The Cure: Classic or Dud?

Pearl/Porl judging from [...] comments on social media

?

called them a tribute band or something on Instagram

xp Porl changed his name to Pearl a few years ago now

oh nvm i misread that because i'm tired lol

I would have thought that might have something to do with it not being one of their more popular live numbers than any difficulty Roger O'Donnell would have playing keyboard parts that he himself actually played on the studio version to begin with(!)

Oh, I never meant it wasn't played because it was difficult, quite the contrary! I said it must be tough to be a Cure keyboard player because the vast majority of the songs are simple/minimal/one-finger, yet many of their players have been more than competent enough to handle more complex stuff, which I can imagine is pretty frustrating/boring/stultifying. And yet RS clearly prefers that nothing gets too fancy, so any any keyboard player ready and hopeful for a Homesick or something a bit more flashy is going to be stuck playing a lot of tambourine.

xpost The last time I saw the band, some time ago, was when they were playing as a keyboard-free four-piece, iirc, with Porl, and I remember being pretty disappointed. It sounds like they've sort of sprung back to life after that, but I haven't had a chance to catch them again since.

I saw that tour and I kinda liked it as a full-on rock Cure. And given Pearl left of her own volition, unsure why she's complaining.

complaining is fun!

I noticed during the interview segments that first it was the current band, then it was Michael, Lol, Perry & Boris, then Pearl Thompson alone.

Though apparently RS made a point of thanking the previous members of the band, living and dead.

And given Pearl left of her own volition, unsure why she's complaining.

I went through the last six months of her instagram, and the only reference to The Cure is an RIP message to Andy Anderson - are these complaints in comments on other people’s posts or something?

(of course, she could have left because she felt they had become a tribute band, specially given the eleven-year non-release of 4:14 Scream, and “Classic Album” event concerts.)

I always have a sense of Pearl being someone who followed her own distinct muse -- she was there at the start, after all, did a lot of the design work along the way, a participating artist as part of a larger project who stepped away as desired (thus the time with Page and Plant back in the 1990s, etc.). So yeah, it could be she eventually felt that the well had run a little dry, and given RS's long term pause on new material, why not?

all her album and single covers are all-time, so gorgeous... just look at the covers for all the Kiss Me singles

i heard they played and opened with "Shake Dog Shake" as a tribute to Andy Anderson. <3

I wonder if there were any issues with Pearl's transition among the band members - as much as we'd like them to be better people than that. But The Cure have never had a female member, nor any contributions from women on their records that I know of, aside from Siouxsie's vocal on "I'm Cold" and that single with Saffron.

I also dimly recall Porl (as he was) being in a relationship with Robert's sister Janet back in the 80s.

He was married to Robert's sister, is now married to someone else.

*They were

Sorry, force of habit, since I've been so used to referring to Thompson as "he" for decades.

Has Thompson ever gone on record as how they identify? I mean, sure, the name change would suggest some kind of gender transition, but Thompson has always been a very arty type and they have always had their own thing going aesthetically/fashion wise. I have no idea if Thompson identifies as he or she, but I can be fairly certain that the name change is a form of rebranding, whether that's to start a new life living as a woman or just an artistic way of making a clean break with the past. I guess we won't know unless Thompson comes out and says it - and they are very well known for keeping their private life private.

I don’t believe so - I switched to “she” because she was female-presenting for a while, but Pearl seems to have only formally announced a legal name change, and to still be referred to as “he” by IRL associates (eg Lol and art-world types).

robert has worked with lots of women. let's not forget his time in the banshees, also.

i'd consider mary an unofficial member. kind of like an emotional billy preston or smthgidk she's also the only non-band member / non-model to have ever appeared on cover art.

ned, your last post above was terrific. my compliments to the chef.👍🏻

I'm not accusing RS of sexism or whatever, more that The Cure has always seemed like a bit of a boys' club / football team in its group dynamic. Can you name any women RS has worked with apart from Siouxsie and Saffron?
Not trying to pick a fight, it's just something which occurred to me, that I'm surprised I haven't noticed before.

Jeanette Landray

Caroline Crawley

Alison Shaw?

Landray for sure, my bad. I don’t think he worked with Crawley beyond liking SO and inviting them on tour - Boris ended up on a band with her though. And the Cranes connection ... ? Also Crystal Castles but that’s not exactly an endorsement these days.
I’m sure there are many bands you could level the boys’ club accusation at, though.

Most of them?

Anyway to get back on initial topic, I’m pretty sure Pearl/Porl’s departure and subsequent ill feelings had nothing to do with possible transition. Pure speculation but I would imagine it’s a mix of personal animosity (divorce with Janet occurred at same time, no?) and artistic (Porl’s always followed his inspiration as Ned said and the last 20 years of the Cure have been pretty vacuous creatively speaking)

Yeah, this is nitpicky.

Agreed, sorry for the derail. I was a Cure obsessive 1985-1990 so it’s hard to see them fade. Hope the new record is a stormer.

it's odd to still listen to a band who are still active but whose last meaningful release (for me) was thirty years ago. I remember buying it the day it came out.

I go ways back with them as well. My timeline same as yours, Mathewk. For me "...Deep Green Sea" was the last of their great songs. Still, I check up on the them when there's news and it still makes me incredibly happy to see the "old" crew reunited for whatever reasons (I'm Team HOTD" as my fave lineup). It also reminds me that I'm growing older seeing my musical heroes wearing the signs of age. Love them.

I don’t think he worked with Crawley beyond liking SO and inviting them on tour -

They'd guest onstage during shows (Cranes too). I shouldn't think that Robert was ever in the same room as Alice Glass for Not In Love, and likely not on the same continent.

I was listening to the s/t and 4:13 Dream today and I do not for one second regret sticking with them through their latter-era albums.

i actually think 4:13 Dream is a really good album almost great. the only problem with it is the production. there are some really good songs on that album that is seem to hum to myself out of the blue ie "The Only One." i never really got into the self titled album but i should play it again to see why it never really stuck for me.

Yeah poor production, tuneless shout-singing and lazy lyrics are what drags these albums down. The music is otherwise still pretty great.

I don’t think you can blame “The doleful cant of a bigot / Blinded by fear and hate” on laziness

I was listening to the s/t and 4:13 Dream today and I do not for one second regret sticking with them through their latter-era albums.

This is accurate.

jammin' 'a forest' from concert right now and i have to chuckle at how un-epic it is; especially considering that it would become upwards of twenty minutes at some shows in the later 80s and especially in the 90s.

i mean, damn, you heard that opening note towards the end the set and it was like, "ladies and gentlemen, the gothful dead" after a while.

i'm finally back as my sabbatical has come to an end and just in time too:

https://i.imgur.com/jBrRvVB.jpg

they had me at The Cure but add the Pixies and Mogwai to the bill? i'm going and $150 for this bill is not bad at all. a Saturday Night in the summertime in Los Angeles. a bit like heaven.

i did see the Cure at the Rose Bowl before, it was The Wish tour and Dinosaur Jr with the Cranes opened that show.

not even gonna mention the Throwing Muses are playing, huh.

Xp I think there were a few of us ilxors at that show :)

I went to the version of that show in NoCal (Shoreline, I think).

More than a few of us.

https://nedraggett.wordpress.com/2010/07/19/not-just-the-ticket-53-the-cure-june-27-1992/

(While tempted, I'm not doing this upcoming show; it would be easy enough to fly down and all but that very night Bryan Ferry is playing up here in the Bay Area, and I've seen the Cure numerous times and Bryan Ferry, never. So, priorities. Also, I rather assume they'll play here either right before or right after the LA date, so.)

DJI I think it was at San Jose State football stadium, remember the fireworks?

Email campaign to get Ferry to cover "Sinking."

i never had any interest to go to la for 55 years but the cure plus the pixies plus the throwing muses, three fave groups from when i was a twen of whom i have seen none live might change that, it is is just a 14 hour flight incl. a stop over from bloody old berlin, so why not?

alomar - um - maybe? That was a LONG time ago.