From NME:
Having since made what he describes as a “breakthrough” with his health, Graham headed home to recover – with support from his bandmate and childhood friend MacFarlane as well as Smith (“He’s got a really good understanding of these things,” revealed Graham) and receiving a touching message from the recently departed Cure guitarist Perry Bamonte (“That showed me what an amazing connection I’d made with him on tour and how he sweet he was. He was so complimentary to me. Losing Perry has been rough as well. He was such a lovely person”).
Smith, a longtime friend, collaborator and champion of the band, gave Graham and MacFarlane invaluable advice during the making of the record as well as playing guitar, keys and bass across three tracks: ‘Waiting For The Phone Call’, ‘Dead Flowers’ and ‘Back To Fourteen’.
“Robert’s been wanting to play guitar on a record of ours for a while,” MacFarlane told NME. “Things don’t always work out because he’s so busy. He’s so involved in the actual arrangement and songwriting of it too and was giving us tips. We told him he needed to play something on this album. We didn’t want him to sing as that would have been too on-the-nose. We’ve got him playing guitar, keys and six-string bass.”
Graham noted that Smith was “a great friend to ask for advice as well”.
“It’s both amazing and terrifying at the same time, but he’s been so generous with his time and his opinions,” he revealed. “He genuinely cares. He was advising on these little things here and there, and of course they all fucking work! It’s not just about having Robert Smith on the record, he’s been part of this and tried to help us more than anyone: in life and in music. It was so natural and important for him to play on it.”
