ORIGINAL MEMBERS
Todd Downing - Keyboards, Vocals, Guitars, Bass, Rhythms
Samantha Downing - Vocals, Keyboards
with: Christopher Palmer - Bass, Guitars
Richard Gascoygne - Bass, Guitars
Greg Hines - Guitars
Paul Howard - Guitars
Jeff Carlson - Guitars, Vocals, Bass, Rhythms
Brian Nixon - Keyboards
Eric Hedman - Bass
Peter Alix - Guitars
Randy Hensel - Keyboards, Production
REQUIEM
Todd Downing - Guitars, Vocals, Keyboards, Percussion
Muriel Montgomery - Vocals
Mike Berg - Bass
Steven Fox - Drums
Brian Chase - Additional Guitars, Production
Caleb Long - Spoken Word
Influences
ORIGINAL INFLUENCES
Dead Can Dance, The Sundays, Clan of Xymox, The Cure, Cocteau Twins, Depeche Mode, Area, Sarah McLachlan, The Church, Hex, Concrete Blonde, David Sylvian
REQUIEM INFLUENCES
And Tears Fell, Deep Mosey, Brendan Perry, The Sundays, Toad the Wet Sprocket, Concrete Blonde, David Sylvian, Sarah Fimm, The Shins, Death Cab For Cutie, Carrie Akre
Sounds Like
Shocking Blue playing Toad covers at Johnette Napolitano's birthday party. On the beach. With an open bar.
1988 - Doktor Caligari members Todd & Samantha Downing begin experimenting with lush keyboard soundscapes as a side project. Samantha suggests the name And Tears Fell from "The Foreboding" by Robert Graves.
1989 - And Tears Fell submits a demo to the head of Epithet Records in Stanford, CA. They are signed, joining The Electra, Mute Angst Envy, The Rise, Autumn Cathedral, Crimson Ivy, Moonpools & Caterpillars, and more, in a mopey late-'80s shoegazer love-fest. Their first album, Sidhe, is released in the fall/winter.
1990 - Christopher Palmer joins the band after a revolving door period of session musicians, becoming an equal songwriting contributor. Their second album, Circe, is released in the fall, showcasing a more mature songwriting sensibility and guitar-driven melodies.
1991 - And Tears Fell amicably parts with Epithet, as Todd & Samantha prepare to move from the SF Bay Area to Seattle, WA. Once in Seattle, Todd & Sam are steeped in grunge culture and Native American influences.
1992 - A 4-song EP, Angry Odin, is released, displaying exponentially more angst, social conscience and crunchy guitars. The couple seems to have blown their creative wad, and the band is shelved. Until...
1995 - The single, "Demons", is recorded with Bath guitarist Luke Anderson and producer/keyboardist Barry Leitch. The anthemic tune would become a favorite with Todd & Sam.
1998-2001 - The band's catalog sees limited edition release on CD via their vanity label, Mangled Melon Music (Todd's music publishing imprint since The Flying Pigs). Todd releases three solo electronic albums under the name Starbug. New And Tears Fell tracks are composed and a producer is sought to go into the studio for a new album.
2002 - Samantha is diagnosed with a rare, non-hereditary cancer. She fights for almost three years.
2003-2005 - Todd works through his fear and frustration by releasing a trilogy of solo big-beat electronica under the name Impetus.
2005 - Samantha dies. Todd prepares a tribute CD in Sam's memory, consisting of old And Tears Fell material, completely rerecorded, using several musicians who knew and loved her.
2007 - And Tears Fell - Requiem
2008 - 20th Anniversary and that's all she wrote. Look for Todd's solo electronic project, Starbug2.
Hi Todd!!! I really had a great time singing and playing your music, which I love!!! I hope you have a great rest of the week!!! I LOVE Tina Dico the best so far!!!
I doubt that the hack with the guitar did anything but make it AWESOME!
Make sure that you reserve me a copy of it! I'm super pumped!
Speaking of CD releases... The reason that I haven't been able to get back to you is that I've been in the studio with my band! We just finished recording our EP! Check it out: Self Surplus.
Todd... I love you man! Can't wait to see more of you!
Hey And Tears Fell: Thanks for the kind words and becoming friends with Drizzle. Are you having any shows coming up. We are putting together a show in April. We would be a good bill together. Enjoy the Sunshine today. It's a rare event.
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