by Jeff Apter
A pared-back Cure trio of Smith, Simon Gallup and Jason Cooper proceeded to play a handful of shows before announcing in June 2005 that guitarist Porl Thompson, Smith’s brother-in-law, was rejoining after a dozen years out of the group. It was if The Cure was the musical equivalent of the Mob – you could never really leave the band. With his shaved head and intense stare, Thompson now resembled an older and much scarier Billy Corgan.
The Cure only played one show in 2006, a fund-raiser for the Teenage Cancer Trust at the Royal Albert Hall. A live DVD, The Cure Festival 2005, including 30 live tracks from their 2005 tour, appeared in December 2006. All the while, Smith and band were chipping away at yet another studio album, their 13th, even blowing out a US tour in August 2007 to continue working on the record. Londoner Keith Uddin, a highly rated producer, mixer and songwriter who’d cranked out hits for No Doubt, Bjork, Kelly Clarkson and Blue, was hired to co-produce.
Preceded by a handful of singles, each released on the 13th of the month (including ‘The Only One’ and ‘Freakshow’), the Cure’s new album, 4:13 Dream, was released at the end of October 2008. Despite the band’s diminishing commercial status – they could still fill decent sized theatres, but their MTV-friendly heyday was well and truly over – Smith was as ambitious as ever, revealing well in advance that their latest would be a double album (in the old standard).
While previewing the record to industry bible Billboard in July 2007, Smith sounded a tad defensive about his decision. “What will probably happen is that a double album will come out like a limited edition, mixed by me,” he said. “A single-disc version, which I assume will be primarily chosen by the label, might get mixed by someone else in order to have a different thing. There’s a concern Cure fans will feel like they have to get both, but the fact is, I’ve agreed to sell the double version at a single album price, because I feel that strongly about it. It is almost impossible to get a double album nowadays. I naively thought my standing as an artist would push aside all objections, but the world gets ever more commercial as it turns.”
“There are songs about relationships, the material world, politics and religion,” Smith continued. “People will be surprised how stripped-down and in-your-face the record is.” As contrary as ever, in May 2008, Smith pulled off yet another back flip and opted to release 4:13 Dream as a single album, putting the remaining “darker songs” on hold for a later long-player. (Smith and Uddin had recorded 33 songs.) A stark black-and-white performance video for the resolutely upbeat ‘The Only One’ appeared soon after, a song that harked back to the era of Kiss Me, right down to Smith’s vocal yelps and a shuffling, restless pop-rock melody. It seemed as though Smith ached for just one more hit, even if he had to revisit his past to pull it off.
Though they weren’t generating the same dollars as they did during their QEII-riding peak, it must be said that the conga line of Cure lovers (and, in the case of Hot Hot Heat, out-and-out Cure impersonators) continued well into the 21st century. Smith’s visual and musical influence was immediately recognisable. Interpol, My Chemical Romance and the truly awful Good Charlotte were at the forefront of those who owed a hefty debt to the downbeat moods and heavily lipsticked look of Smith and co – some, such as My Chemical Romance’s Carlos D, a Simon Gallup fanatic, openly admitted to their Cure obsessions. Even the late Heath Ledger’s star turn as The Joker, in the film The Dark Knight, seemed to be, at least in part, a nod in the direction of the odd, increasingly portly little man from Crawley. And Smith’s name was mentioned with due reverence in the second series of surrealistic comedy The Mighty Boosh, when a character produced something known as Goth Juice, said to be “the most powerful hairspray known to man. Made from the tears of Robert Smith.” It was like South Park all over again, even if there was now a feint whiff of condescension in most everything Robert Smith-related.
Robert Smith once laughed at the idea of there actually being a Cure in the year 2011, but, just like that other warpaint warrior, Kiss’ Gene Simmons, it seems unlikely that he plans to kill off his band any time soon. And that’s despite the fact that Smith strikes more a Bela Lugosi-like figure on stage these days rather than, say, Edward Scissorhands. Smith’s motivation, however, is different to Simmons, a man driven by an insatiable appetite for money and women. Put plainly, it’s hard to imagine Smith doing anything but leading the Cure, enveloped in dry ice, his head titled slightly, staring into the middle distance, hair in disarray, yearning for better days.
Source Notes/Bibliography
Prologue
Wyman, Bill, The Cure: The Popes Of Mope (Creem, 1992)
Chapter One
Anon, Caught In The Act (Q, May 1989)
Anon, Fifteen Minutes of Robert Smith (Sassy, October 1990)
Anon, High 5: Robert Smith, The Cure (Australian Rolling Stone, December 1993)
Anon, Musica (June 17, 2004)
Anon, Robert Smith And His Books (Rock & Folk magazine [France], August 2003)
Balfour, Brad, After 10 years, Robert Smith Is Still The Cure (Spin, March 1988)
Barbarian, Smith, Robert & Sutherland, Steve, The Cure: Ten Imaginary Years (Omnibus Press, 1988)
Black, Johnny, Curious Case Of The Cure (London Times, April 26, 1989)
Compo, Susan, The Cure’s Robert Smith (Spin, November 1993)
Frost, Deborah, Taking The Cure With Robert (Creem, October 1, 1987)
Herpell, Gabriela, Interview With Robert Smith (Sueddeutsche Zeitung, July 3 2004)
Hodgkinson, Will, Pop Cure-alls (The Guardian, May 30, 2003)
Keeps, David, Dear Superstar: Robert Smith (Blender, August 2004)
Manrique, Diego A, Interview With Robert Smith (El Pais Tentaciones, January 28, 2000)
Miller, Kirk, Robert Smith Draws Blood (Rolling Stone, July 2004)
Simmons, Sylvie, Everything Falls Apart (Revolution, September 1989)
Sullivan, Jim, The Cure’s Last Tour (Boston Globe, September 21, 1989)
Sutherland, Steve, A Suitable Case For Treatment (Melody Maker, October 1985)
Tellier, Emmanuel, Les Attrapes-Couers de Robert Smith, The Cure (Les Inrockuptibles magazine, October 22–28, 1997)
Thompson, Dave and Greene, Jo-Ann, The Cure: A Visual Documentary (Omnibus Press, 1988)
Chapter Two
Anon, High 5: Robert Smith, The Cure (Australian Rolling Stone, December 1993)
Azerrad, Michael, Searching For The Cure (Rolling Stone, 1989)
Black, Johnny, Curious Case Of The Cure (The Times, April 26, 1989)
Bogle, Vicky, Our Favourite Uncle (Shake, December 1984)
Comer, M Tye, Black Celebration: Robert Smith On The New Cure Album (CMJ, December 1999)
Considine, JD, What’s The Big Idea? Robert Smith’s Conception Of The Cure, (Musician, 1989)
Dery, Mark, A Dose Of Keyboard Fever (Keyboard, August 1987)
Frost, Deborah, Taking The Cure With Robert (Creem, October 1, 1987)
Keeps, David, Dear Superstar: Robert Smith (Blender, August 2004)
Oldham, James, The Gothfather (Uncut, August 2004)
Reynolds, Simon, Dr Robert Explains All (Pulse, June 1992)
Tellier, Emmanuel, Les Attrapes-Couers de Robert Smith, The Cure (Les Inrockuptibles magazine, October 22–28, 1997)
Thrills, Andrew, Ain’t No Blues For The Summertime Cure (New Musical Express, December 16, 1978)
Witter, Simon, The Art Of Falling Apart (The Face, 1989)
Chapter Three
Anon, Black Celebration – Robert Smith On The New Cure Album (CMJ, December 1999)
Barbarian, Smith, Robert & Sutherland, Steve, The Cure: Ten Imaginary Years, (Omnibus Press, 1988)
De Curtis, Anthony, George-Warren, Holly & Henke, James (eds) (The Rolling Stone Album Guide, 1992)
McCullough, Dave, Kill Or Cure (Sounds, January 27, 1979)
Oldham, James, Bad Medicine (Uncut, February 2000)
Sutherland, Steve, A Suitable Case For Treatment (Melody Maker, October 1985)
&
nbsp; Thrills, Adrian, Ain’t No Blues For The Summertime Cure (New Musical Express, December 16, 1978)
Chapter Four
Anon, Live: Siouxsie & The Banshees (Melody Maker, October 2, 1976)
Barbarian, Smith, Robert & Sutherland, Steve, The Cure: Ten Imaginary Years (Omnibus Press, 1988)
Birch, Ian, Interview With The Cure (Melody Maker, March 24, 1979)
Crandall, Bill, The Cure; Album By Album: Robert Smith Recounts His Band’s Many Wild Mood Swings (Rolling Stone, June 18, 2004)
Green, Jim (Trouser Press, 1981)
Kent, Nick, ‘A Demonstration Of Household Appliances’ (NME, May 19, 1979)
Morley, Paul, This Is Siouxsie & The Banshees. They Are Patient. They Will Win. In The End (NME, January 14, 1978)
Oldham, James, Bad Medicine (Uncut, February 2000)
Oldham, James, The Gothfather (Uncut, August 2004)
Sullivan, Jim, The Cure’s Last Tour (Boston Globe, September 21, 1989)
Chapter Five
Anon, High 5: Robert Smith, The Cure (Australian Rolling Stone, December 1993)
Barbarian, Smith, Robert & Sutherland, Steve, The Cure: Ten Imaginary Years (Omnibus Press, 1988)
Crandall, Bill, The Cure: Album By Album: Robert Smith Recounts His Band’s Many Wild Mood Swings (Rolling Stone, June 18, 2004)
DiMartino, Dave, The Head On The Cure (Creem, December 1986)
Kot, Greg, Smith’s Picks (Chicago Tribune, July 12, 1992)
Oldham, James, Bad Medicine (Uncut, February 2000)
Oldham, James, The Gothfather (Uncut, August 2004)
Thompson, Dave & Greene, Jo-Ann, The Cure: A Visual Documentary (Omnibus Press, 1988)
Westwood, Chris (Record Mirror, November 16, 1979)
Young, Jon, Art For Pop’s Sake (Trouser Press, July 1980)
Chapter Six
Barbarian, Smith, Robert & Sutherland, Steve, The Cure: Ten Imaginary Years (Omnibus Press, 1988)
Crandall, Bill, The Cure: Album By Album: Robert Smith Recounts His Band’s Many Wild Mood Swings (Rolling Stone, June 18, 2004)
Oldham, James, Bad Medicine (Uncut, February 2000)
Swift, David, The Cure Paints An Intense Picture (The Press, Christchurch, August 8, 1981)
The Cure, Join The Dots, B-sides & Rarities Liner Notes (Fiction, 2004)
Thompson, Dave & Greene, Jo-Ann, The Cure: A Visual Documentary (Omnibus Press, 1988)
Chapter Seven
Azerrad, Michael, Searching For The Cure (Rolling Stone, 1989)
Cook, Richard, Savage Scream Of Birth (NME, April 1982)
Gore, Joe, The Cure: Confessions Of A Pop Mastermind (Guitar Player [US], September 1992)
Hodgkinson, Will, Pop Cure-alls (The Guardian, May 30, 2003)
Klemm, Elmar, The Kiss Of Spiderman (Zillo, July 2003)
Lindemann, Christoph (Musikexpress, July 2003)
Oldham, James, The Gothfather (Uncut, August 2004)
Petredis, Alexis, The Crack Up (Mojo, August 2003)
Sutherland, Steve, Still No Cure For The Cure (Melody Maker, May 1982)
Wilde, Jon, Lipstick Traces (Melody Maker, April 29, 1989)
Chapter Eight
Anon, MTV Italy, Interview (February 15, 2000)
Barbarian, Smith, Robert & Sutherland, Steve, The Cure: Ten Imaginary Years (Omnibus Press, 1988)
Cantin, Paul, Robert Smith Talks About New Cure Best-of (Jam! Showbiz, November 2001)
Gore, Joe, The Cure: Confessions Of A Pop Mastermind (Guitar Player [US], September 1992)
Newton, Ro, Robert Smith’s Critical Guide To Robert Smith (The Hit, September 1985)
Petredis, Alexis, The Crack Up (Mojo, August 2003)
Roberts, Chris, A Momentary Collapse Of Reason (Melody Maker, June 5, 1989)
Sutherland, Steve, The Glove (Melody Maker, September 3, 1983)
Sutherland, Steve, The Incurables (Melody Maker, December 18, 1982)
Thompson, Dave & Greene, Jo-Ann, The Cure: A Visual Documentary (Omnibus Press, 1988)
Chapter Nine
Anon, Robert Smith – You Asked, He Answered (Q, 2000)
Barbarian, Smith, Robert & Sutherland, Steve, The Cure: Ten Imaginary Years (Omnibus Press, 1988)
Marie, Dawn, Interview With A Banshee Pelkey, Dean, On The Trail Of Lovecats (Discorder, November 1984)
Petredis, Alexis, The Crack Up (Mojo, August 2003)
Thompson, Dave & Greene, Jo-Ann, The Cure: A Visual Documentary (Omnibus Press, 1988)
Chapter Ten
Anon, MTV Italy, Interview (February 15, 2000)
Azerrad, Michael, Searching For The Cure (Rolling Stone, 1989)
Azerrad, Michael, Something To Clap About (East Village Eye, July 1986)
Barbarian, Smith, Robert & Sutherland, Steve, The Cure: Ten Imaginary Years (Omnibus Press, 1988)
Black, Johnny, The Greatest Songs Ever Written – ‘Just Like Heaven’ (Blender, November 2003)
Considine, JD, What’s The Big Idea? Robert Smith’s Conception Of The Cure (Musician, 1989)
De Muir, Harold, An Interview With Robert Smith Of The Cure, Eastcoast Rocket (July 22, 1987)
Mitchell, Justin, Boris Williams’ Steady Hand Adds To Cure’s Disintegration (Denver Rocky Mountain News, September 3, 1989)
Oldham, James, Bad Medicine (Uncut, February 2000)
Petredis, Alexis, The Crack Up (Mojo, August 2003)
Simmons, Sylvie, There Is No Easy Cure (Creem, March 1986)
Simoncort, Serge, I Would Never Invite Myself To A Party (Humo magazine, July 24, 2003)
Smith, Robert, Three Imaginary Weeks – What We Did On Our Holidays – The Cure’s South American Diary (Melody Maker, May 1987)
Sutherland, Steve, Fancy Dress Party (Melody Maker, April 11, 1987)
Thompson, Dave & Greene, Jo-Ann, The Cure: A Visual Documentary (Omnibus Press, 1988)
Chapter Eleven
Anon, Caught In The Act (Q, May 1989)
Anon, Putting The Boot In (Vox, December 1993)
Azerrad, Michael, Searching For The Cure (Rolling Stone, 1989)
Barbarian, Smith, Robert & Sutherland, Steve, The Cure: Ten Imaginary Years (Omnibus Press, 1988)
Comer, M Tye, Black Celebration: Robert Smith On The New Cure Album (CMJ, December 1999)
Considine, JD, What’s The Big Idea? Robert Smith’s Conception Of The Cure (Musician, 1989)
Cromelin, Richard, Robert Smith Decides To Pack It All In (Los Angeles Times, September 3, 1989)
Jean & Philippe, The Holy Hour (Three Imaginary Boys fanzine, July 1989)
Keeps, David, Dear Superstar (Blender, August 2004)
Kim, Jae-Ha, New CD Is The Cure For Common Fan (Chicago Tribune, December 7, 1997)
Kingsmill, Richard, Hello I Love You With The Cure’s Robert Smith (Australian Rolling Stone, November 1993)
Mico, Ted, The Cure Melts Down (Spin, July 1989)
Moon, Tom, For The Cure, Adulation And Its Discontents (Philadelphia Inquirer, August 22, 1989)
Pearson, Roger, Former Cure Member Loses Royalty Fight (Billboard, October 8, 1994)
Popson, Tom, Cure Vocalist Nixes Planes, House Music (Chicago Tribune, August 25, 1989)
Popson, Tom, This Time Around, They Admit They’re Big, Really (Chicago Tribune, August 27, 1989)
Reynolds, Simon, Dr Robert Explains It All (Pulse, June 1992)
Rioux, Rob, Cure Heads For The Top (New Orleans Times-Picayune, September 15, 1989)
Roberts, Chris, A Momentary Collapse Of Reason (Melody Maker, June 5, 1989)
Sawyer, Miranda, Strange Days (Q, May 1992)
Simmons, Sylvie, Everything Falls Apart (Revolution, September 1989)
Spencer, Lauren, Paint It Black (Rolling Stone, October 1990)
Taylor, Chuck, With Hits Galore And New Set Planned, The Never Fashionable Cure Endures (Billboard, December 6, 1997)
Thompson, Dave & Greene, Jo-Ann, The Cure: A Visual Documentary (Omnibus Press, 1988)
Ward, Christopher, Interview With Robert Smith
(Much Music, 1989)
Chapter Twelve
Chang, Richard, Is This The Final Cure? (Orange County Register, May 26, 2000)
Chang, Richard, It’s Not The End Of The Cure, But It’s Close (Orange County Register, October 24, 1997)
Comer, M Tye, Black Celebration: Robert Smith On The New Cure Album (CMJ, December 1999)
Eggers, Dave, Intimate Portrait – Robert Smith (Spin, July 2004)
Gizicki, Steven, The Cure’s Robert Smith Dials The Right Number (Allstar, October 28–30, 1997)
Molko, Brian, A Cure Ouvert (Les Inrockuptibles, November 2001)
Newman, Melinda, Hits “Galore” On The Way For Cure Fans (Billboard, October 4, 1997)
Roncato, Alessandra, Robert Smith Is Still Feeling Bad (Tutto, July/August 2004)
Acknowledgements
To all the following (and any whom I may have overlooked), this book would not have been possible without your guidance, input, mediation and insight:
To my wife, Diana, here’s to our upcoming journey down Fascination Street; Chris Charlesworth, Andy Neill, Melissa Whitelaw and Norm Lurie at Omnibus Press, thanks for encouragement, support and belief above and beyond the call of duty; Johnny Rogan, for indexing; Phil Thornalley and Mike Nocito for sharing their Pornography with me, and much more besides; thanks also to Jason Cooper and Perry Bamonte for telling me how it is, Michael Dempsey and, especially, Lol Tolhurst, for speaking the whole truth and nothing but, in all its bloody detail; Steve Lyon for taking the mystery out of Wild Mood Swings; Mark Plati for all the backstage whispers from Bowie’s 50th and proving how dialling a ‘Wrong Number’ can be a good thing; Lynn Hasty and Jay Frank for helping make the Lol Tolhurst connection; Father Patrick Fludder for the virtual tour of Worth Abbey; Teresa Browne at St Francis Junior School; Aaron Wilhelm, the man with both the names and the numbers; Justin Jones of And Also The Trees; Rick Gershon – thanks for the insider’s tour of the LA Forum and much more besides; Laura & Sabine at Fools Dance: no one understands The Cure’s world better than you guys; Michael Jay at Great Atlantic; Caroline Coon and Mat Snow; the backstage whispers of Mark Francombe of Cranes; Lydia Lunch and the tale of her “beautiful little funeral book” that she shared with Robert Smith during the 14 Explicit Moments Tour; Dan Kreeger for trying his best; ditto Gihan Salem at Elektra; Jen Dickert and curebloggers everywhere; and, finally, the lovely and incredibly helpful Barbera Jenner at St Wilfrid’s, likewise Michael Georgeson (and, by extension, Rita and Alex Smith).