Tears of Fear, interview in Mondo Sonoro (2024)

“Songs for a Nervous Planet” (Concord / Music As Asual, 2024) is the new theatrical release by Roland Orzabal and Curt Smith. The first directorial disco of his career.

Disco registration held last year in Tennessee (EE.UU.). Tears for fear Combined classic classics siempre con las canciones de “Turning Point” (Concord / Music As Asual, 2022), his last album released in 2004. I talk to both of them through the PC screen.

This is our first live disco in a career of over forty years. Why now?
Roland Orzabal: For the new album The Tipping Point (2022) Creo que tiene que ver con el hecho de que cuando tocabamos las canciones de nuestro álbum, en la gira en la que lo que lo presentamos, nos dios cuenta, y el public que también, que la tien quality que las antiguas. There are many related topics like “Everybody Wants to Rule the World” and other topics. This is the best option to create after modern experience. Removing different styles and different eras. Y salió bastante bien.

It is gratifying to check that the new songs are as well received as the classics and most people know it.
Kurt Smith: Yes, but as Roland said, they fit very well, y te das cuenta de que es un buen material cuando lo oyes mezclado con los clásicos. Create an emotional connection with the public. Las canciones nuevas sing.

“I think we were too unconscious in our youth.”

¿Sentís que hay un relevo generationacional en vuestro public o es la misma gente que ya os iba a ver directo en los centa y en los noventa?
Roland Orzabal: Esencia son los mismos, la diferencia es que ahora tienen niños y esos niños tienen once again otros niños. Generations is the best choice for generations for fans. And it brings up all kinds of emotions. You need to get acquainted.

El disco includes cuatro canciones nuevas. ¿Fueron compuestas mientras estabais de gira?
Roland Orzabal: No, several of them responded to the idea that we were rondando desde hace tiempo, we worked on them for the first two months of this year. There is nothing new in The Tipping Point (2022) disco. There's no problem with “Emily Said” like “Please Be Happy” or “The Tipping Point.” No difference, my son completes. Talk about different experiences.

One of those four new songs, “The Astronaut,” sounds unpoco psicodélica and sounds like a letter advocating escape. Do you want to leave this world?
Roland Orzabal: Sin duda, so es. Without feeling any sensitivity, you cannot feel anything different from the world. No tiene nada que ver con el espacio ni con ser un astronauta, en absoluto (laughs). Más bien es la sensation de no encajar en tu tribu. It's the best. O en tu país. However, you will not be able to elect the mayor. Kurt wanted to be a pilot. Y yo, math professor. You refer to the astronauts, most likely.

Bueno, que laección final, la de ser music, no os fue mal.
Roland Orzabal: No, no (risas). I think we were very unconscious when we were young. Atravesamos procesos muy duros. Different many different gangs, just being redirected, alone pasarlo bien, y como resultado, no demasiado duradore.

He read that “The Girl I Called Home” was born as an attempt at a ballad for your role, Roland, a year later your wife asked you to dedicate one.
Roland Orzabal: ¿How do I love Senor Mayor? People like Neil Young or Van Morrison know how to do it very easily. Even The Cure is so boring, he's sympathetic to everything. However, there is nothing. El primer esbozo de la letra de esa canción was downright bad. Make me short: “Even so, if Dios likes it, it's better!”

Did you improve?
Roland Orzabal: Yes. Aunque aún no sé lo que quiere decir.

¿Cómo valoráis el hecho de que tantos músicos más jóvenes que vosotros var sampleado y versionado tantas veces vuestras canciones?
Curt Smith: This is the best reference, example, version. This interesting interesting escuchar relecturas de tus canciones en un estilo completamente distinto. There is no simplification to copy the original. But Lorde's version of “Mad World” or “Everybody Wants To Rule The World” is also interesting, as is Mark Allen or Gary Jules. Very attractive paradises can be very different. It's interesting that Drake knew The Hurting (1983) existed.

This is the best choice for you. O al menos aguanta el test del passo del tiempo. Supongo que que no esperaríais is to be treinta or cuarenta años.
Roland Orzabal: No esperábamos nada. We were just trying to survive in an extremely competitive world. You are putting too much pressure. Absolutely no problem. No recent illness.

“Now is the time when we feel that we are in control of our future, our own destiny.”

In what sense? In the mid-eighties, millions of discos were sold.
Curt Smith: But it all depends on the factors; estar en el lugar correcto y en el sitio correcto, tener una buena compañía de discos detrás, tener un buen manager… we had many discussions with primer sealo, but it was also true that they always supported us, cuando cuando cualquier otra discografica nos habría botado. There is no public disco. There's a lot that happens outside of your control, and we've been lucky. It happens when you want to take control in the future, in a new destination. Hacemos lo que queremos y sentimos gratitudos hacia quienes nos ayudaron a llegar hasta aquí.

How do you see the music industry changing since then? ¿Sería más complicado standard ahora and fuerais unos debutantes?
Roland Orzabal: It was very difficult. Undoubtedly. This changes with each new support. Estaba el vinilo, y se ganaba dinero vendiendo discos. Today, everything is incredibly different. If you are different, there is a united marca, you hecho un nomin y eres ya meri, el streaming is unallyado. But there is nothing.
Curt Smith: La alegría de la technology es que todo el mundo puede un disco, but it's more complicated. This can cause music to play. It is now more difficult for beginners. If your income doesn't come from that brand, the only thing you'll earn is what you sell playing live. But there is no public antes. It's very complicated.

¿Escucháis music current or classicos?
Curt Smith: You are made to combine this material. As you know, there are basic information for listening to music. A Wallows, I love you. I also like Dora Jar. Sick this name. It's downright incredible. Discotheques are very productive. More music is heard, trouble arises. I understand me very well. I really liked you for Phoebe Bridgers or Phoebe Bridgers. Meet Rex Orange County or Beabadoobee. They were discovered through soundcloud before their record deal.

In conclusion, si tuvierais que recomendar un vuestro como el más representativo de vuestra career, como la mejor introducción posible para alguien que no cozca bien vuestra obra, ¿cuál séría?
Roland Orzabal: “Tears for Fears, Songs for a Nervous Planet” (2024) believes in nothing. Aunque estoy orgulso de todo lo que hemos hecho antes.