Tears for Fears: Whatever Happened To The Band Behind 'Everybody Wants To Rule The World?'
78,054
Published 2022-06-20
SIGN UP for 10 of the Craziest Stories in Rock N' Roll [Secret Playlist]: bit.ly/3vVPAEF
Check out our Top 25 Favourite Albums Here
rockandrolltruestories.com/
Have a video request or a topic you'd like to see us cover? Fill out our google form!
bit.ly/3stnXlN
----CONNECT ON SOCIAL----
Instagram: www.instagram.com/rocknrolltruestories
Facebook: www.facebook.com/RNRTrueStories
Twitter: twitter.com/rocktruestories
Blog: www.rockandrolltruestories.com
#tearsforfears #madworld
I cite my sources and they may differ than other people's accounts, so I don't guarantee the actual accuracy of my videos.
With everything going on in the world i heard Tears For Fears song Everybody Wants to Rule the World the other day and thought how fitting the song was in these crazy times. It seems like 2022 can’t be a normal year. Between pandemics, war and god knows what else is going to happen in the year we can’t just have some peace and quiet. Remembered as a relic of the 80’s Tears for Fears history was rooted in trauma, something a lot of young music fans in the 80’s identified with. But by the 90’s the band hit some turbulent times and today we’re going to explore whatever happened to the band Tears for Fears
Tears for Fears leaders Roland Orzabal and Curt Smith were both products of broken homes growing up in Bath England. Smith would tell VIce "We both come from broken homes. We were both brought up solely by our mothers, more or less," Smith would have a brief career as a criminal serving time in juvenile detention that came to a head when he was arrested for stealing cameras from his school. while Orzabal have exposure to show business early on in his childhood. Before his parents divorced they would run an in-home promotion agency for working men’s clubs. The entertainers who came through his childhood house included strippers, musicians & ventriloquists and strippers; It was this exposure that gave Orzabal an introduction of the world of show business telling the morning call , "It was an unorthodox house,". "Always a lot of entertaining people around including these three absolutely great guitarists who used to come by. From watching them, I sort of fell in love with the guitar." Orzabal’s father a world war 2 veteran suffered from post traumatic stress syndrome and had a chaotic relationship with Orzabal’s mother telling the guardian Orzabal I had suffered from depression in my childhood. My dad had been in the second world war, had electric shock treatment, suffered from anxiety and was abusive to my mum. I kept a lid on my feelings at school but, when I was 18, dropped out of everything and couldn't even be bothered to get out of bed.
Orzabal would become a self taught guitarist at the age of 9 and soon started playing in bands with his tastes including Paul Simon and Talking Heads'
For Orzabal he would take a liking to glam acts including David Bowie and T. Rex, but unlike a lot of kids who discovered music at the local record store he’d get his hands on song books and find bands on top of the pops.
Smith, and Orzabal would meet at the age of 13 after being introduced by a mutual friend. Orzabal would tell the morning call his first meeting with Smith recallinfg
. "We went to call for Curt but his mother said he wasn't allowed out because he'd been in a fight," Instead, the boys stayed inside and played records adding
"We found we had a lot in common. We seemed to have the same sense of humor and we both liked cute girls,"
"What's more, we were the same height." Orzabal would admit to being blown away by Smith’s singing talents after witnessing him sing along to a blue oyster cult album.
The pair started soon started playing together, first in heavy metal cover bands before taking some time apart during which Smith attended college. It was during this break Orzabal got involved in folk music and formed a band. But the pair’s break would be temporary as they soon reconnected and played together as part of the mod group Graduate who landed a record deal. Both men were 18 at the time and it was now 1980. Despite Graduate having a little taste of success in Spain with their single Elvis should play ska the band broke up the following year in 1981.
Smith would tell Vice the turning points for the two musicians:
“What changed our view of music was Gary Numan," "It wasn't even so much liking him, it's that we were kids following trends and trends in those days were really powerful," It would also be Peter Gabriel's third self-titled album and Talking Heads Remain in Light that also influenced the two musicians.
At 17 years of age Orzabal would be introduced to the writing of psychologist Arhur Janov’s by a guitar teacher. after reading his book the Primal
All Comments (21)
-
What other 80's era bands should we look at? I know most of my channel has focused on 90's era bands....We've got some good one's already in the can, ready to release...
-
If your weren't around in 1985,you really have no idea how big these guys were. MTV played them hourly and they were all over the radio stations. Long live the 80's ! 🤟
-
These guys are definitely not in the "where are they now?" category. New hit album and selling out amphitheaters. Just saw them in San Diego a couple of weeks ago!
-
Tears for Fears is one of the most underrated bands of all time, the music released after Songs from The Big Chair was absolutely brilliant and more people should know about it.
-
Saw them last Friday in Indianapolis and they were unbelievably good. Garbage were the opening act and kicked ass too. Their new album is a gem 👌🏻
-
Saw them last Sunday....they still got it . Orzabels voice still top notch
-
The outro guitar solo on "Everybody Wants To Rule the World" is one of the most underrated solos of the '80s... Very out-of-the-box and exciting.
-
I gotta hand it to them, they were the soundtrack of the 80s. Everyone knows at least 1 tears for fears song even if they don't know the band itself.
-
The ending of Real Genius featuring "Everybody Wants To Rule The World" is so good, total nostalgia
-
They're still around and kicking, with a new album.
-
I also just saw them with Garbage opening, and it was one of the best shows I’ve ever attended. They played all the hits, the hidden gems, and their new music. The new music is so good, it fits right in with the setlist. Can’t say that for every band with new songs lol.
-
They're one of my favourite bands, they have so many iconic hits, like "Shout", "Head over Heels" and "Everybody wants to Rule the World", which always made me want to sing along.
-
They just had their first top 10 album in over 30 years with the tipping point. And thanks to tik tok and other things they’re more popular than ever. They have like 12 million listeners each month on Spotify. I’m a big fan so I’m really happy they’re still around and being embraced by the younger generation
-
Songs from the big chair makes me nostalgic for a time when I was a child
-
I remember seeing them back in the 80s at Massey Hall in Toronto. Went with my future to be husband. Still one of the brightest memories of such a perfect night. Still love Tears For Fears, as well as my husband. Such a good band and so good to see them still putting out new music.
-
One of my favorite bands, love they are still at it and making great music!
-
What a weird video to make... THEY ARE ON TOUR! I saw them in San Diego a couple weeks ago and they were AMAZING. Their new album is excellent, and they put on a hell of a show. This video is really more of a "History of Tears for Fears", not a "Where are they now".
-
I just saw them live. They sounded great and the concert venue looked full, so many people must still love them. They have a great new album that has been well received. I know they have been away for a while, but they are back.
-
Their music aged extremely well.
-
“Whatever happened to” a group that’s touring and has a well-received album out recently. This video didn’t need that title.
