El Michels Affair first appeared in 2002 for a 12" single on Soul Fire records entitled Easy Access Parts 1 & 2. The release was a loose collaboration between Soul Fire session musicians that featured saxophonist and organist Leon Michels. However, the style and sound of El Michels Affair, which was later coined “cinematic soul”, came about when Leon Michels and Nick Movshon, fellow band mates from The Mighty Imperials, began recording music in Michels’s bedroom studio. Leon Michels had purchased a Tascam 388 (a home recording 8-track module from the early eighties), and began experimenting with music that purposely strayed from the cookie cutter funk that began to saturate the market at the time. Taking influence from all types of music, Michels and Movshon began to create new type of soul music that blended the cinematic quality of soundtrack records with the recording aesthetic of early reggae, and the rawness of 60's rock. As the record took shape, Michels brought in fellow musicians and friends to help shape the style and sound of the record, which would be commercially released on Truth & Soul as Sounding Out The City. Some of the musicians included in the sessions were old band mates from the Mighty Imperials, Homer Steinweiss and Sean Solomon, as well as Todd Simon, Michael Leonhart, Thomas Brenneck, Aaron Johnson, Ben Solomon, and Toby Pazner.
In 2005, after the record had generated an industry buzz, Scion approached El Michels Affair with the prospect of performing with Raekwon from the Wu-Tang Clan. The epic grittiness of Rza's production matched perfectly with the soulful, cinematic sound El Michels Affair was known for. In fact, it matched so well that El Michels Affair went on to play four more concerts with members of the Wu-Tang, including a national tour with Raekwon, which climaxed into a series of critically acclaimed 7" releases from El Michels Affair which were instrumental re-interpolations of Rza’s original beats.
El Michels Affair has since been recording a full record of Wu-Tang instrumentals as well as material for an upcoming album of originals. Always pushing the boundaries, never trying to repeat themselves, expect the unexpected when it comes to the music of El Michels Affair.
(2) Organist and drummer Leon Michels was hardly more than a high-school student playing in the Mighty Imperials, the Meters-inspired house band for the Brooklyn label Soul Fire, when he decided to start El Michels Affair, teaming up with bandmate and bassist Nick Movshon. The two began recording music that pulled from '60s and '70s funk, soul, Afrobeat, and jazz, eventually growing to a nine-piece live outfit and releasing the single "Detroit Twice" on Daptone's Misty imprint. In 2004 the founder of Soul Fire sold his studio and equipment to Michels, who, along with partner Jeff Silverman, decided to start Truth & Soul Records; El Michels Affair's 2005 Sounding Out the City acted as the label's inaugural full-length. Later that year the band played with Wu-Tang Clan's Raekwon at an event, and they got along together so well they decided to do instrumental reworkings of Wu-Tang beats for what they called the Shaolin Series (Pt. 1 includes "C.R.E.A.M." and "Glaciers of Ice" while Pt. 2 covers "Duel of the Iron Mic" and "Bring the Ruckus"). El Michels Affair also collaborated with Raekwon on a new version of "PJ," originally done by Pete Rock, for a track called "PJs from Afar," and even toured with the Clan in 2007. ~ Marisa Brown, Rovi
(2) Organist and drummer Leon Michels was hardly more than a high-school student playing in the Mighty Imperials, the Meters-inspired house band for the Brooklyn label Soul Fire, when he decided to start El Michels Affair, teaming up with bandmate and bassist Nick Movshon. The two began recording music that pulled from '60s and '70s funk, soul, Afrobeat, and jazz, eventually growing to a nine-piece live outfit and releasing the single "Detroit Twice" on Daptone's Misty imprint. In 2004 the founder of Soul Fire sold his studio and equipment to Michels, who, along with partner Jeff Silverman, decided to start Truth & Soul Records; El Michels Affair's 2005 Sounding Out the City acted as the label's inaugural full-length. Later that year the band played with Wu-Tang Clan's Raekwon at an event, and they got along together so well they decided to do instrumental reworkings of Wu-Tang beats for what they called the Shaolin Series (Pt. 1 includes "C.R.E.A.M." and "Glaciers of Ice" while Pt. 2 covers "Duel of the Iron Mic" and "Bring the Ruckus"). El Michels Affair also collaborated with Raekwon on a new version of "PJ," originally done by Pete Rock, for a track called "PJs from Afar," and even toured with the Clan in 2007. ~ Marisa Brown
Tearz
El Michels Affair Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
After laughter comes tears
After laughter comes tears
After laughter comes tears
I tried to hold back my tears
I tried to hold back my sorrow
I wonder if I can hold it 'til tomorrow
After the laughter comes tears
The lyrics in El Michels Affair's song Tearz are simple yet powerful, conveying a message about the natural order of emotions that people experience in their lives. The repetition of the phrase "After laughter comes tears" indicates that happiness and sadness cannot exist in isolation and that one emotion often leads to the other. The line "I tried to hold back my tears" signifies the singer's attempt to control their emotions, but they ultimately realize that it may not be possible, as they wonder "if I can hold it 'til tomorrow."
The song is likely influenced by the classic hip-hop track "Tearz" by Wu-Tang Clan, which sampled the original version of the song "After the Laughter (Comes Tears)" by singer-songwriter Wendy Rene. The somber mood of the lyrics and the instrumentation in El Michels Affair's version also create a mournful, introspective tone that prompts listeners to reflect on their own experiences with joy and sorrow.
Overall, Tearz is a poignant song that speaks to the human condition and reminds us that we must endure our difficult experiences in order to appreciate and enjoy the happy moments in life.
Line by Line Meaning
After laughter comes tears
Following moments of joy and happiness, there will inevitably be moments of sadness and tears.
After laughter comes tears
Even after experiencing multiple moments of joy, it is impossible to avoid the eventual arrival of tears and sorrow.
After laughter comes tears
It is a universal truth that after experiencing moments of laughter, tears are sure to follow.
After laughter comes tears
No matter how much we try to avoid it, tears will come after experiencing happiness and joy.
I tried to hold back my tears
Despite wanting to avoid the sadness that comes after moments of joy, I made an attempt to not let my tears show.
I tried to hold back my sorrow
I tried to contain and hold back the sadness and pain that I was experiencing.
I wonder if I can hold it 'til tomorrow
I question my ability to continue to hold back my sadness and tears until the next day.
After the laughter comes tears
As a reminder, it is important to recognize that experiencing moments of sadness is an inevitable part of life, even after joy and laughter.
Contributed by Noah T. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
Nota Da Musica
After laughter comes tears
After laughter comes tears
Ooh, ooh, ooh
Ooh, ooh, ooh
After laughter comes tears
After laughter comes tears
I tried to hold back my tears
I tried to hold back my sorrow, oh
I wonder if I can hold it 'til tomorrow
After the laughter comes tears
spainman
I hear songs like this, and think about how I'd use them in a movie or tv show, and feel like I missed my calling in life.
adan
never too late
Kunaikilla
Lets work together.
LUIS LUCIANO
Never thought others thought like this..
spainman
@Kunaikilla Bet 👍🏾
spainman
@LUIS LUCIANO Yup. I try to put a soundtrack to anything, or a music videos to songs.
ian kepner
The bass line and Lee Fields are just fucking phenomenal.
Nota Da Musica
After laughter comes tears
After laughter comes tears
Ooh, ooh, ooh
Ooh, ooh, ooh
After laughter comes tears
After laughter comes tears
I tried to hold back my tears
I tried to hold back my sorrow, oh
I wonder if I can hold it 'til tomorrow
After the laughter comes tears
tony escobar
I play songs like this on repeat while I get in my Zen state of being. Right before I paint, fight, or something else I master with force.
joeknee utah
This is so good!