were Tears for Fears influenced by Prog

I couldn't tell you if they were "officially" prog or not, but I do love Tears for Fears.

I have listened to SFTBC (my sister still has all her beautiful vinyl from the 80's) and it's mostly a decent listen - as far as Prog goes - I find about as much Prog in it as I do with Kajagoogoo (my preferred New-Wave 80's act) - and if you didn't know what Prog was, you wouldn't pick up on it (or imagine to). Their drummer on the album (Manny Elias) often appeared on later Peter Hammill albums !!

Aging gracefully, this great band (or duo) have never been shy of using various influences in their music; Jazz, experimental, blues, and yes, in some songs at least some hints of a prog sound.
"Advice For The Young At Heart" is my favorite song by them.

Influenced by prog without actually being a prog band, but their music was well-played intelligent pop with interesting instrumentation and thoughtful production, with smart lyrics and great vocals as well, and there was a nice darker undercurrent to much of their stuff. Their debut `The Hurting' is exceptional, and if all pop-music was that good and clever, many prog-snobs wouldn't find the term such a dirty word!

And I guarantee, Tom, they're a hundred million bagillion squillion zillion times more prog than f*cking Kanja-Roo-Poo!

Tom Ozric wrote: ^ Why do I not believe you ?? Try playing Beggs' bass-lines, and the multi-layered synth textures........... ....Kanja-roo-poo or not, they are superb at what they do, just like this mind-numbing Tech-Metal arrangement - Meshuggah nailed it, and no-one measures up to them. Looks like I'm ready for the 'growling' Opeth albums............... So, what I'm getting at, in my idiotic glory, the 'Goo lead the way, Limahl or not......You dig Magma ? You should dig Meshuggah - more Zeuhl than cheesy Death-Metal, Black-Metal or whatever........... ........and this post is just demonstrating the extreme umbrella of cleverly, diverse music that is out there.

Oh, look, man, after all these months...I get it, I seriously do. If it's not Kangajoogooo, it's Meshuggah. But good on you for running with it, man, if it means that much to you. You don't have to justify it, if you dig it, you dig it. sh*t, I posted about my freaking love of the `Josie and the Pussyctas' movie soundtrack a few days back on some thread

But anyway, then I hear this, and the inventive use of keyboards, the terrific bass playing, the jangling guitar chords, the cool programming, the sax solo, the thoughtful lyrics, the restrained vocals...Tears for Fears are definitely at the top of the smart pop music chain for me. Pop perfection to my ears.

I hear more of a general art-rock influence rather than prog specifically (say somewhat along the lines of the Magazine track Parade).  As far as preferences, I find some of their songs very interesting but mostly too 80s for my taste.  It is not what I'd think of as 80s music that's aged well (as opposed to Aztec Camera, Prefab Sprout, even Police).

Indeed, four man Genesis would be a stretch and GG is likes poles apart.