Rumor: Cure in Chile this October

Here we go again...so this time it's a Chilean newspaper (English translation) claiming that possibly, maybe, they think The Cure are playing in Chile the 3rd week of October, but they're not quite sure because it's all top secret.
I don't mean to sound so negative about it. After all, this one is more plausible than some of the other rumored shows, given Robert's tease of "(HOWEVER, IF YOU LIVE IN SOUTH AMERICA, YOU MIGHT CONSIDER WAITING A WHILE BEFORE BOOKING YOUR TICKET... YOU NEVER KNOW... )", but I'll repeat what I said for that false Germany rumor. As of today, the only officially confirmed Cure show in 2011 is Bestival. You want to make sure you see them this year? Get to Bestival. Until Robert says otherwise, that is the only Cure show for this year.
Still, good luck to the South American fans. Hope this gets confirmed for you. (Thanks Raul)

Charity Auction Prints for Japan: Robert Smith

"This is a link to a Japan relief fundraiser auction. Ive donated a photo of Robert Smith for the auction. I took the photo in 2009 at Coachella.

Photographers donating prints for auction to help the people of Japan following the earthquake and tsunami in March 2011. You can bid on and win photographic prints with 100% of the money going direct to a charity helping with the relief effort."
(Thanks sad giraffe)

'Disintegration' is #9 on Rolling Stone poll

The Cure's 'Disintegration' came in at #9 on Rolling Stone's 10 Best Albums of the 80s Readers Poll. (Thanks Scott/@swig75)

Rumor: Cure in Germany this Autumn?

Update (03/28/11): False. Wilco contacted concert organizer Norbert Döpp, and he says that while there will be another tour, it won't be this year: "Da ist leider nichts dran. Diese Schreiberlinge vertreten einem das Wort im Munde. Es wird eine CureTour geben, aber sicher nicht in diesem Jahr. Sobald ich was höre, bist Du der erste der davon erfährt." (Thanks Wilco)

Original story (03/25/11): Interesting comment in the online version of German magazine Zitty. While talking about the concert industry in Berlin, the organizer of Cure concerts in Germany says that The Cure will play there this Autumn, and talks a bit about the root canal Robert had to have before the 2008 Velodrom show. Here's a rough English translation of that part:

"What really helps are growing contacts, says Döpp. Close friendships. For example, with Robert Smith, the lead singer of The Cure. That would never happen here without Döpp as partners. Especially not since the thing with the molar tooth: pre-concert at the Velodrome last Cure tour Smith was plagued by terrible pain, Döpp brought him to his dentist who proceeded to perform root canal treatment. Something welded together. In the fall The Cure will return to Germany. Döpp has already received an email."

Again, as of today, the only officially confirmed Cure show in 2011 is Bestival. You want to make sure you see them this year? Get to Bestival. Until Robert says otherwise, that is the only Cure show for this year. But let's hope we get some very good news from RS soon. (Thanks Boris)

Pitch-corrected version of Bananafishbones

"As I'm sure you're aware, the Remaster of The Top has "Bananafishbones" playing a little bit faster than the original studio version (which gives Robert's voice an unnatural, almost helium sounding quality to it). I used some software to correct this problem because I hated hearing this song at the wrong pitch whenever it would come on in my car but I do like the loudness of the remaster. I was just doing this for myself at first but I thought I would send it your way so we can share it with other Curefans.

Here's Bananafishbones (Remastered) at the ORIGINAL studio tempo of 144bpm and with the correct pitch.
And here's Bananafishbones (Remastered) at the REMASTER tempo of 151.95bpm and with the correct pitch."
(Thanks to Brian from the The Curse)

Note: As I've been reminded, Robert says the original version is the wrong pitch. The remastered one is the way he intended it to sound. Still, if you prefer the old "wrong" version, now you have a choice.

What's David M. Allen up to?

He's been busy in the studio with Black Wildes, and will be working with Reptile & Retard next. (Thanks Christian)

Update: For those who missed it last year, here's David talking to Andrew Collins on BBC 6 (May 19th, 2010).

More bands for Bestival

For those of you going to Bestival, more bands were added to the lineup this morning, including The Japanese Popstars and Mogwai. Full list here. (Thanks Ben and AndrewV127)

Bowie 50th birthday release

Keep getting asked why I haven't posted about the release of the 1997 David Bowie 50th Birthday show (with Robert). Because it's a bootleg, not an official release in any way. And that is confirmed here.

'Take Forever' lyrics and samples

Japanese Popstars - Take Forever (sample) by CoF


Japanese Popstars - Take Forever (sample 2) by CoF

Here's my first go at the lyrics. Fantastic track!

Take Forever - Japanese Popstars & Robert Smith (5:53)
Yeah you know, tonight will end, it always does
And the end is gone forever, when the sun comes up
And yeah you said, our sun will come, but there's always time
Burning up inside for nothing, save the kiss goodbye
Save the kiss goodbye

Yeah you know, tonight will end, it always does
And the end is gone forever, when the sun comes up
And yeah you say, the sun will come, it's always time
Burning up inside for nothing, save a kiss goodbye

Yeah I said, the sun will come, it's always time
But this burning up inside, is how I know you're mine
And yeah I know, tonight will end, it always does
But the end will take forever, if we falllllllllllllllllllll

Yeah I say, the sun will come, it's always time
But this burning up inside, is how I know you're mine
And yeah I know, tonight will end, it always does
But the end will take forever, if we fall in love

Tonight will end, it always does
But the end will take forever, if we fall in love
And yeah I know, tonight will end, it always does
But the end will take forever, if we fall in love

Lol talks about The Cure's first American tour

From the April 2011 issue of Spin. (Thanks Magda)

'Take Forever' available now

Robert's collaboration with The Japanese Popstars is available to download at iTunes Japan. For the rest of us, get a preview here.

Update: Also available from Amazon Japan and Listen Japan (with a preview of the first 45 seconds).

Update 2: Found this on a Spanish website. Robert plays a bit of six-string bass on the track: "The result is Take Forever, who with its guitar, its bass and a faint air of melancholy is a quantum leap from We Just Are. It's the sound of The Cure if they were born in 2006, but almost never recorded. "We sent an email to Robert (Smith) and we had no response in six months, " says Decky. "Then by chance received an email saying that our mail had gone to the spam folder." For several weeks, with emails and MP3s going from here to there and with about 38 different ideas, including a six string bass that Robert had done, the letters took shape and theme."

The album, 'Controlling Your Allegiance', is due out on June 13th in the UK, and you can read a bit more about Robert's involvement here.

Xploding Boys in Portland

Xploding Boys (Cure cover band)

The Lovecraft Bar, 421 SE Grand Ave, Portland, OR
March 18th, 9:30pm (Thanks April)

Sylvia Plath vs. The Cure

"I just wanted to write you and send you this link of a little audio project I did a few weeks ago. I took "Off To Sleep" from the 'Lost Wishes' cassette and spliced Sylvia Plath reading an excerpt from her poem "A Birthday Present" from an LP." (Thanks RT)

Watch Roger live in his studio

Roger did an electronic rehearsal in his studio tonight. Watch it here. He will be doing a half hour of improvised piano playing.live at 3pm (UK time) tomorrow, March 13th.

Update: Here's Sunday's piano improv. It starts at 14:22. And thanks for the little surprise, Roger. Such happy memories from that.

Update 2: Another live session and a taped interview segment Sunday night (3/13) at 7:30pm UK time. Okay, the live show is over now, but you can watch it here. (Thanks Aaron)

Cure #20 on Just Press Play's Top 100 artists

The Cure come in at #20 on Just Press Play's Fifty Years of Great Music: The Top 100 Artists. (Thanks Kate)

Underneath The Stars autographed print

Available on ebay (both prints now sold) or from St. Paul's Gallery.

"The Cure Underneath The Stars (from the album 4:13 Dream)
Official Signed Limited Edition Fine Art Print - Signed By Robert Smith + Tim Wakefield

Robert Smith chose Underneath The Stars from the Cure's album 4:13 Dream as his Soundwave. Robert Smith chose this image saying "it looks like the stars exploding in the night sky". The artist says "The Cure are one of my favourite bands and working on this gave me the chance to catch up on so much new material. Underneath the Stars was a perfect choice for the artwork and it worked so well". The prints are available now in a limited run of only 50 prints World Wide." (Thanks Aaron)

HispaCure 7th anniversary party

Hispacure, the Cure fanclub in Spain, are celebrating their 7th anniversary this Saturday, March 12th, in Valencia, Spain. Details about the party can be found here in the comments, and at their website. Congratulations to Ivan & our friends at HispaCure, and thank you for the help and support over the years! Cheers!

Looking Back: The Cure in 1991

Andrew Boe has written a great article on The Cure in 1991 for Three Imaginary Girls. Really enjoyed reading that. Let's hope Robert is aware of our love for that era of The Cure, and includes as much material from it as possible, on the 'Wish' remastered set. (Thanks Andrew)

Rihanna "samples" LGTB

As Perfect.Murder first mentioned in the Lady Gaga thread, Rihanna has also "sampled" The Cure for her song 'S&M'. Listen at 2:31, and again towards the end of the song. Clearly a bit of 'Let's Go To Bed'. (Thanks Perfect.Murder and Joanne)

Boris sighting!

Not exactly sure what/where this is, but it's a very brief video of Boris Williams, posted on Facebook by Dy Pillbox. The english translation is "Boris Williams (The Cure) playing on one of my demos for the process." Always so nice to see Boris!

Update: For Sofia...and others without Facebook. : ) And for those who missed it last May, here are some photos of Boris playing in Paris last year.