Sniff 'n' The Tears

The London new wave outfit Sniff 'n' the Tears is chiefly associated with its 1978 single “Driver’s Seat.” The group took shape from the remains of the obscure band Ashes of Moon, which dissolved in 1974 when it could not generate significant record-label attention. Its musicians drifted apart through the middle of the decade, and vocalist Paul Roberts devoted himself to painting. Once new wave gained momentum, drummer Luigi Salvoni persuaded Roberts to revive the project, bringing in guitarists Mick Dyche and Loz Netto, bassist Nick South, and keyboardist Keith Miller. Now operating under the name Sniff ’n’ the Tears, the musicians circulated a demo in 1978. Chiswick Records signed them and released their first album, Fickle Heart, later that year; “Driver’s Seat” soon scored a substantial U.S. success. The follow-up, The Game’s Up, arrived in 1980 without comparable sales, and the same outcome greeted both Love Action in 1981 and Ride Blue Divide the next year, prompting the band’s breakup. After “Driver’s Seat” enjoyed a marketing-led resurgence in 1992, Roberts recruited a fresh lineup for a European tour and the album No Damage Done. He kept the Sniff ’n’ the Tears name alive for 2001’s Underground, then set the project aside for ten years before assembling another roster to record 2011’s Downstream.