Californian Nights
September 28, 2012 10:02 AM Subscribe
Here's a full Tears For Fears concert from 1990, filmed in Santa Barbara, California. Tracks inside.
I Believe
Head Over Heels
Woman In Chains
The Year of the Knife
Advice For The Young At Heart
Sowing The Seeds Of Love
Bad Man's Song
Famous Last words
When The Saints Go Marchin' In
I've Got To Sing My Song
Shout
Everybody Wants To Rule The World
I Believe
Head Over Heels
Woman In Chains
The Year of the Knife
Advice For The Young At Heart
Sowing The Seeds Of Love
Bad Man's Song
Famous Last words
When The Saints Go Marchin' In
I've Got To Sing My Song
Shout
Everybody Wants To Rule The World
Too bad these guys fought so much and couldn't hold it together. Their musical styles are relatively timeless and would have easily survived into this century. IMHO.
posted by legweak at 10:14 AM on September 28, 2012
posted by legweak at 10:14 AM on September 28, 2012
They even went out with class. Everybody Loves a Happy Ending was a damn fine album, especially the final track, Last Days on Earth, which is about the best punctuation to a career other than XTC's Wheel & the Maypole.
Sowing the Seeds though was certainly the high point -- one of my favorite productions ever. The mix is just astounding.
posted by Devils Rancher at 10:19 AM on September 28, 2012 [3 favorites]
Sowing the Seeds though was certainly the high point -- one of my favorite productions ever. The mix is just astounding.
posted by Devils Rancher at 10:19 AM on September 28, 2012 [3 favorites]
I agree. That album seems to hold up so well. Thanks.
posted by docpops at 10:20 AM on September 28, 2012
posted by docpops at 10:20 AM on September 28, 2012
Cool find. I actually saw this tour at Great Woods outside of Boston, but I think this is actually from 1990.
posted by FreezBoy at 10:26 AM on September 28, 2012
posted by FreezBoy at 10:26 AM on September 28, 2012
This concert is actually from 1990, not 1992 - maybe a friendly mod can move the clock back in the FPP.
posted by swift at 10:27 AM on September 28, 2012
posted by swift at 10:27 AM on September 28, 2012
Mod note: Time turned back. Cher attack!
posted by cortex (staff) at 10:34 AM on September 28, 2012 [2 favorites]
posted by cortex (staff) at 10:34 AM on September 28, 2012 [2 favorites]
I read somewhere that The Beatles sued Tears for Fears because they thought Sowing the Seeds of Love sounded too much like I Am the Walrus. Now, I'm a Beatles fan through-and-through, but I think that's ridiculous. Couldn't any blues musician sue any rock musician, since all blues follows a similar format and most rock music is based on the blues?
posted by Afroblanco at 10:43 AM on September 28, 2012
posted by Afroblanco at 10:43 AM on September 28, 2012
I actually went through a period last spring where I obsessively listened to Songs From the Big Chair and it holds up amazingly well. And I know it wasnt nostalgia, because it was the first time I heard the whole album. "The Working Hour" is a beast, son.
posted by Senor Cardgage at 10:45 AM on September 28, 2012 [4 favorites]
posted by Senor Cardgage at 10:45 AM on September 28, 2012 [4 favorites]
Their incorporation of A-list studio players & relentless studio perfectionism made them New Wave's Steely Dan.
posted by Devils Rancher at 10:48 AM on September 28, 2012 [8 favorites]
posted by Devils Rancher at 10:48 AM on September 28, 2012 [8 favorites]
I was thinking about this show the other day...I had third row seats for it at the Patriot Center near DC. Thanks for posting it!
posted by CosmicRayCharles at 10:51 AM on September 28, 2012
posted by CosmicRayCharles at 10:51 AM on September 28, 2012
Cher attack!
Didn't they do that on South Park?
posted by Afroblanco at 10:56 AM on September 28, 2012 [1 favorite]
Didn't they do that on South Park?
posted by Afroblanco at 10:56 AM on September 28, 2012 [1 favorite]
I wonder why the audio quality is so much better than the video...
posted by schmod at 10:56 AM on September 28, 2012
posted by schmod at 10:56 AM on September 28, 2012
I think (throw bricks if you must) that all of their stuff holds up pretty damn well. Even their most dour The Hurting tracks hold up better as (in a perhaps unintended twist of fate) pop songs than many of the other dour Brit-alternapop of the early 1980s. "Change" and "Ideas as Opiates" got me through more depressive episodes as a brooding teen and college kid than any number of antidepressants would have done. Even that last gasp from almost 20 years back, Elemental, which was really a Roland Orzabal album and not Tears for Fears, still sounds good today.
posted by blucevalo at 11:00 AM on September 28, 2012 [1 favorite]
posted by blucevalo at 11:00 AM on September 28, 2012 [1 favorite]
I saw them a couple of months ago in San Jose, they still sound incredible.
Also funny to see the fifty-something dude behind me smoking weed from a pipe and playing air bass during the whole concert.
posted by palbo at 11:07 AM on September 28, 2012 [1 favorite]
Also funny to see the fifty-something dude behind me smoking weed from a pipe and playing air bass during the whole concert.
posted by palbo at 11:07 AM on September 28, 2012 [1 favorite]
For some reason "Goodnight Song" really guts me. Not sure why.
posted by Senor Cardgage at 11:07 AM on September 28, 2012 [2 favorites]
posted by Senor Cardgage at 11:07 AM on September 28, 2012 [2 favorites]
I'm playing air bass to Standing On The Corner Of The Third World right now. Pino Palladino!
posted by Devils Rancher at 11:10 AM on September 28, 2012
posted by Devils Rancher at 11:10 AM on September 28, 2012
Tears For Fears are my Beatles. Seriously. They are the sine qua non of large-scale pop, connected inextricably to my childhood, adolescence, and young adulthood. I can listen to "Everybody Wants To Rule The World" and "Sowing the Seeds of Love and "Break It Down Again" and never tire of them. And they had a great way with intriguing B-sides as well: relentlessly experimental, sometimes a flop, but always worth a listen.
posted by mykescipark at 11:18 AM on September 28, 2012 [3 favorites]
posted by mykescipark at 11:18 AM on September 28, 2012 [3 favorites]
There are a LOT of complete concerts from YT user ShowsCompletos1, from Bob Marley at the same venue in 1979, to Earth, Wind and Fire live at the Montreaux Jazz Festival in 1997, Elvis live in 1973, and Eminem in 2005, to Usher in 2012.
View any one of these, and you'll find DAYS of complete, pro-shot concerts suggested on the sidebar.
posted by filthy light thief at 11:18 AM on September 28, 2012 [1 favorite]
View any one of these, and you'll find DAYS of complete, pro-shot concerts suggested on the sidebar.
posted by filthy light thief at 11:18 AM on September 28, 2012 [1 favorite]
I read somewhere that The Beatles sued Tears for Fears because they thought Sowing the Seeds of Love sounded too much like I Am the Walrus.
Not perhaps that particular song, but boy did it own a lot to the Beatles, both in music and video clip. In retrospect it was all part of that mini wave of neo-psychodelica that hit at the end of the eighties and culminated in the second summer of love (e-love).
Tears for Fears has always been a bit of a guilty pleasure for me, having discovered them with Shout and Everybody Wants to Rule the World, they seemed to fit in well with other bombastic pop groups like U2 or the Waterboys. Then came their Beatles phase and I was confused and only much later I found The Hurting with its mopey goodness. They mixed it up on each of their albums, which don't see many pop groups doing.
posted by MartinWisse at 11:32 AM on September 28, 2012 [1 favorite]
Not perhaps that particular song, but boy did it own a lot to the Beatles, both in music and video clip. In retrospect it was all part of that mini wave of neo-psychodelica that hit at the end of the eighties and culminated in the second summer of love (e-love).
Tears for Fears has always been a bit of a guilty pleasure for me, having discovered them with Shout and Everybody Wants to Rule the World, they seemed to fit in well with other bombastic pop groups like U2 or the Waterboys. Then came their Beatles phase and I was confused and only much later I found The Hurting with its mopey goodness. They mixed it up on each of their albums, which don't see many pop groups doing.
posted by MartinWisse at 11:32 AM on September 28, 2012 [1 favorite]
Don't break my heart; I'd really like to break your heart.
Explain that to a precocious 5 year old.
But yeah, great music that gets lots of play time at the Harmonic homestead. Would love to see them live!
posted by Phyllis Harmonic at 11:34 AM on September 28, 2012
Explain that to a precocious 5 year old.
But yeah, great music that gets lots of play time at the Harmonic homestead. Would love to see them live!
posted by Phyllis Harmonic at 11:34 AM on September 28, 2012
I am quite discerning about my music, and TFF is one of my top three favorite bands of all time. Thank you for posting this.
posted by X | ANA | X at 12:00 PM on September 28, 2012
posted by X | ANA | X at 12:00 PM on September 28, 2012
My grandmother, of all people, got me Songs From The Big Chair for Christmas in 1985, when I was 13. I'm pretty sure she saw the record at the mall and thought the boys on the cover looked wholesome and smart. (Why she also gave me Foreigner's Double Vision that year, I don't really know. Somebody else gave me Dire Straits' Brother In Arms, which was cool.)
The only other music I owned at the time consisted of two tapes: The Ghostbusters Soundtrack, and Synchronicity. Except I also had Thriller on vinyl.
My mom had divorced my first stepfather a few years earlier, and me and my sister had ended up with him. He was an alcoholic, workaholic, verbally abusive man at the time, and he married a religious, workaholic, physically abusive woman. They ran an airfreight company and we lived in a little suburban house. Things quickly fell apart. During that time I listened to Synchronicity over and over. It made a lot of sense.
In '85 I moved into the much saner and loving environment of my mom's home. She had married the man who is her husband today. I was on the verge of becoming pretty damaged, but voluntarily changing custody was a big healing experience. It was like starting over.
I listened to Songs From the Big Chair over and over during that time. It made perfect sense.
posted by swift at 12:46 PM on September 28, 2012 [6 favorites]
The only other music I owned at the time consisted of two tapes: The Ghostbusters Soundtrack, and Synchronicity. Except I also had Thriller on vinyl.
My mom had divorced my first stepfather a few years earlier, and me and my sister had ended up with him. He was an alcoholic, workaholic, verbally abusive man at the time, and he married a religious, workaholic, physically abusive woman. They ran an airfreight company and we lived in a little suburban house. Things quickly fell apart. During that time I listened to Synchronicity over and over. It made a lot of sense.
In '85 I moved into the much saner and loving environment of my mom's home. She had married the man who is her husband today. I was on the verge of becoming pretty damaged, but voluntarily changing custody was a big healing experience. It was like starting over.
I listened to Songs From the Big Chair over and over during that time. It made perfect sense.
posted by swift at 12:46 PM on September 28, 2012 [6 favorites]
I saw them in Utah in 1985. It was my first concert and I took a cute girl from work. It looks like they are playing in Salt Lake City tonight!
posted by mecran01 at 12:52 PM on September 28, 2012
posted by mecran01 at 12:52 PM on September 28, 2012
Hah! Mrs. notreallly heard TFF emanating from this post and came running in and jumped this 75 yr old replaying some great times from the past... Thank you op.
posted by notreally at 1:00 PM on September 28, 2012
posted by notreally at 1:00 PM on September 28, 2012
They even went out with class. Everybody Loves a Happy Ending was a damn fine album, especially the final track, Last Days on Earth, which is about the best punctuation to a career other than XTC's Wheel & the Maypole.
..."Went out"? They're still a thing.
posted by EmpressCallipygos at 1:56 PM on September 28, 2012
..."Went out"? They're still a thing.
posted by EmpressCallipygos at 1:56 PM on September 28, 2012
They're still a thing.
In what way though? I gather from this thread that they're touring, which is awesome. It looks to me like Happy Ending was the last album with new music on it. Is Smith touring with them now?
posted by Devils Rancher at 2:22 PM on September 28, 2012
In what way though? I gather from this thread that they're touring, which is awesome. It looks to me like Happy Ending was the last album with new music on it. Is Smith touring with them now?
posted by Devils Rancher at 2:22 PM on September 28, 2012
/squeeeeeeee, ON
They have been one of my Go To Bands for decades and I finally got to see them in concert several years ago, and was SO disappointed. The onstage chemistry really seemed to be minimal to non-existant. It was crossed off the bucket list, and I went back to my CD's, where I remain today.
Love me some Roland, love me some Curt, even their solo work, and would love to see another album, considering the wonderfulness that was "Everybody Loves A Happy Ending."
posted by THAT William Mize at 2:30 PM on September 28, 2012
They have been one of my Go To Bands for decades and I finally got to see them in concert several years ago, and was SO disappointed. The onstage chemistry really seemed to be minimal to non-existant. It was crossed off the bucket list, and I went back to my CD's, where I remain today.
Love me some Roland, love me some Curt, even their solo work, and would love to see another album, considering the wonderfulness that was "Everybody Loves A Happy Ending."
posted by THAT William Mize at 2:30 PM on September 28, 2012
Yes, both original members are back touring together. Yes, they did an album together a few years ago which is their most recent bit of new recordings. But they are most definitely still a thing, and as long as they're touring together, not only do they still exist but there is always the possibility of new material emerging. One never knows.
posted by hippybear at 2:31 PM on September 28, 2012
posted by hippybear at 2:31 PM on September 28, 2012
which is about the best punctuation to a career other than XTC's Wheel & the Maypole.
also: THANK YOU. I adore this song! Why more people didn't love Wasp Star, I'll never know...
posted by mykescipark at 2:40 PM on September 28, 2012 [1 favorite]
also: THANK YOU. I adore this song! Why more people didn't love Wasp Star, I'll never know...
posted by mykescipark at 2:40 PM on September 28, 2012 [1 favorite]
Why more people didn't love Wasp Star, I'll never know...'
Because people are god damned terrible.
This is somethign I learned in 2+ decades of Oranges and Lemons evangelism: everyone is awful but me.
posted by Senor Cardgage at 2:45 PM on September 28, 2012 [3 favorites]
Because people are god damned terrible.
This is somethign I learned in 2+ decades of Oranges and Lemons evangelism: everyone is awful but me.
posted by Senor Cardgage at 2:45 PM on September 28, 2012 [3 favorites]
Srsly, that album should be in so many record collections. God-damned ruffians.
posted by Senor Cardgage at 2:46 PM on September 28, 2012
posted by Senor Cardgage at 2:46 PM on September 28, 2012
The Hurting has also aged really well, I think - it was great when Donnie Darko revived Mad World, but my favourite was always Pale Shelter (with genius 80s video) and Change.
posted by tardigrade at 2:50 PM on September 28, 2012
posted by tardigrade at 2:50 PM on September 28, 2012
Has anyone here ever listened to Saturnine Martial and Lunatic? There's a track on there called Pharoahs that is one of my all time favorite pieces of music ever. You can here some of the themes from SFTBC in it, which is sort of interesting, but as an entire album it feels mostly like a collection of B-sides. Still worth a listen for longtime fans.
posted by docpops at 2:54 PM on September 28, 2012 [1 favorite]
posted by docpops at 2:54 PM on September 28, 2012 [1 favorite]
"Pharaohs" is an instrumental that served as the B-side to the "Everybody Wants to Rule the World" single. The only voice heard is a recording of BBC Radio announcer Brian Perkins reading the Shipping Forecast for the sea lanes around the United Kingdom (see below). The title of the song is a play on the name of the Faroe Islands ("Faroes"), one of the places referenced in the forecast. This is one of the few songs in the Tears for Fears catalogue on which founding member Curt Smith shares a writing credit. The song has since been included in the B-sides and rarities collection Saturnine Martial & Lunatic as well as the remastered and deluxe edition reissues of Songs from the Big Chair. "Pharaohs" is also included on the Groove Armada compilation album Back to Mine.
No matter how horrifying the conditions may really be, the voice reading the shipping forecast is deliberately calm and relaxed. Recorded at the Wool Hall for the b-side of 'Everybody' in a calm and relaxed way.
—Chris Hughes
posted by docpops at 2:57 PM on September 28, 2012
No matter how horrifying the conditions may really be, the voice reading the shipping forecast is deliberately calm and relaxed. Recorded at the Wool Hall for the b-side of 'Everybody' in a calm and relaxed way.
—Chris Hughes
posted by docpops at 2:57 PM on September 28, 2012
Pale Shelter yt (with genius 80s video)
Paper airplanes, real genius.
Also complex to appreciate in context of those olden days was that acoustic guitar + beat box at that time was total WTF?
posted by ovvl at 5:19 PM on September 28, 2012
Paper airplanes, real genius.
Also complex to appreciate in context of those olden days was that acoustic guitar + beat box at that time was total WTF?
posted by ovvl at 5:19 PM on September 28, 2012
This is awesome, but wow I wish the director of the concert film hadn't been so invasive and busy with the special effects and fancy filters.
posted by eustacescrubb at 8:33 PM on September 28, 2012
posted by eustacescrubb at 8:33 PM on September 28, 2012
that's an okay concert, but the band used to be so much better with the original members.
watch this, don't get distracted by the silly intermissions.
posted by Substrata at 3:56 PM on September 29, 2012
watch this, don't get distracted by the silly intermissions.
posted by Substrata at 3:56 PM on September 29, 2012
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posted by Devils Rancher at 10:12 AM on September 28, 2012 [2 favorites]