Mexico City Friday, July 4th, 2003

· We keep the honesty in the lyrics, says The Cure's vocalist in an interview

The media didn't understand our evolution, but the fans did: Smith

· Since the beginning, the band decided to do intense, deep and sensible things, assures his leader

· They release in Mexico a double DVD set of a concert in Germany.

Juan José Olivares

"At the time when I was between 20 and 25 I tried to kill myself, but it was a matter of depression only. Though I
don't think anyone only tries to commit suicide, cause when somebody wants to do it, they do. Perhaps for being in
an unconscious state of mind or being stoned someone could not do it, but you just don't try", these are the words of
Robert Smith, who has made -for more than 25 years along with his band The Cure- with depression, love and joy,
but most of all with sadness, seeds to harvest songs of gloomy, and even lucid content at times.

But, without a doubt, The Cure, who has performed in Mexico a few years ago, in Monterrey, is one of the most
innovative groups in the two recent decades. The Cure has been defined as an alternative, pop, gothic and
post-punk band. It appeared in 1976 in Crawley, England, under the name of Easy Cure. It attracted the attention
because of the sad, dark look of their members, essentially leader Robert Smith, who became an effigy for a whole
new movement that extended from Europe to the entire American continent. The proof is that even the Latin rock
groups adopted his dressing style and hairdo, even his depressive sonority, which was a whole attitude.

Smith tried to quit this banal life two times, once in 1982 and the other two years later, times in which his depression
was reflected in his song's lyrics. But now, particularly since 10 years ago, he has spent most of the time laughing
rather than crying, because of the commercial success that his productions have received, as it shows the good
reaction that has the DVD called Trilogy, recorded during a concert in Berlin, Germany, where they played pieces
of three discs and periods of their existence: Pornography, Disintegration and Bloodflowers. The film of 223
minutes long in two discs (plus bonuses of 25 minutes that contain three hidden selections and an interview with
Smith) is introduced in Mexico by JM Distribuidores, and until yesterday it was at the top of the most sold DVD
charts in Mix Up, though it can be bought at another important record stores.

The honesty in the songs

According to Smith, they were two "memorable" nights in the Tempodrom of the German capital, in November
2002. "When the Dreamtour was begun, the most successful and nice one we have ever done, but also one that had
required a lot of physical and mental preparation, we had the idea of Trilogy, which achieving it's not only the
making of a dream come true, but also as a tribute to this band".

- Why Germany? -Asks La Jornada by phone call to London-.

- The choice was made between Oslo and Moscow too, but we had to look for a city that had something to do with
our band. Berlin is a city that has this emotional mood that we needed.

- What time does The Cure lives now?

- The Cure is the same as always, it counts on with the same sensibility and depth in its songs. We're just older
making an unique music.

- Did you sacrifice anything to get into the commercial music charts?

- I don't think that we had sacrificed anything to get into the mainstream. Boys don't cry or Jumping someone else's
train, are songs which we released as a single, those are very pop songs that expanded us, and which we exploded
with as an interesting band that came from the underground; but those who followed us from the beginning, they
continued with us, although we had those hits. The Cure's history has two personalities: by one side, there's a really
dark part, full of intrinsic shades, and by the other there's a real pop sensibility. I think that the media perhaps
didn't understand the combination of both, but our followers did and enjoyed it. The impression that the people had
of us in the 90's was different, but our evolution was understood.

- Of the elements that have given to the band an identity, what are those which have not lost?

- The Cure has changed in the lyrics, but I think that the honesty of our songs still remains. But I'd say that the best
songs we have done are the most painful ones, which only represent a part of my personality. It's also important the
emotional aspect of the lyrics. That is the most genuine part because it's what comes from a melancholy or nostalgic
feeling.

- To find love was a breakthrough in terms of your songwriting approach?

- I've always been in love with someone or something, all the time, so love it's essential in The Cure's songs…just
like sorrow, but there's no breakthrough.

- Love hurts?

- True love does. If you love somebody, you can create certain connections that no one else can understand, but
they are so intense that on occasions they can get out of your control.

"Marilyn Manson is incredible, but I don't like him"

The Cure has changing members since its birth. Smith explains that really, the people that have been in the band in
one way or another have always been linked to it, there's always a connection, and also that connection of
sensibilities is simple when you have a common language. Besides The Cure is the same since 7 years ago. "In the
band we always look at us as friends", he says.

Robert Smith speaks his mind about those recent projects of bands who call themselves dark, for example: "I don't
like Marilyn Manson's music, although I admit he's incredible, he's very fun, his whole concept is very theatrical,
but it's not what I like". On the other hand, Nine Inch Nails' Trent Reznor "is close to being a genius".

Smith defines The Cure: "represents two things, mainly. One is the idea of keep going with a project that says
something to the people, something in what you believe in from the beginning, whether you have success or not, that
doesn't matter at the end. Honestly I really care about the decision of going on. The second is that represents a
band that from the beginning decided to create contemporary music; to make intense, deep and sensible things".

- What were and what are the fears of Robert Smith?

- Probably they are the same that I had since I was 20, like the fear that I get on the stage, or to not know what's
going to do the people right after hearing us, or the personal things that may happen to a close relative. Nothing
else.

Currently, The Cure is: Robert Smith, voice, guitar, six string bass; Simon Gallup, bass, six string bass; Perry
Bamonte, guitar, six string bass, keyboards; Jason Cooper, drums, percussion, and Roger O'Donell, keyboards,
percussion.

(Thanks to Roberto Zúñiga Torres for translating and typing all of this up!)