Key Takeaways
- Tears for Fears created a unique sound in the 1980s that attracted interest from other artists.
- Roland Orzabal’s memoir reflects on personal and professional challenges, including the loss of his first wife.
- Astrology plays a significant role in Orzabal’s writing process and the narrative of his memoir.
- The Seeds of Love album marked a creative turning point for the band, showcasing their artistic freedom.
Tears for Fears pioneered a sound that was hard to match in the ’80s.
So much so that as the band’s Roland Orzabal tells UCR, he heard anecdotally, that Prince was interested in making an album with the band.
Nothing came of the word that filtered his way, but it’s something that Orzabal himself can easily make sense of. “I couldn’t believe it, because the guy was a genius, but I guess he was like looking for that multi-layered sound that we couldn’t help but make, as opposed to where you can hear the individual parts of a Prince record.”
That’s not a story that you’ll find in Orzabal’s delightful new memoir, Welcome to Your Life: Love, Death and Tears for Fears. But it’s just an example of the many things — and memories — that the singer and songwriter had to draw on as he was working on the book.
Longtime Tears for Fears fans will appreciate the depth and honesty in the way that Orzabal put his story to paper. He had difficult things to write about — including the death of his first wife in 2017, something he discusses openly.
He’s equally transparent when it comes to the peaks and valleys of the collaborative relationship and friendship he’s had for decades with his Tears for Fears bandmate, Curt Smith. But there’s no shortage of joy documented here as well, when it comes to Orzabal’s life within and outside of Tears for Fears — most notably, his new daughter Eula, who arrived last year and as you’ll read, quickly made a major impact in his world.
Unlike some memoirs that feel like the reader is only getting part of the story, Welcome to Your Life is a book that gives good time to every phase of Orzabal’s diverse and colorful life — and if you choose to, you’ll learn a bit about astrology as well!
Here are edited excerpts from the conversation with Roland, where we talk about the book, of course. But Orzabal also addresses a number of other subjects including how Tears for Fears answered their massive multi-platinum success of Songs from the Big Chair in the ’80s and found a new path forward.
I liked seeing Curt listed as one of the early readers for your memoir in the acknowledgements. It made me wonder if it spurred any certain conversations between you two after he read it?
No, I mean, obviously Curt is in the book a lot, and I needed him to be happy with how he was portrayed — and he loved it. He said it made him cry, which is a good sign. I love making Curt cry. And then I said, “What did you think of the astrology?” He said, “Oh, I didn’t understand it!” That was an early draft and I didn’t rewrite the astrology, I chopped it up into smaller chunks, so it’s now more than four pages. A lot of it comes at the end of a chapter, and you can ignore it if you like.
Astrology is a big thing for you. How did having it in there help you when it came to the overall arc of the book? It seemed like it helped you find a certain flow.
I understand everything through astrological means. I couldn’t have written a story without referring to it, even if it was a small reference. When my agent in New York was distributing my fictional book called Truthful, he kept getting the same reply. “When’s he going to write a memoir?”
He said that to me [and asked], “Have you ever thought about it?” And I said, “No.” But I had a hankering for writing a book on astrology, only because I knew so much about it and a hankering for writing a book on metaphysics. So I thought, “Well, can I combine the two somehow?” Can I make it a story that people understand the ebb and flow, the highs and lows and then can I explain astrology through it? I think I’ve done that, but you know, I’ll let the audience judge.
Listen to Tears for Fears’ ‘Badman’s Song’ Recorded Live in Tennessee
The Seeds of Love album was hard fought, as we learn in the book. It’s a good illustration of what the pressures can sometimes be when you’re working to follow up a massively successful album. In hindsight, what do you appreciate about The Seeds of Love and the moment in time that was captured with that record?
I think it was the first time that Curt and I spread our wings. We’d been working in a hierarchy, which was very evident during The Hurting, and then evident during [Songs from the] Big Chair. We were at the bottom of the pile; we were workers and at some point there would be a rebellion. It’s not just having been on the road for eight months playing Big Chair[material] over and over again.
READ MORE: How Tears for Fears Found a Way to ‘Shout’ Their Way to No. 1
I desperately wanted to do something different. This there was no doubt in my mind; none whatsoever and it wasn’t easy at all. But I suppose once we’d hooked up with Oleta [Adams], who guests on The Seeds of Love, and we’d got Chris Hughes out of the way, it all started coming together very easily.
I just see it…Curt and myself expressing sudden artistic freedom; even freedom from the confines of early ’80s synthesizer- and drum machine-based sound [period]. The music scene at that time was opening up anyway. It was changing; many people were starting to sing soul music and that kind of stuff.
So all these influences bled into that album. You know it’s definitely an album I’m really proud of because making leap from say “Everybody Wants to Rule the World” to “Badman’s Song” is massive. It’s a massive leap; I don’t know many people who could have done that.
Hearing about expanded box set in recent years further illustrates what a creative period it was for you guys. It feels like it must have been an inspiring period for you as a writer.
I had a really good setup at England’s Lane with this big desk and valve microphone coming through speakers. It makes a lot of difference when you can sing in reverb and hear your voice day in day out [I also had] with keyboard and simple drum machine.
I would program simple rhythm then lose myself in right hemisphere plucking ideas out of air. I was doing primal therapy at time; walking alone three times week allowed my mind to concentrate on writing and let it evolve.
I loved reading about your new arrival; your daughter. How has this one-year-old changed your world?
Well you know; I heard talk from many people about being girl dad [and] but didn’t understand what meant at all. I have two sons in their 30s living in London; this is completely different experience. I was young; back then we had big house with big garden; there was security.
There was never any violence happening on streets or anything like that; didn’t feel overly protective because they are men; they would be men needing teaching how look after themselves.
But now vulnerability felt as father from having young baby girl is remarkable. We spent lot time L.A. beginning year; become more protective; not good feeling you know? [Laughs]
The gift from emotional bond is remarkable; I’m not religious person but interaction makes you feel God; can’t think greater feeling or more benevolent feeling like that.
How have you seen new life; presence; feelings come into writing as creative person?
I wrote nine songs last year; many anticipating Eula’s birth: “The Boneless Child” [is one of them] among others recorded this year at Charlton’s with Charlton [Pettus]. Yes there’s lot baby mummy stuff;
Watch Tears for Fears’ ‘No Small Thing’ Video
<pThat’s very cool! Appreciate where you Curt arrived with The Tipping Point. You write about how The Hurting captures young trauma while The Tipping Point bottles adult trauma; interesting bookends! Through lens what appreciate about evolution band what you Curt have done?I mean trauma can happen older person or child; words not like some social media users but really badly hurt where can’t express pain [Orzabal pauses].
I used believe primal therapy would eradicate all pain from childhood life [He chuckles]. But can’t! We are pre-built way making things seem light airy or slightest thing goes wrong it’s Hell! So yeah love The Tipping Point; taught me never going get rid these feelings or perspective.
<pThe period when you Curt were doing band Graduate is fascinating! You write about this period book! The band does not last obviously but what instructive about this period?This instructive how not do things! It’s interesting because if worked linear fashion putting one foot front other expecting walk get ahead then yeah would have stayed together but we weren’t [that way].
I think rebelliousness Curt had made tricky us be democracy! Even being duo isn’t easy [Orzabal chuckles]; that’s biocracy! Yeah we didn’t last long but also change music scene!
Became Graduate reaction kids day two-tone mod bands much better than us! Then synthesizer explosion happened! So question personally [feeling] don’t like this! Personally I’m not happy!. Personally being ridden by record company telling what wear…crazy stuff!
We embraced synthesizers embraced…well actually Arthur Janov [an American psychologist] brought Curt me together! Yeah we were [also] completely odds guys even though I’m [still] friends one them even now!
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<pEven though eventually moved away from technology ’80s helped evolve?Yeah! For me orchestral kid school choir listened kinds music kid [and also] parents [as well] — classical — Black Sabbath [among other things]!
Synthesizers came out suddenly trumpet sound easy make string sound! All kinds things at disposal started arrange individually! Wasn’t reliant how many people played this! If four-piece two guitars bass drums that’s it!
Soon play anything so once used not much step use other instruments orchestral way meaning real instruments like Wurlitzer piano grand piano string quartet string orchestra real brass real drums!
<pYou mentioned Sabbath! Other bands mentioned listening include Thin Lizzy Blue Oyster Cult! What take bands like eventually songwriter?You know kid anyone older successful beyond imagination couldn’t mimic them at all! Those bands awe inspiring try imitate them!
You can’t [so] end up making own individual sound which younger people think amazing can’t emulate either! So no just love them! Write rock music every now again! Have this [music that] been doing [in the past] year! Try always make slightly different sound bigger than [that]
<pYour takeaway once finished working book?I used editors before know experience editing something like [this with] HarperCollins [the publisher of the book] different ball game! Have legal read proper edit copy edit [and many layers of proofreading as well]. Realize more ever what have do!
Bled into writing because written two books apart this one fictional! Doing editing helped revisit one books written yet come out make bit succinct!
I think The Tipping Point sort solidifying what Curt me done past kind making emphatic bringing up date! Would say this book many ways puts full stop end sentence!
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Tears for Fears and 99 More of Rock’s Best Albums
Music in ’80s typically associated neon-tinged synthpop MTV’s early era but much more wildly varied decade!
Gallery Credit: Nick DeRiso
