Monday, October 31, 2011

Robert interview in Uncut

There's a new interview with Robert in the December issue of Uncut magazine. (Thanks Chris)

Update: Added easier to read scans. (Thanks Perfect.Murder)
Posted by Craig at 10:55 PM

33 comments:

  1. Joseph 36October 26, 2011 at 10:55 AM

    This comment has been removed by the author.

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  2. Joseph 36October 26, 2011 at 11:03 AM

    So it seems what I thought. Robert and Roger wants a new album (jason I suppose as well)with new songs and a new direction but simon wants to go back to the dark album.
    In my opinion the dark album if the whole band but simon wants to bury it they should record another new one with the new line-up.I am sure the right direction was Bloodflowers and they should do that.
    Roger is in the band for something, cos he thinks guitar hero era has finished and stupid pop songs like "the only one" have gone so I am sure the next release will be be something darker and proper for a band closer to the end of the road than the beginning.

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  3. Dr. FishbonesOctober 26, 2011 at 12:40 PM

    Why not just do both? Finish up the dark album and release it. Then in 6 months - 1 year put out a new album.

    I mean neither one of them is going to sell anyway, as nothing does these days.

    This indecision better not lead to a split with Simon Gallup. Hopefully, they can all compromise.

    Of course Roger wants to do a new album, he had nothing to do with the dark album, lol.

    Finish what you started Robert - put out the dark album. Then do a new one. That will bring the total to 15 albums.

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  4. Fabien GOctober 26, 2011 at 1:06 PM

    I agree with Dr Fishbones.

    I understand Simon if he thinks it's a real good album then it should be released. And I understand Robert if he thinks it's an old album now and wants to do something new with the new band.

    I hope they end up releasing both, for example the dark album downloadable from the official site as a beginning of New Year present, and a new album sometime later.
    I would even wait for 2012 with the dark album in hands.

    So the 'old' or the 'new'? Compromise : release both ! ^^

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  5. Nobody Knows MeOctober 26, 2011 at 2:22 PM

    This isn't the first time we've been here. Wish was supposed to be either a double album or the first of two (Music for Dreams being suggested as an instrumental, parts of which became 'Lost Wishes'). I'm sure there was supposed to me an excess of spare material recorded for 'The Cure' as well. I'm very keen to hear Roger's influence on the sound, ideally I would like to hear 'Dark, even if only via download. In terms of live playing, they really need a second guitarist - Disintegration & Wish era material were full of holes at Bestival - very keen to see Porl on stage as part of 5 or 6 line- up....

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  6. Joseph 36October 26, 2011 at 2:26 PM

    Of course if I had to choose I want to have both ones.But Robert is not given to release many albums.Do you really think he's going to bring out 2 new albums? I wish it was all true.
    Simon will always do what robert wants cos Robert smith was and is THE CURE.

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  7. Fabien GOctober 26, 2011 at 3:03 PM

    For Disintegration Deluxe, we've had '6 albums' at once! 3 on cds, + 3 extras on the web. I believe Robert could change his mind and make it available to the fans, as download, for example as a 'concept gift 'one month before the release of a new album. Kind of 'this was then, this is now' thing.

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  8. AnonymousOctober 27, 2011 at 12:41 AM

    I trust Simon's instinct more than anyone's in the band. He's done some great demos. Robert screwed up the production, has sung poorly since after "Bloodflowers" and generally has the led the band in the wrong direction. No offense to Roger, but I wasn't a fan of his keyboard flourishes.

    I agree with Dr. Fishbones. Finish the dark album and then do the next one. I'd love it if Porl came back to the band, too; I loved his minimal but beautiful guitar solo in "The Hungry Ghost" (best part of an otherwise ruined song).

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  9. AnonymousOctober 27, 2011 at 2:02 AM

    "The Only One" was better than "The End of the World", Joseph 36.

    I think Robert gave up on the new line up too quickly. It's good to have Roger back, but they should have kept Porl and let Simon produce the album instead of Robert with his horrible vocal overdubs and cheesy '90s percussion sounds.

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  10. DaveOctober 27, 2011 at 6:51 AM

    There was a time when EVERYTHING on tape was released by this band - albums, b-sides, ep's. Now, Robert wants to sit on a whole album of songs originally planned as part of a double-album?? For what?? To continue to try to revel in past glories (Reflections tour!) to appeal to old fans of the band?! Irrelevancy is the death of artistry!!

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  11. Joseph 36October 27, 2011 at 7:56 AM

    muldfeld it depends on the tastes for me "the end of the world" is not much original but not a copy (bad) of High with stupid lyrics and the end of the world for was the strongest single since friday I'm in love.
    you just see the sales 4:13 dream perphaps after 4 years has reached 300.000 around the world.The self title album 2 million copies wich is the best selling album by the cure since wish.
    I would like a new guitarrist not an old member but I'd prefer the return of Perry more than Porl's.He was never the same fantastic guitarrist who left the band in 1993.
    and I think that Dave thinks the same than me. what to release anything from the past with another vision y members for?
    As a free download for me would be a dream but not for paying.

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  12. AnonymousOctober 27, 2011 at 9:40 AM

    I understand why folks think Porl is responsible for the overly wah-wah peddle, non-melodic guitar playing on the last album, but does anyone know this for sure? How could Porl just do whatever he wanted if Robert's a control-freak?

    All I know is the band began a massive decline after "Wish" and Porl and Boris left the band. Roger and Perry weren't some magical ingredients that improved the catalogue; WMS, Bloodflowers, and the self-titled album were pretty lousy (albeit with a few good songs, but nothing mind-blowing); since "4:13 Dream" wasn't any better, it's possible to conclude that it's Robert being overly controlling in a negative way. However, there's no evidence that Roger and Perry will resurrect this band.

    I really think the key is getting Robert to step away or get out of his rut of singing overly self-consciously to bad lyrics and especially on production WITHOUT allowing a moron like Ross Robinson step in.

    I think Robert has made bad choices quality-control wise. For all his refusal to pursue fame as shamelessly as most bands, Robert still understandably craves some level of popularity, but he can't create the right pop songs to be worthy of that pursuit. "Taking Off" and "alt.end" were just too embarrassing; there's nothing THAT embarrassing on the last album.

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  13. Paul KOctober 27, 2011 at 11:34 AM

    yeah I don't get how you would go to all the trouble of making a whole album, and then decide not to push it through to the finish line. They don't want to revisit old songs? They revisit old songs at every concert.. hello the Reflections concerts! If these songs aren't good enough to revist just to finish off the production then maybe they ain't worth it.
    And also, while I'm saying things that nobody cares about because I have too much time on my hands, don't expect anything new from the Cure this year or next. I know for sure now that albums are coming out once every 9 years. Deal with it.

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  14. Joseph 36October 27, 2011 at 4:47 PM

    muldfeld I don't agree.For me bloodflowers is a masterpiece much better than wish.
    adn the best liveshows I've ever seen was with the perry-jason-Roger era.It's a question of taste,for you taking off is embarrasing for me 4:13 dream is a whole embarrrasing album and it doesn't sound to the cure.

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  15. robOctober 27, 2011 at 5:54 PM

    mudfield & paul k

    Pretty much agree with all of your sentiments and opinions. Scarily so! LOL

    Well except "The Cure" CD and alt.end ... that record has really grown on me over the last year.

    Your criticisms of RS's recent decisions and kind words for Porl and Simon are well stated and I agree. That said, let's re-iterate we still all love RS!!!

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  16. AnonymousOctober 27, 2011 at 7:41 PM

    Joseph 36, I sadly missed out on the Bloodflowers tour and have no way to judge that; however, I do remember complaints of Perry's guitar frequently being too low in the mix and I think I felt that during Curiosa and on the Trilogy DVD.

    My criticism is purely of the albums. "Taking Off' is a blatant rip off of "Just Like Heaven" -- so much so that The Cure never played the same 2 songs in a given concert. I thought "Underneath the Stars" was the best Cure track since "Want". I'm shocked you preferred "Bloodflowers" to "Wish", which is my favorite Cure album.

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  17. AnonymousOctober 27, 2011 at 7:43 PM

    Rob, nice to have company.

    I do like certain songs on the self-titled album: Lost, Labyrinthe, Before Three, and Us or Them are good. I guess I'd be hard-pressed to find as many tracks as good on the latest album, so I'm not even sure anymore.

    I do love Robert, but I'm upset at all the stunts he's pulled in the last decade or so, blatantly misleading or lying to fans; there's no way those vocals on CD 2 of "Blue Sunshine" are from the early '80s. No way!

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  18. perfect.murderOctober 28, 2011 at 4:07 AM

    You can't argue with this last point,i have to say!

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  19. MarcoKitsuneOctober 28, 2011 at 6:56 AM

    Robert has been putting new vocals on the remasters since Blue Sunshine 'till Disintegration. this has pissed me off immensely. it is lying to the fans, wich are not as stupid and naive as he must think they are.

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  20. Nobody Knows MeOctober 28, 2011 at 7:21 AM

    Which tracks have the new vocals then?

    On the subject of remasters, any update on the progress and content of the Wish remaster?

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  21. Joseph 36October 28, 2011 at 11:41 AM

    muldfeld to finish this argument I agree with your taking off opinion,this is a kind of copy of just like heaven but in "the cure album" there are plenty of good songs and 4:13 dream sounds terribly and the only song really good for me is "underneath the stars" but it sounds to "uyeah sound" too much.
    If we talk about fans or antifans of the Wish album ufff..Craig for example loves pornography,disintegration,kiss me and bloodflowers as their best just the same as me.Wish if you see the playout versions of wendytime,cut or even a letter to elise unplugged version and the big hand you will realise as all of us who doesn't like Wish that it could have been even better than Disintegration but Robert at that time began to take the odd decission with the mix,prodution,songs and B-sides that we all know now a days.
    About Bloofflowers...is the only cure album beside pornography and the kiss me album I still listen to everyday,and just "out of this world","the last day of summer" or "bloodflowers" is the best the band has ever done since Disintegration.

    Cheers everybody and muldfeld :)

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  22. AnonymousOctober 28, 2011 at 1:13 PM

    Joseph 36, I totally agree that "Wish" could have been better; I've never been a fan of "High" or the a huge fan of the harsher songs, which are still pretty good. However, the slow songs are the best of any Cure album; even if the unplugged version of "A Letter to Elise" sounds amazing and should definitely be released on the "Wish" reissue along with the best version of "Boys Don't Cry" recorded for the same show, the album version was amazing. Also, "Doing the Unstuck" and especially "Friday I'm In Love" are incredible.

    I have to admit, they should have found a way to make Simon's bass on "Wendytime" more prominent, since it's so damn catchy in that 1991 early version, but it still sounded extremely unfinished. "The Big Hand" is my favorite b-side of all time by any band; it shouldn't have been excluded. Similarly, "Bloodflowers" excluded a bunch of pop songs, I've read, but I doubt they compare in quality to those from the "Wish" period.

    Cheers to you, too!

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  23. ericOctober 28, 2011 at 6:35 PM

    i what porl come back ,porl is the man for that job !:)for the dark album!!

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  24. AnonymousOctober 29, 2011 at 3:26 AM

    I wish The Cure would still write stuff like this. I NEED this on CD; I had never heard it before youtube:
    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZouADuyK-YI

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  25. GianNovember 1, 2011 at 6:16 AM

    I am killing my eyes over this (the scan). Any chance we can read it posted as a text?

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  26. EricNovember 1, 2011 at 7:07 AM

    Oh great, more under the breath promises by Robert that will get blown out of proportion by us fans. I feel bad for him because I think he genuinely wants to tell us what they are working on (or considering working on) but every time he opens up, it ends up biting him in the butt. Finishing the dark album, releasing a continual piece of music (ok, that sounds kinda cool)...I am just glad that something is in the future. My .02, release an EP of the more finished unreleased tracks from the 4:13 sessions and then move on. I am just glad they are happy making music.

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  27. LindseyNovember 1, 2011 at 8:05 AM

    always good to read something new :)

    and i'll just keep waiting until they put out something new, then see what it is. a "dark album" for darkness's sake is kind of cheesy. once you start calling anything a dark album it kind of loses its genuineness, in a way. i just hope when music does come out that it is genuine and heartfelt, not just music that was put out for the sake of putting out music.

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  28. Dr. FishbonesNovember 1, 2011 at 9:19 AM

    The bottom line to me is that The Cure have put out 9 masterpieces:

    TIM - Wish.

    Now, I didn't always feel that way. Back in 1987 when KMKMKM came out my friends and I thought it was awful, and a complete sell out. The video for Why Can't I B U made me want to puke.

    At the time I was a fan of the darker Cure stuff, and while we put up with the 'pop' side it wasn't overwhelming like it was in that era.

    However, now I actually love that album and appreciate it much more.

    Unfortunately, I cannot say the same thing for the albums that have come since Wish. They have not aged well imo.

    WMS was a disaster. Other than 'Want' I can't think of one decent song on that mess of an album. When that one came out I realized, 'Wow, The Cure can make a bad album'.

    Bloodflowers was good. I would say if any of the modern records hold up well it's this one.

    The Cure had it's moments; Lost, Labyrinth, Anniversary.. but overall it was not great.

    4:13 Dream was abysmal in my opinion. Again, a few good tracks...but I hark back to the days when a Cure album only had 1 or 2 'eh' tracks (e.g. 'Wendytim'e on Wish, 'Screw' on Head on the Door)while 90% of the album was great.

    I just don't think they have an album left in them up to the quality level of Wish anymore. That album was written 20 years ago.

    But - as a live act, The Cure are bar none the best out there. I mean what other bands play rotating sets with 35 songs? Play their first albums live and the bsides?

    What The Cure lack for in studio recordings in the past 15 years they have more than made up for in live shows.

    The first time I saw them in 1986, they played a 23 song set. Now, that would be considered just warming up, lol....

    The live sets have gotten much better, and RS delivers in that area.

    Honestly, they should forget about proper 'albums'; just record decent songs and when they are ready release them. The pressure of making a great Cure album by this band isn't producing good results.

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  29. notherbobNovember 1, 2011 at 11:29 AM

    Robert's been umming and ahhing about releasing material digitally for ages..

    Get on with it man!!

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  30. cure_kittyNovember 1, 2011 at 6:57 PM

    @Lindsey

    I agree with what you said. Rather have something good no matter if it more dark or something else.

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  31. BTSNovember 1, 2011 at 8:41 PM

    Wish is great the way it is. "Play Out" demos are horribly boring and too slow. I like very song on Wish. There is no filler. All of you, please STOP the reWishionist history lesson!

    Yes, there was decline AFTER Wish.

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  32. TwilightKlaasNovember 2, 2011 at 9:08 PM

    6 tracks from the "dark album" sessions are great?
    Same with most albums, so either put the whole thing out and let people be the judge or put out a brilliant EP (in robert's opinion).

    They have always been my favorite band (diversity, live, song writing, lyrics, lp sleeves). I may not love every track on every album, but I love every album, for different reasons.

    And I really don't see a huge decline since disintegration or wish. 4:13 was just as vital as the head on the door (my first cure purchase) to me. .

    I am looking forward to new releases from my favorite band be it, live blu rays, new lps , eps, remasters, or old vhs coming to blu ray/dvd.

    thanks for the interview, robert's words are always interesting, heartfelt and funny.

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  33. MrAlphabetNovember 6, 2011 at 3:37 PM

    I'm one of those that think Wish is the last great album The Cure have made.

    I like every Cure album from TIM to Wish in their entirety. Yes, some weaker songs here and there (but no bad song!), but all the albums up to Wish are fantastic in my opinion.

    From WMS onwards, instead, it's been the other way around for me: some good (even few excellent songs), but the albums in their entirety haven't lived up to the previous standards, especially the last two.

    WMS has a couple of excellent songs (Want and It Used To Be Me, unfortunately only a B-side), some good songs (Trap, Bare, Treasure) but also too many poor/average songs, in particular the upbeat ones.

    Bloodflowers, to me, is just some kind of Disintegration-wannabe. I like the title-track (the music, not the lyrics, which I find a bit lame) and The Last Day of Summer, but I consider the rest just average.

    From The Cure I like Labyrinth, Going Nowhere and Truth, Goodness & Beauty (the latter less actually), but not the rest.

    From Dream 4:13 I save Underneath The Stars, The Hungry Ghost and Switch, but that album is not only poor in terms of song writing, it's also ruined by very bad production (the songs actually sounded better in the live preview they played in Rome).

    I find stuff like Freak Show and Here.With.Me.Now (or whatever the right title is) quite embarrassing.

    In particular I think the band has failed to come up with good upbeat songs after Wish.

    Some good dark tunes can be found here and there, but all the pop stuff they've done from WMS onwards is very weak. Which is also why they haven't had a real hit since Friday I'm In Love and High, if I'm not mistaken. Charts are not necessarily good indicators of quality (often they are not at all), but it's not by chance that in the past The Cure managed to be relevant to the mainstream audience with great hits (Lullaby, Just Like Heaven, In Between Days, Close To Me...) and now they are not.

    In addition, I think the lyrics have got worse and worse (with some exceptions of course).

    Also, it seems they have become their own tribute band, the new songs being more and more derivative of the old ones (for instance, Taking Off is a Just Like Heaven rip-off, The Only One is a very bad copy of High...)

    Ok, the old fan's rant is over now :)

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