Tuesday, February 6, 2018
Robert to curate this year's Meltdown Festival
From Southbank Centre:
"I am honoured and excited to be curating the 25th Meltdown Festival. More than 30 of my all-time favourite artists - some of the most exciting, inspirational, intense and influential performers of the last 40 years - will make sure this ten-night extravaganza is the ‘must see’ event of the summer!" - Robert Smith
"Robert Smith is the perfect artist to help us celebrate our silver jubilee Meltdown. Over a career spanning four decades, he has achieved globally-recognised excellence, paving the way for the alternative and the uncategorisable." - Bengi Unsal, Southbank Centre Senior Contemporary Music Programmer
The speculation is over, now the anticipation can begin, as we’re delighted to announce Robert Smith as the curator of Meltdown 2018. And he has already promised a packed line-up of unique performances here at Southbank Centre from 15-24 June 2018 as we celebrate the 25th edition of the iconic festival.
The Cure frontman follows in some pretty remarkable and diverse footsteps as Meltdown curator. From British composer George Benjamin in 1993 to rapper record producer and activist M.I.A. in 2017, 24 legendary artists have gone before Smith, each putting their own special stamp on the festival as they delivered their own Meltdown vision.
Lead singer, guitarist, lyricist and principal songwriter of The Cure, Smith is the group’s only constant member since their formation in 1978. One of popular music’s defining bands and an international phenomenon, The Cure took the sound of alternative rock sound mainstream and have continued to influence popular culture over a staggeringly successful 40-year career.
Beyond The Cure, Smith is of course a highly influential and talented musician in his own right. A recipient of an Ivor Novello Award for International Achievement he has performed and recorded with a huge breadth of musical talent including David Bowie, Blink 182, The Stranglers, Crystal Castles, Junkie XL, Faithless, Korn, and Placebo.
This is a significant year for Meltdown at Southbank Centre. Not only does the longest running artist-curated music festival in the UK celebrate its 25th year, but it will also be the first major festival to take place across our freshly refurbished site, making use of the newly re-opened Queen Elizabeth Hall and Purcell Room.
Robert Smith’s Meltdown takes place at Southbank Centre on 15-24 June 2018. Further acts and ticket details will be announced in the coming weeks. To be first in line for tickets, become a Southbank Centre member.
Note: Robert is curating Meltdown, meaning he's in charge of picking the bands, putting the lineups together, etc, but don't expect The Cure to play there. Remember, the Hyde Park show is being advertised as the band's only European show of 2018.
They could go back on that, but I wouldn't think so. However, it wouldn't be too surprising for Robert to join some of the bands for a song or something. We'll see.
Articles about this: The Guardian, The Evening Standard, NME, The Quietus, Music Week, Fact Mag, Time Out, Clash Music, Noisey, God is in the TV, DIY, The List, Uncut, Crack, Clydebank Post, Far Out Magazine, Spin, CoS, Pitchfork, Slicing Up Eyeballs, HUH,
Sunday, January 7, 2018
Congratulations, Reeves and Susan!
Could not be happier for Reeves and Susan, on this, their wedding day! Wishing you a lifetime of love and happiness together! Hope you have a beautiful day! Cheers!
Read their wonderful story from the New York Times:
‘Maybe in Another Life’ Becomes Now
Mini-Vows
By NINA REYES JAN. 6, 2018
Susan Van Wie Kastan and Reeves Gabrels are to be married Jan. 7 in Saratoga Springs, N.Y. The Rev. Joy Burke, an interfaith minister, is to officiate at her home.
The bride, 62, will take her husband’s name. She is a marketing communications consultant in Troy, N.Y. She was also a contributor to “Philanthropic Foundations: New Scholarship, New Possibilities,” (Indiana University Press, 1999). She graduated from Dartmouth and received a master’s degree in history and education from Columbia.
She is a daughter of the late Mary Van Wie Johnson and the late J. Allen Van Wie, who lived in Troy. The bride’s father was the owner J. A. Van Wie Insurance, an independent insurance agency that was in Troy. Her mother was the bookkeeper for her husband’s insurance agency.
The groom, 61, has been a guitarist in the British alternative-rock band the Cure since 2012. He also has his own band, Reeves Gabrels and His Imaginary Friends, and released an album, “Imaginary Friends Live,” in October. Before joining the Cure, he had a longtime collaboration with the late David Bowie, with whom he worked as a guitarist, co-writer, co-producer and musical director. Ms. Kastan is the business manager for her husband.
Read their wonderful story from the New York Times:
‘Maybe in Another Life’ Becomes Now
Mini-Vows
By NINA REYES JAN. 6, 2018
Susan Van Wie Kastan and Reeves Gabrels are to be married Jan. 7 in Saratoga Springs, N.Y. The Rev. Joy Burke, an interfaith minister, is to officiate at her home.
The bride, 62, will take her husband’s name. She is a marketing communications consultant in Troy, N.Y. She was also a contributor to “Philanthropic Foundations: New Scholarship, New Possibilities,” (Indiana University Press, 1999). She graduated from Dartmouth and received a master’s degree in history and education from Columbia.
She is a daughter of the late Mary Van Wie Johnson and the late J. Allen Van Wie, who lived in Troy. The bride’s father was the owner J. A. Van Wie Insurance, an independent insurance agency that was in Troy. Her mother was the bookkeeper for her husband’s insurance agency.
The groom, 61, has been a guitarist in the British alternative-rock band the Cure since 2012. He also has his own band, Reeves Gabrels and His Imaginary Friends, and released an album, “Imaginary Friends Live,” in October. Before joining the Cure, he had a longtime collaboration with the late David Bowie, with whom he worked as a guitarist, co-writer, co-producer and musical director. Ms. Kastan is the business manager for her husband.
Friday, January 5, 2018
Last chance for Hyde Park tickets
7th July BST Hyde Park CURE Show is very close to SOLD OUT... a small number of General Admission tickets and a few VIP packages have just been released… but once these go… THAT’S IT! pic.twitter.com/tBYQuDKKJc
— The Cure (@thecure) January 5, 2018
Calling all fans of @TheCure... We’ve just released a very limited batch of General Admission tickets for Saturday 7th July! We also have a small number of VIP packages available so get in quick before they FLY: https://t.co/CGJp5XXeEo pic.twitter.com/cdYnLDXW8s
— BST Hyde Park (@BSTHydePark) January 4, 2018
Wednesday, December 13, 2017
History of The Cure documentary from Tim!
So, 2018 will see me collaborating with Robert on a feature-length, chronological documentary of The Cure’s history from the 1970s via present day to the future. Robert himself will tell the story and this will work alongside other events for the band’s 40-year celebration.
— Tim Pope (@timpopedirector) December 13, 2017
The film to which I will bring my own style of jiggery-pokery will use as well as 'old favourites' a cornucopia of material from Robert’s collection which has never been seen before: Super-8; interviews; bootlegs; rare performances; behind-the-scenes, blah. Updates ’as and when’.
— Tim Pope (@timpopedirector) December 13, 2017
Happy Christmas! Ho ho ho!
— Tim Pope (@timpopedirector) December 13, 2017
Tuesday, December 12, 2017
The Cure celebrate 40 Imaginary Years at Hyde Park on July 7th!
THE CURE will be celebrating 40 imaginary years on Saturday 7th July 2018 with a 120min headline show at BST Hyde Park, London. Tickets on sale 9am Friday 15th December 2017. Presale is 9am TODAY 12th December.https://t.co/gHw1NfahWr - the password is IMAGINARY.— The Cure (@thecure) December 12, 2017
SEE YOU THERE!!! pic.twitter.com/RbWJLeK4iY
Of note: "Only European show of 2018", not "only show of 2018".
From the official site: "A panoply of fabulous artists will join the band on the day, including Interpol, Goldfrapp, Editors, Ride, Slowdive and The Twilight Sad, with many many more yet to be announced…"
Facebook Event Page
Articles about this: BST Hyde Park, Billboard, Pitchfork, DIY, Spin, Alternative Press, Rolling Stone, Grammy, Genre is Dead, Uproxx, Stereogum, Slicing Up Eyeballs, Vanyaland, Brooklyn Vegan, Consequence of Sound, Live4ever, Contact Music, Team Rock, Far Out Magazine, Festileaks, Le Soir, Rolling Stone Germany, Half Moon Bay Review, Mirror, Uncut, The List, BBC, Clash Music, Muzikalia, Evening Standard, Irish News, Metro, NME, The Independent, Radio X, The Quietus, Rock Sins, Music Week
Things are starting to happen and are afoot, right? I'll say more, too, shortly.— Tim Pope (@timpopedirector) December 12, 2017
Sunday, December 10, 2017
Update from Tim
So, 50 boxes of ‘stuff’ has just arrived at mine. Just peeked and apart from dust they seem to be filled with what looks like films, photographs, memorabilia. They go by the year. Hm. Can’t wait to get cracking, though might take me a while. I can feel Christmas is nearly here.
— Tim Pope (@timpopedirector) December 10, 2017
Sunday, December 3, 2017
More from Tim
Flicka flicka flicka. Here you are. Dust my lemon lies. 50 dusty boxes filled with memories. None of it seen before. From the 1970s to present day. Put that in your pipe and smoke it! More soon.— Tim Pope (@timpopedirector) December 3, 2017
I'll cut the cryptic crap soon, certainly before Christmas, but wanted to hint a little bit about next year's plans on The Cure project because I am excited! Be great to work with my old chums, as we go so far back. Going to be a bumper year for the 40th anniversary!
— Tim Pope (@timpopedirector) December 3, 2017
Friday, December 1, 2017
And now Tim adds fuel to the fire...
Keep it quiet, but a few BIG ANNOUNCEMENTS COMING SOON! Mum's the word, OK? Shh!— Tim Pope (@timpopedirector) November 29, 2017
As with Lol, and in fairness to Tim, he didn't say this was Cure related. He also has other projects he's working on. But you can't blame any of us for thinking what we're all thinking. :)
Update (Dec. 1st. 2017): Tim now confirms that one of his projects IS Cure related!
Being the kind-hearted person I am, I can confirm one of my upcoming projects next year is with The Cure with whom I have worked since 1981. This will be with the full participation of Robert. Updates when I can, but suffice to say it will be a 40th anniversary project.— Tim Pope (@timpopedirector) December 1, 2017
Oh, just to add, all guesses so far are wrong, to put the proverbial ‘Lovecat’ in amongst the pigeons. Me lips are sealed further at this point. Watch this space.— Tim Pope (@timpopedirector) December 1, 2017
No one has guessed it until now...From executive producer Roger O'Donnell, a story 40 years in the making, Tim Pope's 'Crawley was Ours', the story of The Cure! :)
Note: The above was a joke! Based on Roger being the executive producer of 'England is Mine'. I thought that went without explaining, but apparently not. Only a joke guess, not at all true!
Thursday, November 30, 2017
Lol clarifies his 'Wild Ideas' post
So, just to make it clear when I said some wild ideas are happening next year I was referring to my own projects. I’m sorry if I helped sow any confusion it was not my intention.As to 40th-anniversary stuff? It would be nice but so far Robert and I have not talked about that.
— Lol Tolhurst (@LolTolhurst) December 1, 2017
NOAH + The Cure clothing line
A new line of designer clothing, featuring Cure graphics and authorized & approved by Robert, will be released today. Prices will range between $12 and $798. On sale now here, and at Dover Street Market NY, London & Singapore, Commes Des Garcons Korea, & Slam Jam. They will also be available at Noah Clubhouse in Tokyo on Dec. 1st.
Update: If you are interested in any of the items, you might want to act fast, as some sizes are already sold out.
From Dazed: How a heartfelt email to frontman Robert Smith turned into a new capsule collection
“I started listening to everything I could get my hands on,” says Brendon Babenzien. The designer is describing how he became obsessed with The Cure after an older, cooler friend – as is always the case – played a song for him at a house party in 1984. The moment converted an impressionable Babenzien into a lifelong fan. Now, through his New York menswear label Noah, he has collaborated with the English band on a capsule collection, set to release in-store and online at Noah NYC and Tokyo as well as at London’s Dover Street Market this Thursday.
“As soon as I was calling the shots in my own company, it was really the first music collaboration I could think of that would really make me happy, that I could be really proud of,” the designer says of the collaboration, which sees a host of Noah staples, such as graphic t-shirts, hoodies and Harringtons emblazoned with versions of The Cure’s iconic cover art. “What I knew of Robert Smith, historically, I would have guessed that he would say no to something like this. So I wrote this heartfelt email, kind of explaining who I was and why this would be important to me – assuring him that we would do our best to do the right thing with it and it wasn’t going to be this huge commercial project.” To Babenzien’s surprise, Smith quickly got on board. “We also wanted to expose a younger audience to the band – anyone who hasn’t listened to their music before, we’re hoping that this will bring them to it a little more.”
Babenzien grew up in East Islip, a picturesque but nondescript town somewhere between Montauk and the Hamptons. Aesthetically different but similar in feeling to Crawley – the town in West Sussex that gave birth to The Cure – it inspired the same sense of angst-meets-ennui in Babenzien that was a hallmark of the British outfit’s early work. “Where I grew up, it’s beautiful and I love it now as an adult,” he says. “But when you’re a kid it just feels mundane because you can’t access any of the things that interest you. The small group of people that I was friends with that felt out of place where we were from, the music just kind of made sense to us.”
Through an outsider mentality and rigorous aesthetic approach, The Cure’s Robert Smith tapped into that, creating work that both captured and transcended the bleak banality of British suburbia to resonate with pretty much any teenager in a pre-internet era who felt disconnected or different. Babenzien was one of them, and that love of the band has stayed with him in the years that have passed since.
You can read more at Dazed, the NOAH NY blog, High Snobiety, Fashion Network, Hypebeast, i-D, and Esquire. Thanks, Van and Aaron.
Robert Smith responds to fans about death, dreams & his tombstone in ‘The Cure News’
"Cure vocalist Robert Smith was 28 when he started answering questions from his fans in the band’s series of newsletters The Cure News which published its first issue in 1987. During its run, Smith replied to hand-written inquiries sent in about his mythical hair and his aversion to flying—all while slyly avoiding answering a request for his home address. In later newsletters, Smith lets loose on The Smiths/Morrissey and rarely avoids answering intimate questions from fans which run the gamut from amusing to stalker-level weirdness. The vintage Q&As also chronicle Smith’s commentary as it relates to his relationship with his childhood pal, Cure drummer and keyboardist Lol Tolhurst until Lol’s departure from The Cure in 1989.
I combed through every newsletter put out between 1987 to 1991 in search of Smith’s most quotable-quotes—which, I must say, was a shit-ton of fun. I’ve posted loads of Smith’s answers to his fans queries below in the order of their chronological appearance in the various newsletters. I’ve left his answers just as he wrote them, without capitalization and British spellings which in some cases makes them all the more endearing. So without further delay, here’s Robert Smith being very Robert Smith-y while he responds to his fans."
Read the rest at Dangerous Minds.
Josh Cheon from Dark Entries on The Cure
From Resident Advisor:
Label of the month: Dark Entries
"But if luck is the intersection of preparation and opportunity, Cheon's been laying groundwork for such discoveries his whole life. In the backroom at RS94109, we speak about his undying love for the dark, romantic '80s music that forms the backbone of his label's aesthetic.
"I didn't have the happiest teenage years," he says. "I was overweight, I was made fun of, I was gay and in the closet. I had girlfriends that were into goth music music and The Cure—I think hearing that when I was 15—it's angsty, it's sad, it's emotive, and I was all of these things. If you hear Robert Smith singing about Disintegration or Pornography and how it doesn't matter if we all die, it's like, 'This like a rallying call for what's going on inside my head.'"
Free screenings of 'England is Mine'
FREE FILM SCREENING of @EnglandIsMineMO at Rough Trade East: https://t.co/qc5sP66XQk pic.twitter.com/3g6RmXguW5
— Rough Trade (@RoughTrade) November 29, 2017
NEW DATE for @EnglandIsMineMO free film screening at Rough Trade Nottingham. Don't miss out on an entertaining afternoon: https://t.co/hLPILiam35 pic.twitter.com/CQO8jpHT2U
— Rough Trade (@RoughTrade) November 30, 2017
Sunday, November 26, 2017
Siouxsie Sioux and Robert Smith
Siouxsie and The Banshees were one of the first post-punk bands to make it big, forming in 1976, already releasing their second album Join Hands in September of 1979.
During the tour for said album however, the Banshees’ guitarist John McKay and drummer Kenny Morris (both now referred to as The Blackheads) quit the group, leaving founders Siouxsie Sioux and Steven Severin scrambling to find replacements for the tour.
Slits percussionist Peter Edward Clarke aka Budgie was recruited on drums, becoming a permanent member of the band—but Severin and Sioux still had a hard time enlisting a guitarist.
Robert Smith of The Cure decided to offer his services as his group were already the support band on tour in support of Join Hands.
After the tour, Robert returned to full time duties with his own band, and Sioux and Severin then had a proper audition, and Sioux and Severin recruited Magazine and Visage guitarist John McGeoch to join the band, which was the perfect arrangement until the departure of John McGeoch from the Banshees after suffering a nervous breakdown at a gig in Madrid.
Robert Smith was recruited a second time into Wonderland to join his hand on guitar as a Banshee, now becoming a full time member, as Smith was still recovering from the emotional anguish of The Cure album “Pornography” (which led to Simon Gallup leaving The Cure, a major reason for the band’s hiatus).
Read the rest at Post-Punk.com.
A Very New Wave Christmas is back!
A Very New Wave Christmas set 1 & 2 ornaments by @mattlineham are on sale now. A limited # of individual ornaments also available, including the Robert Smith one from last year. https://t.co/WmYyXIQRf6 pic.twitter.com/wfxfBT304F
— Chain of Flowers (@CraigatCoF) November 24, 2017
Tim Pope interview
My cosy chat with Adam Buxton published today. Admittedly, I talk fast. VERY FAST. But, hey, you get double the information in half the time. Anyway, we discuss L.S.D., Neil Young, David Bowie, and a few other things. Enjoy! https://t.co/yS8O5klbN2
— Tim Pope (@timpopedirector) November 26, 2017
Odd man out? pic.twitter.com/f3qaTaKWmi
— Tim Pope (@timpopedirector) November 26, 2017
The Cure or The Smiths?
Let's settle this once and for all: The Smiths or The Cure?
— The Poke (@ThePoke) November 25, 2017
Please vote and share for widest possible sample.
Big plans for 2018?
Muzikalia ran a story today about possible plans to celebrate The Cure's 40th anniversary in 2018. Just your usual speculation that we all do at the end/start of the year, but what caught my eye was a tweet from Lol. Seems like some "wild ideas" really ARE happening in 2018.
Update (Nov. 26th, 2017): I know we've all had fun speculating on these posts from Reeves and Lol, but please keep in mind that they both have their own projects, and not everything is Cure related. Lol could be speaking about his 2nd book, his graphic novel that he's working on with Pearl, his Cured movie adaptation, or that studio project he was working on with Pearl. It could be anything.
Also, there's this problem of Lol & Robert not having had any contact in quite some time. From a recent Metro interview:
"What was Robert Smith's reaction?
I gave him the first copy of the book about six months before its release. He was on tour, very busy, and we have not had any contact since. But I'm sure I would have known if he did not like it."
So just don't get your hopes up too high. Even if there ARE major Cure plans in the works, we know how quickly they can change.
And one more thing, we all know how much Robert loathes social media/"The fucking internet", and the leaking of any info before he posts it himself, so would Lol & Reeves really post these things if they're Cure related?
You would be surprised how many wild ideas are happening in 2018 ...— Lol Tolhurst (@LolTolhurst) November 19, 2017
My lips are sealed...— Lol Tolhurst (@LolTolhurst) November 20, 2017
Update (Nov. 26th, 2017): I know we've all had fun speculating on these posts from Reeves and Lol, but please keep in mind that they both have their own projects, and not everything is Cure related. Lol could be speaking about his 2nd book, his graphic novel that he's working on with Pearl, his Cured movie adaptation, or that studio project he was working on with Pearl. It could be anything.
Also, there's this problem of Lol & Robert not having had any contact in quite some time. From a recent Metro interview:
"What was Robert Smith's reaction?
I gave him the first copy of the book about six months before its release. He was on tour, very busy, and we have not had any contact since. But I'm sure I would have known if he did not like it."
So just don't get your hopes up too high. Even if there ARE major Cure plans in the works, we know how quickly they can change.
And one more thing, we all know how much Robert loathes social media/"The fucking internet", and the leaking of any info before he posts it himself, so would Lol & Reeves really post these things if they're Cure related?
"And so it begins..."
Update (Nov. 26th, 2017): So what is Reeves really up to? From a Facebook post on Nov. 23rd - "I'm using this fantastic space for my various writing, recording, editing, mixing projects..."
That would seem to put to rest the speculation that Reeves was in England recording with the band. But it doesn't mean that he isn't working on demos or other Cure things.
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