• 1978-1982

  Julian CopeVocals, bass 1978-1982

  Gary DwyerDrums1978-1982

  Mick FinklerGuitar1978-1980

  Paul SimpsonKeyboards1978-1979

  David BalfeKeyboards1979-1980, 1981-1982

  Alan GillGuitar1980

  Alfie AgiusBass1981

  Jeff HammerKeyboards1981

  Troy TateGuitar1980-1982

  Ronnie FrançoisBass1981-1982

  Ted EmmettTrumpet1981-1982

  Andy RadekBass1982
• The Teardrop Explodes were an English post-punk/neo-psychedelic band formed in Liverpool in the fall of 1978 and fronted by Julian Cope. The band took their name from a panel in the Marvel comic Daredevil #77.
• The band were signed as label acts and management clients to the up-and-coming Liverpool indie label Zoo Records, run by former Big In Japan bass player David Balfe and future KLF man Bill Drummond.
• The Teardrop Explodes released their debut album, Kilimanjaro, in 1980, which Balfe played keyboards on. The combination of Julian Cope's out-there experimentation and David Balfe's innate pop sensibility ensured their place as part of the Liverpool post-punk scene, along with other groups like Echo & The Bunnymen and Wah!
• Their best-known song, and only Top 10 UK single, "Reward," was released in January 1981. It was not initially included in the 1980 UK and European releases of Kilimanjaro but was included in the 1980 US release and added to later pressings of the album from 1981.
• Their second album, Wilder, featured a far greater use of synthesizer arrangements and loop experiments than Kilimanjaro. The band broke up in 1982 after a series of personal and musical conflicts, and a failed attempt to record a third album. Mercury Records later released material from their aborted sessions in 1990 as Everybody Wants to Shag... The Teardrop Explodes.
• Julian Cope became a successful solo artist and author. He has released numerous solo albums since 1983, exploring various genres such as rock, pop, folk, ambient, and experimental music. Cope has also written several books on music, archaeology, and culture, such as Krautrocksampler, The Modern Antiquarian, and The Megalithic European. He is known for his eccentric and visionary personality as well as his interest in occultism and paganism.
• After leaving The Teardrop Explodes, Balife moved to London and became a manager and producer for other artists. He founded the Food record label in 1984 with Andy Ross and signed bands like Blur and Jesus Jones. Food Records was later acquired by EMI.
• While The Teardrop Explodes had a relatively short-lived career, they left a lasting impact on the post-punk and new wave scenes. Many artists have cited them as an influence, including The Stone Roses, Primal Scream and The Flaming Lips.

Comments

More Songfacts:

Dance Hall DaysWang Chung

Wang Chung's '80s classic "Dance Hall Days" is about how things can start simple but end up complex. First you "take your baby by the hand," but by the end she has an amethyst in her mouth.

The House Of The Rising SunThe Animals

"The House Of The Rising Sun" is a traditional folk song, either about a brothel or a prison.

Beck's BoleroJeff Beck

Jimmy Page, Jeff Beck, Keith Moon and John Paul Jones recorded "Beck's Bolero" and almost formed a band. They couldn't find a lead singer, so Page and Jones formed Led Zeppelin.

IrisThe Goo Goo Dolls

The Goo Goo Dolls got the title for their song "Iris" from a country singer named Iris DeMent. The word doesn't show up in the lyric; lead singer Johnny Rzeznik said he was "trying to be pretentious and arty by calling it that."

TemptedSqueeze

The Squeeze song "Tempted" is one of their few with lead vocals by Paul Carrack, who sang the Ace song "How Long" and was in Mike + The Mechanics.

American PieDon McLean

Don McLean's "American Pie" starts in mono and gradually goes to stereo. It isn't full stereo until the end of the song, which is over 8 minutes long.

Editor's Picks

Jim McCarty of The YardbirdsSongwriter Interviews

The Yardbirds drummer explains how they created their sound and talks about working with their famous guitarists.

Ian Anderson: "The delight in making music is that you don't have a formula"Songwriter Interviews

Ian talks about his 3 or 4 blatant attempts to write a pop song, and also the ones he most connected with, including "Locomotive Breath."

Tony Banks of GenesisSongwriter Interviews

Genesis' key-man re-examines his solo career and the early days of music video.

Yacht Rock!Song Writing

A scholarly analysis of yacht rock favorites ("Steal Away," "Baker Street"...) with a member of the leading YR cover band.

Carl SturkenSongwriter Interviews

Hitmaker Carl Sturken on writing and producing for Rihanna, 'N Sync, Christina Aguilera, Kelly Clarkson, Donny Osmond, Shakira and Karyn White.

Charlie Benante of AnthraxSongwriter Interviews

The drummer for Anthrax is also a key songwriter. He explains how the group puts their songs together and tells the stories behind some of their classics.