The Teardrop Explodes were an English post-punk/neo-psychedelic band formed in Liverpool in 1978. Their name was taken from a panel in the Marvel Comics' Daredevil #77.[1] The band was formed by Julian Cope, who had previously been in the short-lived yet locally-renowned band Crucial Three along with Pete Wylie, who went on to form Wah!, and Ian McCulloch, later of Echo & the Bunnymen. The band's initial line-up consisted of singer/bassist Julian Cope, Mick Finkler on guitar, Gary Dwyer on drums and Paul Simpson on keyboards. An early version of the band, called A Shallow Madness, included Ian McCulloch. They were managed by Bill Drummond and signed to his Zoo label, as were Echo and the Bunnymen. The band released their first single, "Sleeping Gas", in February 1979. Soon after, Simpson left the band and was replaced by Zoo label co-owner, David Balfe. As they toured Liverpool, the band steadily gained popularity. Their next single "Bouncing Babies" inspired a tribute song of its own: "I Can't Get Bouncing Babies by the Teardrop Explodes" by The Freshies, an ode to the difficulty of obtaining a copy of the song.
