The Cure: Classic or Dud?

Why haven't the Cure released a collection of their actual 12" versions?

That "Mixed up" was going to be exactly this, then they listened to them and decided they didn't like them for the most part.

It's not like The Cure are the Grateful Dead or something where the live versions reveal something that the good-sounding album tracks don't.

eeehhhh, sometimes they do! but the live versions on the deluxe albums are usually fairly crappy versions off cassettes iirc

That "Mixed up" was going to be exactly this, then they listened to them and decided they didn't like them for the most part

Out of eleven tracks, there were only three properly "new" mixes on the Mixed Up album, counting the Close To Me remix released as a single a couple of months earlier. (There were more newly-made mixes on the various B-sides of the time, including the best one of all, David Harrow's Red mix of Primary.) Two songs were straight-out re-recorded because the master tapes had been lost.

Yes, but how many old mixes just did not get included?

Weeeell, it was never announced as a categoric collection of all their remixes ever. I agree it's a bummer that the deluxes didn't find room for more actually-released archive material, but it's a bigger shame that Robert's busted ears botched so much of the remastering.

No, it wasn't. But I believe that was the spark of the idea.

Funnily enough, it's the one I played most back in the (series of) days.

to try and nail this down (I have a CD-R of most of these somewhere that I wish i could cross-reference now), 12" versions not used on Mixed Up:

- Primary (Extended) [1981 - new mix on a Mixed Up b-side, but I think it's actually another new recording due to missing masters, so this one might not count]

- Let's Go to Bed (Extended Mix) [1982 - new mix on a Mixed Up b-side]
- Just One Kiss (Extended Mix) [b-side of the LGTB 12"]

- The Love Cats (Extended Version) [a whopping 4:37 in 1983]

- In Between Days (Extended Version) [1985 - new mix on a Mixed Up b-side]

- Close To Me (Extended Remix) [1985 - new 7" and 12" mixes done for a pre-Mixed Up single]

- Hey You!!! (Extended Remix) [a whopping 4:06 on the b-side of Hot Hot Hot in 1987. this is a good one though!]

...and just in case you poke the goalposts again on the grounds that that there were 7" remixes too:

Close To Me (Remix) [already on Standing On A Beach, new 7" and 12" mixes done for a pre-Mixed Up single]
Just Like Heaven [7" remix not included, new mix on a Mixed Up b-side, 7" now on Galore]
Hot Hot Hot!!! [7" remix not included, but the 12" remix was; 7" now on Galore]
Lullaby [7" remix not included, but the 12" remix was; 7" now on Galore]
Fascination Street [7" remix not included, but the 12" remix was; 7" now on Galore
Lovesong [7" remix not included, but the 12" remix was; 7" now on Galore]

and Boys Don't Cry (New Voice · Club Mix) was still in print in 1990. Neither the New Mix nor the Club Mix have been included on any audio-only compilation since, AFAIK.

^ memory and checking against wikipedia and discogs, further pedantry welcome

That's brill.

"Never Enough" had a few versions, didn't it?

Hey You!!! (Extended Remix) [a whopping 4:06 on the b-side of Hot Hot Hot in 1987. this is a good one though!]

This one made it to Join The Dots I think. Don't think any of the others did though.

Actually, it seems I was thinking of "Close to me" closer, closest, etc..

Whereas "Never Enough" was only "big mix" or not.

LGTB new 1990 b-side mix ("milk mix" if memory serves me well) is my favourite of this whole lot.

yeah, bay area show was excellent. never sitting on the lawn there again though. not too many complaints about the setlist but I could have done without Wrong Number which I hate. Good selection of Pornography tracks.

There was only the one _Pornography_ track, though!

It's not like The Cure are the Grateful Dead or something where the live versions reveal something that the good-sounding album tracks don't.

I don't know, going back to the three guitar "Wish" line-up, I thought the live stuff I've heard from that era brought out an edge and chaos somewhat buried in the recordings. I mean, Simon and Boris are going to do the same thing each night - that's their job - but the guitars to me sound bigger and more jagged. I like that aspect.

"a forest" was incredible live (i was at the bay area show last night)

My list of essential deluxe edition bonus disc tracks:

Charlotte Sometimes

Are the remasters really that bad?

I was at Shoreline last night too. The mini-set of five Head on the Door songs was the highlight for me, particularly getting to hear Screw and Kyoto Song. Robert joked that Sinking would have fit nicely after Screw, but they went into The Walk instead. I'll take that.

Many xposts:

I also find it rather hilarious/annoying that some of the best "new" remixes they did for Mixed Up only came out on b-sides from the time. To my count, there was:

Just Like Heaven (Dizzy Mix) <this was on Join the Dots>
Primary (Red Mix)
Let's Go to Bed (Milk Mix)

Inexplicably, the Just Like Heaven mix is probably the weakest of the three and now it's the one that is most widely available.

I made my own "Extended mixes" compilation years ago, where I tried to gather up the uncompiled/harder to find long mixes that they did. It is not complete, but the tracklist is such:

Boys Don't Cry (New Voice - Club Mix)
Let's Go to Bed (12" Mix)
Just One Kiss (12" Mix)
The Lovecats (Extended Remix)
Close to Me (12" Mix)
Why Can't I Be You? (Extended Mix)
A Japanese Dream (Extended Mix)
A Letter to Elise (12" Mix)
High (Higher Mix)
Friday, I'm in Love (Strangelove Mix)
A Letter to Elise (Blue Mix)

"There was only the one _Pornography_ track, though!"

oh yeah I guess so. but I heard 100 Years and the Figurehead at soundcheck outside so I forgot.

The remasters are ok; i know some people have complained that they're overly compressed but I don't really have any issues with how they sound; I guess there's also an edit problem with Shake Dog Shake on the Top. The bonus tracks though, for the most part, never grabbed me; good to listen to once, but not lifechanging. Join the Dots is a better companion. Let's just say: I got rid of all my cds of the remasters (except for Disintegration) and kept rips of them because I didn't feel that wedded to them.

also don't think Ned and I both didn't think of Dan when they played Push

What's the edit problem on "Shake Dog Shake"?

Part of the initial drum roll is cut off. It's very slight, but definitely noticeable if you're very familiar with the song.

I think the remastersame sound great, much better than the originals. It's the bonus disks that aren't essential.

Stupid spell check

bonus dicks would have been better

Remastersame is a word?

My spell check put those two words together

Or something went haywire

I was just trying to add an s

I like the sound of the remasters that I bought (first 4), but the lack of quality control and lack of complete bonus discs put me off the next batch.

Quality control issues: pages missing from booklet from 1st LP, dropout during "M" should have been repaired, "Other Voices" intro at end of "Primary" track...

they played two new songs at my show, here is the other one called "Step Into The Light":
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=18ENsKMYaNk

yeah they did that last night too. it's alright. the other new song is better.

Nobody mentioned "Pictures Of You", which had a single mix, an extended mix, and the extended dub mix that made it on Mixed Up.

Friend of mine made a playlist of every song they've played on this tour

https://open.spotify.com/user/12137425947/playlist/2lbeYZWuBordnJCE9Hgwya

I've listened to the bonus discs on Spotify and decided I can live without them.

Just listening to The Top right now - one of my favourites. The title song is amazing

The title track is one of their most underrated songs, IMO. One of those tracks they really should be playing live.

The Top also has THE MIGHTY BANANA SONG!!

So-called because it sucks mighty banana!

Salinger reference an' all.

No way, Turrican. No way.

i love "Bananafishbones."

^ this.

Best part of 'The Top' is when the drums return after the line 'you just imagine it's cold'. Also, I discovered embarrassingly late that the toy heard in the first and last few seconds of that song is called ... a top. [Insert obligatory 'English is not my native language' comment here.]

The title track is one of their most underrated songs, IMO. One of those tracks they really should be playing live.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UoxouXuFrLI

The end of this Sasquatch review of The Cure's set emphasizes why festivals are so shit:

"The set also went on far too long – an hour and 45 minutes. Watching a band come out for two encores when only 20 or 30 people are clapping and 95 percent of the crowd has fled was just one of the anomalies of a Sasquatch day that will be long remembered."

xxxpost:

Smith claims not to remember much about making The Top, but I seem to remember reading an interview where he said they spent ages trying to get the best take when recording the spinning top!

Also, I discovered embarrassingly late that the toy heard in the first and last few seconds of that song is called ... a top. [Insert obligatory 'English is not my native language' comment here.]

― ArchCarrier, Tuesday, 31 May 2016 10:34 (12 hours ago) Bookmark Flag Post Permalink

Ha! Fascinating when something so "obvious" understandably doesn't convey to non-native speakers. I must say that for some reason "The Top" also makes me think of the big top of a circus.

There's also a top on the front and back covers - seen from above on the front, side-on on the back.
http://eil.com/images/main/The+Cure+The+Top+104347b.jpg