The Teardrop Explodes

The Teardrop Explodes formed in Liverpool in 1978, Julian Cope, Gary Dwyer, Paul Simpson, and Michael Finkler developing a sound rooted in post-punk and psychedelic pop that was immediately joyful and melodically inventive. Cope's vocals were warm and charismatic, and the band's music combined post-punk energy with a melodic directness and psychedelic colour that set them apart from the more austere post-punk acts of the era.

They were signed to Mercury Records and released 'Kilimanjaro' (1980) — a melodically inventive post-punk record that produced 'Reward' and 'Treason (It's Just a Story)' and established them as one of the most important new British acts. 'Wilder' (1981) was equally strong, and the band's combination of psychedelic pop energy and melodic directness made them one of the most enjoyable acts of the early-1980s British indie scene.

The Teardrop Explodes dissolved in 1983 following Cope's increasing eccentricity and the band's commercial difficulties. Cope went on to a distinguished solo career. They are remembered as one of the most important and distinctive acts of the early-1980s British post-punk scene — a band whose combination of joyful energy, melodic gifts, and Cope's extraordinary charisma produced music of lasting charm.