The Teardrop Explodes was an English new wave band that released three 1979–80 singles on Liverpool indie Zoo, followed by the 1980–81 Mercury albums Kilimanjaro and Wilder. Frontman Julian Cope took the band name from a caption in issue No. 77 of the Marvel Comics series Daredevil.

Members: Julian Cope (vocals, bass), Gary Dwyer (drums), Michael Finkler (guitar, 1978-80), Paul Simpson (keyboards, 1978-79), Ged Quinn (keyboards, 1979), David Balfe (keyboards, 1979-80, 1981-82), Alan Gill (guitar, 1980), Troy Tate (guitar, 1980-81), Jeff Hammer (keyboards, 1981), Alfie Agius (bass, 1981), Ron François (bass, 1981), Ted Emmett (trumpet, 1981)

1979

16 Feb 1979
A1: Sleeping Gas
B1: Camera Camera
B2: Kirkby Workers Dream Fades

22 Jun 1979
A: Bouncing Babies
B: All I Am Is Loving You

1980

28 Mar 1980
A: Treason (It’s Just A Story)
B: Read It In Books

Kilimanjaro

The Teardrop Explodes released their first album, Kilimanjaro, on October 10, 1980, on Mercury.

1. “Ha Ha I’m Drowning” (2.53)
2. “Sleeping Gas” (Cope, Dwyer, Finkler, Paul Simpson) (3.45)
3. “Treason” (3.05)
4. “Second Head” (3.10)
5. “Poppies in the Field” (5.03)
6. “Went Crazy” (Cope, Finkler) (2.38)
7. “Brave Boys Keep Their Promises” (2.30)
8. “Bouncing Babies” (Cope, Dwyer, Finkler, Simpson) (2.28)
9. “Books” (Cope, Ian McCulloch) (2.37)
10. “Thief of Baghdad” (3.09)
11. “When I Dream” (5.10)

Recorded Summer 1979-Summer 1980
Studio Rockfield Studios (Rockfield, Monmouthshire, Wales)
Producer – Clive Langer & Alan Winstanley (“Treason,” “Poppies In the Field”), Mike Howlett (“Books,” “When I Dream”), Bill Drummond and David Balfe (aka The Chameleons – the rest)
Engineer – Hugh Jones

Julian Cope – vocals, bass guitar
David Balfe – piano, organ, synthesizer
Gary Dwyer – drums
Alan Gill – guitar on “Reward” (second edition of album only), “Poppies in the Field”, “Ha Ha I’m Drowning”, “Books” and “When I Dream”

Michael Finkler – guitar on “Second Head”, “Brave Boys Keep Their Promises”, “Bouncing Babies”, “Ha Ha I’m Drowning”, “Sleeping Gas”, “Treason”, “Went Crazy” and “Thief of Baghdad”
Hurricane Smith, Ray Martinez – trumpets on “Ha Ha I’m Drowning”, “Sleeping Gas” and “Went Crazy”

Brian Griffin – photography
Design – Rocking Russian

5 Sep 1980
A: When I Dream
B: “Kilimanjaro” ()

UK Albums (OCC) 24
New Zealand Albums (RMNZ) 25

1981

23 Jan 1981
A: Reward
B: Strange House In The Snow

24 Apr 1981
A: Treason (It’s Just A Story) (Remixed Version)
B: Use Me

Wilder

The Teardrop Explodes released their second album, Wilder, on November 23, 1981, on Mercury.

1. “Bent Out of Shape” (3:27)
2. “Colours Fly Away” (2:54)
3. “Seven Views of Jerusalem” (3:47)
4. “Pure Joy” (1:42)
5. “Falling Down Around Me” (3:08)
6. “The Culture Bunker” (5:29)

7. “Passionate Friend” (3:29)
8. “Tiny Children” (3:50)
9. “Like Leila Khaled Said” (3:48)
10. “…And The Fighting Takes Over” (3:53)
11. “The Great Dominions” (4:26)

Producer Clive Langer,
with Alan Winstanley on “Passionate Friend”

Colin Fairley – engineer
Julian Cope – vocals, guitars, bass guitar, piano, organ
Troy Tate – guitars
David Balfe – keyboards, synthesizers, loops (except on “Passionate Friend”)
Gary Dwyer – drums

Alfie Agius – bass guitar on “Passionate Friend”
Jeff Hammer – keyboards on “Passionate Friend”
James Eller – bass guitar
Luke Tunney, Ted Emmett – trumpets
Clive Langer – additional guitar
Garrish Mashindi – backing vocals on “Like Leila Khaled Said”

Martin Atkins – artwork
Chalkie Davies – photography

Sep 1981
A: Passionate Friend
B: Christ Versus Warhol