Titled 'Appearing at the Albert Hall', the triptych depicts figures from classical music, rock and sport who have made appearances under the dome of the London venue." (Thanks Kelly)
So, can you find Robert without cheating? :)
Saturday, May 3, 2014
Royal Albert Hall's Sgt. Pepper collage
Titled 'Appearing at the Albert Hall', the triptych depicts figures from classical music, rock and sport who have made appearances under the dome of the London venue." (Thanks Kelly)
So, can you find Robert without cheating? :)
Friday, May 2, 2014
'Wish' performed in its entirety tonight
Off The Record IV
Friday, May 2, 2014
123 Pleasant St, Morgantown, WV
The Cure's "Wish" performed by: Brian Spragg, Clint Sutton, Dave Klug, Geordie Smith, Michael Iafrate, Patrick Spragg & Sarah Rudy
X's "Under The Big Black Sun" performed by: Billy Sheeder, Haley Slagle, Mark Poole & William Matheny
Pegboy's "Strong Reaction" performed by: Yellowdog Union
All proceeds to benefit Mountaineer Boys & Girls Club and Another Place, Another Time.
Advance Tickets $5 (available at 123pleasantstreet.com)
Day Of Show $7
(Thanks AndyTheCureFan via madgekin on Instagram)
Happy 25th, 'Disintegration'!
More articles celebrating, and looking back at, 'Disintegration'.
American Spectator
OC Weekly
Slicing Up Eyeballs
Metro Weekly
Consequence of Sound
USA Today
American Spectator
OC Weekly
Slicing Up Eyeballs
Metro Weekly
Consequence of Sound
USA Today
Happy 25th Anniversary to one of our all-time favorite albums: @thecure's "Disintegration." Who knew heartbreak could feel so damn good?
— Airborne Toxic Event (@Airborne_Toxic) May 2, 2014
Thursday, May 1, 2014
'Disintegration' at 25
From Kenneth Partridge at Billboard:
The Cure's 'Disintegration' at 25: Classic Track-by-Track Album Review
No need to check the almanac to see what the weather was like on May 2, 1989, the day the Cure released its eighth studio album. Once copies of "Disintegration" started hitting CD trays and turntables, the skies turned grey and the rain began to fall, and sad boys and girls everywhere soaked it all up like sponges.
Such is the power of these dozen songs — slow, dark, sensual ruminations on losing love and feeling washed up. Oddly enough, when Cure mastermind Robert Smith began work on "Disintegration," he was a recently married 29-year-old whose pioneering U.K. post-punk band was finally making headway in America. The group's previous album, 1987's "Kiss Me, Kiss Me, Kiss Me," had reached a respectable no. 35 on the Billboard 200, and after more than a decade in action, they seemed poised for breakout success.
Still, Smith was completely freaked by the prospect of turning 30, and amid tensions with his bandmates, he worried he'd missed his chance to make a masterpiece. Such was his motivation for going off and writing much of "Disintegration" on his own. He emerged with a set of droning slow-burns inspired by the overall cruddiness of his situation, and not surprisingly, his label wasn't pleased.
Indeed, "Disintegration" had "commercial suicide" written all over it, but it proved gloomy in all the right ways, climbing to no. 12 on the Billboard 200 -— the Cure's highest chart placement to that point. The follow-up, 1992's "Wish," reached even higher, peaking at no. 2, but "Disintegration" remains the Cure's best-selling LP, as well as the one people still talk about. It's made countless all-time best-of lists, and 25 years later, it sounds like nothing in the band's discography -— or in anyone else's. Keep reading for our track-by-track take on this melancholy stunner.
The Cure's 'Disintegration' at 25: Classic Track-by-Track Album Review
No need to check the almanac to see what the weather was like on May 2, 1989, the day the Cure released its eighth studio album. Once copies of "Disintegration" started hitting CD trays and turntables, the skies turned grey and the rain began to fall, and sad boys and girls everywhere soaked it all up like sponges.
Such is the power of these dozen songs — slow, dark, sensual ruminations on losing love and feeling washed up. Oddly enough, when Cure mastermind Robert Smith began work on "Disintegration," he was a recently married 29-year-old whose pioneering U.K. post-punk band was finally making headway in America. The group's previous album, 1987's "Kiss Me, Kiss Me, Kiss Me," had reached a respectable no. 35 on the Billboard 200, and after more than a decade in action, they seemed poised for breakout success.
Still, Smith was completely freaked by the prospect of turning 30, and amid tensions with his bandmates, he worried he'd missed his chance to make a masterpiece. Such was his motivation for going off and writing much of "Disintegration" on his own. He emerged with a set of droning slow-burns inspired by the overall cruddiness of his situation, and not surprisingly, his label wasn't pleased.
Indeed, "Disintegration" had "commercial suicide" written all over it, but it proved gloomy in all the right ways, climbing to no. 12 on the Billboard 200 -— the Cure's highest chart placement to that point. The follow-up, 1992's "Wish," reached even higher, peaking at no. 2, but "Disintegration" remains the Cure's best-selling LP, as well as the one people still talk about. It's made countless all-time best-of lists, and 25 years later, it sounds like nothing in the band's discography -— or in anyone else's. Keep reading for our track-by-track take on this melancholy stunner.
'Disintegration' Holds Up, 25 Years Later
From Lyndsey Parker at Yahoo Music:
"Twenty-five years ago this week, the Cure released the magnum opus that Kyle from "South Park" once rightfully declared "the best album EVER!" While the Cure's epic eighth studio effort, "Disintegration," was among the band's gloomiest and doomiest (frontman Robert Smith always considered it an unofficial companion to 1982's intensely, brutally dark "Pornography"), it ironically yielded the band's sweetest — and most commercially successful — single, "Lovesong."
The Cure broke out of the post-punk underground in the mid-'80s with "The Head on the Door" and its double-disc follow-up, "Kiss Me, Kiss Me, Kiss Me." But it was 1989's "Disintegration" — the culmination of all of Robert's stylistic experiments, simultaneously gorgeous and raw, melancholy and exuberant, grandiose and intimate — that transformed the Cure into stadium headliners. After slugging it out with a revolving Cure lineup since 1976, Robert Smith — with his spidery hair and trademark smeared scrawl of crimson lipstick — had somehow become one of music's most unlikely and reluctant rock stars.
And all along the way, a girl named Mary, who inspired "Lovesong" and soon after that became Mrs. Smith, had been by Robert's side.
"Twenty-five years ago this week, the Cure released the magnum opus that Kyle from "South Park" once rightfully declared "the best album EVER!" While the Cure's epic eighth studio effort, "Disintegration," was among the band's gloomiest and doomiest (frontman Robert Smith always considered it an unofficial companion to 1982's intensely, brutally dark "Pornography"), it ironically yielded the band's sweetest — and most commercially successful — single, "Lovesong."
The Cure broke out of the post-punk underground in the mid-'80s with "The Head on the Door" and its double-disc follow-up, "Kiss Me, Kiss Me, Kiss Me." But it was 1989's "Disintegration" — the culmination of all of Robert's stylistic experiments, simultaneously gorgeous and raw, melancholy and exuberant, grandiose and intimate — that transformed the Cure into stadium headliners. After slugging it out with a revolving Cure lineup since 1976, Robert Smith — with his spidery hair and trademark smeared scrawl of crimson lipstick — had somehow become one of music's most unlikely and reluctant rock stars.
And all along the way, a girl named Mary, who inspired "Lovesong" and soon after that became Mrs. Smith, had been by Robert's side.
NME takes a look back at 'Disintegration'
This week's NME features 'Disintegration' in their Anatomy of an Album feature. (Thanks Perfect.Murder)
And no look back at 'Disintegration' is complete without a reading of Roger's wonderful Memories of Making the Album.
Tuesday, April 22, 2014
Cure 1987 concert on 1st Wave
From SiriusXM:
The Cure BBC Vault Concert on 1st Wave Tues 4/22 9:00 pm ET
Hear an exclusive concert event with The Cure recorded at The N.E.C., Birmingham On December 6th 1987 as part of Sirius XM’s BBC Vaults series with exclusive access to 40 years of timeless concert recordings.
Rebroadcast: Thurs 4/24 4:00 pm ET; Fri 4/25 9:00 am ET; Sat 4/26 7:00 pm ET; Sun 4/27 12:00 pm ET
It's a 1 hour edit of the show. Here's what they aired: Torture, A Strange Day, A Japanese Dream, Catch, If Only Tonight We Could Sleep, Like Cockatoos, The Walk, The Perfect Girl, The Snakepit, A Forest, Fight, Charlotte Sometimes.
The Cure BBC Vault Concert on 1st Wave Tues 4/22 9:00 pm ET
Hear an exclusive concert event with The Cure recorded at The N.E.C., Birmingham On December 6th 1987 as part of Sirius XM’s BBC Vaults series with exclusive access to 40 years of timeless concert recordings.
Rebroadcast: Thurs 4/24 4:00 pm ET; Fri 4/25 9:00 am ET; Sat 4/26 7:00 pm ET; Sun 4/27 12:00 pm ET
It's a 1 hour edit of the show. Here's what they aired: Torture, A Strange Day, A Japanese Dream, Catch, If Only Tonight We Could Sleep, Like Cockatoos, The Walk, The Perfect Girl, The Snakepit, A Forest, Fight, Charlotte Sometimes.
That Sprint commercial
I posted about this on the Curespotting page a few weeks ago, but this article from Stereogum (also at Spin) seems to be the first time people have really noticed it. So I'm posting it on the front page for anyone else who might have missed it the first time.
(Thanks @thequeenofsiam, Sylvain, and Darrell)
Monday, April 21, 2014
BottleRock single day passes
Tip from @nil_by_mouth: "There's no booking fee when using the app. $139 even. $8 fee via ticketfly."
BottleRock pre-sale is now live. Use promo code DAYOFF to save $10 until Tuesday, when the general on sale starts.
Also, the lineups for each day have been posted.
Update (04/03/14): Promo code DAYOFF is working again and now drops single day passes by $20 to $129. (Thanks Olivier)
Update (04/09/14): Well, I hope you didn't buy your passes early, because prices continue to fall. Promo code DAYOFF now drops single day passes by $40 to $109. And the ROCKNAPA code will also get you $40 off the 3 day passes. So, buy now or wait and see if they fall even lower? (Thanks Olivier)
Update (04/10/14): And even lower prices today. Living Social has 1 day passes for $99, 3 day passes for $199, and VIP for $549. (Thanks John)
Update (04/21/14): Groupon is matching the Living Social deal for the next 7 days. Same pricing, 1 day passes for $99, 3 day passes for $199, and VIP for $549. (Thanks John)
Sunday, April 20, 2014
Teenage Cancer Trust auction
Cure items in the Teenage Cancer Trust auction:
Autographed RAH 2006 t-shirts
Autographed RAH 2014 t-shirts
RAH 2014 programs autographed by The Cure and others
One of Roger's autographed tambourines
An autographed Disintegration vinyl
A 2006 RAH ticket & program, both autographed by Robert, along with a pass
(Thanks Perfect.Murder)
Update (4/20/14): Auction is now over. Thanks to Christine for these totals, which do not include all of the autographed programs.
Total raised:
T-shirts: £1586.01
Roger's Tambo: £358.00
Disintegration Vinyl: £321.00
Signed ticket & Program: £201.00
Total: £2466.01
Approx $4,137.35
Autographed RAH 2006 t-shirts
Autographed RAH 2014 t-shirts
RAH 2014 programs autographed by The Cure and others
One of Roger's autographed tambourines
An autographed Disintegration vinyl
A 2006 RAH ticket & program, both autographed by Robert, along with a pass
(Thanks Perfect.Murder)
Update (4/20/14): Auction is now over. Thanks to Christine for these totals, which do not include all of the autographed programs.
Total raised:
T-shirts: £1586.01
Roger's Tambo: £358.00
Disintegration Vinyl: £321.00
Signed ticket & Program: £201.00
Total: £2466.01
Approx $4,137.35
Saturday, April 19, 2014
Cure Record Store Day 2014 release
The Cure/Dinosaur Jr.
Side By Side Series
Format: 7" Vinyl
Label: Rhino
Release type: RSD Exclusive Release
The Side By Side series, which features an original song and a cover of the same song on one 7", continues for RSD 2014! This release is on white 45 RPM vinyl.
According to Rhino, it will be a limited edition of 6,800 (others say it's 5,000) and will sell for $6.98. Record Store Day is April 19th, 2014. (Thanks Shawn, willy0, Zack)
If you find it in your local record store, please let me know the city & state and store name & location, so I can add it to the list and help other fans who might be looking for it. Thanks!
Confirmed list of stores selling it:
Australia, Melbourne - Goldmine Records (photo).
Canada, Saint John, New Brunswick - Backstreet Records.
Netherlands, Utrecht - Plato Records.
Maryland, Baltimore (Fell's Point) - Soundgarden (said to have it, not confirmed).
Maryland, Baltimore (Hampden) - Celebrate Summer Records.
Maryland, Parkville - Shockwaves Records (said to have it, not confirmed).
Maryland, Towson - Tunes (according to staff, all Tunes should have some).
New York, Rochester - House of Guitars & Needledrop Records (both sold out now).
Ohio, Cincinnati - Black Plastic (photo).
Oregon, Portland - Jackpot Records on Hawthorne.
Tennessee, Memphis - Goner and Shangril Records (both are sold out).
Texas, Fort Worth - Doc's Records on Camp Bowie.
Texas, Frisco - ZT Records (photo).
(Thanks @wichid1, @chrisleblanc79, @MarbleAndStone, Stacey, Craig W,, @MatthewVerkamp, Jerko, @thequeenofsiam, notquitefaust, @msretro,)
Thursday, April 17, 2014
50 Best Alternative Albums of the '90s
Full list at Metroweekly.
13. The Cure - 'Wish' (1992)
By 1992, The Cure was at the peak of their commercial prowess. Their 1989 album Disintegration was widely hailed as a masterpiece, and it brought them new levels of success. Wish rode that momentum all the way at #2 on the Billboard Top 200 album chart. They were playing in large arenas all over the world. Fortunately The Cure had the best line-up of their existence, including the fantastic Boris Williams on drums (he’d leave after this album), Porl Thompson and Perry Bamonte on guitar and keyboard, Simon Gallup on bass and of course Robert Smith on whatever he wants at any given moment. For Wish, The Cure went back to the formula that worked for 1987’s Kiss Me Kiss Me Kiss Me -- it’s a dizzying quilt-work of styles, from hard-rocking psychedelic epics like the hallucinatory opener “Open,” the massive centerpiece of the album “From the Edge of the Deep Green Sea,” and the violent waves of guitar on the gripping finale “End.” Then there’s Robert Smith’s euphoric pop side, which is explored on tracks like the ebullient “High”, the sunny pop/rocker “Friday I’m in Love” and the absolutely giddy “Doing the Unstuck.” There are also some beautiful ballads, like the heartsick “Apart,” and the two delicate tracks that form the core of the album’s second half: “Trust” and “To Wish Impossible Things.” Wish is sometimes undervalued in light of the brilliance of its predecessors, but that’s unfair. It’s arguably The Cure’s last truly great album. (Thanks @banditFFX)
13. The Cure - 'Wish' (1992)
By 1992, The Cure was at the peak of their commercial prowess. Their 1989 album Disintegration was widely hailed as a masterpiece, and it brought them new levels of success. Wish rode that momentum all the way at #2 on the Billboard Top 200 album chart. They were playing in large arenas all over the world. Fortunately The Cure had the best line-up of their existence, including the fantastic Boris Williams on drums (he’d leave after this album), Porl Thompson and Perry Bamonte on guitar and keyboard, Simon Gallup on bass and of course Robert Smith on whatever he wants at any given moment. For Wish, The Cure went back to the formula that worked for 1987’s Kiss Me Kiss Me Kiss Me -- it’s a dizzying quilt-work of styles, from hard-rocking psychedelic epics like the hallucinatory opener “Open,” the massive centerpiece of the album “From the Edge of the Deep Green Sea,” and the violent waves of guitar on the gripping finale “End.” Then there’s Robert Smith’s euphoric pop side, which is explored on tracks like the ebullient “High”, the sunny pop/rocker “Friday I’m in Love” and the absolutely giddy “Doing the Unstuck.” There are also some beautiful ballads, like the heartsick “Apart,” and the two delicate tracks that form the core of the album’s second half: “Trust” and “To Wish Impossible Things.” Wish is sometimes undervalued in light of the brilliance of its predecessors, but that’s unfair. It’s arguably The Cure’s last truly great album. (Thanks @banditFFX)
Andy Anderson interview
Our friend Bianca interviewed Andy Anderson for Exclama magazine. Here's an excerpt:
"Are there any special memories you'd like to share with us about your work with Robert Smith?
Working with Robert Smith, was a unique and enriching experience. He knows exactly what he wants from each song, each sound, each letter; what makes, for me, the process of creation is very interesting and special. It is unique in its form and manner and allowed me to add my own approach and feel each track, so ultimately it was a very affable and huge content for my experience. It was a very happy time in my life."
(Thanks and congratulations, Bianca!)
"Are there any special memories you'd like to share with us about your work with Robert Smith?
Working with Robert Smith, was a unique and enriching experience. He knows exactly what he wants from each song, each sound, each letter; what makes, for me, the process of creation is very interesting and special. It is unique in its form and manner and allowed me to add my own approach and feel each track, so ultimately it was a very affable and huge content for my experience. It was a very happy time in my life."
(Thanks and congratulations, Bianca!)
New issue of 'The 13th' fanzine
Issue #8 of The Cure fanzine 'The 13th' has been released, and features an interview with Cindy Levinson from Levinhurst. Read it here. (Thanks Diego)
Tuesday, April 15, 2014
Simon Gallup to be on Naked Lunch
During today's interview with Tim Pope on her Soho Radio show Naked Lunch, Simone said Simon Gallup will be a guest on an upcoming show! No date given, but I'll update as soon as I know. Tim mentioned she should "get him on to Doctor Who. He loves Doctor Who". Yes, please! :)
And in case you've missed all of Simon's tributes & shoutouts to DW, I've been keeping track of them here.
And in case you've missed all of Simon's tributes & shoutouts to DW, I've been keeping track of them here.
Tim Pope on Radio Soho today
With @simonemarie4 at @sohoradio today playing tracks, talking Bowie, Iggy, Cure, etc., new projects. 2-4 recording show, then on their site
— Tim Pope (@timpopedirector) April 15, 2014
Photo of Tim posted by @sohoradio on Instagram. And another from @simonemarie4.
Interview is up. Just click on Naked Lunch Episode 2
Tim assures us that he has it on the HIGHEST authority, that the LatAm film will be put together. It will actually happen. "It will be put together, so please stop asking me about it". :)
Sunday, April 13, 2014
Win BottleRock single day passes
Follow us on @instagram @bottlerocknapa & guess our lyrical quote to win a pair of #BRNV14 single day passes #29DaysApril ~CT
— BottleRock Napa (@BottleRockNapa) April 1, 2014
You really might want to try this. A bunch of fans have already won. Get Instagram and follow @botlerocknapa on there and on Twitter. When they post that day's lyric quiz, and there's no set time for when they'll post it, be the 1st to name the artist & song title on Instagram, along with the #BRNV14 tag, and you win a pair of 1 day passes. Good luck!Update (04/19/14): And now they're starting another giveaway.
"Get ready for a little scavenger hunt Napa Valley! The Easter Bunny is busy stashing #BRNV14 tickets all over the valley. We'll post several clues a day over the next five days to help you find your prize! Hippity hop..." Follow them on Twitter & Facebook for the clues to finding the location where the tickets are hidden.
Friday, April 11, 2014
Tim posts Video Killed the Radio Star special
OK, this is going to be on my website for a limited time - a TV prog on The Cure vids - enjoy! http://t.co/eVHrElgMIC
— Tim Pope (@timpopedirector) April 11, 2014
And Tim has now removed it.
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