First Cure show rumor for 2014 - Hungary?

The first rumor of a Cure show in 2014 comes from Recorder in Hungary. It says The Cure may play a festival there between July 14th - 20th. Goes without saying, but this is nothing more than a rumor and not confirmed. In fact, the promoter has denied there are any negotiations with the band. (Thanks Mars and Jorge)

Pearl at the Project Peace on Earth concert

Here's some video of Pearl Thompson and Finbar O'Hanlon performing 'The Spheres' at the Project Peace on Earth concert in Jerusalem on Dec. 25th, 2013. (Thanks Chris/Big Ginge)

'In Orange' 35mm screenings in L.A.

Cinefamily & Part Time Punks are presenting a 35mm screening of  'In Orange' in Los Angeles on Dec. 27th at 9:45pm and Dec. 28th at 9:15pm. (Thanks Scott and AndyTheCureFan)

@CraigatCoF nice long line out front. pic.twitter.com/jZHMI0rjR7
— Jeff Love (@JeffLove_23) December 28, 2013

Update (Dec. 29th, 2013): 2 more screenings have been added. Jan. 6th at 9:45pm and Jan. 9th at 10:30pm.

Cure Voodoo on top 5 NOLA concerts 2013 list

From Alison at NOLA.com: "On a cold, dark night, Robert Smith offered up his set of Cure classics and deep cuts, not to mention the band’s first-ever live performance of the song “Burn,” with feverish conviction. Loopy as we were from a long week of revelry, beginning with Halloween and ending with the band’s Voodoo-capping set, his snaky guitar lines and unearthly voice seemed to swirl us all up into a blissed-out, spooky delirium. It’s wonderful to be reminded of such a great and deep catalog — even more so to have it done live, and by an artist who seems quite as passionate as his fans."

Inappropriate Song Choices in Advertising

From Cracked - #3. Hewlett Packard Wants You to Take Pictures to Cure Your Suicidal Depression. (Thanks Pietro)

Some presents from David & Amanda

A gift from David & Amanda: "Just for a few days on Youtube: "Collector .........Take it!"

A few more presents from D & A - Other Voices (Monterrey Oct. 8th, 2013) / The Kiss (Vieilles Charrues July 20th, 2012) / 1st 4 songs from Reflections NYC (Nov. 26th, 2011).

(Thanks David & Amanda)

A Robert puppet for Christmas

 "Merry Christmas to you! I got the coolest Christmas present this year, a handmade Robert Smith puppet, made by my 13 year old niece Alanna....I have attached a pic, thought maybe your readers might like to see it." (Thanks Peter)

Joyeux Noël

Merry Christmas and the happiest of holidays to you all!


The Cure - Merry Christmas Everybody 
(Wembley Arena - Dec. 9th, 1987)


Siouxsie & the Banshees - Il Est Ne Le Divin Enfant 
(Dec. 15th, 1982)  

Originally posted at Thecure.com (Dec. 2001)







"I don't believe in religions. Instead, I believe in Father Christmas and fairies in the woods!" - Robert Smith 2012

Paul Hartnoll covers 'A Forest'

Paul Hartnoll of Orbital covers 'A Forest' live on Lauren Laverne's BBC Radio 6 show (starts at 02:10:00). This looks to be on an upcoming album, and also features The Unthanks.
(Thanks Stephen)

Roger's 'Love & Other Tragedies'

Il Regno Dei Morti from Roger O'Donnell on Vimeo.

"A day in the studio with Francesca Ter-Berg recording Orpheus and Eurydice, part of the Love and Other Tragedies suite for piano and four cellos..."

And from Roger on Facebook: "This Friday I will be recording cello with Jo Quail a very dear friend. She is playing the Tristan and Isolde act from the Love and Other Tragedies suite. Ive also booked the mastering studio for January 9th to cut the acetates with Guy Davie for the pressing. Looks like the premiere will be the middle week of April in London at St Leonards..."

Update (Dec. 20th, 2013): Roger on Facebook - "...and here we are back at Fossil Studios recording Jo Quail and of course it sounds beautiful...."

And the recording is finished - "Well there we have it, recording finished for my new album project Love and Other Tragedies featuring on cello Julia Kent, Francesca Ter-Berg and Jo Quail with me of course on piano. Telling the three classic love tragedies of Scheherezade, Orpheus and Eurydice and Tristan and Isolde... Each story has three movements, a trilogy of trilogies and will be released as double vinyl on April 3rd 2014. ("Also digital download but not CD!")
Its taken a long time to finish and theres still some work to do but Im very happy with how it sounds right now and with Guy Davie's mastering genius and Anna Dorfman's art direction things can only get better.. " 

River Plate show voted best of year

Readers of Rolling Stone Argentina have voted The Cure at River Plate Stadium, the Show of the Year. (Thanks bob)

Framing The Outsider

Article at NewStatesman: The Cure, the new Penguin editions of Camus, and the details of presentation. (Thanks David)

Robert donates guitar to charity auction

From Amaze on Facebook: "We are extremely excited to announce that Robert Smith, lead singer of The Cure has donated a very special guitar to Amaze. The guitar will be auctioned by Bonhams in London on December 18th. All proceeds from the sale will go to Amaze.

The guitar is a Schecter 'Robert Smith RS-1000' signature model acoustic guitar in gloss black finish, with spruce top, maple body, and rosewood bridge, owned and played by Robert Smith, fingerboard inlaid with stars and moon motif. Lyric notes on paper for 'A Boy I Never Knew' are taped along top side with tuning instructions "DGCFAD" handwritten in silver ink, inscribed on the body by Smith in silver pen "I'd love to see him sleep, I'd love to know him dream... The Cure 2008" additionally signed later "Robert 2013", accompanied by a Gator hardshell case with black plush lining, with masking tape on the outside labelled in black pen 'A Boy I Never Knew, DGCFAD' and inscribed on the case in silver ink 'CURE 2008.

Amaze is very grateful to Robert and his family for this generous donation." (Thanks @guillaume_g_z)

Update (Nov. 25th, 2013): The guitar is up at the Bonhams auction site, and that prompted a very rare tweet from The Cure on Twitter.

A SCHECTER RS 1000 GUITAR IN BLACK GLOSS FINISH OWNED AND PLAYED BY ROBERT SMITH http://t.co/pkcUbyAGK4 pic.twitter.com/k9xSxO9a0K
— The Cure (@thecure) November 25, 2013

Update (Dec. 3rd, 2013): The official site has been updated with this info.

Update (Dec. 18th, 2013): It sold for £22,000 (£27,500 including premium)! Wow! Well done! Thank you to Robert for always being willing to support great causes and charities!

From The Cure on Facebook, Twitter, and TheCure.com: "WOW! THANKS! RSX Lot 403 THE CURE: A SCHECTER RS 1000 GUITAR IN BLACK GLOSS FINISH OWNED AND PLAYED BY ROBERT SMITH, Sold for £27,500 inc. premium"

Update (Dec. 20th, 2013): Nice article about this at The Argus. (Thanks David)

Photos & video from the RS guitar auction

Perfect.Murder is at today's auction for the Robert Smith 'A Boy I Never Knew' guitar, and sends these photos and this video. He's obviously getting this for my Christmas present, but I'll pretend like I don't know that. :)

New Levinhurst songs in 2014

From Levinhurst on Facebook: "Recording in the Valley....3 songs will be out in the early part of 2014... then more to come!!"

"Pixies Listening To The Cure Blew My Mind"

From XFM: "It's been a big year for Chvrches, they finally released their debut album The Bones Of What You Believe, they toured the world, they performed on the Letterman show in the US and they were on the bill for XFM WInter Wonderland 2013.

But talking to Jo Good backstage at O2 Academy Brixton, ahead of their set at our afore mentioned Christmas party, Iain from the band admitted that there was one thing in 2013 that blew everything else out of the water.

"Our dressing room was across from the Pixies," he explained. "I was walking into the dressing room and their door was open and they were listening to Lullaby by The Cure. The Pixies were in there listening to Lullaby by The Cure!

"I had a wee bit of a freak out. A fantasy, reality cross over thing. I think that was the highlight of my year. Weird." (Thanks Aaron)

Roger updates

From Roger on Facebook:

Nov. 22nd - "I have a little news about Love and Other Tragedies but Im excited so Im going to share. I will be recording the cello parts for Orpheus and Eurydice with Francesca in London on the 15th and for Tristan and Isolde with Jo on the 20th! I hope to master and cut the vinyl in January and am planning a release concert for March. It will be double vinyl and download only and I am going to press only 250 copies... Art work will be by my good friend Anna and based on a painting by Pamela... I am very happy that this will be finally finished..."

Nov. 24th - "So I am talking to my friends at Google+ about setting up a Google Hang out for both of the recording sessions so we can stream some live audio and video and you can ask questions and generally see whats going on and what its like to be in the studio. This will be on the 15th and 20th of December. If you don't have a Google+ account and want to participate probably a good idea to sign up now. I have Google Glass and will be using that during the day... Should be fun!"

Nov. 24th - "Google Glass eye view... " Video. This is beautiful! Perfect for this cold November morning. More please. 

Nov. 26th - "If you liked the little piece of piano video I posted you might like this album I released about 3 years ago. I just found a box of CDs so if you want one I will sign it...http://www.rogerodonnell.com/discography/pianoformations/ "

"I am going to be spending January and February in LA on a couple of film projects next year." 

Dec. 13th - "This Sunday I am going to be in the studio with Francesca Ter-berg recording her cello parts on the Orpheus and Eurydice story from Love and Other Tragedies. As I mentioned before we were trying to work with Google+ on setting up a Video Hang out room to broadcast live video from the session.

We have come across a few issues, which is usual for such new technology and this isn't going to be possible so I will record the video and then edit it for YouTube later. It would have been nice to give an insight into a day in the studio but maybe next time!"

Uncut reviews The Cure at Voodoo

Cure at Voodoo review in the new issue of Uncut magazine. Bigger image here. "With its mystical airs & gothic tendencies, you'd be hard pressed to find a more fitting town than New Orleans for The Cure to grace." (Thanks Benj)

The Cure fights Monsanto

The Trans-Pacific Partnership is a huge, ultra-secret deal; LET’S STOP IT http://t.co/BLyHAvaZOs

— The Cure (@thecure) December 6, 2013

It was also posted on their Facebook. And while Robert has made it clear that he doesn't post these Twitter & Facebook updates, I would assume he supports this and approved of it being posted.

Reeves plays Nashville tonight

The Carpetbaggers (Reeves Gabrels, Jamie Rubin, Pete Pulkrabek, Chris Autry, Eric Fritsch)
The Family Wash, East Nashville, TN
Dec. 3rd, 2013 at 10 pm