It's a look I spent several teenage years emulating. I just don't think it works for him anymore...
― Duke, Tuesday, 7 June 2016 17:59 (eight years ago) link
No offence to any grannies out there..
― Duke, Tuesday, 7 June 2016 18:01 (eight years ago) link
I dunno, for some reason I think I'd find it a bit bizarre if RS decided to step on stage with short hair, no make-up and uh... leisurewear.
― Turrican, Tuesday, 7 June 2016 18:16 (eight years ago) link
it's stupid how much people are hung up on robert's looks (plus he looks cool). you all probably look like shit.
― kurt schwitterz, Tuesday, 7 June 2016 18:31 (eight years ago) link
Hahaha, I probably do. The make up still suits him, IMO. I think it's mainly the hair - it's lost its energy. Anyway...
― Duke, Tuesday, 7 June 2016 19:44 (eight years ago) link
why the hell would i want to show up to a Cure show and have Robert Smith with close cropped hair and a tasteful black t-shirt and dress pants combo like he's Sting or David Gilmour or some shit??
also, people say, "I dunno his whole look is starting to look a bit ridiculous at his age"...like WHAT AGE DID IT NOT LOOK RIDICULOUS TO BE THIS CRAZY ERASERHEAD LIPSTICK DEATH CLOWN?? 28? 34?
#staygoth
― rockpalast '82 (upper mississippi sh@kedown), Tuesday, 7 June 2016 19:56 (eight years ago) link
So how do you propose I harness this hair energy before it all gets lost?
― Turrican, Tuesday, 7 June 2016 20:01 (eight years ago) link
i kinda stopped paying attention after Wish (probably like a lot of casual fans) but anyway Wild Mood Swings is a pretty cool album so far
― rockpalast '82 (upper mississippi sh@kedown), Tuesday, 7 June 2016 20:11 (eight years ago) link
Xpost The other side of the coin is this:http://i2.kym-cdn.com/entries/icons/original/000/018/666/fellowkids.jpg
― Duke, Tuesday, 7 June 2016 21:06 (eight years ago) link
I never demanded he be "tasteful"
― Duke, Tuesday, 7 June 2016 21:08 (eight years ago) link
there's nothing he can do either way he's just a mirror of our own despair over our eventually aging and death, which is cure's job!
― rockpalast '82 (upper mississippi sh@kedown), Tuesday, 7 June 2016 21:13 (eight years ago) link
The guy looks and appears the way he does and is currently making bank on a cross-country tour that has received rapturous acclaim. I don't think he's worried about being concern trolled over his hairspray.
― Ned Raggett, Tuesday, 7 June 2016 21:20 (eight years ago) link
Slicing Up Eyeballs recently shared a photo a fan took of themselves with Robert and one of the other Cure guys whom they ran into on the street. Smith was 'incognito', which is to say sans makeup and hairspray, and I can't be the only one who was shocked that in such a state he looked like any normal middle-aged rocker dude.
― Now I Know How Joan of Arcadia Felt (C. Grisso/McCain), Tuesday, 7 June 2016 21:31 (eight years ago) link
Yeah, I saw that picture, and if it wasn't for the hair and outfit he'd just look like your average 57 year old guy. There's nothing wrong with his look - it works for him, it works for the fans, and I'd find it utterly surreal to see him perform tracks like 'Plainsong' or 'One Hundred Years' looking like yer regular middle-aged musician. Besides, it's Robert Smith! He's earned the right to look however he fucking wants to look!
― the hair - it's lost its energy (Turrican), Tuesday, 7 June 2016 22:23 (eight years ago) link
I remember when he showed up in the Hot Hot Hot video in short hair and I was like rawrr
― orifex, Tuesday, 7 June 2016 23:16 (eight years ago) link
Looks like Slicing Up Eyeballs isn't posting on the blog anymore. Where did you see that photo?
― brotherlovesdub, Tuesday, 7 June 2016 23:21 (eight years ago) link
I'd like to see him adopt a look more befitting his age, maybe something along the lines of Mike Love
― medical margarita (rip van wanko), Tuesday, 7 June 2016 23:54 (eight years ago) link
also as the show draws closer i'm realizing something about myself: i like to think of myself as someone who wants the deep cuts but i really want the HITS gimme gimme gimme all those sweet hits fellas don't let me down with some oh this was a b-side from a single off The Top shit
you won't be disappointed. they play a bunch of the hits and maybe one b-side.
― Bee OK, Wednesday, 8 June 2016 01:21 (eight years ago) link
Here's the pic http://66.media.tumblr.com/tumblr_m744gcJxs61qeetdyo1_1280.jpg
He look cool af
― kurt schwitterz, Wednesday, 8 June 2016 05:46 (eight years ago) link
Pretty decent singles band
A touch dour, innit?
― normcore strengthening exercises (benbbag), Wednesday, 8 June 2016 05:52 (eight years ago) link
I wish RS would change his look.
― Duke, Tuesday, June 7, 2016 1:46 PM (Yesterday) Bookmark Flag Post Permalink
He looks like someone's grandmother
I gather you go to The Cure for reinforcement of your fragile masculinity and to assuage your fear of death?
I believe they're only doing updates on Facebook and Twitter (?) now.
― Now I Know How Joan of Arcadia Felt (C. Grisso/McCain), Wednesday, 8 June 2016 06:07 (eight years ago) link
He doesn't look that different in the photo.
― Robert Adam Gilmour, Wednesday, 8 June 2016 07:01 (eight years ago) link
What is with those boots?!
― lingereffect (Kent Burt), Wednesday, 8 June 2016 12:20 (eight years ago) link
they are big ugly goth boots
he looks like he's slimmed down quite a bit from that pic
― akm, Wednesday, 8 June 2016 13:15 (eight years ago) link
I hope that Robert Smith continues to look like someone's goth granny forever, and never ends up being one of these people:
a promo photo thread for '80s/'90s bands oozing sobriety and wisdom in the present day
― soref, Wednesday, 8 June 2016 13:23 (eight years ago) link
Huh, I didn't know Robert Smith was Asian.
― Josh in Chicago, Wednesday, 8 June 2016 14:23 (eight years ago) link
can't believe Robert Smith has long teased hair and large shoes, omg, so unexpected, he's destroying my childhood
― glandular lansbury (sic), Wednesday, 8 June 2016 17:45 (eight years ago) link
literally unprecedented
― glandular lansbury (sic), Wednesday, 8 June 2016 17:46 (eight years ago) link
I don't particularly care for any masculinity I may or may not have.
It's odd that suggesting that RS change his look results in a) defensive insults and b) the conclusion that this means he must dress like one of the Golden Girls.
― Duke, Wednesday, 8 June 2016 22:40 (eight years ago) link
Well...what would you suggest his look be? Especially given said casual airport shot?
― Ned Raggett, Wednesday, 8 June 2016 22:55 (eight years ago) link
I suggest he change his look be one of the following:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hgc8GjaLgxw
― soref, Wednesday, 8 June 2016 23:19 (eight years ago) link
TONIGHT TONIGHT TONIGHT
― Benson and the Jets (ENBB), Thursday, 16 June 2016 16:13 (eight years ago) link
;_;
― volumetric god rays (DJP), Thursday, 16 June 2016 16:13 (eight years ago) link
BOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!
― Benson and the Jets (ENBB), Thursday, 16 June 2016 16:15 (eight years ago) link
Ah man, I was hoping you'd get to go, DJP!
― Ned Raggett, Thursday, 16 June 2016 17:04 (eight years ago) link
Saw them in Montréal tuesday. We got the Bloodflowers setlist, which I was fine with since I like that album, but I think the crowd would have prefered a bit less from it. I think the one they got in Chicago the first night was perfect.Nevertheless, they are amazing live and so generous and Robert's voice is incredibly great.
― LeRooLeRoo, Thursday, 16 June 2016 17:18 (eight years ago) link
I assume this was awesome
― volumetric god rays (DJP), Friday, 17 June 2016 13:11 (eight years ago) link
http://www.setlist.fm/setlist/the-cure/2016/agganis-arena-boston-ma-3fe7943.html
p dece
― Roberto Spiralli, Friday, 17 June 2016 13:16 (eight years ago) link
oh fucking hell, the encores ;_;
― volumetric god rays (DJP), Friday, 17 June 2016 13:17 (eight years ago) link
Man, the first night of that Chicago setlist. Wish I went, but couldn't go.
― Josh in Chicago, Friday, 17 June 2016 13:19 (eight years ago) link
seeing these dudes tmrrow at the garden excited
― Treeship, Monday, 20 June 2016 04:21 (seven years ago) link
Encore #3. A lil much imo.
― Treeship, Tuesday, 21 June 2016 03:10 (seven years ago) link
"Sinking"! Lots of Wish!
I'm going to the Sunday show in Miami.
― The burrito of ennui (Alfred, Lord Sotosyn), Tuesday, 21 June 2016 12:33 (seven years ago) link
Cured: The Tale of Two Imaginary BoysBy Lol Tolhurst, out October 11thFormer Cure drummer Lol Tolhurst chronicles his 13-year stint with the band – and the struggles with alcohol that ended it.
― ArchCarrier, Thursday, 8 September 2016 12:16 (seven years ago) link
http://pitchfork-cdn.s3.amazonaws.com/content/CURED%20book%20cover.jpg
― ArchCarrier, Thursday, 8 September 2016 12:17 (seven years ago) link
(Sorry, old news, although I hadn't heard about it before.)
can't wait for this - and glad to read promo interviews with Lol, where he seems to be in a really good place
― licorice oratorio (baaderonixx), Thursday, 8 September 2016 14:32 (seven years ago) link
Haha, his name is Lol
― punksishippies, Thursday, 8 September 2016 15:39 (seven years ago) link
in preparation for the concernt, I decided to use my trial Tidal membership to listen to the Cure discography from beginning to end...damn...following up Three Imaginary Boys with Seventeen Seconds is one of the great "step yo game up" moves in rock history jesus...
damn...following up Three Imaginary Boys with Seventeen Seconds is one of the great "step yo game up" moves in rock history jesus...
Had a chance to read Lol's book via an advance and his story of what went into this change is great.
And indeed, to expand out: Lol's book is VERY good. In fact I'd rate it alongside Bob Mehr's Trouble Boys as my unexpected pleasure of the year, and there's a certain parallel focus -- a suburban upbringing where some sort of 'care' for addiction is understood but not fully carried out or addressed, with horrible consequences. Obviously not as tragic as what happened with Bob Stinson but Tolhurst doesn't spare himself in terms of the track he was on, and what it took to fully get him out of it. And suburban/'new town' England isn't Minneapolis but there's a similar sense of aimlessness into punk as focus point as a driver, and what resulted.
I won't go completely on about the book so as not to spoil everything, but there's definitely a heartfelt vibe throughout, Tolhurst taking a lot of retrospective stock -- you can argue at a couple of points he goes past the point of natural reserve, but it's not constant. He definitely doesn't spare himself at numerous points along the way, and there's absolutely no sense of blame in terms of what went wrong with him and Robert and the band other than on his own head. He's now spent over two decades getting it back together and I think it shows; it's definitely a book of a long view, and a long rekindled friendship as well (I hadn't realized how far back now he and Robert buried the hatchet). And again without going into it too much there's some moments of distinct personal tragedy I was simply unaware of that are gut-wrenching -- he doesn't offer them as excuse, simply acknowledgment of what else he had to deal with. One moment in the closing chapters drew me up sharp quite terribly.
All the early band detail is really remarkable in particular, from when he and Robert met as kids through to around 1986 or so; stories galore, and Tolhurst makes mention of (and at the end lists) a wide variety of people he interviewed, probably to compare memories since everything is very much told through his eyes. The result is extremely rich; as much as Ten Imaginary Years was a good enough piece of work at the time, I think this will have to stand as the definitive accounting of that time now, until/unless Robert decides to go for it himself, since he was the only other one appearing in all the incarnations through that stretch. Lots of fascinating little details -- it's not fully song-by-song comprehensive, but it gives a distinct flavor all along the way.
As things get bad the Kiss Me/Disintegration years understandably more focus on him shutting down/shutting out everyone, so less information there and of course after that it's his own very good story. One extremely interesting point in retrospect -- he's always pretty careful about mentioning who appeared when in the band during his stint, or who returned and so forth, giving everyone their due. But it's very telling to realize that Roger O'Donnell wasn't mentioned *once* during the Kiss Me/Disintegration stretch, and only is mentioned a bit casually near the end. Given he was drafted during the KM release/tour phase to back up Tolhurst and was part of the Disintegration sessions and all that, I can't tell if it's an intentional downplaying by silence on Tolhurst's part or, as I kinda feel is more the case, a kind of admission he was so incredibly out of it that he almost didn't even notice. (O'Donnell for his part kinda confirmed this a few years back via his own memories of the sessions; look for the paragraph that starts: "I think it's pretty much common knowledge how Lol was treated in those days...")
Anyway, there's an extensive book tour coming up in the States -- think it's already started in the UK -- and Pearl Thompson's supposed to be at a few of the ones over here, so it might be worth going to if you're near one. But yeah, anyone who's even a little bit more than a casual fan really needs the book.
― Ned Raggett, Tuesday, 13 September 2016 19:56 (seven years ago) link