Roland Orzabal Discography

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  Elemental
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  Raoul And The Kings Of Spain
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  Tomcats Screaming Outside

Early career
Orzabal met Curt Smith while both were in their early teens in Bath, England. In the late-1970s, they formed a ska music group, Graduate, along with three other members. Following the release of their debut album, Acting My Age, the group disbanded and Orzabal and Smith went on to form Tears for Fears, a synth pop/new wave music outfit directly inspired by the writings of American psychologist Arthur Janov (see the Wikipedia Tears for Fears page for more details).


Solo Work
After a decade of major international success, Orzabal and Smith had an acrimonious split in the early 1990s. Although Orzabal continued to work as Tears for Fears after he and Smith parted ways, the subsequent TFF albums Elemental (1993) and Raoul and the Kings of Spain (1995) are effectively solo works by him in all but name. In April 2001 (and Sept 11, in the U.S.), he released his first proper solo album, Tomcats Screaming Outside, under his own name as he and Smith had reconciled by that point and were working on a new Tears for Fears album together (2004`s Everybody Loves a Happy Ending).


Work as a producer/songwriter
In addition to co-producing most of Tears for Fears` records, Orzabal also produced Oleta Adams` successful album "Circle Of One" (1990) along with Dave Bascombe, following on from Adams` collaboration on the 1989 Tears for Fears album The Seeds Of Love. The album reached #1 in the UK and was top 20 in the US. Orzabal also co-wrote the lead track "Rhythm of Life" for the album, which was initially intended for The Seeds Of Love. He also appeared in the song`s accompanying music video.

In 1999, Orzabal also co-produced the Icelandic singer/songwriter Emiliana Torrini`s acclaimed album Love In The Time Of Science, along with Tears for Fears associate Alan Griffiths. The pair also wrote two tracks for the album.

Although he did not produce it, Orzabal`s talents as a songwriter were recognised again in recent years after Gary Jules` cover version of the song Mad World became the Christmas #1 single in the UK in 2003. It is taken from the soundtrack of the film Donnie Darko. The song was originally composed by Orzabal and was Tears for Fears` first hit single in 1982.

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