Daryl Bamonte (Archangelo Music) shares insights from his 25-year career working with Depeche Mode and The Cure, and looks at the music industry’s evolution over the years since he started.
Monday, May 12, 2025
Friday, May 9, 2025
My Best Shot: Andy Vella
From The Guardian:
‘I’ve met people with tattoos of it’: Andy Vella on shooting the Cure’s Boys Don’t Cry cover
‘The guitar, the hair, the mystery – I think I captured who the Cure are with this picture. When I showed it to Robert Smith and the band’s manager, they jumped up and down’
Interview by Amy Fleming
Ithink this is the Cure image that’s most reproduced. I’ve met people with tattoos of it. It’s been bootlegged, like, millions of times. The bootlegs are rubbish, though – half the time someone’s obviously cut the stencil out with a scalpel, and it’s so crude.
This image was used for the cover of Boys Don’t Cry when it was rereleased in 1986. It was taken during the video shoot, which featured three boys playing the band when young. I used to just go to those shoots as a fly on the wall, grabbing shots where I could – you try to not get in the way.
Robert Smith does that thing with his hand when he relaxes – I guess playing guitar must be quite tiring on the hands – so there’s a lovely restfulness about the image. I like how reflective it is. The silhouette of Robert was always interesting to me: the guitar, the hair, it always seemed to work. I like the dramatic, mysterious feel of the image.
I’ve worked with clients who are not specific about what they want, and you’re always thinking in the back of your mind: “Am I doing the right thing?” Every creative probably goes through that. But Robert knows what he wants: it’s good to work with people like that.
I started collaborating with the Cure in 1981. Whenever we did a shoot, the band would ask: “Do you think you got something good?” And I would say: “I don’t know until I’ve developed it.” You’re grabbing things, you’re playing with spontaneity. You see stuff through the viewfinder, and you’re composing in that. It was only later on in my career that I also started taking Polaroids.
On this shoot, though, the film jammed. I wound it back into the camera, hoping for the best. When I took it to the lab I said: “I’m not sure anything’s on this.” But there was, and when I showed the pictures to Robert and the band’s then manager, Chris Parry, the next day, they jumped up and down and said: “That’s the picture we’re going to use.” It was frame 21 on the film and it had jammed at 22 – I was lucky. That’s the beauty of this kind of work: sometimes we’re successful because of the choices that we make, but sometimes it’s the choices other people make.
The original image is black and white but the record cover is a colourised version, where I’ve used photographic dyes on top of the print. There are slight pinks and yellows and things in there, but it’s subtle. I was taught at art school to add and enhance, not take away, so I still wanted it to feel on the monochromatic scale. I didn’t want it to look too tripped out, I wanted it to have realism. But I do think I captured exactly who the Cure are with that picture, and it’s been tried and tested since with the amount of people who relate to it.
When I was younger, I had a paper round specifically so I could buy records. Then I would hide away in the corner of my house with headphones on, immersing myself in the record sleeves. I remember thinking Meddle by Pink Floyd was the best thing. It’s just a brilliant cover – a big ear with water droplets on it. It was trippy and amazing and summed up a brilliant album. Now I’ve got students who want to get into music-industry design. I don’t know if it’s easy or difficult today, but I think if you’ve got talent and passion, you can do whatever you want.
Until 1 June, 700 unique artist-designed record sleeves, including Andy Vella’s new the Cure design, are in a global online auction in aid of War Child, the specialist charity for children caught in conflict
Andy Vella’s CV
Born: Hampshire, 1961
Trained: Royal College of Art
Influences: Man Ray, André Kertész, Raoul Ubac, Wols
High point: “There are three: being invited by War Child to design a sleeve for Secret 7” 2025; having my Obscure book of photographs exhibited in Sydney Opera House in 2019; and, at Mick’s request, shooting Mick Rock’s portrait”
Low point: “Not having my camera with me when I see a great photo!”
Top tip: “Shoot loads. Think of the composition within the frame, and what it is you are trying to capture or communicate. Use light, fogging or real distortion for effects rather than relying on post-production. Go for authenticity. I try not to get bogged down with the technical, I aim for what I am after and allow all mistakes to hijack what it is I am creating.”
The headline on this article was amended on 8 May 2025. An earlier version said that the image was used as the album cover of Boys Don’t Cry; in fact, it was used as the single cover upon its 1986 rerelease.
Tuesday, May 6, 2025
Monday, May 5, 2025
Reeves in Italy
WHAT THE PCTURES SOUND LIKE
Premiere of a new project from:
Reeves Gabrels
Jonathan Kane
Fabio Lannino
May 7th - Ferrara, Italy at Sala Estense. Free.
May 9th - Palermo, Italy at Mind House Tickets €14.
From Susan Gabrels:
Keyed to projections of iconic photos by ART KANE (Jonathan's late father), the trio will play songs by the subjects, including Louis Armstrong, Bob Dylan, Cream, Jefferson Airplane, Moondog, The Who and more.
Thursday, May 1, 2025
Wednesday, April 30, 2025
Daryl Bamonte podcast
EP15: Daryl Bamonte - From The Council Estate to The Stadium Stage
"As well as his work with Basildon's finest, Daryl's touring career extended to a similar role with Hall of Famers, The Cure, where his brother, Perry, had taken a similar path - going from g tech to full-time member of the band - and we hear about the fantastic connections between these seminal British acts."
Lol in San Francisco
Tickets are on sale now.
From Lol:
Join us at The Chapel in San Francisco on June 15th, Father's Day, for an evening of music and conversation with Lol and very special guest topographies. Tickets on sale Friday at 10am.
There will be a VERY limited number of VIP tickets available at that time which will include a meet and greet with Lol, a copy of Goth: A History and an event poster for you to get signed -don't miss out on those.
Tuesday, April 29, 2025
Lol & Gray's set from Colmar, France
Lol & Gray Tolhurst's full set from Colmar, France on April 28th, 2025.
Includes covers of The Holy Hour, A Forest, Siamese Twins, A Strange Day w/ Miki Berenyi on vocals, Hanging Garden, All Cats Are Grey, and 10 :15 Saturday Night
Wednesday, April 23, 2025
Tuesday, April 22, 2025
Monday, April 21, 2025
Sunday, April 20, 2025
MoaLW email tease
Email from The Cure teasing the Mixes of a Lost World announcement tomorrow.
Mixed up (ha!) names of the artists involved.
MoaLW vinyl too
From Amazon UK:
Conceived and compiled by Robert Smith, new remix collection from 2024 album Songs Of A Lost World, featuring remixes from Four Tet, Paul Oakenfold, Orbital, and more.
Double 180g heavyweight half-speed mastered black bio vinyl in gatefold sleeve.
ALL CURE RECORD ROYALTIES FROM ‘MIXES OF A LOST WORLD’ WILL BENEFIT WAR CHILD. At least £1 per physical product sold and £1 per download will be donated.
War Child is a registered charity in England and Wales (no 1071659). Company limited by guarantee no 03610100.
Track Listings
Disc: 1
1 I CAN NEVER SAY GOODBYE (Paul Oakenfold 'Cinematic' Remix)
2 ENDSONG (Orbital Remix)
3 DRONE:NODRONE (Daniel Avery Remix)
4 ALL I EVER AM (meera Remix)
5 A FRAGILE THING (Âme Remix)
6 AND NOTHING IS FOREVER (Danny Briottet & Rico Conning Remix)
7 WARSONG (Daybreakers Remix)
8 ALONE (Four Tet Remix)
Disc: 2
1 I CAN NEVER SAY GOODBYE (Mental Overdrive Remix)
2 AND NOTHING IS FOREVER (Cosmodelica Electric Eden Remix)
3 A FRAGILE THING (Sally C Remix)
4 ENDSONG (Gregor Tresher Remix)
5 WARSONG (Omid 16B Remix)
6 DRONE:NODRONE (Anja Schneider Remix)
7 ALONE (Shanti Celeste 'February Blues' Remix)
8 ALL I EVER AM (Mura Masa Remix)
Mixes of a Lost World
From Amazon UK:
Mixes of a Lost World out June 13th. 2 disc and 3 disc versions.
Description
Conceived and compiled by Robert Smith, new remix collection from 2024 album Songs Of A Lost World, featuring remixes from Four Tet, Paul Oakenfold, Orbital, and more. Deluxe edition with additional remixes from Chino Moreno (Deftones), 65daysofstatic, and Mogwai.
Triple CD in 8-panel digisleeve with foldout CD poster.
ALL CURE RECORD ROYALTIES FROM ‘MIXES OF A LOST WORLD’ WILL BENEFIT WAR CHILD. At least £1 per physical product sold and £1 per download will be donated.
War Child is a registered charity in England and Wales (no 1071659). Company limited by guarantee no 03610100.
Track Listing
Disc: 1
1 I CAN NEVER SAY GOODBYE (Paul Oakenfold 'Cinematic' Remix)
2 ENDSONG (Orbital Remix)
3 DRONE:NODRONE (Daniel Avery Remix)
4 ALL I EVER AM (meera Remix)
5 A FRAGILE THING (Âme Remix)
6 AND NOTHING IS FOREVER (Danny Briottet & Rico Conning Remix)
7 WARSONG (Daybreakers Remix)
8 ALONE (Four Tet Remix)
Disc: 2
1 I CAN NEVER SAY GOODBYE (Mental Overdrive Remix)
2 AND NOTHING IS FOREVER (Cosmodelica Electric Eden Remix)
3 A FRAGILE THING (Sally C Remix)
4 ENDSONG (Gregor Tresher Remix)
5 WARSONG (Omid 16B Remix)
6 DRONE:NODRONE (Anja Schneider Remix)
7 ALONE (Shanti Celeste 'February Blues' Remix)
8 ALL I EVER AM (Mura Masa Remix)
Disc: 3
1 I CAN NEVER SAY GOODBYE (Craven Faults Rework)
2 DRONE:NODRONE (JoyCut 'Anti-Gravitational' Remix)
3 AND NOTHING IS FOREVER (Trentemøller Rework)
4 WARSONG (Chino Moreno Remix)
5 ALONE (Ex-Easter Island Head Remix)
6 ALL I EVER AM (65daysofstatic Remix)
7 A FRAGILE THING (The Twilight Sad Remix)
8 ENDSONG (Mogwai Remix)
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