Head Over Heels

 It was somewhere around either the end of 2019 or the beginning of 2020 when I heard the one song that forever changed my life. I don’t remember the exact date, but I’ll never forget the moment. I was headed home in an Uber, and the 1985 song “Head Over Heels” by Tears for Fears started playing on the radio. I remember thinking this song sounds oddly familiar and pulling out my phone to Shazam it to see who it was by and if I’d heard it before. Turns out I hadn’t! I never knew that very moment would start a long journey of blogging and writing about music from that era and even as far back as the 50s. I have them to thank for meeting some of my closest friends. Most of whom have inspired me to elevate my writing and my love for music.

Tears for Fears also introduced me to bands and musicians such as Paul Simon, Simon & Garfunkel, Adam & The Ants, Oleta Adams, Alison Moyet, Puscifer, King Crimson, Steven Wilson, Radiohead, Sixpence None the Richer (whom I’ve met), The Korgis, and since hearing that song about five or six years ago, I haven’t worked or hardly done anything without it since that moment. That song is just absolutely iconic and sheer perfection—from the genius piano riff, which I recently learned was played by a guy from Bristol named Andrew “Andy” Cresswell-Davis, to the sexy bass line by none other than Curt Smith. Andy was part of The Korgis, believe it or not. He and James “Jim” Warren, the current lead singer of The Korgis, were also part of an earlier band called “Stackridge,” which ended in the early 2000s. Andy also toured with Tears for Fears in the 1990s when they released their third album, “The Seeds of Love.”

The piano riff by Andy, combined with Curt’s bass, Ian Stanley’s keyboards, and Roland’s vocals, created the perfect song—one that has lived in my head since I first heard it nearly five or six years ago. It wasn’t until 2022, when my life began to change dramatically, that I truly understood the depth and power of their lyrics. During that time, their debut album “The Hurting” became like a band-aid for all I was suffering through that year. It also inspired me to see them live in June of that year and to grow into the fan, writer, and collector I am today. That was the moment I decided I needed to know what inspired them to write their songs and why. They took their feelings at the time and turned them into hits like “Shout,” “Everybody Wants the Rule the World,” “Woman in Chains,” and even “Mad World,” which was used in the film “Donnie Darko” and later recreated by Gary Jules and Michael Andrews. They didn’t just make hits—they created songs that were relatable and could resonate with others.

I can almost guarantee that when they started back in the late 70s as a mod pop band called “Graduate,” they never imagined their music would have the profound impact and depth it does today. They truly aren’t your average new wave band—that’s why they’ve been around for over 40 years and still sound just as good, if not better, than when they first started. Even a nine-year hiatus wasn’t enough to keep childhood friends Roland Orzabal and Curt Smith apart or from doing what they’re destined to do—playing together, just like they did back in high school at Moles in Bath, alongside current Korgi John Baker, Steve Buck, and Andy Marsden.

Thanks, boys, for giving my writing purpose and my life meaning! Here’s to another 40 years!