Playing to be a The Cure fan ……with Robert Smith.

By Alejandro Franco.

I’m not going to deny it: I’ve never been a fan of The Cure. Since I was in high school I developed a
kind of immunity about the rock band that more than a preference was the foolishness to follow the wave
that my closest friends whom declare themselves The Cure’s-deep to the bone fans-.
When I knew I’m going interview to Robert Smith, a cold surrounds my office even with the electric fan turned
off and only one thing was flashing in my mind: “What the hell am I going to ask him?”
The logic of my job told me  that I should take this situation of the better way and go ahead with this challenge
like real journalist, it means, searching for and getting involved about his life to be able to approach him
with smart (probably not) questions.

The truth is I tried, but something doesn’t convince me sufficiently. Obviously, I knew The Cure’s basics:  his
records, his greatest hits, his look, and a hanging portrait on my boss's office wall who was part of the original
team of WFM (México City F.M. radio station  96.9).The portrait has a Robert seen backwards with a guitar
and with the reading “Boys Don’t Cry”.

Minutes before the interview, I had an idea come to me and I took it. A game. Unexpected but interesting. All
in all: if Robert says he doesn’t want to play it, he forces me to do a classic interview and he would give me the
classic answers. Luckily he said, I agree.

México City, Friday 27th June 2003, 15.57.
……the game is about pretending you aren’t Robert Smith nor am I a person who wants to interview you.
Imagine for few minutes we’re long-time friends. I’m your Mexican friend and you’re my English friend, for
certain, you’re a massive The Cure fan. Let’s fake that because the reason you want, suddenly, I want to know
a lot of your favorite rock band and we have a talk about them……….

London, Friday 27th June 2003, 21:58.
……Let’s do it……..

Mexican Friend: What’s up?

English Friend: it’s been a wonderful week in England and I’m happy ‘cause it’s Friday….

MF: Are you excited with the new DVD of The Cure? It’s amazing; the wrong part is they shot it at Berlin, Why
didn't they do it at Mexico City? What were they thinking?

EF: (laughs) I think they did it at Berlin because it's a chilly city, dark and rainy…..it fits better with the trilogy.
If they would do a DVD of Kiss me Kiss me Kiss me album, it will be at Mexico City.

MF: But in Mexico City, it also rains so hard in some times of the year…….

EF: Berlin has a very dark history and at the same time, with a little shine. I think The Cure believed Berlin
looks like their  personality.

MF: Friend, which is the best part of the DVD for you?

EF: It’s a hard question, I think the whole DVD is awesome, I like a lot of parts, but my favorite ones are the
smallest captures on the stage. I like to see how The Cure performed songs that a long time ago they didn’t play,
I enjoyed the sound in songs from Disintegration after 20 years ago nobody had played, you know, it feels cool
to listen to these again after a long time.

MF: Don’t you think in Berlin there was almost like two cities in one?

EF: When The Cure began, they did the first show there. It’s a very strange place……there are thousands of
alleys and a lot of cops everywhere searching people. Berlin is a quite an intense city and all of these were a
shock to the band, because they were in adolescence; their age was around 20 and at that time, already gave
them the city keys. The Cure always had enjoyed playing there.

MF: Do you know The White Stripes?

EF: No, but I listen to them……

MF: Don’t you think that Jack White looks like Robert Smith's little brother?

EF: Maybe, but I think Jack looks more like their cousin, not like their little brother. I read in some places that
the White Stripes likes The Cure. So, I think, The Cure must to be satisfied with that, the White Stripes have
made a great work; their latest album is excellent.

MF: Do you know if Robert is still married with that very good looking woman? I think her name is Mary…

EF: As far as I know he is, but these things Robert keeps to himself, so, I’m not sure.

MF: At any time did you hear the rumor about Robert worked on a “pirate radio station” as a commenter?

EF: The rumor is confused because he did some collaborations this summer; one of these was with Junkie XL
and their album is named Radio JXL a Broadcast from the Computer Hell Cabin and it’s recorded in a “pirate”
station; about that the people think Robert worked there.

MF: Robert works with Junkie XL? What’s the link between them?

EF: Well, Junkie XL wrote a song; in fact, he wrote others and sent them to the people whom he would like to
have sing the songs; one was sent it to Dave Gahan, one to Saffron, of Republica, one to Gary Numan, and one
to Robert. Robert loved the song, so he decided to collaborate with him for this record.

MF: Do you think Robert likes the electronic music?

EF: He always said the he likes electronic music at the right time in the right place; I don’t think he is a fan
because he doesn’t know how to dance to it, but there are times in which, musically speaking, you can create
moods and the electronic music is good for that, relaxing to people.

MF: Are the members of The Cure thinking about the money and about winning awards for what they do?

EF: No, everyone in The Cure is there for the right reasons, the band is almost 25 years old and maybe there is
some award for what they do in all these years, but I don’t think they exist for  something more important than
the love from the fans around the world. That’s enough, I don’t think any award is worth more to The Cure than
the fact that people attended Cure concerts and enjoyed what they saw and heard.

MF: You’re a huge fan of The Cure, so you must know how Robert overcomes the fear of flying during the tours.

EF: I think their fear of flying isn’t truly right. The fist time he stated their fear of flying was in 1987. He didn't fly
for five years and, by coincidence, these 5 years were the greatest of The Cure, so I don’t know why he doesn’t
fly that much these days. Even so the last year he flew a lot because he played in 13 different festivals along
Europe and he said that he enjoyed it so much.

MF: I think I’m becoming a fan. Do you know if The Cure will come soon to México?

EF: I hear that there is a 99.9% chances of them going to México in 2004. Surely they will go with the new
record; they will finish it in December, from what I know.

MF: Could you say there is something of Smith that inspires you in your life?

EF: I think the best part of any mature artist is the desire of creating just for enjoyment,while originating their
own art. In The Cure this is and has been the starter, so as long as it lasts, Robert can be the inspiration for
those that want to do something, because if you want to do something that you like and you do it at the end of the
day, it doesn't matter if the people like it or not. You have one life and you must live doing what you like.

MF: Would you like to be Robert Smith?

EF: Some days it would be good, others I think that there couldn’t be something worse.

ROBERT SMITH BASICS
Favorite song of the DVD: Bloodflowers (although he changes it every week)
What he reads?: Two books at the same time, one for thinking and the other just for the pleasure to do it.
Relaxation Technique: Hipnopedy, consist in to get, through the repetition of sounds on the sleeping,
unconsciousness reaches unexpected places and refresh the mind.
Icon he would revive: Alex Harvey
Bands he recommends: The Strokes, Mogwai, Black Rebel Motorcycle Club.

(Thanks to Jorge Luna for translating and typing all of this up!)