Exploding The Teardrops

What dreadful news to hear today that Gary Dwyer - drummer for the Teardrop Explodes - has passed away after a short illness.  Deepest condolences to his family and friends. It should be remembered that Gary was the beating human heart in the centre of the Teardrops from start to finish - the only other member besides Julian Cope to stay throughout the turbulence of the band's membership. It's also worth noting that once Dwyer joined the fledgeling band in the early autumn of 1978 he pressed the band to rehearse, to get better and to play their first gig at Eric's in November 1978. Without his enthusiasm and drive, the Teardrop Explodes could have been just another name on a long list of semi legendary Liverpool bands which existed more in the minds of their members than the actual music they may have created.  Dwyer's passing also closes the door on any possibility that the band would reform. It was never likely anyway - Cope had always said he would never go back. But...

Recorded 17th August 1981* for the Richard Skinner show, Radio 1. Broadcast August 1981. Later released on "Zoology" (2007) and "Wilder" deluxe edition (2013) Julian Cope - vocals Troy Tate - guitar Jeff Hammer - keyboards Alfie Agius - bass Gary Dwyer - drums Written by Julian Cope The one that got away. When the Teardrops started their US tour in 1981 they had a healthy selection of new songs to perform. Julian Cope had clearly been inspired - either by drugs or the freedom of his new role as group leader or the new members of his band - and "Screaming secrets" was an exciting addition to the set already packed with uptempo songs. "Screaming secrets" doesn't appear to have developed much over time, recordings from early in the US tour show - it's clearly well arranged and rehearsed and almost all of the lyrics are in place too. It starts with Troy Tate clanging on an octave guitar part dropping down a tone momentarily, then ...

Version one Recorded 17th August 1981 for the Richard Skinner show, Radio 1. Broadcast August 1981. Later released on "Zoology" (2007) and "Wilder" deluxe edition (2013) Julian Cope - Vocals Troy Tate - guitar Jeff Hammer - Keyboards Alfie Agius - bass Ted Emmett, Luke Tunney - brass Version two  Recorded Autumn 1981, released on "Wilder" album, November 1981. Julian Cope - vocals, bass? Dave Balfe - keyboards Troy Tate - guitar Ted Emmett, Luke Tunney - brass James Eller - bass? Written by Julian Cope Was it love at first sight? According to "Head on" it was. The Teardrop Explodes were on the east coast of America on their first proper foreign tour, playing their opening date in Albany. North of New York, north of Woodstock and Saugerties, north of Yasgurs Farm and Big Pink, these heroic places from the psychedelic sixties. These may have been playing on Cope's mind but he had more important worries - teaching the band the songs,...

Recorded 17th August 1981 for the Richard Skinner show, Radio 1. Broadcast August 1981. Later released on "Peel Sessions Plus" (2007) and "Wilder" deluxe edition (2013) Julian Cope - Vocals Troy Tate - guitar Jeff Hammer - Keyboards Alfie Agius - bass Gary Dwyer - drums Ted Emmett, Luke Tunney - brass Written by Pete Wylie / Kevin Spencer / William Shelby / Ricky Smith When the Teardrop Explodes were joined by the NME's Adrian Thrills on the Canadian leg of their US tour in May 1981, Julian Cope told Thrills he had all the songs ready to record for the band's second album, once the band returned to the studio in September that year. He added he wanted to include some covers too - a song by The Zombies and - quoting the article - "his pal Pete Wylie's epic 'Better scream', the first Wah! Heat single". There was always a strange relationship between Cope and Wylie. Sure they were in the Crucial Three with Ian McCulloch but once Mac and Co...

Recorded March or April 1981. Released as the b side to the Mercury reissue of "Treason", April 1981 Julian Cope - guitar, vocal Written by Julian Cope "Use me" is a bit of a curiosity in the Teardrop Explodes catalogue. It's been a song looming in the distance for quite a while on the blog and I know there's some readers out there who are awaiting massive insights and wonders about this song and I hate to disappoint you but... Ok, let me tell you a story. In the spring and summer of 1985 I started to buy whatever records I could find by The Teardrop Explodes. This was more difficult than it should have been. Sure, "Kilimanjaro" was available as a mid price album but "Wilder" was long deleted, the first two Julian Cope solo albums were languishing in bargain bins and the Teardrops' singles were impossible to find. I had picked up the double pack of "You disappear from view" from a charity shop in May, "Kilim...

Version one, recorded for BBC Session April 1981, released on "Peel Sessions Plus", 2008 and "Wilder" reissue, 2013 Julian Cope - vocals, guitar Troy Tate - guitar Jeff Hammer - keyboards Alfie Agius - bass Gary Dwyer - drums Version two recorded live in 1981 and broadcast by WLIR radio / recorded at Guildford Civic Hall, June 1981 and broadcast by the BBC, available on "Zoology" compilation (2004) Julian Cope - vocals, guitar Troy Tate - guitar Jeff Hammer - keyboards Alfie Agius - bass Gary Dwyer - drums Version three recorded Autumn 1981, released on "Wilder" album, November 1981. Julian Cope - vocals, guitar, bass (?) Dave Balfe - keyboards Troy Tate - guitar Gary Dwyer - drums Ted Emmett, Luke Tunney - brass James Eller - bass? Written by Julian Cope "Peter says Julie says I think it's time you started stalling We think it's time you start falling Fall" ("Pride" - Echo and the Bunnymen,  1980) "More than in L...