Tears for Fears were always more ambitious than the average synth pop group. From the beginning, the duo of
Roland Orzabal and
Curt Smith were tackling big subjects -- their very name derived from Arthur Janov's primal scream therapy, and his theories were evident throughout their debut,
The Hurting. Driven by catchy, infectious synth pop,
The Hurting became a big hit in their native England, setting the stage for international stardom with their second album, 1985's Songs From the Big Chair. On the strength of the singles "Everybody Wants to Rule the World" and "Shout," the record became a major hit, establishing the duo as one of the leading acts of the second generation of MTV stars. Instead of quickly recording a follow-up, Tears for Fears labored over their third album, the psychedelic and jazz-rock-tinged The Seeds of Love. While the album was a big hit, it was the end of an era instead of a new beginning.
Smith left the group early in the '90s, and
Orzabal continued with Tears for Fears, pursuing more sophisticated and pretentious directions to a smaller audience.
Orzabal and
Smith met as children in Bath, England. Both boys came from broken homes, and
Smith was leaning toward juvenile delinquency.
Orzabal, however, turned toward books, eventually discovering Arthur Janov's primal scream therapy, a way of confronting childhood fears that
John Lennon embraced after the Beatles disbanded.
Orzabal turned
Smith on to Janov, but before ...
