First published 2026
Roland Orzabal opens his life story as the founding member and chief songwriter of Tears for Fears, the English band behind hits like "Shout" and "Everybody Wants to Rule the World." He chronicles the band's rise from Bath's post-punk scene to MTV stardom with their breakthrough album Songs from the Big Chair. Orzabal details his creative partnership and eventual falling out with bandmate Curt Smith, the pressures of selling thirty million albums worldwide, and his battles with mental health and addiction. The memoir takes readers through his darkest period following the death of his wife Caroline, then follows his path toward healing and creative renewal. Orzabal uses astrology as a framework for understanding his journey, drawing on his lifelong passion for the stars to structure his narrative. He reveals previously untold stories of musical triumph alongside valleys of grief and substance abuse. The book traces how music became his tool for recovery and redemption as both an artist and father.
Genres: mental-health, addiction, autobiography, biography-memoir, music, 21st-century
Vibes: emotional-atmospheric, intimate, thought-provoking
Tropes: redemption, self-discovery
Setting: Bath
Period: 20th-century, 21st-century
304 pages · Hardcover · Dey Street Books
Content warnings: addiction, depression, mental-illness, substance-abuse