Friday, August 26, 2016

Some fun 'Cured' stuff coming soon


Cured - a memoir by founding member Lol Tolhurst

The 22 September will be an exciting day in The Cure community. Lol Tolhurst will be releasing his memoir, Cured with UK publishers Quercus. Lol met Robert Smith when he was just five years old and together they formed one of the most successful bands of their generation.

In Cured Lol threads the genesis of The Cure through his schoolboy years with Smith, the iconic leader of the group, and the bands most successful era in the 1980s. He takes us up to the present day, a riveting forty years since the band's inception.

The band's journey to worldwide success is woven into a story not only of great highs and lows but also of love, friendship, pain, forgiveness and, ultimately, redemption on a beach in Hawaii.

Cured highlights those parts of the creative journey that are not normally revealed to fans, incorporating many first-hand recollections around Lol's personal odyssey. From suburban London to the Mojave Desert, Cured brings an acute eye for the times to bear on a lifelong friendship, with tales of addiction and despair along the way.

Join us for exclusives

Chain of Flowers is working with Quercus and Lol to bring you, the real fans, exclusive material. Starting on 29 August we’ll be offering an exclusive each week on the site including unseen photos of The Cure from Lol’s personal album.

Lol will also be answering any questions you have. Either tweet @CraigatCoF using #AskLolCured or comment on this post with your questions. Look out for his answers on 5 September.

Have you pre-ordered your copy yet? Waterstones have exclusive signed copies available but stock is limited. Order your copy now at Waterstones.

This is the inside story of The Cure.

Note: If you have a question for Lol but don't have Twitter, and can't post in the  comments, just email it to me and I'll post it for you.

Update (Aug. 26th, 2016): Last call for questions for Lol. Will be sending them to him next week, so if you want your question included, post it soon!

Update (Aug. 29th, 2016): Thanks for all of the questions for Lol. They have been passed on, and answers are currently scheduled to be posted on Sept. 5th. Also, those exclusives look like they'll be delayed a bit, but should still start this week. Will post as soon as they send them.
Posted by Craig at 2:00 PM

49 comments:

  1. UnknownAugust 8, 2016 at 9:30 AM

    Thanks Craig!
    My question for Lol is a very simple one : What is your best memory with The Cure? The one you cherish more than the others. + Love from France, Pierre.

    ReplyDelete
  2. All_I_have_to_do_is_kill_herAugust 8, 2016 at 11:01 AM

    My question is can we get some of your bad ass pornography era pictures published with this book. And are there any unreleased songs from that album we can get.

    ReplyDelete
  3. SangAugust 8, 2016 at 2:34 PM

    Did deciding to no longer play drums in the Cure impact your self-identity within the band?

    ReplyDelete
  4. sky went blackAugust 8, 2016 at 3:18 PM

    Does the lyrics to One Hundred Years refer to the death of your mother? Did she pass away when you were young? How did you take that?

    ReplyDelete
  5. DSCAugust 8, 2016 at 4:38 PM

    I have 2 questions:

    #1: Has the internet era in some way fundamentally changed your life? Or is your life the same as it ever was? In what ways has it changed?

    #2: Do you have any desire to one day return and rejoin the Cure? Or is that phase of your life permanently over?

    ReplyDelete
  6. mats13August 8, 2016 at 5:17 PM

    What is your favourite Cure song that you took part in? And what is your favourite Cure song you did not participate (post Disintegration)

    Thank you, Lol

    ReplyDelete
  7. UnknownAugust 8, 2016 at 6:31 PM

    This comment has been removed by the author.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. UnknownAugust 8, 2016 at 6:37 PM

      Sorry if the questions come off as overly negative. I do have the utmost respect for Lol, given all he has been through.

      Delete
    2. UnknownAugust 9, 2016 at 7:10 AM

      Ouch....

      Delete
    3. kismitAugust 10, 2016 at 1:12 PM

      Really should delete those questions. Pretty harsh

      Delete
    4. UnknownAugust 17, 2016 at 6:40 PM

      It does sound a little like I was "cross-examining" Lol (Pardon the pun?). It really wasn't my intention, was probably just not in the right mood when I wrote it. Despite the pessimistic nature of the questions, I honestly did not think they were THAT out of line. Nevertheless I did tweak the questions a bit so that they are a bit more palatable (and hopefully not leaving a potentially bad taste in the mouth).

      Here are the updated questions:

      Many observers have noted that the band's productivity may have declined in the early '90's as a result of the ongoing lawsuit. Despite the success of Wish, did any of the band members imply through their words or actions that the loss of momentum in the early to mid-'90's was directly attributable to having to deal with these legal issues? If so, how did you manage to cope with the potential feeling of guilt that may have resulted? Do you think any association between you and the possible decline in productivity is overblown, and that other factors such as the beginning of the grunge movement played a larger role? Were you so focused at the time on the outcome of the lawsuit that it overshadowed any other concerns?

      I read somewhere that "Shiver and Shake" was actually inspired by you. The lyrics are rather brutal, though they are open to interpretation. Were you aware at the time that the song might have been about you? If so, did it further deepen the divide between you and the rest of the band? At what point did you realize that your days in the band were numbered (i.e., when did you begin to see the writing on the wall?).

      Delete
    5. UnknownAugust 18, 2016 at 6:42 AM

      They don't sound any better. You obviously have never known anyone to suffer from alcohol abuse. It is a very real, very destructive disease. As someone who was intimate with someone with the disease, it can be a very private thing. He might touch on this in the book, I don't know... but Shiver and Shake is a hate filled song and accusing someone of the declined success of a band because of a disease is a terrible thing to do. I don’t know about you, but I don’t think I would want remind someone of the pain from the past if they don’t bring it up themselves…especially when the friendship was recovered. Lol is a good person who made some mistakes – we all do. Don’t crucify someone for it. Perhaps I am wrong and he will want to tell you all about it.
      Maybe you need to read the lyrics of Shiver and Shake again…. I don’t think that I would want to be reminded that my earliest friend (possibly) once called me ‘useless and ugly’.

      Then again, this isn't my place.

      Delete
    6. UnknownAugust 18, 2016 at 6:38 PM

      You're completely wrong in assuming that I've "obviously" never known anyone with alcohol addiction. Not only have I known people who suffered from alcoholism, but I've known others (immediate family) with addictions far, far worse. So I definitely understand the feeling. Furthermore, your contention that I'm "accusing someone of the declined success of a band because of a disease" is laughable - nowhere in my post did I indicate that Lol's personal issues were the primary or sole cause of the band's loss of momentum. Instead, if you had read the post more carefully instead of giving a knee-jerk response, you would have noticed that I had inquired about the potential role of the LEGAL issues in contributing to a loss in productivity. There is a strong possibility that the time, effort and expense in dealing with the lawsuit at least partially contributed to a loss in momentum. Although there may be some connection between Lol's personal issues and his decision to bring forth a lawsuit, nowhere in the post did I directly attribute his alcoholism to the "declined success of the band" - instead, the focus was on the effects of the lawsuit and not so much on the personal issues. Your accusation that I've "crucified" Lol (pretty strong language) is completely ludicrous. I never implied that his addiction made him a bad person, or came anywhere near "crucifying" him at any point. The inquiry about "Shiver and Shake" was merely to shed light on the origins/motivation of writing the song. In case you may have glossed over it, I did indicate that the lyrics were open to interpretation. Merely bringing up a sensitive issue or reminding someone about a challenging time in their life shouldn't be grounds to accuse anyone of "crucifying" someone. The issue of the alcoholism clearly plays a central role in the book as evidenced by the title. Right from the get-go, the author himself has already placed an emphasis on this topic based on the title alone. A major theme of the book is likely about his struggle in overcoming the addiction and managing to rise above it. It's certainly not unreasonable to allude to the topic to gain more insight about how it impacted the band. Sure, I could have asked a bunch of candy-coated questions, but it would have sounded contrived and wouldn't have answered the questions that were really on my mind. If Lol does not want to address potentially touchy topics, he has every right to refrain from answering any of the questions (and I respect that), but that shouldn't preclude anyone from asking questions that might be more sensitive in nature, especially since none of the questions (as noted earlier) were out of line.

      Delete
  8. DecompilandoAugust 8, 2016 at 7:47 PM

    humm... do you feel that your departure somehow directly contributed to the band's "momentums" in the early to mid-'90's? i mean even when you were playing "other instruments" you did it wonderful by "just being there". There is an before and after LT in this band, would you agree. And BTW, a big Thank you.

    ReplyDelete
  9. UnknownAugust 8, 2016 at 9:55 PM

    Hullo Lol! Your drumming on 'Seventeen Seconds' is outstanding and fits the mood well. Can you explain your approach please? Thanks for being such a big part of The Cure and helping forge a style that endures. Cheers! Larry b

    ReplyDelete
  10. notherbobAugust 9, 2016 at 12:46 AM

    I have more a statement than a question.
    I am so glad yourself and Robert were able to redeem and continue your lifelong friendship. In the present I feel this is something not taken so seriously and is hard to come by.
    I guess my question is: Was this (friendship with Robert) something you felt was important to redeem considering the fact you two aren't getting any younger? Ageing was a huge subject for both of you in the early days..

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. notherbobAugust 9, 2016 at 12:49 AM

      Oh and I was overjoyed to see you playing with Robert and Simon at the Reflections Sydney shows (:

      Delete
  11. BlueKidJAugust 9, 2016 at 1:50 AM

    Lol, I'd be interested to hear what your "perfect" lineup of the Cure would be. Hypothetically speaking, if they had just one last gig to play, of all present and ex-cures - who would you most like to be on that stage and why?

    ReplyDelete
  12. Crystal TipsAugust 9, 2016 at 3:58 AM

    Lol, when most people read these questions, they will think "why is everyone laughing out loud"? Did I miss the joke?

    (BTW I'm definitely buying the book).

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. UnknownAugust 9, 2016 at 7:14 AM

      I have an inside joke with a friend of mine that instead of writing "LOL" we say to each other "You just made me Laurence Tolhust!" It is probably incredibly terrible.

      Delete
  13. KeithAugust 9, 2016 at 4:22 AM

    My questions...
    1. Should The Cure have stopped at any time in its history, and if so, do you think theyd been doing the "Reunion" circuit these days?

    2. Did Steve Goulding really play on LGTB because you couldnt play the "disco beat"? You were an acomplished drummer, I find it heard to believe you couldnt plat LGTB, its not very challenging.

    3. Do you ever feel that your contribution to The Cure, especially in the first 5 (pivotal) albums, is unfairly forgotten about, given their relative lack of commercial and critical acclaim compared to the globaly successful HotD to Wish period, during which many people would consider your involvement creatively to be minimal

    Thanks

    ReplyDelete
  14. UnknownAugust 10, 2016 at 2:40 AM

    Hi Lol, I wonder if you could share your views about performing live with The Cure. I'm particularly interested in whether you've experienced something special happening at a subtle level? And if so, whether you could share your views about what may 'really' be happening...
    Thanks :)

    ReplyDelete
  15. mike.tAugust 10, 2016 at 1:32 PM

    What was your best and worst gig with The Cure ?

    ReplyDelete
  16. sky went blackAugust 10, 2016 at 3:14 PM

    Why did you move to United States?
    What do you miss by England?
    Will you ever move back?
    How does it look like where you live?
    How many kids have you got?
    Are you married? For how long? Been married before?

    ReplyDelete
  17. sky went blackAugust 10, 2016 at 3:16 PM

    Do you have a big learning of life you want to share?

    ReplyDelete
  18. otherAugust 11, 2016 at 6:24 AM

    do you think that Roberts criticisms of you in the past (musically)- considering they have been quite harsh, are justified at all? ..and now you guys are pals again , does he stand by his previous comments?

    ReplyDelete
  19. TomAugust 11, 2016 at 12:55 PM

    My question is in regards to record collecting: as a band member, are you able to get a copy of everything that is released (if you wanted)? Would you be given the different pressings in each country as far as singles, albums, promos etc? Say as a band member you wanted a copy of everything pressed, would you be able to request this and get it from the record company (companies)? As a collector who wanted everything, if I were a band me member I would want everything as well. How does it work for the band members?

    ReplyDelete
  20. UnknownAugust 11, 2016 at 1:50 PM

    Do you get recognized a lot in public?

    ReplyDelete
  21. UnknownAugust 12, 2016 at 6:16 AM

    Since most of these answers are found online in older articles and interviews, I really just have one question; Does Robert approve or disapprove of what is in the book...considering his image is on the cover?

    ReplyDelete
  22. Marc70August 12, 2016 at 8:09 AM

    From video clips and interviews, it seems a lot of pranking from band members happened - towards you. 1) When did it start? (as children or once The Cure started) 2) Which was the worst one? 3) Did one ever backfire on the prankster? 4) Did you ever prank back?

    ReplyDelete
  23. UnknownAugust 12, 2016 at 9:41 PM

    here is my #AskLolCured question

    Lol....how did you remember everything in order to write a book? did you keep a journal from the start or did you just write it from memory. If it is written from memory how did you keep the dates and times of events in order? If you could let us in on how the whole writting process went down that would be great.

    ReplyDelete
  24. markAugust 13, 2016 at 5:39 AM

    Hi Lol, I look forward to Cured. I am very interested in how much Chris Parry influenced the evolution of The Cure. How much influence do you think he had?

    ReplyDelete
  25. AndyAugust 13, 2016 at 10:45 PM

    Three part question.
    What is your favorite Cure song that started out as your demo?
    What is your favorite Cure song while you were in the band?
    And finally what is your favorite Cure song after you left?

    ReplyDelete
  26. CraigAugust 15, 2016 at 11:45 AM

    Question from Fred:

    Hi Lol,

    do you have a copy of Carnage Visors movie from 1981?

    ReplyDelete
  27. CraigAugust 15, 2016 at 11:47 AM

    Question from Sven:

    I`m from germany and I`m a fan since 1983 - my question is:
    To the Time before 1979: Which songs were played live in the first time?
    And: which songs are unreleased and can you release in the next time at all?

    Thank you very much!!

    ReplyDelete
  28. fantasticasaAugust 16, 2016 at 5:24 AM

    My questions for Lol are:
    "Robert and you were close friends from the beginning and you both invented the sound and sphere of The Cure. Do you feel that the existence of The Cure today is still due to the result that you The Cure have helped shape? Now that you 're older and wiser and looking back on the break with Robert , what would you have done differently if you had the chance again? Kind regards, Fantasticasa.

    ReplyDelete
  29. All_I_have_to_do_is_kill_herAugust 16, 2016 at 6:20 AM

    Another question. How did you feel when you were performing "the cure are dead" with Gary biddles on the last pornography date. And what were your thoughts when you found out Simon was no longer with the cure. Also how did you feel when you were recording without him as he was a very significant part of the cure and also a key contributor to the cure musically. I would also like to know how you and Robert as well as simon felt when he came back. Also thanks for pissing on Billy idols leg he is a tool

    ReplyDelete
  30. WatercoolerdictatorAugust 19, 2016 at 6:55 AM

    Hi Lol!

    I'll try to keep this brief
    1) what's your fave (and least fave) Cure video clip? How did you find working with Tim Pope?
    2) apart from Robert, how's your relationships with the other Cure members, past and present?
    3) I'm from Australia, so any particular fave memories of time spent in Oz?

    If you cover any of this in the book, and don't wanna repeat yourself too much, that's cool, I'll be getting hold of a copy!
    Cheers mate

    ReplyDelete
  31. Crimson TonightAugust 26, 2016 at 2:43 PM

    Hello Lol.

    A fictional scenario:

    You and Robert never met and you didn't ever pick up a drum stick. What were you doing from leaving school, to the present day?

    ReplyDelete
  32. UnknownAugust 26, 2016 at 3:38 PM

    Hello, Lol. The song, "Easy Cure." That is my question.

    ReplyDelete
  33. bananafish17August 26, 2016 at 3:50 PM

    Are there any songs you absolutely despise? Any songs you felt never got the attention they deserved in writing, recording or release?

    ReplyDelete
  34. bananafish17August 26, 2016 at 3:50 PM

    This comment has been removed by the author.

    ReplyDelete
  35. LizAugust 26, 2016 at 4:32 PM

    Hello! Someone earlier asked a somewhat similar question (does Robert approve/disapprove of the book?)- my question is do you know if Robert has read the book?

    I am looking forward to receiving my copy in the mail and meeting you at the NYC signing! Thanks-

    Liz

    ReplyDelete
  36. fmjewsAugust 26, 2016 at 7:00 PM

    Question for Lol
    Has there been any possibility, after Reflection dates in 2011, that you come back in the band as keyboardist? Maybe someday?

    ReplyDelete
  37. AnonymousAugust 27, 2016 at 11:23 AM

    Could you possibly explain the story behind "Eyemou" and Airlock movie? Why couldn't they have been released round with KMKMKM and Pornography deluxe editions?

    ReplyDelete
  38. MarcoAugust 28, 2016 at 6:19 AM

    Hello Lol. How did you choose the setlist before the concerts? Robert selected the songs or it was a band affair? If you Know, today it's the same? Thank you and I hope to see you in Italy to present the book!

    ReplyDelete
  39. fmjewsAugust 28, 2016 at 6:36 PM

    Another question for Lol: we know that every Cure member take his song's ideas at KMKMKM sessions, what are yours? Thanks again for everything!!!

    ReplyDelete
  40. UnknownAugust 28, 2016 at 10:32 PM

    This comment has been removed by the author.

    ReplyDelete
  41. UnknownAugust 28, 2016 at 10:45 PM

    Hi Lol,
    I wanted to express my appreciation for so generously offering to take questions from prying fans like myself :) I had posted a batch of questions awhile back - I did manage to edit/tweak those questions a bit, hopefully you will find them more palatable.  Now I have a fresh batch of questions I wanted to ask...hope you don't mind me asking 8 million questions 😛
    You seem like an easygoing kind of guy. Your willingness to open up to fans might open up a whole Pandora's box....lol.
    1) It seems more questions will inevitably arise after fans have a chance to read your book. Will you be conducting a follow up Q&A session, perhaps several months after the book comes out?
    2) A few posts ago, you mentioned the name of a mysterious friend who had reminded you about the 30th anniversary of In Orange. The name sounded a bit odd? It was on my mental backburner until one morning around 2am when the name unexpectedly popped up in my mind again and it dawned on me that it's an anagram! It was a bit of a startling realization, though I'm sure others had already figured it out. In any case, I'm curious to know why the news didn't come straight from the "horse's mouth"? Or perhaps he realized that doing so might open up a whole Pandora's box, based on the comments from that post?(!)
    3) Some sources have stated that the genesis of the band's name was based on a song you wrote, while RS has credited a line from a Nick Drake song as the source of the band's name. Which one is true? Or is your song based on the Drake song, and therefore both statements are true?
    4) At what point did you realize the band was more than just an excuse to avoid the daily 9-5 grind and was destined for much greater things? Since the "safe" route of college, full time job, etc. was not an option, did you have some sort of backup plan in the event the band didn't make it?
    5) Most of the early band members seemed to have come from supportive and loving family environments. How critical was this safety net in enabling the band to succeed?
    5) To what extent did suburban ennui serve as a driving force behind the band's formation (in contrast to, say, the reaction to political, social and/or economic upheaval that more typified the emergence of post-punk?)
    6) Why did you relocate to LA and what has encouraged you to stay for so long?
    7) a. What are your favorite haunts in the LA/OC metro area?
    b. Do you ever get tired of the monotony of the weather here, compared with your hometown (which has distinct seasons)?
    c. Totally random question: What do you think of the new Expo Line extension to Santa Monica?
    And finally,
    8) If RS visits you, will you consider hosting a BBQ/pool party and inviting all of the local fans (or maybe just select ones...😉) to visit with the two of you? Maybe the two of you could play classic Cure songs poolside! 🍹
    The weather is almost always ideal, plus, to quote one of your favorite expressions:
    "...And why not?"
    Just kidding about that last question... Hahahaha.....

    ReplyDelete

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