San Marcos Public Library

Welcome To Your Life

by Roland Orzabal

Kirkus The story of a musician and songwriter who helped define the 1980s. If you’re of a certain age, reading just the title of this heartfelt memoir will likely get a song stuck in your head: It’s the first line of “Everybody Wants To Rule the World,” Tears for Fears’ massive hit from 1985. Before Orzabal writes about the success of his band, though, the guitarist and singer-songwriter hits the reader with something heavy: The first chapter chronicles the 2017 loss of his longtime wife, Caroline, who died after suffering from alcohol-related cirrhosis and dementia. The decision to begin his memoir this way puts everything that follows in perspective—and the book is heavy on perspective, filtered through Orzabal’s interest in astrology, which he calls “a series of predictable coincidences, but luckily the fine details are left to us.” He recounts his somewhat unhappy childhood, growing up with an abusive father whom his mother would later leave and his friendship with a “young tearaway named Curt Smith” when both were boys in Bath, England. Orzabal and Smith played in a band called Graduate before forming Tears for Fears, which would go on to release hit singles including “Mad World” and “Shout” before breaking up in 1990. Orzabal doesn’t seem to have any ill will toward Smith; the two reunited under the name Tears for Fears for two albums, one unsuccessful (Everybody Loves a Happy Ending, 2005) and one a big hit (The Tipping Point, 2022). Orzabal intersperses memories of his life, musical and otherwise, with his thoughts on astrology, and it flows naturally—readers obsessed with all things zodiac will be thrilled, of course, but he makes it easy to follow for those who think Taurus is simply a discontinued car. The memoir is intense at times, but Orzabal is singularly charming, and the book concludes on a sweet, hopeful note: Everybody, indeed, loves a happy ending. Poignant dispatches from the mad world of stardom. Copyright © Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.

Library Journal In his new memoir, Tears for Fears cofounder Orzabal delves into his life and music career, grounding it in his passion for astrology. He brings readers into his world, from his upbringing in Bath, UK, to meeting cofounder Curt Smith and the formation of one of the biggest New Wave pop-rock bands of the 1980s. Orzabal shares his experiences with mental illness, the ups and downs of his relationships with Smith, his breakdown after the death of his first wife from alcohol-induced cirrhosis, his road to recovery, and the band's latest album and tour. Orzabal shares significant experiences that have shaped his life in short, conversational chapters, most of which include black-and-white photographs. In each chapter, he draws on his vast knowledge of astrology and the connections he sees between his life experiences and his astrological chart. For readers unfamiliar with astrology and mysticism, Orzabal offers a list of suggested supplemental reading. Although most of the astrological connections can be understood through the context of his narrative style, readers with knowledge of astrology may find the text easier to follow. VERDICT Fans of Tears for Fears and New Wave music will be fascinated by this deep dive into Orzabal's life and the band.—Rebekah Buchanan

Back