Orzabal and Smith met as teenagers in their home city of Bath. The duo became session musicians for the band Neon, where they first met future Tears For Fears drummer Manny Elias. Smith and Orzabal's professional debut came with the band Graduate, a Mod Revival, New Wave act. In 1980, Graduate released an album, Acting My Age. In 1981 Orzabal and Smith departed from Graduate and formed a band called History of Headache, a moniker which was then changed to Tears for Fears.