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This article is about The Cure, the rock band. For other article subjects named The Cure see The Cure (disambiguation).
The Cure is a British Gothic rock band that is considered one of the leading pioneers of the Gothic genre, as well as of the British alternative rock and post-punk scenes of the 1980s.
In 1976 Robert Smith, a 17 year old student in Sussex, formed The Easy Cure with schoolmates Michael Dempsey (bass), Lol Tolhurst (drums) and Porl Thompson (guitar). They began writing their own songs almost immediately, and quickly amassed both an impressive repertoire of original material and a growing following.
In 1978 they changed their name to The Cure, and were signed as a trio (minus Porl Thompson) by the new Fiction label. They released their first single, "Killing an Arab" to great acclaim and controversy. "Killing an Arab" was criticized as racist for its provocative title, but in fact the song is based on French existentialist Albert Camus' story The Stranger. The song was packaged with a label that denied the racist connotations.
In 1979, they released the album Three Imaginary Boys and embarked on an extensive period of touring, during which they performed with various other iconic bands such as Joy Division and Siouxsie & the Banshees, leading eventually to a collaboration between Smith and Banshees member Steven Severin, released under the name The Glove.
The next single, "Boys Don't Cry" was a minor hit in the US, and Three Imaginary Boys was repackaged for sale there as Boys Don't Cry. Member Michael Dempsey left the band, and Simon Gallup (bass) and Matthieu Hartley (keyboards) joined.
In 1980 the 4-piece Cure released "Seventeen Seconds" which reached #20 on the UK charts. "A Forest" became the band's first UK hit single. The Cure set out on its first world tour, at the end of which Matthieu Hartley left the band. In 1981 came the album Faith, which hit #14 on the UK charts, as well as an instrumental soundtrack for the film Carnage Visors (these were packaged together on a long-play cassette). Carnage Visors was used as a "tour support" film for their "Picture Tour".
In 1982 The Cure recorded Pornography, a bleak, nihilist offering that led to rumours that Smith was suicidal. Perhaps because of the rumours, Pornography became the band's first UK Top 10 album, hitting the charts at #9. The release was followed by the "Fourteen Explicit Moments" tour, and by increasing problems among the members, and Simon Gallup left the group.
In 1983 The Cure released 2 more singles, "The Walk" (UK #12) and "The Lovecats" the band's first UK top 10 single at #7. The same year, Smith also recorded and toured with Siouxsie and the Banshees, contributing his writing and playing skills on their Hyaena and Nocturne albums, as well as recording the Blue Sunshine album as The Glove; (see above) and releasing the Cure album Japanese Whispers comprised of three singles and their B-sides.
In 1984 they released The Top an album on which Smith played all the instruments except the drums. The Cure then embarked on their "Top Tour" with returnee Porl Thompson, Andy Anderson, and Phil Thornalley. At the end of the tour, however, both Andy Anderson and Phil Thornalley were replaced by returnee Simon Gallup and Boris Williams.
In 1985 the new lineup released The Head on the Door which reached #7 in the UK and #59 on the American charts. Following this release and another world tour, the band released Standing on a Beach, a collection featuring all The Cure's singles and B-sides. The album's title was taken from a line in the song "Killing an Arab". This release was accompanied by a video version called Staring at the Sea and by another tour, as well as a live concert film called The Cure In Orange.
In 1987 The Cure released the double album Kiss Me Kiss Me Kiss Me, and embarked on the "Kissing Tour."
In 1988 the Ten Imaginary Years biography was released, and Lol Tolhurst left the band. In 1989 they released the album Disintegration which became their highest top ten album at #3 and featured 4 Top 20 singles ("Lullaby", "Fascination Street", "Pictures of You", and "Lovesong").
In 1990 The Cure released a collection of remixes called Mixed Up, followed in 1992 by Wish which went straight to #1 in the UK and to #2 in the US, and accompanied by the "Wish Tour" and the release live albums Show and Paris.
During this period, Lol Tolhurst sued Robert Smith and Fiction Records over payments of royalties and after a long legal battle eventually lost. Boris Williams (drums) left the band and was replaced by Jason Cooper, and Roger O'Donnell rejoined. In 1996 The Cure released Wild Mood Swings and in 2000 the new album Bloodflowers.
2004 sees the release of the new 4-disc boxed set Join the Dots: B-Sides and Rarities, 1978-2001 (The Fiction Years).
History
Discography
Singles
Albums
Compilations, Remix Albums and Live Albums
Easy Cure Discography
Video
Members past and present
Related topics
