"I had a chance to speak with former Banshees bassist Steven Severin for
a few minutes after his live performance of a surreal and atmospheric
soundtrack for Jean Cocteau's 'Le Sang d'un poète' (The Blood of a
Poet) on November 11, 2012 at the Market Arcade Film & Arts Centre in
Buffalo, NY.
I asked him about the oft-repeated rumor that Robert
recorded new vocals for the demos on the bonus disc of the remaster of
The Glove's 'Blue Sunshine'. Instead of dispelling said rumors as I
figured that he would, Steven confirmed them with a qualification, saying
that Robert recorded new vocals for some of the demos, but that some of
those present were indeed recorded during the original sessions, and
that the new vocals that were recorded were done because Robert wanted
to take the opportunity since he hadn't had the chance during the
original sessions due to contractual restrictions. He also stated that
what's on the remaster is all that was recorded, and that there's
nothing left over.
I hope that this will once and for all put this issue to rest." (Thanks Shawn)
28 years of News, rumors, minutiae about The Cure
Wow! Yes it has!
ReplyDeleteThanks :)
So he did. Well, at least he didn't do that for the band remasters.
ReplyDeleteYessss, yes he did!
DeleteHe did?
DeleteThe alternative mixes on The Top and KMKMKM remasters sound like they have new vocals, IMO.
ReplyDeleteUndoubtably.
Deletehe did it on the new remasters as well, from the ones after Pornography 'till Disintegration. bet Wish will have some as well!
ReplyDeletewish remaster? what's that?
DeleteHe's done the same with th enew releases of course! I can hear new vocals in Disintegration and all of the mentioned above... IMHO, this is not good.
ReplyDeletethe deluxe cd of the glove with roberts vocals made it to a real cure record for me!
ReplyDeleteThanks for asking him this and relaying it, Shawn. Nice of Mr. Severin to answer truthfully.
ReplyDeleteI personally cannot recall a single track that did not sound as though it had been recorded in the mid-'90s or later, but I could be wrong.
You're welcome. :)
DeleteThere is an unreleased song. This unreleased song is the early rough demo version of 'Punish me with kisses' from 1982.
ReplyDeleteWhat Steven meant by telling me that there was nothing else is that there are no unreleased songs from the sessions, not that there are no earlier versions of the tracks, as he conceded the possibility when I brought up a couple of 'Blue Sunshine' demos that he used to have up on his site, a link to which was posted a long time ago here on Chain of Flowers.
Deleteit's Robert's voice anyway...
ReplyDeleteThis comment has been removed by the author.
Deleteso he can freely lie about recording dates of demos on the remasters? i don't think so.
DeleteThe Glove 'demos' are obviously all re-recorded vocals. Nothing on there sounds like Robert Smith from 1982, neither in voice or recording technique. However, I don't hear any new vocals in the other reissue bonus discs i.e. his voice with little to no reverb and being way too high in the mix like 2004 and 4:13 Dream.
ReplyDeleteThis comment has been removed by the author.
ReplyDeleteI'm very glad to hear an official comment on this. It's been done for several of the other remasters too - listen closely, it's actually incredibly obvious. It's all fine, I just wish he was more up front about it.
ReplyDeleteFor example, the "rough guide vocals" on the Disintegration remaster.
DeleteMy memory might be faded on the others; I'm going to listen to some and try to find some tracks that are obvious.
The vocals on the studio alt remixes off Kiss Me sound new to me too.
DeleteWhy are people surprised? Why do people want him to be upfront & transparent? The first ever Cure interview I read in 1984 when I fell hopelessly in love was full of fibs & fiction. He freely admits to telling untruths. He will lie to us again. That's what The Smith does & I like him that way.
ReplyDeleteit's okay that Robert fibs, everyone knows he does it. i like that Robert is a bit tricky in that way, and difficult to pin down. i suspected the first time i heard those demos on the remasters, that there were new vocals. i thought they didn't sound like 80's Robert, or even 90's Robert. but so what - i like them. what's the effing problem?
ReplyDeleteif it's so obvious when you hear them - why does Robert need to say anything?
i like the fact that you get demos, rarities, stuff never released before - AND Robert's thrown in some singing aswell. just shows how brilliant he still is at singing. i love it.:)
I wish he would stop lying. it takes away his credibility. i really love this band but i hate it to see selfdestruct again and again.
ReplyDeleteand the thing is, he does not need it. he is original and interesting enough on his own.
so RSX, stop it. Now.
:)
ReplyDelete