British new wave band formed in Bath, Somerset in 1981. Long-running duo of Roland Orzabal (vocals/guitar) and Curt Smith (vocals/bass), with various supporting musicians. Distinguished by their cerebral synth-pop drawing on Arthur Janov's primal-therapy texts (the band's name comes from a phrase in Janov's Prisoners of Pain).
Released seven studio albums between The Hurting (1983) and The Tipping Point (2022). Commercial peak: Songs from the Big Chair (1985, featuring "Everybody Wants to Rule the World," "Shout," and "Head Over Heels") and The Seeds of Love (1989). Reunited in 2000 after a long split.
