Quotes from Roland Orzabal

My dad had been in the second world war, had electric shock treatment, suffered from anxiety and was abusive to my mum. I kept a lid on my feelings at school but, when I was 18, dropped out of everything and couldn't even be bothered to get out of bed.

A song about post-teenage angst like 'Mad World' seems to be permanently relevant.

It's not good for you to be barred from traveling to certain places in your head because some skeleton is in the closet.

Raoul' sold a respectable 700,000 copies without a hit single. It didn't take off. If you don't sell 8 million albums or 4 million albums again, everybody deems it a big failure.

I'm a Leo, with an Aquarian mid-heaven, so I can be mistaken for an Aquarius. My Sun-Uranus conjunction in Leo makes me an honorary Aquarian anyway.

Better to say something simply instead of giving people a bunch of vague metaphors to mull over.

A lot of young people have been raised on our music, or rather had it forced upon them by their parents.

Good, effective pop music isn't just verbal language. It takes a good physical beat to make you feel something.

I always thought I had a difficult childhood 'til I saw the film 'Angela's Ashes'.

When you write really good lyrics - and sometimes I did! - they are just a joy to sing.