28 years of News, rumors, minutiae about The Cure
From Miki Berenyi:
Frazzled after 15hr flight + jetlag but hitting the ground running (OK, maybe staggering) with rehearsals for EU dates next week!
Belgium, France, Netherlands... with the mighty Lol Tolhurst - expect to see some on-stage collabs! Ticket links at mikistuff.com/live
“It’s a special kind of moment when you hit that first note of a solo and you literally get nothing.” He’s played with David Bowie and the Cure, but Reeves Gabrels says things don’t always go right, even for the pros."
"That’s what makes live shows so extraordinary," the guitarist says. "You’re always on the high wire”
Read the interview at Guitar Player.
From Piccadilly Records:
Look who found the signed by Robert Smith The Cure Secret 7".
From BBC News:
'People show me their intimate tattoos of my album art'
Author: Tim Stokes
Designer Andy Vella has been creating album covers for more than 40 years, with his work to be found in millions of homes around the world.
"The weird thing I get is whenever I design a new album or a new logo for The Cure someone sends me a tattoo that they've just had done of it," he explains.
"I've seen pictures of Robert Smith's silhouette from Boys Don't Cry on people's backs, on their arses, on their legs, on their arms.
"I met [comedian] Greg Davies and he said, 'Did you do Kiss Me, Kiss Me, Kiss Me?' and he got on his knees and bowed to me. I was so embarrassed and he just said: 'Oh my God, I grew up with that on my wall.'"
For his latest record sleeve, Vella has used his much-lauded design skills for a project run by the charity War Child, as part of its fundraising efforts to help children caught up in conflict zones.
Vella's career in design has seen him work with various musicians and authors over the years, from Jeff Buckley to Margaret Atwood, but it is his work with acclaimed goth rockers The Cure, often in collaboration with lead singer Robert Smith, for which he is best known.
It is also where his career began, soon after the band formed in Crawley in the 1970s.
While still studying at art school, Vella was approached by on-off Cure guitarist Porl Thompson who wanted him to photograph another group he was playing in.
"He said, 'You've got a reputation at the college that you're really good at photography'... and by chance he showed Robert my work and then suddenly at the age of 18 I was being asked to design a record sleeve [for The Cure]," he says.
That record was the band's doom-laden third album Faith. Vella would later return to create the covers for some of The Cure's most iconic records, including the 1989's Disintegration, The Head on the Door from 1985 and last year's chart-topping Songs of a Lost World.
"With Robert, his lyrics are so inspiring... All you have to do is read one line quite often and suddenly you've got the start of something really great."
It was this and the expansive brooding sound of Songs of a Lost World which saw Vella and Smith hit upon the design for the record, which features a stone statue head lying on its side.
"The Cure sounded just as brilliant and massive as they did back in the 80s... so the album had to have something large, something incredibly poignant and solid to represent that," Vella says.
Even so, he admits the final look of a record can come about from something unexpected, as happened with the cover for 1987's Kiss Me, Kiss Me, Kiss Me.
As the band were on tour in Brazil, Vella was asked to fly out to Rio de Janeiro to get his design for the new album approved - despite the fact he was still working on it.
With the photo of a pair of heavily painted lips decided upon and the handwritten lettering printed on a separate sheet of clear plastic, he was experimenting with the layout in a taxi on the way to the airport when "we went over this sleeping policeman [speed bump] and the acetate just jumped to the middle of the sleeve".
"Now I would always say don't put type in the middle of the sleeve, and especially the top, but it just stuck in place so I stuck it down with Sellotape thinking, 'well it's an option'," he says.
"I showed it to Robert when I got to Rio and he said: 'I love that, that's brilliant! I love the way you've placed the type.'
"You can be really arty-farty about things but I think sometimes it's quite nice to let the universe take over," Vella adds with a laugh.
For his latest record sleeve, Vella has created a cover for War Child's Secret 7" project.
It sees 700 creatives, such as designer Sir Paul Smith, sculptor Antony Gormley and Radiohead artist Stanley Donwood, all forming one-of-a-kind untitled record sleeves for a song by one of seven different artists - this year including Sophie Ellis-Bextor, The Cure, Gregory Porter and Scissor Sisters.
The 700 records are then put on display at London's NOW Gallery, in Greenwich Peninsula until the start of June when they are auctioned off, with all the proceeds going to charity.
It is only when the sale is over that buyers discover the song that they've purchased and which designer was behind the cover.
It is not the first time Vella has taken part in Secret 7" having previously created record sleeves for the likes of The Rolling Stones, St Vincent and The Chemical Brothers.
However, it still left him a little stressed.
"There's just too much pressure! One year I was in there and I was next to [father of British pop art] Peter Blake," he says.
"It's a really amazing cause and you want to create something brilliant so that you raise a load of money for War Child."
The charity started up in response to the Bosnian genocide. The Help Album, which it released in 1995, featured artists including Oasis, Radiohead, Suede and Portishead. War Child now works in more than a dozen countries helping children living in warzones.
Describing the process of putting together his creation, Vella says it involved "going through the painstaking thing of creating about 20 iterations, all crap", before "suddenly you have that amazing Eureka moment".
That Eureka moment led to a cover he considers to be "quite deep" and "very meaningful" - although of course he won't reveal which song he created it for.
Vella says the project is something he's proud to be part of.
"It's such an amazing, powerful cause, helping children in war-torn countries. It just shows you as well how music and art can bring people together."
Secret 7" is on display at NOW Gallery, Greenwich Peninsula until 1 June with the 700 record sleeves then being sold in a global online auction on the project website in aid of War Child.
From Roger on Bluesky:
I try not to make this too personal or public but so many people have been so kind..anyway all my tests came back great,all bloods normal. Spend a moment thinking about people who are scared or in the middle of all this AND if you are suspicious get CHECKED
From Record Store Day UK:
You could be in with a chance of one of these exclusive #RSD25 wrapped @BowersWilkins award-winning 607 S3 bookshelf speakers, signed by #RSD25 Ambassador @samfendermusic, @RobertSmith of @thecure and @suggsgmcpherson of @MadnessNews ⭐
Each entry is only £5, and you can enter as many times as you like! And it’s all for an excellent cause as all proceeds raised will be in aid of our official charity partner @WarChildUK.
Ready to elevate your RSD listening experience? Enter below👀
Sam Fender: bit.ly/3Ra4Bjj
Robert Smith: bit.ly/3R9kvdI
Suggs: bit.ly/42Aca8i
The competition will close at 12pm on May 2nd, 2025.
Please note, this competition is open to UK residents only.
GOOD LUCK! 🍀
Al Robinson’s expansive career as a guitar tech has seen him collaborate with a vast array of artists, from Sheryl Crow and Texas to The Jesus and Mary Chain and New York Dolls. For years, he has remained the trusted right-hand man to one of the guitar world’s finest: Reeves Gabrels. But few players have a rig—or an approach to gear—quite like Gabrels. This endlessly inventive virtuoso is a true connoisseur of guitar effects, as heard in his groundbreaking work with David Bowie, Tin Machine, and now The Cure. In this exclusive interview, Robinson takes us deep inside Gabrels’ expansive stompbox collection, explains why the guitarist is “the best tech you’ll ever meet,” and shares tales of BOSS tattoos. Oh, and one more thing—always respect the chain!
Read the interview at BOSS.
Lauren Mayberry WFUV Live Session & Interview.
Lauren plays Oh Mother, Anywhere But Dancing, and Something in the Air.
She also talks about her friendship with Robert Smith.
https://wfuv.org/content/lauren-mayberry-2025
Lauren talks about Robert at 29: 23.
https://open.spotify.com/episode/2LaKiBGmUTD5StRxQLPmJD
From Yahoo News:
The Cure’s Robert Smith is to take over from Roger Daltrey as curator of the Teenage Cancer Trust’s Royal Albert Hall concerts for 2026.
It comes after The Who frontman announced he would be stepping down from the role after more than 20 years, following the 2025 events, which include performances from Daltrey’s band, The Sex Pistols featuring Frank Carter and The Corrs.
Speaking about taking on the role, Smith, 65, said: “Teenage Cancer Trust does the most fantastic work, and it is a great honour – and a real thrill – to be asked to curate the 2026 shows at the Royal Albert Hall.
“I can promise it will be a very memorable week.”
The concerts were founded in 2000 by Daltrey, who stepped back from figurehead duties in 2024, but remains an honorary patron of the charity.
Speaking about being replaced by Smith, the 81-year-old said: “It has not been easy to find the right curator for the week of concerts in aid of Teenage Cancer Trust at the Royal Albert Hall, but it’s with great excitement that I can announce that Robert Smith has signed up for 2026.
“With The Cure’s long and outstanding support for Teenage Cancer Trust, Robert appreciates the vital work this charity does.
“The concerts have become an essential fixture in the music calendar, featuring some of the world’s greatest artists.
“It has been a challenge to find the right person to take them on – but Robert, a true musical great, is the perfect curator for the 2026 concerts.”
As lead singer of The Cure, Smith has achieved four UK top 10 singles and two UK number one albums, they are best known for songs such as The Lovecats, In Between Days and Friday I’m In Love, as well as the album Disintegration (1989).
The goth group recently topped the charts with Songs Of A Lost World, their 14th studio album, which was released in November 2024.
Jamie Johnson, head of music and entertainment at Teenage Cancer Trust, said: “Robert has been a dedicated supporter of Teenage Cancer Trust for many years, and his involvement will bring extraordinary performances to this iconic week while helping us raise essential funds.
“These funds ensure we can continue to provide vital specialist services for young people facing cancer within the NHS.
“You only get one chance at being young, and cancer threatens to turn lives upside down. Without the right support, the impact can be devastating. We cannot thank Robert enough for helping us make sure that no young person faces cancer alone.”
Teenage Cancer Trust has also announced a day of music curated by independent record label Erased Tapes for Saturday, March 29, which will replace a planned GK Barry live show.
The event will see Penguin Cafe, Daniel Brandt, Douglas Dare and Hatis Noit perform, with tickets on sale from Wednesday, March 19.
Speaking about the new addition, Daltrey said: “Due to unforeseen circumstances the planned Teenage Cancer Trust event on the Saturday 29th had to be postponed.
“So I can’t thank Penguin Cafe enough for stepping up for the charity at such short notice. Erased Tapes will be curating the rest of the line-up for the evening so this is going to be a very special night of independent music at the Royal Albert Hall. Don’t miss it.”
From The Cure:
.@soundwaves_art are auctioning one of the last artworks from the 'Shake Dog Shake' collection, The artwork is hand-signed by Robert to support @warchilduk who work to protect, educate, and provide psychosocial support to children in war zones across the world.
EXHIBITION TICKETS ARE LIVE 🚨
You can now book tickets to War Child presents Secret 7” at @NOWGallery
Book your visit at https://nowgallery.co.uk/exhibitions/war-child-present-secret-7-at-greenwich-peninsula
11 April - 1 June 2025
NOW Gallery, Greenwich Peninsula, SE10 0SQ
From BRIT Awards:
'Songs of a Lost World', the album by The Cure, is now #BRITcertified Gold
