Roland Orzabal
Background information
Birth name	Roland Jaime Orzabal de la Quintana
Born	August 22, 1961 (1961-08-22) (age 46)
Origin	Portsmouth, England
Genre(s)	Pop, Rock
Occupation(s)	Musician, Singer, Record Producer
Instrument(s)	Guitar, Keyboards
Years active	1979 - 2007
Label(s)	Mercury Records, Eagle Records, Sony Records
Associated acts	Graduate, Tears for Fears
Website	None

Roland Orzabal (full name Roland Jaime Orzabal de la Quintana) is an internationally acclaimed musician, songwriter and record producer. He is known mainly as a co-founding member of Tears for Fears, of which he is the main songwriter and predominant vocalist, but he has also achieved success as a producer of other artists. Image File history File links Metadata No higher resolution available. ... is the 234th day of the year (235th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 1961 (MCMLXI) was a common year starting on Sunday (link will display full calendar) of the Gregorian calendar. ... Image File history File links Flag_of_England. ... This article is about the English city of Portsmouth. ... For other uses, see England (disambiguation). ... This article does not cite any references or sources. ... Bold text For popular forms of music in general, see Popular music. ... For other uses, see Rock music (disambiguation). ... “Instrumentalist” redirects here. ... For other uses, see Singer (disambiguation). ... In the music industry, a record producer (or music producer) has many roles, among them controlling the recording sessions, coaching and guiding the musicians, organizing and scheduling production budget and resources, and supervising the recording, mixing and mastering processes. ... A musical instrument is a device constructed or modified with the purpose of making music. ... For other uses, see Guitar (disambiguation). ... This is a disambiguation page — a navigational aid which lists other pages that might otherwise share the same title. ... This does not adequately cite its references or sources. ... Mercury Records was a record label founded in Chicago, Illinois in 1945 by Irving Green, Berle Adams and Arthur Talmadge. ... Eagle Records is a record label. ... Sony Records is a record label courtesy of Columbia, Epic and American Recordings. ... Graduate was formed in 1979 in Bath. ... Tears for Fears are a popular English pop band formed in the early 1980s by Roland Orzabal and Curt Smith, which emerged after the dissolution of their first band, the mod-influenced Graduate. ... “Instrumentalist” redirects here. ... A songwriter is someone who writes the lyrics to songs, the musical composition or melody to songs, or both. ... In the music industry, a record producer (or music producer) has many roles, among them controlling the recording sessions, coaching and guiding the musicians, organizing and scheduling production budget and resources, and supervising the recording, mixing and mastering processes. ... Tears for Fears are a popular English pop band formed in the early 1980s by Roland Orzabal and Curt Smith, which emerged after the dissolution of their first band, the mod-influenced Graduate. ...

Born on 22 August 1961, in Portsmouth, England, Orzabal's mother is English and his father is from Paris, but of Spanish-Basque descent. Orzabal was originally named "Raoul" at birth for two weeks, but this was subsuquently changed to Roland to anglicize the name as they were living in England. is the 234th day of the year (235th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 1961 (MCMLXI) was a common year starting on Sunday (link will display full calendar) of the Gregorian calendar. ... For other places with the same name, see Portsmouth (disambiguation). ... For other uses, see England (disambiguation). ... For other uses, see Mother (disambiguation). ... For other uses, see Father (disambiguation). ... This article is about the capital of France. ...

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). Curt Smith (born June 24, 1961, Bath, Somerset, England) is an English singer, bassist, synthesizer player and songwriter. ... Bath is a city in Somerset, England most famous for its baths fed by three hot springs. ... For other uses, see England (disambiguation). ... The 1970s decade refers to the years from 1970 to 1979, also called The Seventies. ... Ska (pron. ... Graduate was formed in 1979 in Bath. ... Tears for Fears are a popular English pop band formed in the early 1980s by Roland Orzabal and Curt Smith, which emerged after the dissolution of their first band, the mod-influenced Graduate. ... Synth pop is a style of popular music in which the synthesizer is the dominant musical instrument. ... Bold text New Wave in the late 1970s and early 1980s was inspired by the punk rock. ... Dr. Arthur Janov (born August 21, 1924) is an American psychologist and psychotherapist, and the creator of Primal Therapy. ... Tears for Fears are a popular English pop band formed in the early 1980s by Roland Orzabal and Curt Smith, which emerged after the dissolution of their first band, the mod-influenced Graduate. ...

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). Tears for Fears are a popular English pop band formed in the early 1980s by Roland Orzabal and Curt Smith, which emerged after the dissolution of their first band, the mod-influenced Graduate. ... Elemental is the fourth album by a British pop band Tears for Fears. ... Raoul and the Kings of Spain is the fifth album by the rock band Tears for Fears. ... Roland Orzabal from the group Tears for Fears issued his first proper debut album Tomcats Screaming Outside on 2 April 2001. ... Tears for Fears are a popular English pop band formed in the early 1980s by Roland Orzabal and Curt Smith, which emerged after the dissolution of their first band, the mod-influenced Graduate. ... Everybody Loves a Happy Ending is the first album in 8 years by Tears for Fears. ...

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. Tears for Fears are a popular English pop band formed in the early 1980s by Roland Orzabal and Curt Smith, which emerged after the dissolution of their first band, the mod-influenced Graduate. ... Oleta Adams (born May 4, 1962 in Seattle, Washington) is an American soul and jazz singer. ... Tears for Fears are a popular English pop band formed in the early 1980s by Roland Orzabal and Curt Smith, which emerged after the dissolution of their first band, the mod-influenced Graduate. ... The Seeds of Love is the third album by the band Tears for Fears, released in 1989. ... The Seeds of Love is the third album by the band Tears for Fears, released in 1989. ...

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. Emiliana Torrini. ... Love in the Time of Science is an album by Emilíana Torrini. ...

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. Mad World is a song written by Roland Orzabal of the British band Tears for Fears. ... For the fictional character, see Donald Darko. ... Tears for Fears are a popular English pop band formed in the early 1980s by Roland Orzabal and Curt Smith, which emerged after the dissolution of their first band, the mod-influenced Graduate. ...

Personal life

Orzabal has been married to his wife Caroline since 1982. They have two children, Raoul and Pascal. Year 1982 (MCMLXXXII) was a common year starting on Friday (link displays the 1982 Gregorian calendar). ...

At the height of Tears for Fears' popularity in 1985/1986, Orzabal gained considerable press attention for his strained relationship with his father and a humorous cartoon was printed in the UK tabloid The Sun pertaining to this. The cartoon was later reprinted within the cover artwork for the Tears for Fears single "I Believe". Tears for Fears are a popular English pop band formed in the early 1980s by Roland Orzabal and Curt Smith, which emerged after the dissolution of their first band, the mod-influenced Graduate. ... This article is about the year. ... Year 1986 (MCMLXXXVI) was a common year starting on Wednesday (link displays 1986 Gregorian calendar). ... This article is about a British tabloid. ...

Other than music and psychology, Orzabal has cited interests in photography, politics, sociology and astrology.

See also

• Tears for Fears
• Curt Smith
• Ian Stanley
• Manny Elias
• Oleta Adams

Tears for Fears are a popular English pop band formed in the early 1980s by Roland Orzabal and Curt Smith, which emerged after the dissolution of their first band, the mod-influenced Graduate. ... Curt Smith (born June 24, 1961, Bath, Somerset, England) is an English singer, bassist, synthesizer player and songwriter. ... Ian Stanley (born Ian Christopher Stanley, Bath, England, on 28 February 1957) is an English musician, songwriter and record producer. ... Manny Elias (born in 1953 in Calcutta) is an English drummer. ... Oleta Adams (born May 4, 1962 in Seattle, Washington) is an American soul and jazz singer. ...

Discography

• Tomcats Screaming Outside (2001 Eagle)

Also, see the Tears for Fears discography. Roland Orzabal from the group Tears for Fears issued his first proper debut album Tomcats Screaming Outside on 2 April 2001. ... Tears for Fears - Curt Smith & Roland Orzabal (circa 1986). ...

External links

• Tears for Fears website