Archive for June, 2010

hen an advertising campaign saw “Driver’s Seat” top the Dutch charts in 1992, Roberts took Sniff ‘n’ the Tears out on the road in the Netherlands and Germany, followed by a new album No Damage Done. Since then Roberts put out one more record, 2001′s Underground, and is currently working on new material.

“Driver’s Seat” was featured on the soundtrack to the 1997 film, Boogie Nights.

The band has various musicians, but the original member is lead singer and songwriter Paul Roberts.

“Driver’s Seat” is a 1978 song by the British band Sniff ‘n’ the Tears that appears on their debut album, Fickle Heart. The band is considered a one-hit wonder, and “Driver’s Seat” was that hit.

Sniff ‘n’ the Tears are led by singer/songwriter Paul Roberts, the band’s sole constant member. Roberts, a noted painter, is also responsible for painting all of the band’s album covers.

The genesis of the song dates back to 1973 and a demo tape recorded for a French record label by singer/guitarist Paul Roberts for the band Ashes of Moon. However, that band broke up and, at the suggestion of drummer Luigi Salvoni, Roberts reformed it as Sniff ‘n’ the Tears with guitarists Laurence “Loz” Netto and Mick Dyche and bassist Nick South. They shopped the demo tape and signed with the small Chiswick label in 1977. One of the key decisions made during the recording of “Driver’s Seat” was to start the song with Roberts’ acoustic guitar and drums and gradually fade in other instruments.

According to Paul Roberts, “Driver’s Seat” isn’t about driving, but rather “fragmented, conflicting thoughts and emotions that might follow the break-up of a relationship”.

“Driver’s Seat”, a hit in many countries including #15 on the American Billboard Hot 100 charts in the fall of 1979, and reached the top 10 in The Netherlands in November 1980. The exception was the UK itself where a problem with EMI’s pressing plant meant that the single was not available following the band’s appearance on Top of the Pops and it peaked just outside the Top 40. It reappeared at #1 on the Dutch Top 40 eleven years later as a result of use of the song in a Pioneer commercial.