time affiliation with Robbie Williams and for his work with Tears for Fears.
The Tipping Point is the seventh studio album by the English pop rock band Tears for Fears, released on 25 February 2022 through Concord Records. It is the band's first studio album since Everybody Loves a Happy Ending, released almost 18 years prior. Work on the album commenced in 2013, but the project endured numerous delays and setbacks between touring; disagreements that bandleaders Roland Orzabal and Curt Smith had with their record label and management; and the death of Orzabal's wife, which influenced many of the songs on the album. The bulk of the album was completed in 2020 and 2021.