NEW YORK (AP) 鈥� When hit the stage at Firstbank Amphitheater in Franklin, Tennessee, on July 11, 2023, there were no tears but some fears.
鈥淲e walked on stage and I felt like a deer caught in the headlines,鈥� says singer and guitarist Roland Orzabal, half of the duo. Curt Smith, his musical partner, agreed: 鈥淲e put on a brave face.鈥�
The reason the duo were uneasy was because cameras were about to capture, for the first time, a Tears for Fears concert destined for the big screen. premieres in over 1,100 movie theaters worldwide on Oct. 24 and Oct. 26.
鈥淲e normally look far more relaxed and are enjoying ourselves far more. We weren鈥檛 as much that night because we were very conscious of being filmed and being recorded,鈥� says Smith. 鈥淏ut, consequently, it was probably one of the best performances we ever did.鈥�
The irony is that any nerves aren't evident, with Smith at one point during the show quipping, 鈥淭his young man to my right, his name is Roland. I would say his surname but I can't pronounce it.鈥�
Old and new and live
The concert is a mix of old and new songs, with plenty of room given to the duo's 2022 album 鈥淭he Tipping Point.鈥� Fans will also hear the classics: 鈥淓verybody Wants To Rule the World,鈥� Shout鈥� and 鈥淗ead Over Heels.鈥�
鈥淲e listened to a lot of the tapes and a lot of the performances. And there was something about that night 鈥� because we were so damn nervous, we actually played better,鈥� says Smith.
The concert film is only the latest output from the duo who were relatively quiet for 17 years before releasing 鈥淭he Tipping Point,鈥� which peaked at No. 8 on the Billboard 200, the same spot their 鈥淭he Seeds of Love鈥� reached in 1989.
Tears for Fears have turned the concert into an album 鈥� 鈥淪ongs For a Nervous Planet,鈥� out Oct. 25 鈥� and added four previously unreleased songs with it, like an EP on top of the live set. They also plan a three-night concert at the Fontainebleau Las Vegas on Oct. 30, Nov. 1 and Nov. 2.
Orzabal jokes he and Smith are finding a new gear after 鈥渁 long gestation period akin to that of an elephant.鈥� They switched managers 鈥� the old one insisted Tears for Fears modernize and seek out hits 鈥� and 鈥渋t鈥檚 almost like the brakes were taken off.鈥�
Four new songs
The new songs include Orzabal's love song to his new wife 鈥淭he Girl That I Call Home鈥� and Smith's airy 鈥淎stronaut,鈥� which was left off 鈥淭he Tipping Point.鈥�
That album was heavily informed by grief, loss and mental anguish. The title track is about dementia, 鈥淏reak the Man鈥� is about patriarchy, 鈥淢y Demons鈥� is an examination of violent extremism and 鈥淩ivers of Mercy鈥� is a prayer about social unrest.
The four new offerings have a different feel, more positive. 鈥淚 think that it does give you a little insight into where we are now, whereas 鈥楾he Tipping Point鈥� kind of was driven a lot by pain,鈥� says Smith. 鈥淭hese new four tracks are not and I think they have a separate life.鈥�
Orzabal and Smith decided to make a live album and concert once they fitted songs from 鈥淭he Tipping Point鈥� into their concert set. One thing they noticed was the title track had a lot in rhythmic common with 鈥淓verybody Wants to Rule the World.鈥�
鈥淧utting the new songs against the old songs was great because they not only sounded extremely coherent, they were as good as they were quality-wise,鈥� says Orzabal.
Both projects feature guitarist Charlton Pettus, drummer Jamie Wollam keyboardist Doug Petty and singer Lauren Evans. Tears for Fears got concert-ready by 鈥渇lying under the radar,鈥� as Orzabal calls it 鈥� playing wineries, casinos and festivals.
鈥淲e had a pretty good set and a running order,鈥� he adds. 鈥淎ll we then had to do before the last tour was slotting 鈥楾he Tipping Point鈥� songs.鈥�
The duo made their mark among the first wave of electronica that ruled the early 1980s airwaves, with hits including 鈥淢ad World,鈥� 鈥淧ale Shelter" and 鈥淪hout.鈥�
Next year marks the 40th anniversary of their 1985 No. 1 album 鈥淪ongs From the Big Chair,鈥� with its mesmerizing hit song "Everybody Wants to Rule the World.鈥�
鈥淚鈥檓 sort of drawn to the simplicity of it, you know?鈥� says Smith. 鈥淚t really is open and airy and welcoming, even though it has pretty dark lyrical content. It鈥檚 sort of bright and breezy.鈥�
Mark Kennedy, The Associated Press
