Roger will be making a couple of guest appearances with other artists this weekend.
Friday, Oct. 17th with Marie-Flore at Divan Du Monde in Paris. Tickets here.
Sunday, Oct. 19th with Hannah in the Wars at Sebright Arms in London. Tickets here.
(Thanks Roger O'Donnell Discography)
Thursday, October 16, 2014
Monday, October 13, 2014
Stories from the 1992 Wish Tour
From Andrew Mueller's From the Vault (Thanks @moggieboy):
FRIDAY I’M IN CHICAGO
The Cure in America and Canada
From "Rock & Hard Places"
ONE of the joys of travelling as a reporter is the opportunity to work with great photographers, and I’ve been unusually blessed in that respect – as I was on this trip, travelling with Melody Maker’s Stephen Sweet. And one of the frustrations of working as a writer is realising how little impact thousands of your words might have when measured against a single frame snapped by a great photographer, which was what happened when this story originally ran. I’d mumbled something to Sweet about maybe focusing on the odd relationship between The Cure’s Robert Smith and his mascara-smeared legions of lookalike fans, and Sweet nailed it the first night, outside the band’s hotel in Chicago. The scene is described, and done insufficient justice, below – Sweet shot the encounter between Smith and an especially ardent adherent from behind the singer’s shoulder, deftly capturing the worshipper’s supplicant gawp and Smith’s wincing, forehead-rubbing awkwardness. I still think it’s one of the best illustrations of the dysfunctional relationship between celebrity and celebrator I’ve ever seen, and its potence is diluted not even slightly by the fact that the anguish discernible in Smith’s expression was due, in truth, to the fact that he was just plain sloshed. The camera, in those pre-Photoshop times, may not have lied, but it didn’t always declare the whole truth.
What is lacking in the story that follows is much in the way of any meaningful attempt to understand the cult of Robert Smith from the perspective of its adherents. This was partially due to constraints of time, but mostly down to your correspondent’s pathological aversion to boring nutters. I could understand being a fan of The Cure, because I was – and am – one: indeed, a little over two years before I did this trip, I was living, back in Sydney, in a room dominated by the black-and-white “Boys Don’t Cry” poster, and I would still doubt the sanity of anyone prepared to argue that “The Head On The Door” wasn’t one of the dozen best albums of the 1980s. I just don’t understand the urge to appropriate your favourite singer’s haircut and taste in mis-shapen jumpers, and regard his every pronouncement as freighted with Delphic sagacity. Which is to say that I don’t understand uncritical reverence for anything, which is, I suppose, to say that I don’t understand quite a lot of the rest of my species terribly well. However, I believe that the analysis of his own flock that Smith delivers later in this piece is both astute and compassionate, or at least blessed with more of both those qualities than anything I might have come up with on my own.
Fame is a phenomenon that generally conspires to make both the admired and the admirer look ridiculous: I suspect that this is what I was trying to demonstrate with the random observations of The Cure’s celebrity inserted throughout the narrative. The best that all concerned can do with any variety of notoriety is refuse to take it seriously, and I’ve rarely since seen anyone cleave to that attitude quite so splendidly as The Cure.
FRIDAY I’M IN CHICAGO
The Cure in America and Canada
From "Rock & Hard Places"
ONE of the joys of travelling as a reporter is the opportunity to work with great photographers, and I’ve been unusually blessed in that respect – as I was on this trip, travelling with Melody Maker’s Stephen Sweet. And one of the frustrations of working as a writer is realising how little impact thousands of your words might have when measured against a single frame snapped by a great photographer, which was what happened when this story originally ran. I’d mumbled something to Sweet about maybe focusing on the odd relationship between The Cure’s Robert Smith and his mascara-smeared legions of lookalike fans, and Sweet nailed it the first night, outside the band’s hotel in Chicago. The scene is described, and done insufficient justice, below – Sweet shot the encounter between Smith and an especially ardent adherent from behind the singer’s shoulder, deftly capturing the worshipper’s supplicant gawp and Smith’s wincing, forehead-rubbing awkwardness. I still think it’s one of the best illustrations of the dysfunctional relationship between celebrity and celebrator I’ve ever seen, and its potence is diluted not even slightly by the fact that the anguish discernible in Smith’s expression was due, in truth, to the fact that he was just plain sloshed. The camera, in those pre-Photoshop times, may not have lied, but it didn’t always declare the whole truth.
What is lacking in the story that follows is much in the way of any meaningful attempt to understand the cult of Robert Smith from the perspective of its adherents. This was partially due to constraints of time, but mostly down to your correspondent’s pathological aversion to boring nutters. I could understand being a fan of The Cure, because I was – and am – one: indeed, a little over two years before I did this trip, I was living, back in Sydney, in a room dominated by the black-and-white “Boys Don’t Cry” poster, and I would still doubt the sanity of anyone prepared to argue that “The Head On The Door” wasn’t one of the dozen best albums of the 1980s. I just don’t understand the urge to appropriate your favourite singer’s haircut and taste in mis-shapen jumpers, and regard his every pronouncement as freighted with Delphic sagacity. Which is to say that I don’t understand uncritical reverence for anything, which is, I suppose, to say that I don’t understand quite a lot of the rest of my species terribly well. However, I believe that the analysis of his own flock that Smith delivers later in this piece is both astute and compassionate, or at least blessed with more of both those qualities than anything I might have come up with on my own.
Fame is a phenomenon that generally conspires to make both the admired and the admirer look ridiculous: I suspect that this is what I was trying to demonstrate with the random observations of The Cure’s celebrity inserted throughout the narrative. The best that all concerned can do with any variety of notoriety is refuse to take it seriously, and I’ve rarely since seen anyone cleave to that attitude quite so splendidly as The Cure.
Fiction Records fan vote
From Fiction Records on Facebook: "Join us in celebrating 10 years since the reincarnation of Fiction Records by helping to compile the Ultimate Fiction Playlist. Vote for your favourite track by The Cure from a shortlist selected by the Fiction office." (Thanks Sylvain)
Wednesday, October 8, 2014
Special deals for Reeves' final UK shows
Hope everyone has been enjoying Reeves & his Imaginary Fr13nds on their UK tour. There are only 2 shows left, so if you want to see him, now is the time to go! And if you do, Reeves' crew has a special offer for you:
"Chain of Flowers friends in England, has Reeves got a deal (or two) for you!
Reeves has just two shows remaining on tour with his Imaginary Fr13nds trio, in Birmingham Oct 9th (Thurs) and Tunbridge Wells Oct 11th (Sat). To entice you from home, The Oobleck venue in Birmingham is offering a special ticket price. And to encourage you to take music home, Reeves is offering a special price on CDs purchased at either show.
"Chain of Flowers friends in England, has Reeves got a deal (or two) for you!
Reeves has just two shows remaining on tour with his Imaginary Fr13nds trio, in Birmingham Oct 9th (Thurs) and Tunbridge Wells Oct 11th (Sat). To entice you from home, The Oobleck venue in Birmingham is offering a special ticket price. And to encourage you to take music home, Reeves is offering a special price on CDs purchased at either show.
New projects from Roger
From Roger on Facebook: "Nine years ago Erin Lang and I started a very
small record label called 99 Times Out of 10. We have released a few
selected albums over the years the last being my Piano Formations
collection of piano pieces. We are proud to announce our next
release which will be the next album of our friend Hannah Curwood. I
have been helping Hannah in a kind of executive producer role over the
last couple of years and Paul Corkett mixed it. It will be released next
April and Hannah will be on tour to promote it in Europe and
Australasia. Her band and project is called Hannah in the Wars and you can check her page for more information. www.99xoutof10.com
It would be very nice of you and I would be eternally grateful if you could click LIKE on Hannah's page...."
"Et aussi ma ami Marie Flore elle a un nouvelle album BUY IT!
Marie Flore and I are also making an album together, should be out in Spring..
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8E707eSIa6s"
It would be very nice of you and I would be eternally grateful if you could click LIKE on Hannah's page...."
"Et aussi ma ami Marie Flore elle a un nouvelle album BUY IT!
Marie Flore and I are also making an album together, should be out in Spring..
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8E707eSIa6s"
Tuesday, September 30, 2014
Great photos from Chicago & Denver Riots
William Soragna has posted some great photos from the Chicago and Denver Riot Fests on Flickr. (Thanks Bill)
Reeves' UK tour starts tonight
 |
| Photo by Stacie Huckeba |
REEVES GABRELS
UK TOUR DATES Sept/Oct 2014
New Album: “Reeves Gabrels & His Imaginary Fr13nds”
Release date: 13th October 2014
Reeves Gabrels & His Imaginary Fr13nds are set to tour the UK this autumn and preview songs from a forthcoming new studio album
Reeves Gabrels, long-time artistic partner of David Bowie and The Cure’s current lead guitarist, brings his power trio, Reeves Gabrels & His Imaginary Fr13nds, from Nashville to England to play in small venues starting on September 30.
Lovers of superb songs, stellar musicianship and fearless improvisation will all want to see and hear Reeves & friends in action.
The band’s live sets will preview songs from their forthcoming album, also titled Reeves Gabrels & His Imaginary Fr13nds, which is to be released digitally just as they head home, on October 13. Highlights include the biting “Drown You Out” and the spooky “House of Usher” (titled after an Edgar Allan Poe story from an 1840 collection Tales of the Grotesque and Arabesque).
Uncommon interpretations of Bo Diddley’s early rocker “Who Do You Love” and Jimmy Reed’s blues “Bright Lights, Big City” also feature. Album details and pre-order links will be available on the date of the first performance, September 30.
Fans of earlier Reeves Gabrels albums will also be well pleased at the performances, as the trio will play songs from Sacred Squall of Now (1995), Ulysses (1999) and Rockonica (2005). And of course selected co-writes—Tin Machine’s "Bus Stop" (David Bowie/Reeves Gabrels) and "Yesterday's Gone" (Reeves Gabrels/Robert Smith)—will be a treat for English audiences.
Reeves Gabrels & His Imaginary Fr13nds includes Reeves on guitar and vocals, Kevin Hornback on bass, Jeff Brown on drums.
Reeves Gabrels & His Imaginary Fr13nds includes Reeves on guitar and vocals, Kevin Hornback on bass, Jeff Brown on drums.
Nine dates in England are confirmed for Reeves Gabrels & His Imaginary Fr13nds this September/October 2014
Saturday, September 27, 2014
'The Walk' at Denver Riot Fest 2014
The Walk - Denver, Riot Fest 20-Sep-2014 from itsaperfectday on Vimeo.
Thanks to Olivier at it's a perfect day.
'The Caterpillar' at Denver Riot Fest 2014
The Caterpillar - Denver, Riot Fest 20-Sep-2014 from itsaperfectday on Vimeo.
Thanks to Olivier at it's a perfect day.
Friday, September 26, 2014
'Beautiful Noise' screenings in Rio
'Beautiful Noise' will have 4 screenings at the Rio de Janeiro Film Festival on Oct. 1st, 2nd, 5th, and 6th. (Thanks Marcos)
Thursday, September 25, 2014
Making of 'The Head on the Door'
'Beautiful Noise' screenings in Norway
There will be 2 screenings of 'Beautiful Noise' at the Bergen International Film Festival in Norway on Sept. 26th & 28th.
Excellent photos from Denver Riot Fest
Pearl Thompson art exhibit in L.A. next year
From Express:
"Ex-Cure star to exhibit art for the first time
Former THE CURE guitarist PORL THOMPSON is set to unveil his artwork for the first time at a gallery launch in Los Angeles next year (15).
The musician, who now goes by the name Pearl Thompson, has never exhibited his multi-media paintings before.
They will go on display at the Mr. Musichead gallery for three weeks from 5 March (15).
Gallery owner Sam Milgrom tells WENN, "He came to an event at the gallery recently and played a set - just him and a guitar. We got chatting and he told me he had never exhibited his artwork. I took a look and it's wonderful. I can't wait to display it."
Thompson was part of the original 1976 line-up of The Cure. He has played on many of the group's albums."
"Ex-Cure star to exhibit art for the first time
Former THE CURE guitarist PORL THOMPSON is set to unveil his artwork for the first time at a gallery launch in Los Angeles next year (15).
They will go on display at the Mr. Musichead gallery for three weeks from 5 March (15).
Gallery owner Sam Milgrom tells WENN, "He came to an event at the gallery recently and played a set - just him and a guitar. We got chatting and he told me he had never exhibited his artwork. I took a look and it's wonderful. I can't wait to display it."
Thompson was part of the original 1976 line-up of The Cure. He has played on many of the group's albums."
Tuesday, September 23, 2014
'Doing the Unstuck' at Denver Riot Fest 2014
Doing the Unstuck - Denver, Riot Fest 20-Sep-2014 from itsaperfectday on Vimeo.
Thanks to Olivier at it's a perfect day.
'One Hundred Years' at Denver Riot Fest 2014
One Hundred Years - Denver, Riot Fest 20-Sep-2014 from itsaperfectday on Vimeo.
Thanks to Olivier at it's a perfect day.
'Never Enough' at Denver Riot Fest 2014
Never Enough - Denver, Riot Fest 20-Sep-2014 from itsaperfectday on Vimeo.
Thanks to Olivier at it's a perfect day.
Monday, September 22, 2014
'Give Me It' at Denver Riot Fest 2014
Give Me It - Denver, Riot Fest 20-Sep-2014 from itsaperfectday on Vimeo.
This was so great! Thanks to Olivier at it's a perfect day.
Sunday, September 21, 2014
'Cut Here' at Denver Riot Fest 2014
Cut Here - Denver, Riot Fest 20-Sep-2014 from itsaperfectday on Vimeo.
Thanks to Olivier at it's a perfect day. Absolutely wonderful! Thank you, Robert!
That was only the 6th time 'Cut Here' has been played live (though one was a Simon Mayo radio session). 2 times in 2001 (was also "played" on Top of the Pops in Germany, but wasn't live), 3 times in 2002. Last was July 23rd, 2002 in Rome. This is the 1st time it's been played in the US.
Saturday, September 20, 2014
The Cure at Denver Riot Fest 2014
Riot Fest & Sideshow
September 20th, 2014
Mile High Stadium parking lot in Denver, CO
9:30 - midnight on the May Farms Stage
Setlist: Plainsong, Prayers for Rain, Fascination Street, Sleep When I'm Dead, Push, Inbetween Days, Just Like Heaven, From the Edge of the Deep Green Sea, Before Three, Pictures of You, Lullaby, High, Wrong Number, The Caterpillar, The Walk, Cut Here (first time since 2002), Lovesong, Mint Car, Friday I'm in Love, Doing the Unstuck, Bananafishbones, Never Enough, Want, The Hungry Ghost, One Hundred Years, Give Me It, Disintegration
Encore: The Lovecats, Hot Hot Hot, Close to Me, Why Can't I Be You?, Boys Don't Cry.
Note: After Close To Me, Robert stopped the band and Roger came over to center stage to talk with RS. There was a bit of a conference with the band, then Robert said that they would have to cut some songs they wanted to play in the encore, because there was a man standing on stage looking angry and sort of growling at them (something along those lines), worried that they'd go over the curfew.
Update: It was Catch and Freakshow that had to be cut. (Thanks Stephanie)
Photos: Sound of Violence / it's a perfect day
Reviews: Your Older Brother Sam / Glide / Colorado Public Radio / Reverb / Craig
Videos: Clips of various songs / Plainsong 1 - 2 - 3 - 4 - 5 / Prayers For Rain 1 - 2 / Fascination Street 1 - 2 / Push / Inbetween Days 1 - 2 / Just Like Heaven 1 - 2 - 3 - 4 / Pictures of You 1 - 2 / Lullaby 1 - 2 / Wrong Number / The Caterpillar / The Walk 1 - 2 / Cut Here 1 - 2 - 3 / Lovesong 1 - 2 / Mint Car 1 - 2 / Friday I'm in Love 1 - 2 - 3 / Doing the Unstuck / Bananafishbones / Never Enough / Want (Robert's howl) / Hungry Ghost / One Hundred Years 1 - 2 / Give Me It / The Lovecats 1 - 2 - 3 / Hot Hot Hot!!! / Close To Me 1 - 2 - 3 / Why Can't I Be You? / Boys Don't Cry 1 - 2
Photo from Olivier at it's a perfect day.
September 20th, 2014
Mile High Stadium parking lot in Denver, CO
9:30 - midnight on the May Farms Stage
Setlist: Plainsong, Prayers for Rain, Fascination Street, Sleep When I'm Dead, Push, Inbetween Days, Just Like Heaven, From the Edge of the Deep Green Sea, Before Three, Pictures of You, Lullaby, High, Wrong Number, The Caterpillar, The Walk, Cut Here (first time since 2002), Lovesong, Mint Car, Friday I'm in Love, Doing the Unstuck, Bananafishbones, Never Enough, Want, The Hungry Ghost, One Hundred Years, Give Me It, Disintegration
Encore: The Lovecats, Hot Hot Hot, Close to Me, Why Can't I Be You?, Boys Don't Cry.
Note: After Close To Me, Robert stopped the band and Roger came over to center stage to talk with RS. There was a bit of a conference with the band, then Robert said that they would have to cut some songs they wanted to play in the encore, because there was a man standing on stage looking angry and sort of growling at them (something along those lines), worried that they'd go over the curfew.
Update: It was Catch and Freakshow that had to be cut. (Thanks Stephanie)
Photos: Sound of Violence / it's a perfect day
Reviews: Your Older Brother Sam / Glide / Colorado Public Radio / Reverb / Craig
Videos: Clips of various songs / Plainsong 1 - 2 - 3 - 4 - 5 / Prayers For Rain 1 - 2 / Fascination Street 1 - 2 / Push / Inbetween Days 1 - 2 / Just Like Heaven 1 - 2 - 3 - 4 / Pictures of You 1 - 2 / Lullaby 1 - 2 / Wrong Number / The Caterpillar / The Walk 1 - 2 / Cut Here 1 - 2 - 3 / Lovesong 1 - 2 / Mint Car 1 - 2 / Friday I'm in Love 1 - 2 - 3 / Doing the Unstuck / Bananafishbones / Never Enough / Want (Robert's howl) / Hungry Ghost / One Hundred Years 1 - 2 / Give Me It / The Lovecats 1 - 2 - 3 / Hot Hot Hot!!! / Close To Me 1 - 2 - 3 / Why Can't I Be You? / Boys Don't Cry 1 - 2
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)