They started out just wanting to get rich so they could afford psychotherapy. Or at least that's how the story goes.
They named their group Tears For Fears, a reference to the Primal Scream therapy of California psychologist Arthur Janov, their therapy of choice should things pan out. In keeping with the theme, the group sang about all kinds of depressing, painful, pessimistic things, although they never screamed very much.And eventually they got rich, selling over 15 million albums and topping the charts with several singles.
Now, a dozen years later, the Tears are still flowing, although one of the original tearful twosome has set out on his own. The newest incarnation of the group includes original member Roland Orzabal plus singer/songwriter Alan Griffiths.
The group will be in Salt Lake on Thursday, Oct. 28, to promote its latest album, "Elemental." Tickets for the Saltair performance are $21 in advance or $24 at the door.
Absent from the group's tour this time around, in addition to former member Curt Smith, will be Oleta Adams, the electrifying gospel/soul singer that brought so much life to the group's "Seeds of Love" album on a Salt Lake City visit three years ago.
"Elemental" doesn't have the haunting charm (or Manu Katchi's drums) of "Seeds of Love," but it does still have Orzabal's powerful voice .
The hard-to-resist "Break It Down Again," the first single released from the album, was No. 1 on the "Billboard" modern rock chart for three weeks.
"Elemental" is the fifth album for the British-based Tears For Fears. Their first, "The Hurting," featured such uplifting songs as "Watch Me Bleed" and "Start of the Breakdown." Their second album, "Songs From the Big Chair," was their most popular to date, selling 8 million copies and producing the song that made them famous - "Everbody Want to Rule the World." "Seeds of Love," their third album, was more optimistic but didn't sell as well.
Now, with album No. 5, Orzabal has apparently come to terms with the world. In "Mr. Pessimist," he takes a swipe at those who would be cynical. And he explains "Break It Down Again" this way:
"We spend so much time trying to keep things smart and beautiful on the surface, and yet at the same time we are trapped in the built-in time mechanism of aging. At some point, you got to let it go and give into the fact that you are trans-forming."
Opening for Tears For Fears will be Jellyfish, a San Francisco band whose latest album is "Spilt Milk."