Roland Orzabal | |
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Background information | |
Birth name | Roland Jaime Orzabal de la Quintana |
Born | [1] Portsmouth, England | 22 August 1961
Origin | Bath, Somerset, England |
Genres | |
Occupations |
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Instruments |
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Years active | 1979−present |
Labels | |
Member of | Tears for Fears |
Formerly of | |
Spouse(s) | Caroline Johnston (m. 1982;died 2017)Emily Rath (m. 2022) |
Roland Jaime Orzabal de la Quintana (born 22 August 1961 [1] ) is an English musician, singer, songwriter, record producer, and author. He is the guitarist, co-lead vocalist, main songwriter and a co-founder of Tears for Fears. Orzabal has been the only constant member of the band, having appeared on every Tears for Fears studio album. He is also a producer of artists such as Oleta Adams. In 2014, Orzabal published his first novel, a romantic comedy.
Orzabal was born Roland Jaime Orzabal de la Quintana in Portsmouth, Hampshire on 22 August 1961. [1] He was initially raised in nearby Havant. [2] Orzabal's father, George Orzabal de la Quintana, was a Frenchman [3] of Argentinian and Spanish roots and was often so ill that he was rarely seen by his children. [4] Orzabal began writing songs when he was 7 years old. [5] The family later moved to Bath, where he attended Culverhay School (later Bath Community Academy) and became a member of the Zenith Youth Theatre Company. [6]
Orzabal met Curt Smith while both were in their early teens in Bath, Somerset. In the late 1970s, they formed a mod music group, Graduate, along with three other members. Following the release of their debut album, Acting My Age, the group disbanded. Orzabal and Smith briefly joined Neon and then went on to form Tears for Fears, a new wave music/synthpop outfit directly inspired by the writings of the American psychologist Arthur Janov. [7] Orzabal sings and plays guitar for the band, while Smith sings and plays bass guitar. [8] Orzabal is also the band's main songwriter. [9]
The band's debut album, The Hurting (1983), reached number one on the UK Albums Chart. Their second album, Songs from the Big Chair (1985), reached number one on the US Billboard 200, achieving multi-platinum status in both the UK and the US. [10] [11] Songs from the Big Chair included two Billboard Hot 100 number-one hits: "Shout" and "Everybody Wants to Rule the World".[ citation needed ]
After the release of their third album, The Seeds of Love (1989), [12] Smith and Orzabal split in 1991. [13] Orzabal continued recording under the Tears for Fears name, releasing the albums Elemental (1993) and Raoul and the Kings of Spain (1995). As Tears for Fears, Orzabal and Smith released Everybody Loves a Happy Ending in 2004. [13] After almost a decade in development, the band's seventh album, The Tipping Point , was released in February 2022. [14]
In 2001, Orzabal released his first solo album, Tomcats Screaming Outside , under his own name. [15]
As a songwriter, Orzabal is a three-time Ivor Novello Award winner. [16] His first award was in 1986 for "Songwriter of the Year" following the release of Tears for Fears' second album Songs from the Big Chair . [17]
Orzabal and Smith were responsible for discovering pianist/vocalist Oleta Adams, whom they invited to collaborate on their 1989 album The Seeds of Love . Adams appeared on several tracks on the album, most notably the hit single "Woman in Chains", which she performed as a duet with Orzabal. [18] Orzabal then co-produced Adams' album Circle of One (1990). The album reached No. 1 in the UK and No. 20 in the US, and featured her transatlantic top ten hit "Get Here". Orzabal also co-wrote the lead track "Rhythm of Life" for the album, which was originally intended for The Seeds of Love . As well as playing guitar and singing backing vocals on the track, he also appeared in the song's accompanying promo video.[ citation needed ]
In 1999, Orzabal co-produced Icelandic singer-songwriter Emiliana Torrini's album Love in the Time of Science , along with Tears for Fears associate Alan Griffiths. The pair also wrote two tracks for the album. [19]
Orzabal wrote the song "Mad World", recorded by Michael Andrews and Gary Jules for the film soundtrack Donnie Darko in 2001. [20] Their version was released as a single in 2003 and became the Christmas number-one single in the UK that year, ultimately becoming the year's biggest-selling single. The song was originally composed by Orzabal and was Tears for Fears' first hit single in 1982. In 2004, the song won Orzabal his second Ivor Novello Award; he was awarded as the songwriter of the Best Selling UK Single of 2003. [21] In September 2021, Orzabal was awarded his third Ivor Novello Award along with Curt Smith for the Outstanding Song Collection by Tears for Fears. [16]
Orzabal wrote a novel, a romantic comedy entitled Sex, Drugs & Opera, published in 2014. It tells the story of a middle-aged pop star, Solomon Capri, who is semi-retired but is approached to take part in the reality show Popstar to Operastar . Capri sees the show as a way to rejuvenate his career and his waning marriage. The story was inspired by Orzabal's own experience; he was approached by the ITV show himself, though did not take part. [22] [23]
In 1982, Orzabal married Caroline Johnston, whom he had been dating since his teenage years. [24] Caroline sang the child vocal on the Tears for Fears song "Suffer the Children" from the band's debut album The Hurting , [25] and also drew the hands cover artwork for the 1983 re-release of "Pale Shelter".[ citation needed ] Roland and Caroline Orzabal had two sons. [26] [27] Orzabal's wife, Caroline Orzabal, died in July 2017 aged 54 after suffering from alcoholism-related dementia and cirrhosis, which came about after being diagnosed with depression. Her death led the band to cancel its remaining tour dates that year. [28]
In April 2022, Orzabal married Emily Rath, a photographer and writer. [28]
After the re-election of Margaret Thatcher in June 1987, Orzabal took interest in socialism in response to the Prime Minister's attitude towards the working class. His feelings on Thatcherism were reflected in the lyrics of "Sowing the Seeds of Love": "Politician granny with your high ideals / Have you no idea how the majority feels?". [29] [30] [31]
"Everybody Wants To Rule The World" was permitted as the title theme to Dennis Miller Live on HBO, [32] [33] though the show espoused American centrist and libertarian viewpoints. [34]
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 British 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 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.
"Mad World" is a 1982 song by British band Tears for Fears. Written by Roland Orzabal and sung by bassist Curt Smith, it was the band's third single release and first chart hit, reaching number three on the UK Singles Chart in November 1982. Both "Mad World" and its B-side, "Ideas as Opiates", appeared on the band's debut LP The Hurting (1983). This single was also the band's first international success, reaching the Top 40 in several countries in 1982–83.
Curt Smith is a British 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".
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 third 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.
Tomcats Screaming Outside is the debut solo studio album by the British musician Roland Orzabal from the band Tears for Fears. It was released on 2 April 2001. Although Orzabal had effectively made two solo albums under the Tears for Fears moniker in the 1990s, this was the first recording to be released under his own name. Though originally intended to be released as a Tears For Fears album, Orzabal had reunited with Smith in 2000 which prompted him to release the then-completed Tomcats album under his own name shortly afterwards.
Raoul and the Kings of Spain is the fifth studio album by the British pop rock band Tears for Fears, released on 16 October 1995 by Epic Records. Like the band's previous album, Elemental (1993), it is essentially a solo effort by Roland Orzabal, as neither album involved Curt Smith.
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.
"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.
"Woman in Chains" is a song by English band Tears for Fears, released as the second single from their third studio album, The Seeds of Love (1989). It has been described as a "feminist anthem". It was an international success, reaching the top 40 in several countries, including the United Kingdom, the United States, Canada, France, and the Netherlands.
Secret World – Live in Paris is a live album by the British pop rock band Tears for Fears, released on 27 February 2006 by the French record label XIII Bis.
Scenes from the Big Chair is a documentary film about the British band Tears for Fears. Released on home video in 1985, the 75 minute documentary was made at the height of the band's global success following the release of their multi-platinum selling album Songs from the Big Chair.
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.
Shout: The Very Best of Tears for Fears is a 2001 compilation album released by the British band Tears for Fears. The album contains the greatest hits of the band from their first album, The Hurting, to the much later Elemental. The liner notes contain various photographs which were researched by Jason Pastori and coordinated by Ryan Null.
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.
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