CyberBass Posted November 13, 2014 Share Posted November 13, 2014 (edited) Was going through back catalogue of music and re listened to Songs from the Big Chair and have to admit I love Curt Smith's Bass Playing on Head over Heals. Never really gave it much thought before, but I really rate him. What do you guys think? Edited November 13, 2014 by CyberBass 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JTUK Posted November 13, 2014 Share Posted November 13, 2014 I was looking at a song of theirs the other day and I came across a live concert from way back when. Great band and he does enough. Not my cup of tea, but it worked in context... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Marc S Posted November 13, 2014 Share Posted November 13, 2014 (edited) I was never a huge fan of Tears For Fears, but liked them a bit I have Songs From The Big Chair on vinyl, and I think back in the time of that album, I preferred other music, and was probably listening to the bass on other music, and busy trying to emulate that.... But I agree, listening to the music a few years on, I found the songs and bass more interesting than when I first heard it..... EDIT: Of it's time, and yes, it worked in context Edited November 13, 2014 by Marc S Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Truckstop Posted November 13, 2014 Share Posted November 13, 2014 His lines on The Working Hours also smooth as hell! Truckstop Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Geek99 Posted November 13, 2014 Share Posted November 13, 2014 Very underrated player who works to the song and doesn't showboat 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Drax Posted November 13, 2014 Share Posted November 13, 2014 The Hurting is a great album. Easy to slate them for being overproduced but underneath it all is great songwriting and hooks Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Highfox Posted November 13, 2014 Share Posted November 13, 2014 [quote name='DanR' timestamp='1415876189' post='2604685'] The Hurting is a great album. Easy to slate them for being overproduced but underneath it all is great songwriting and hooks [/quote] I agree with that and they also had the skill to pull it off live. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Marc S Posted November 13, 2014 Share Posted November 13, 2014 [quote name='DanR' timestamp='1415876189' post='2604685'] The Hurting is a great album. Easy to slate them for being overproduced but underneath it all is great songwriting and hooks [/quote] Yes, overproduction was possibly a part of that era & genre But as you say, some good songs in there Even if, like me, they aren't your favourite band, you can easily find yourself singing along...... ...and knowing a lot of the words etc Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cherchez la Femme Posted November 13, 2014 Share Posted November 13, 2014 I've been listening to a fair bit of TFF recently. I may be wrong, but I remember reading somewhere (or at least getting the indication) that as they went on he became a lot more 'overshadowed' by Roland Orzabal, in that Curt didn't even play bass on all the songs on their later albums and Roland did most of the songwriting/arrangements etc (I'm talking post-Songs from the Big Chair). If you follow him on Twitter he occasionally does Q+A sessions with fans, usually giving very short answers! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
White Cloud Posted November 13, 2014 Share Posted November 13, 2014 I always thought that "Head over heals" featured a particularly sublime, masterful bassline. I still think the same. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CyberBass Posted November 13, 2014 Author Share Posted November 13, 2014 Totally agree, love curts playing and tone on the track. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Donnyboy Posted November 15, 2014 Share Posted November 15, 2014 Wee bit off topic but I was told that my Fenix Jazz bass was used on a Tears for Fears album. I've absolutely no proof of this and was only told by the seller after I'd bought it. Tenuous claim to fame? 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
interpol52 Posted November 15, 2014 Share Posted November 15, 2014 A band I uses to be in supported them on their Everybody Loves a Happy Ending UK 2005 tour. He used to stand outside each venue smoking with us. Good bloke, he used a violin bass on that tour from what I can remember. I was not really a fan before then but I am now. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
merello Posted November 15, 2014 Share Posted November 15, 2014 (edited) Found this years ago and love it. Great orchestral concert. [media]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aI9lo5BRJmg[/media] Antwerp and I'm assuming [i]Hofner[/i] are sponsoring it! Edited November 15, 2014 by merello Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RhysP Posted November 15, 2014 Share Posted November 15, 2014 Really like "The Hurting" but didn't really care much for anything they did after that to be honest. There are some really nice bass parts on "The Hurting". Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
xgsjx Posted November 15, 2014 Share Posted November 15, 2014 I used to be play the first two albums all the time & he was probably one of my influences (without realising it at the time). Never bought any of their stuff after SFTBC for some strange reason. I've been listening to those albums a bit recently too. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
spectoremg Posted December 20, 2014 Share Posted December 20, 2014 Songs From the Big Chair is brilliant and there's some lovely bass on it. It's also a very well produced album featuring some great keyboard programming. My cousin was their monitor engineer for a couple of tours ages ago and we got into a conversation about bass, neither of us knowing the both played a bit. Curt gave him his Steinberger at the end of the Big Chair tour which he said was gathering dust under his nipper's cot! Bass crime. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TimR Posted December 20, 2014 Share Posted December 20, 2014 (edited) Classic album. It was in the charts in 1985 for what felt like forever. Wikipedia has it in the top 40 for the whole year! Practically every track was released as a single. I would say everyone aged between 42 and 50 probably has it on vinyl. Or did. Floppy hair, big collared wooly jumpers tucked into peg trousers with a soul belt. . Edited December 20, 2014 by TimR Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Captain Bassman Posted November 3, 2018 Share Posted November 3, 2018 Resurrecting old thread alert.... This came up out of the blue on my You Tube feed. It’s from a Spotify special marking the 30th anniversary of Songs From The Big Chair back in 2014. Small studio setting, small crowd but the quality of the performance is absolutely sublime. Superb, tasteful, restrained musicianship throughout and quite true to the original recordings. Roland Orzabal’s voice is in great shape, no sign of his pipes wearing out with age, and Curt Smith’s tasteful playing on a couple of nice vintage hollow bodies. There’s a 40 minute set plus chit chat in the complete video but here’s Head Over Heels. The Working Hour in the same video is worth checking out too - a tour de force. Makes me so grateful that we have music in our lives...Enjoy. 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
songofthewind Posted November 4, 2018 Share Posted November 4, 2018 Jeebus, good stuff. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Marvin Posted November 4, 2018 Share Posted November 4, 2018 Excellent performance. I'm not really a fan, liked some of their stuff, but it must be said that was really rather smashing Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Paul S Posted November 4, 2018 Share Posted November 4, 2018 Songs From The Big Chair must be one of my top 10 albums of all time. I saw them live when that had just come out and was expecting a boy band. Amazing! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
EMG456 Posted November 4, 2018 Share Posted November 4, 2018 Terrific band, great songs, great arrangements, great guest musicians and yes, Curt is a great bass player. This is from the Sowing the Seeds of Love era, with Oleta Adams in the band. Curt playing Pino's lines with aplomb. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Old Man Riva Posted November 4, 2018 Share Posted November 4, 2018 4 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
spectoremg Posted November 4, 2018 Share Posted November 4, 2018 My g/f got us tickets to see them in Brighton this year before they had to reschedule due to illness. The gig's now in Feb and I've just split up with her. Complicated. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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