2.1 How many singles/albums have Tears For Fears released?
In the UK, a total of 26 chart-eligible singles and 8 albums have been issued under the TFF name. The USA has seen only 15 commercial single releases. This number tends to vary for other countries. Note that I'm not counting the wave of rehashed compilation discs that Universal has released over the past couple years without TFF's consent or involvement. For more information about all of TFF's official releases, visit the discography.
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2.2 What was Tears For Fears' first official release?
TFF released their debut single 'Suffer The Children' in November 1981. This was a UK only release and was issued on both 7" and 12" vinyl. The a-side was one of two songs featured on the original demo tape that the duo submitted to Phonogram earlier in the year (the other being 'Pale Shelter'). The b-side was 'Wino', a short, acoustic tinged song that to this date hasn't been issued on compact disc.
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2.3 Tell me about Tears For Fears' first album!
TFF's debut album was The Hurting, released in March 1983. The LP would eventually go to #1 in the UK charts and spawn three top-5 singles. The Hurting could be considered TFF's only true concept album, as references to emotional distress and Primal Therapy are found in nearly every song.
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2.4 Who is the boy on the cover of The Hurting and 'Suffer The Children'?
He was a local from Bath, UK named "Gebby". That's all that is known about him at this point. If you're thinking he might be Roland or Curt's son - he's not. That would've been nearly impossible anyway, since Roland and Curt were only 20 years old at the time the photo of Gebby was taken.
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2.5 But my copy of The Hurting doesn't have a boy on the front cover!
You may have the original USA pressing of the album. At the time of its release, Mercury Records made the decision that a giant sleeve photo of a sobbing child may not be commercial enough, and so it was replaced with the "duck pond" shot of Roland and Curt (also found on the Mad World UK single). This sleeve was also issued in a handful of other countries around the world, including Canada and Germany.
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2.6 What's up with this "new version" of 'Change'?
The UK cassette version of The Hurting as well as certain copies of the 'Change' 12" single contained a track referred to as 'Change (New Version)'. The track, however, is actually an early version of 'Change' dating back to the Mike Howlett produced sessions. The band was apparently not happy with it, and the song was re-recorded for The Hurting. Why this track was released at all is unknown. You can hear this rarity in the audio section of this site and read the lyrics here.
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2.7 I've heard about some "fishnet" sleeve for 'Change'. Is it rare?
You bet. Check out this page for all the info.
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2.8 Which TFF song has the most different remixes/edits?
By my count, that would be 'Shout' with fifteen significantly different official remixes and edits. This count does not include unofficial remixes, such as those done by Razormaid.
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2.9 Why did it take so long to release The Seeds Of Love?
Although it’s common these days for established bands to wait three years between album releases, this practice was considered career suicide during the 1980s. TFF likely didn’t intend to spend three years on Seeds, but a number of factors came into play. Roland and Curt first went through three different producers before deciding to produce themselves. Curt was also dealing with some tough personal issues at the time. Perhaps above all, the main reason was the duo's perfectionist attitude (especially Roland). It has been said that upwards of £1,000,000 was spent on the recording of the album.
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2.10 My copy of Raoul And The Kings Of Spain has a different track listing. Why?
Tears For Fears switched labels from Mercury / Polygram to Sony in 1995, shortly before the release of the RATKOS album. However, Mercury had already issued advance promotional copies of the album with a slightly different track listing. On the planned Mercury release, 'Queen Of Compromise' replaces 'Humdrum And Humble' and 'I Choose You.' According to Roland:
I lived with the album for many months and although I have nothing against the track "QOC", I felt that the running order meant that the end wasn't as dynamic as the beginning. Inserting the two new tracks has made me extremely happy with the end product.
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2.11 Okay, then why was Saturnine Martial & Lunatic released on Mercury?
Mercury Records still owned the rights to all pre-RATKOS Tears For Fears material and decided to go ahead with the release of this rarities compilation in 1996. Roland said in a 1995 online chat session that he doubted this album would ever get released due to him switching labels. It did, however, and you'll notice that there are no RATKOS-era b-sides on the compilation.
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2.12 What the heck is 'The Way You Are' and why is it not on any real album?
'The Way You Are' was a between albums single that TFF released in December 1983. It was a tune they had been playing live on the Hurting tour, and when the record company asked for a new single, this was the song they chose. Its odd, rhythmic synthesizer sound turned out not to be much of a hit, the single reaching only #24 in the UK charts. This single was not released in the USA. Roland and Curt have made no compromises regarding their hate for the song, both agreeing that this was the point at which they realized a change of musical direction was necessary. The song was not included on the Tears Roll Down (Greatest Hits 82-92) compilation and didn't show up on compact disc until the release of the rarities disc Saturnine Martial & Lunatic.
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2.13 What is 'Rhythm Of Life'?
'Rhythm Of Life' was a song written by Roland and Nicky Holland, originally intended for release on The Seeds Of Love. However, Roland never arrived at a version of the song that he was happy with, and it got scrapped. Oleta Adams later released her version of the song on her debut album Circle Of One.
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2.14 Have TFF officially released any cover songs?
Yes, TFF have officially released four cover songs: 'Sea Song' (Robert Wyatt), 'All You Need Is Love' (The Beatles), 'Ashes To Ashes' (David Bowie), and 'Creep' (Radiohead). The first two can be found on Saturnine Martial & Lunatic, while 'Creep' can be found on UK and European 'RATKOS' singles and the USA 'God's Mistake' single. 'All You Need Is Love' is currently only available as a live recording on the Going To California concert video. They have also played numerous cover versions live on tour that have not formally been recorded or released, including the Peter Gabriel songs 'Don’t Give Up' & 'Digging in the Dirt, U2’s 'Sunday Bloody Sunday', Oasis’ 'Don't Look Back In Anger', and most recently REM’s ‘Man On The Moon.’ Curt was also known to play Radiohead’s ‘Fake Plastic Trees’ on occasion with his band Mayfield.
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2.15 Who or what was 'Johnny Panic And The Bible Of Dreams'?
JP&TBOD was an alias Roland used in 1991 to release a two track single of the same name. The song originates from the Seeds Of Love sessions, where it eventually found its way onto the 'Advice For The Young At Heart' single as a b-side. The track got some surprise play in clubs, leading to its remixing by electronic act Fluke. JP&TBOD would become a minor hit, cracking the UK top 75 and reaching #1 in the dance charts. Fluke's remix of the song was later included on the Saturnine Martial & Lunatic compilation.
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2.16 What are those strange acronyms that I see fans using?
It’s often easier, when referring to a lengthy song or album title, to use abbreviations. Here are some of the most common:
AFTYAH = Advice For The Young At Heart
AITP = Always In The Past
BIDA = Break It Down Again
CMM = Call Me Mellow
CTTH = Closest Thing To Heaven
DABFD = Dog’s A Best Friend’s Dog
DDTW = Don’t Drink The Water
ELAHE = Everybody Loves A Happy Ending
EWTRTW = Everybody Wants To Rule The World
FOOW = Fish Out Of Water
FTLOC = For The Love Of Cain
HOH = Head Over Heels
JPATBOD = Johnny Panic And The Bible Of Dreams
KWK = Killing With Kindness
MAMBI = Me And My Big Ideas
MLITSR = My Life In The Suicide Ranks
RATKOS = Raoul And The Kings Of Spain
SFTBC = Songs From The Big Chair
SML = Saturnine Martial & Lunatic
SOTCOTTW = Standing On The Corner Of The Third World
STSOL = Sowing The Seeds Of Love
TMOR = The Madness Of Roland
TRD = Tears Roll Down
TSOL = The Seeds Of Love
TTTW = Ticket To The World
TWYA = The Way You Are
WILWABM = When In Love With A Blind Man
WIC = Woman In Chains
YOTK = Year Of The Knife
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