10 Iconic Androgynous Moments

From High Snobiety: "While there are myriad rock stars who pushed androgynous aesthetics – from KISS’s outrageous circus of hair and leather to Alice Cooper’s out and out gender bending, it’s cult Goth figurehead Robert Smith whose legacy in androgynous dressing that still echoes today. Smith’s trademark image of smeared lipstick, eyeliner, pale skin, messy black hair and all-black getup would define the Goth aesthetic and matched the Cure’s gloomy, sombre music perfectly, and while the Cure frontman hated his band’s connotations with the Goth movement, designers are still drawing on the Goth aesthetic to this day." (Thanks @godwinafaith)

Memorabilia from 1980

#memorabilia6music 1980 Cure setlist, Edinburgh. Robert, Simon, Lol & Matthieu signed my cheque book. Fire in Cairo? pic.twitter.com/EuYReOl4XW

— Caroline Binnie (@caroline_binnie) May 31, 2015

Cure Night in Cologne on May 30th

A Night Like This
The Cure Party

May 30th, 2015

The Blue Shell 

Cologne, Germany

As in the years before, we are doing our annual cure all nighter again. Before the party, we have the great dutch wave rock outfit dead guitars playing live.

here are the links to the facebook events:

https://www.facebook.com/events/1581084862171084/

https://www.facebook.com/events/1379659282361629

(Thanks Mike)

'Love and Other Tragedies' videos

Roger will be posting 9 videos to accompany 'Love and Other Tragedies'. Will update this as they are released.

'Marke'
'Il Regno Dei MortiI'
'La Ninfa'
'Tristan'

'Love and Other Tragedies' digital release today

From Roger on Facebook: "Well finally my new album Love and Other Tragedies recorded with the amazing Julia Kent on cello is finished. I mastered it last week in London and the lacquers are on their way to Holland to press the double white vinyl. We have a release date of May 29th on 99X/10 Records and Tapes and a premiere in London at St Leonards Church on May 30th. Performers are yet to be finalised but it will be a very beautiful concert whoever is playing! More details to follow....

Just to clarify, there will be only one (minute possibility of an LA show) show in London on May 30th and I will post pre order details as soon as I have them. Its a limited edition of 250 double white vinyl. Thanks for the interest, this is a very emotional record for me and I very much hope everyone connects with it."

Update (03/11/15): You can get T-shirts, too.

Update (03/19/15): From Roger on Facebook - "OK, so the launch date and concert have been put back due to the pressing plant in Holland being very busy. The release date of Love and Other Tragedies is now June 26th with a pre sale on May 26th. The concert An Exquisite and Tragic Evening The Music of Roger O'Donnell at St Leonards in Shoreditch London will be June 26th. The concert will be free but you will need to register for tickets, this will also be launched on May 26th, tickets will be limited and available by email. Sorry for any confusion!"

Update (05/07/15): From Roger on Twitter: "Love and Other Tragedies my new album featuring @juliakent will premiere in London June 26th at St Leonards Shoreditch pre order June 19th. The concert will be free and include some very very special guests!"

And more: "Pre sale date is June 19th, ship on the week of June 29th. Limited edition of 250 copies £25 + shipping. Concert at St Leonards 8pm June 26th, Shoreditch, London 8pm free admission. With @hannahinthewars + @FeralAndStray"

Update (05/15/15): The album will be released on iTunes May 29th. Vinyl on June 26th.

Update (05/29/15): Out now on iTunes UK and US, and also available to listen to on Spotify. Roger has also updated his website with lots of great details on the recording and production of the album, and about the upcoming live show, which sounds like it will be quite a special evening.

Album reviews: Pure M Zine / Essentially Pop / Tomatrax / Two Guys Metal Reviews

Cure on BBC4 today

"Sounds of the 80s BBC4 7.30pm today features The Cure… oh, and The Smiths, Jesus & Mary Chain, Pixies and Echo and the Bunnymen." (Thanks @waswasere)

Update: "In Between Days on 'Sounds of the Eighties' was a live version from the Whistle Test gig at Camden Palace 19th November 1985." (Thanks @waswasere)

Robert covers The Twilight Sad

Robert is covering The Twilight Sad's 'There's a Girl in the Corner'. Why? When? How? More details soon.
(Thanks Randy and Scott)

Update (05/22/15): And here's the full version.



Update (05/12/15): The Twilight Sad premiered their new video at Drowned in Sound today, and talked about Robert's cover:

"We are all massive fans of The Cure. They are one of the biggest influences on our band. We found out Robert Smith was a fan of our band through Stuart [Braithwaite] from Mogwai. Just after the release of our second album he had sent Robert an email saying there was a band from Scotland that he thought he'd like. Robert responded saying he was already a fan. We sent Robert the new record and he replied "IT IS BEAUTIFUL". We knew we wanted to have a special B-Side for the single, so Andy asked Robert if he would be up for doing something with us. Amazingly, he said yes and covered "There's A Girl In The Corner". Hearing someone that is basically one of our musical heroes cover one of our songs and sing the words that I wrote in my bedroom is one of the most amazing things that's happened to us."

And this from XS Noize:

Xs Noize: How did it come about for Robert Smith to cover your song?

JG: We know Stewart from Mogwai who toured with the Cure years ago and he stayed in contact with Robert. On our second record Stewart emailed Robert to say there’s this band I think you will like, I’ll send you the records if you want? Robert got back to him saying he was already a fan and already had everything. Stewart showed us the email and we were like fucking hell!!
So Andy got Robert’s email address to send him the new record when it was finished. When we were thinking of what we wanted to do with the next single Andy emailed him and asked if he would be interested in doing it with us and he said aye!

Xs Noize: I have heard a snippet of the song online and it sounds really good.

JG: I don’t know what we expected to come back, if he might do an acoustic thing or something, but he has went full out production on it. It’s fucking crazy to hear him sing our song, I don’t think we have come to terms with it yet to be honest. He has been really nice about it. We are going to meet him soon which is going to be cool, he seems like a really nice guy as well. To have him endorse what we do is fucking huge for us, it’s absolutely massive it is pretty exciting. The song is getting premiered in the middle of May, so it will be interesting to see what happens with it.

Xs Noize: Do you think you will get to perform the song with Robert?

JG: If he wanted to then of course, Andy might sack me as a singer and get him in (laughs). It would be amazing but he has already given us so much. But if it could happen we would jump at the chance to do it. He sings the song a bit different from me but I found myself at one of the gigs repeating the way he sings it by mistake. Brendan our keyboard played said “Did you notice you did that?” I said I did but I didn’t even mean it, it was mental.

People have got to know the band just from that, they have been writing to us saying they have discovered us by people it posting on their Facebook or whatever. If we win more fans that’s great but just having that is probably the highlight of our careers, it’s an amazing thing to have and is something we would never have expected.

Update (05/08/15): Now available for pre-ordering at Rough Trade.

Update (04/20/15): The Cure's website, Facebook, and Twitter have been updated with the news. Also, all of Robert's share of the proceeds from the single will be donated to Amaze. Once again, thank you so much, Robert, for always giving back and helping others!

Update (04/19/15): Pre-ordering for the limited edition 7" is now open at the band's website. And there should be a digital download available on June 15th as well, according to the band's email newsletter.

Credits: Lyrics James Alexander Graham. Music Andy MacFarlane. Voices & instruments by Robert Smith. Engineered, Produced, and Mixed by Robert Smith at Homestudio. Assisted by Bunny Lake.

Update (04/07/15): Confirmed at XFM -  "The Twilight Sad have confirmed details for their next single, with It Never Was The Same set for a 15 June release on FatCat Records.

In exciting news for fans of the Scottish group, the double A-side 7" will also see Robert Smith cover one of the band's other songs from their album Nobody Wants To Be Here And Nobody Wants To Leave.

The Cure frontman will perform his own version of There's A Girl In The Corner. A 30-second preview of Smith's suitably atmospheric cover can be found here .

Pre-orders for the limited edition 7" will open on 13 April at the band's own website. 

The band's UK and Ireland tour continues for the next few weeks, before a raft of festival dates for the summer."
(Thanks @SleazyMartinez)

Also confirmed on The Twilight Sad's website and Facebook.

Articles about this: NME / Uncut / Sopitas / Muzikalia / Sound of Violence / Live4Ever / DIY

Thanks, Dave!

As we regretfully say goodbye to David Letterman tonight, let's look back to The Cure's only appearance on the show. It was July 5th, 1996 when the former "Masters of Mope Rock" played 'Mint Car' on the Late Show. This one's for you, Linda. :)

After long, awful days when this sad. lonely, scared, confused, devastated kid/adult needed a laugh, it was nice knowing Dave and his gang of lovable idiots would be there to do something goofy and make you smile. Been a huge fan since 1984. You and your shows meant the world to me. Thank you, Dave!

Troubadour poster in Hayley's bathroom

Hayley Williams from Paramore gave Popular a tour of her house, and look at what she has in her bathroom - a Cure Troubadour secret show poster. Nice!

Roger & Hannah in London tonight

Reminder: Roger will be joining Hannah in the Wars for a few songs at their May 16th show at Sebright Arms in London. Get tickets here.

You really do need to see these idiots on stage together Sebright Arms Saturday @hannahinthewars pic.twitter.com/pahsH3F7mY

— Roger O'Donnell (@RogerODonnell) May 11, 2015

Cure night in London tonight

Electric Dreams presents

INBETWEEN DAYS

[A Cure night at the London Stone]

Saturday May 16 at 10:00pm - 3:00am

The London Stone

111 Cannon Street, EC4N 5AD London,United Kingdom

£6 entry

DJs Valeriun, Stix, The Baron and guest DJ Mr Pink Eyes will be playing music from The Cure's entire musical history from post punk days to goth days to the recent albums and all in between[days]

We will also play a few other relevant goth/new wave/punk/80s classics at the London Stone [a Hammer horror themed pub in Cannon street, London]

MORE INFO

https://www.facebook.com/events/968806569809867/

http://www.facebook.com/group.php?gid=8044018371

http://www.facebook.com/pages/Electric-Dreams-Night-club/209752169047968

http://www.electricdreamsclub.com/
(Thanks Alan)

Spin's Best 300 Albums of the Past 30 Years

From Spin:

Andy Vella's Secret 7"

Andy Vella designed 2 7" singles for this year's Secret 7" campaign, one for 'Digital Witness' by St. Vincent, and one for 'Dead Flowers' by The Rolling Stones. (Thanks @guillaume_g_z)

'A Forest' from 1980 on Top of the Pops

The Cure performing 'A Forest' on Top of the Pops from April 24th, 1980 will air May 7th on BBC 4 at 7:30pm. Repeat on May 8th at 12:35am. (Thanks @waswasere)

'Beautiful Noise' now available at Rough Trade

ROUGH TRADE - UK: Beautiful Noise DVD now at Rough Trade EAST, WEST, & NOTTS locations!
— Beautiful Noise (@hypfilms) April 24, 2015

Update (05/06/15): Also now on sale at Rough Trade NYC. And a new clip has been posted online.

How Steve Hewitt met Perry Bamonte

From Gigslut:

Perry Bamonte of the Cure has also teamed up with you in Love Amongst Ruin, how did that come about?

I’ve known Robert Smith for over 15 years and that’s how I met Perry, we met in Paris when The Cure and Placebo were playing some radio show celebration live on stage. We played, then The Cure then we played “If Only Tonight We Could Sleep” together, as some kind of super-group. Perry is a great guitarist but he might actually be playing bass in this new line up.

Thank you, Matt!

As some of you know, Matt has decided to end his Slicing Up Eyeballs site, and I just wanted to post a huge THANK YOU to him. I loved the site, and loved Matt's dedication to, and love of, the great alternative music of the 80s. He was one of the good guys, and his site will be sorely missed. Thank you so much for the love you always gave to CoF, and for carrying the torch for a genre of music that doesn't always get the coverage it deserves.

But Matt isn't really going away, as he plans to keep the Facebook and Twitter accounts going. Still, it's sad to see the death of a great site.

So I raise a glass in celebration, to Matt and SUE, and say Cheers! We all wish you the best of luck with whatever comes next.

Robert talks about The Jesus and Mary Chain

This is nothing new for those of us who have the excellent 'Beautiful Noise' documentary, but for those who don't, Dangerous Minds has a story about The Jesus and Mary Chain's 'Psychocandy', and they include the clip of Robert, Trent Reznor, and Billy Corgan talking about the band and the album.

A Cure / Michael McDonald mashup

From CoS:

"Laura Jane Grace of Against Me! was recently asked by the good folks at AV Undercover to deliver a cover in the run-up to its 2015 season. Turns out she had just the thing. She’d been working on a drum loop based on The Cure’s 1985 song “Close to Me”, and was just waiting for the right place to use it. That place revealed itself when the great Michael McDonald came on the radio with his classic love song “I Keep Forgettin'”.

The two songs come from completely different planets, but in Grace’s hands, they’re more like twin stars in a binary system. Instead of sappy yacht rock, “I Keep Forgettin'” becomes a heartbreaking acoustic number that wouldn’t be too far out of Against Me!’s catalog given Grace’s despairing vocal take. Take a listen."

More on Robert's Twilight Sad cover

From Daily Record (Thanks Perfect.Murder):

Twilight Sad reveal the legend in their new single as they collaborate with The Cure's Robert Smith

06:00, 26 April 2015
By John Dingwall

TWILIGHT Sad singer James Graham reveals how a chance conversation led to The Cure superstar doing a cover of their song There's A Girl In The Corner. Listen to it here.

THE Twilight Sad have revealed their delight after rock legend Robert Smith of The Cure teamed up with them for his latest single.

Legendary frontman Robert is a huge fan of the Scots indie group and revealed to Mogwai’s Stuart Braithwaite he had been impressed by them when the two rocks bands toured together.

After Stuart told them about the admission, The Twilight Sad sent Robert a personalised copy of their most recent album – the critically acclaimed Nobody Wants To Be Here And Nobody Wants To Leave – and a correspondence ensued.

That led to the incredible collaboration and stunning version of the song There’s A Girl In The Corner.

The Twilight Sad frontman James Graham, who is also the quintet’s main songwriter, said: “Mogwai had toured with The Cure and later Stuart from Mogwai emailed Robert.

“He told him to check out this band The Twilight Sad and that he might like them. Robert got back to him, saying, ‘I’ve already got all their albums. I’m a massive fan’.

“Stuart told us about it and we were all astonished he had even heard of us. He’s a global icon.

“We got Robert’s contact details and sent him some records, including the new album – before it was released.

“That he was a fan was amazing to us because The Cure are one of the reasons we started the band.

“He got back to us to say he loved it and we were all over the moon.”

 The Twilight Sad’s guitarist Andy MacFarlane decided to go a step further by asking Robert to guest on one of their songs and the band admit they were gobsmacked when he agreed.

James said: “We were thinking what to do about our new single and Andy chanced his arm by contacting Robert to ask if he would be interested in doing one of our songs.

“The band had just finished an acoustic set at Mono in Glasgow and were driving back when Andy showed us an email from Robert saying he would like to cover a song.

“We’d asked him to cover the single It Never Was The Same but he asked if he could do There’s A Girl In My Corner. We said he could do whatever he wanted.

“We were in a state of disbelief the whole time because we never thought it was possible that it could happen.”

If The Twilight Sad – who recently performed an exclusive Live At Dingwall’s at-home session – thought
the collaboration might fall through, they needn’t have as Robert kept to his world.

James said: “Andy and Robert kept emailing back and forth. The email of the song came through when we were in San Francisco. We sat in our van and listened to him singing our song. Hearing Robert sing the words I wrote in my bedroom is something I’ll never forget. I can’t believe it has happened.

“I’ve been listening to it every day – it is an amazing feeling to hear him sing our song.”

 The track, which you can hear online, is a limited edition double A-sided single and will be released as a digital download on June 15.