Post by listeninchains on Jul 12, 2018 6:11:48 GMT
If certain pivotal events in Tears For Fears' career had gone differently, what would you imagine their albums looking like? Creative flair (e.g. name, release date, backstory, singles with B-sides, album art) is encouraged if possible, though not necessary.
Here's a backstory and discography from a timeline where Curt didn't leave in 1991:
1991 was a very tumultuous year for Tears For Fears. Curt was very near to splitting from the group due to many conflicts with Roland during the sessions and tour for The Seeds of Love, but was eventually convinced to stay, albeit with great weariness and skepticism. During this time, the strong internal belief that Curt would split from the band gave Roland the idea to continue the band solo, inspiring him to re-write the B-side "Tears Roll Down" into a brand new song about it for a greatest hits album proposed by the record label. He'd also begin a strong songwriting partnership with touring guitarist Alan Griffiths around this time. When Curt decided to stay with the band, the single and greatest hits was released anyway. Due to the very strained relationship between Roland and Curt at this time, they were rarely in the same room together during the sessions for their next album: their songs were mostly recorded separately with the same session musicians. Some of Roland's songs were written during the period he believed he would be going solo and feature many lyrics aimed at Curt, particularly Fish Out Of Water. He decides to leave them unchanged to display where he was at creatively at the time but first gets consent from Curt, who isn't particularly bothered albeit because the whole process of making the album was difficult for him already. The material followed on from the jazz-influenced sound of The Seeds of Love, but incorporated more experimentation and a somewhat harder rock sound. The album would be known as Elemental and would feature the singles Break It Down Again, Goodnight Song, Elemental and a double A-side of How Does It Feel and Power. Growing issues and turmoil within the band lead to Curt taking a reprieve midway through the album's supporting tour on doctor's orders for the sake of his physical and mental health. The tour is postponed for a while before Roland continues it on his own. Though Curt hasn't officially left Tears For Fears at this point, they are considered de facto split. Raoul And The Kings of Spain is recorded and released as a Roland Orzabal solo album while Curt is coaxed into forming a new band called Mayfield who he also releases an album with. The freedom felt from both camps on releasing material solo without reliance on the Tears For Fears name alleviates much of the tension between the two. During a business meeting in 1999, the two sort out their issues and decide to work again as Tears For Fears on a new studio album. Roland had written most of the material as a planned second studio album while Curt contributed two songs he had been working on for a solo follow-up to Mayfield. The material follows on from the established jazz-rock style of Elemental and RATKOS, but includes more trip-hop and techno influence as a nod to their early synthpop days. The album is entitled Tomcats Screaming Outside and is supported by the singles Ticket To The World, Low Life and For The Love Of Cain. Feeling invigorated from returning after nearly ten years, work is begun quickly on the Beatles influenced follow-up Everybody Loves A Happy Ending, released in 2004.
Elemental - Tears For Fears (1993, album)
1. Elemental
2. Break It Down Again
3. Deal
4. Bloodletting Go
5. Mr. Pessimist
6. Fish Out Of Water
7. Deja-Vu & The Sins of Science
8. Gas Giants
9. Power
10. Brian Wilson Said
11. How Does It Feel
12. Goodnight Song
Break It Down Again - Tears For Fears (1993, single)
1. Break It Down Again
2. Calling Out
3. Schrodinger's Cat
4. Words
Goodnight Song - Tears For Fears (1993, single)
1. Goodnight Song
2. New Star
3. Rain
4. Cold
Elemental - Tears For Fears (1993, single)
1. Elemental (edit)
2. Dog's A Best Friend's Dog
3. Come The Revolution
4. Elemental (Songs of August Mix)
How Does It Feel/Power - Tears For Fears (1994, double A-side single)
1. How Does It Feel
2. Power
3. Wonder Child
4. Elemental (Live)
Tomcats Screaming Outside - Tears For Fears (2001, album)
1. Ticket To The World
2. Hey Andy!
3. Kill Love
4. Snowdrop
5. Hypnoculture
6. Aeroplane
7. Dandelion
8. Bullets For Brains
9. Day By Day By Day By Day By Day
10. Low Life
11. Under Ether
12. Where Do I Go?
13. For The Love of Cain
14. Maybe Our Days Are Numbered
Ticket To The World - Tears For Fears (2001, single)
1. Ticket To The World
2. Deep Seeded Blindness
3. Maybe Our Days Are Numbered
Low Life - Tears For Fears (2001, single)
1. Low Life
2. Cold Planet
3. Bullets For Brains
4. Hypnoculture
For The Love of Cain - Tears For Fears (2002, single)
1. For The Love of Cain
2. Low Life (Supersub Mix)
3. Low Life (President Who? Mix)
SOURCES FOR LISTENING ALONG:
Elemental - Tears For Fears (album)
Break It Down Again - Tears For Fears (single)
Goodnight Song - Tears For Fears (single)
Cold - Tears For Fears (single)
Elemental - Tears For Fears (single)
Soul on Board - Curt Smith (album)
Calling Out - Curt Smith (single)
Tomcats Screaming Outside - Roland Orzabal (album)
Low Life - Roland Orzabal (single)
outtake from Tomcats Screaming Outside - Roland Orzabal (unofficial)
Aeroplane - Curt Smith (album/EP)/Halfway, Pleased - Curt Smith (album)
Here's a backstory and discography from a timeline where Curt didn't leave in 1991:
1991 was a very tumultuous year for Tears For Fears. Curt was very near to splitting from the group due to many conflicts with Roland during the sessions and tour for The Seeds of Love, but was eventually convinced to stay, albeit with great weariness and skepticism. During this time, the strong internal belief that Curt would split from the band gave Roland the idea to continue the band solo, inspiring him to re-write the B-side "Tears Roll Down" into a brand new song about it for a greatest hits album proposed by the record label. He'd also begin a strong songwriting partnership with touring guitarist Alan Griffiths around this time. When Curt decided to stay with the band, the single and greatest hits was released anyway. Due to the very strained relationship between Roland and Curt at this time, they were rarely in the same room together during the sessions for their next album: their songs were mostly recorded separately with the same session musicians. Some of Roland's songs were written during the period he believed he would be going solo and feature many lyrics aimed at Curt, particularly Fish Out Of Water. He decides to leave them unchanged to display where he was at creatively at the time but first gets consent from Curt, who isn't particularly bothered albeit because the whole process of making the album was difficult for him already. The material followed on from the jazz-influenced sound of The Seeds of Love, but incorporated more experimentation and a somewhat harder rock sound. The album would be known as Elemental and would feature the singles Break It Down Again, Goodnight Song, Elemental and a double A-side of How Does It Feel and Power. Growing issues and turmoil within the band lead to Curt taking a reprieve midway through the album's supporting tour on doctor's orders for the sake of his physical and mental health. The tour is postponed for a while before Roland continues it on his own. Though Curt hasn't officially left Tears For Fears at this point, they are considered de facto split. Raoul And The Kings of Spain is recorded and released as a Roland Orzabal solo album while Curt is coaxed into forming a new band called Mayfield who he also releases an album with. The freedom felt from both camps on releasing material solo without reliance on the Tears For Fears name alleviates much of the tension between the two. During a business meeting in 1999, the two sort out their issues and decide to work again as Tears For Fears on a new studio album. Roland had written most of the material as a planned second studio album while Curt contributed two songs he had been working on for a solo follow-up to Mayfield. The material follows on from the established jazz-rock style of Elemental and RATKOS, but includes more trip-hop and techno influence as a nod to their early synthpop days. The album is entitled Tomcats Screaming Outside and is supported by the singles Ticket To The World, Low Life and For The Love Of Cain. Feeling invigorated from returning after nearly ten years, work is begun quickly on the Beatles influenced follow-up Everybody Loves A Happy Ending, released in 2004.
Elemental - Tears For Fears (1993, album)
1. Elemental
2. Break It Down Again
3. Deal
4. Bloodletting Go
5. Mr. Pessimist
6. Fish Out Of Water
7. Deja-Vu & The Sins of Science
8. Gas Giants
9. Power
10. Brian Wilson Said
11. How Does It Feel
12. Goodnight Song
Break It Down Again - Tears For Fears (1993, single)
1. Break It Down Again
2. Calling Out
3. Schrodinger's Cat
4. Words
Goodnight Song - Tears For Fears (1993, single)
1. Goodnight Song
2. New Star
3. Rain
4. Cold
Elemental - Tears For Fears (1993, single)
1. Elemental (edit)
2. Dog's A Best Friend's Dog
3. Come The Revolution
4. Elemental (Songs of August Mix)
How Does It Feel/Power - Tears For Fears (1994, double A-side single)
1. How Does It Feel
2. Power
3. Wonder Child
4. Elemental (Live)
Tomcats Screaming Outside - Tears For Fears (2001, album)
1. Ticket To The World
2. Hey Andy!
3. Kill Love
4. Snowdrop
5. Hypnoculture
6. Aeroplane
7. Dandelion
8. Bullets For Brains
9. Day By Day By Day By Day By Day
10. Low Life
11. Under Ether
12. Where Do I Go?
13. For The Love of Cain
14. Maybe Our Days Are Numbered
Ticket To The World - Tears For Fears (2001, single)
1. Ticket To The World
2. Deep Seeded Blindness
3. Maybe Our Days Are Numbered
Low Life - Tears For Fears (2001, single)
1. Low Life
2. Cold Planet
3. Bullets For Brains
4. Hypnoculture
For The Love of Cain - Tears For Fears (2002, single)
1. For The Love of Cain
2. Low Life (Supersub Mix)
3. Low Life (President Who? Mix)
SOURCES FOR LISTENING ALONG:
Elemental - Tears For Fears (album)
Break It Down Again - Tears For Fears (single)
Goodnight Song - Tears For Fears (single)
Cold - Tears For Fears (single)
Elemental - Tears For Fears (single)
Soul on Board - Curt Smith (album)
Calling Out - Curt Smith (single)
Tomcats Screaming Outside - Roland Orzabal (album)
Low Life - Roland Orzabal (single)
outtake from Tomcats Screaming Outside - Roland Orzabal (unofficial)
Aeroplane - Curt Smith (album/EP)/Halfway, Pleased - Curt Smith (album)