"Looks like there's been a street date change for Join The Dots in the U.S. The new release date is February 10th according to WEA - reportedly due to extra time needed for printing up the booklet. Apparently it is really long."

(Thanks Rob)

"From the Jan. 2004 issue of Men's Health (a US magazine)

"Break out the hair gel and your new wave memories with The Cure: Join the Dots: B-Sides and Rarities, 1978-2001 (Rhino), with 70 moody and mesmerizing original and remastered recordings from the boys in black".

There is a small photo of the box cover featuring the iconic Smith photo."

(Thanks Berndt)

"Danish Magazine GAFFA posted about the new "heavy" album a few days ago on the online version too...Dont know if it has any importance as a curespotting or whatever. Heres the link anyway

http://gaffa.dk/nyheder/view.php/news_id=11458

(Thanks Tommy)

"Toronto-based radio station 102.1 "The Edge" has a show called "The Ongoing History of New Music". They've just released a CD celebrating 10 years of the show, featuring various "alt-rock" artists, with comprehensive liner notes and audio commentary.

Here's some info from the station's website:

http://www.edge.ca/ogh_cd_release/ongoing_history.cfm

There's a pic of Robert Smith, along with U2, the Smiths, David Bowie... and along the bottom of the site it lists the included artists, and "The Cure" is mentioned. Listening to the radio ads for the CD, you can hear a clip of "The Walk", so presumably that's what's included.

You can get it at amazon.ca:

http://www.amazon.ca/exec/obidos/ASIN/B00012HQV8/701-1126833-4880351"

(Thanks heather the buzzard)

"WLUW's Destination Unknown will be hosting it's anual end of the year Cure party on Monday December 29, 2003. You can listen on-line at wluw.org and im requests to aol instant messanger: wluwdj. The fun starts at 10pm (CST) and goes till midnight (CST). If you are in Chicago, you can listen at 88.7fm and request songs at 773-508-9589. For more info. please email digitalplay1@aol.com. Thanks!!!"

(Thanks Digitalplay1)

"On the 21st of january 2004 there will be a promotional "Join The Dots" Party taking place in www.babylon-ist.com There will be cool prizes etc.. Check out the page below. http://www.babylon-ist.com/b2003/en/program/programDetay.asp?etk_id=518"

(Thanks Zack)

"There are 2 new official remixes of the Blank and Jones version of A forest available (only on vinyl and only in the Netherlands):

1) Exor Remix 2) Ron van den Beuken Remix (7:51)

I only have the second one and I think it's not very interesting as it's only an instrumental version without Robert's voice. Anyway, for people who liked the original mix it's worth to check out, especially because the sound is darker and more agressive."

(Thanks Ingmar)

"This is from an online Guardian article a couple months ago, I don't know if you've seen it. Writers seem to keep saying Hot Hot Heat is Cure-influenced but they're apparently denying it --

On the way back to the venue, he (singer Steve Bays) tells a story about playing a gig with the Cure. Because Bays's voice is often compared to Robert Smith's, the two were introduced. And? "He said we sound like their early stuff. I didn't know what to say, because the resemblance is completely accidental. He wasn't a big influence." Coming from someone who refuses to say a bad word about Canadian irritant Avril Lavigne, this verges on disrespect.

Full article at http://www.guardian.co.uk/arts/features/story/0,11710,1076396,00.html "

(Thnaks Lenore)

"On christmas day during a commercial break, VH1 aired a spot featuring clips of various drummers while "little drummer boy" played in the background. then suddenly BORIS appeared! in a quick clip from the "just like heaven" video!!! YAAAY!!! i was so excited!"

(Thanks Jamie, Jeff and Angel)

" 'High' is being used as one of the songs in the 'jersey girl' trailer. it's the new kevin smith movie with ben affleck, and (argh) jennifer lopez."

(Thanks Christina)

"fark.com had another photoshopping contest, this time featuring farkers with their "celebrity dates"

the entry from "countertop" might give you a chuckle http://www.schnits.org/fark/cure.jpg

the rest of the entries are at: http://forums.fark.com/cgi/fark/comments.pl?IDLink=770191"

(Thanks Paul)

"In their latest "your band sucks" feature (http://www.somethingawful.com/articles.php?a=1880), Something Awful (www.somethingawful.com) attack the "sacred cows" of indie music, and in their section about Joy Division they happen to mention the Cure:

Had they [Joy Division] kept following the path they started down, they surely would have gone in the same direction as Bauhaus or The Cure and started making dreadful gothic synth-pop (as evidenced by the fact that the surviving members of Joy Division formed New Order and made, you guessed it, terrible synth-pop)."

(Thanks Sean)

"This is quite possibly the most stupid curespotting ever: http://www2.b3ta.com/hecatorshecat/ It's a little game/quiz to the tune of the Lovecats..."

(Thanks Stephanie)

Cover - Pages 1 & 2 - Pages 3 & 4 - Pages 5 & 6 - Pages 7 & 8 - Page 9

(Thanks Ange)

(Thanks Aria)

"they got it and they're playing a song or two a day. i just heard "possession" on monday and it seems a good song to me and they also talked a lot about the new release."

(Thanks David)

"The Cure L special Saturday Dec. 27th, 2003.

The Cure LI special Saturday Jan. 11th, 2004.

Como les conté hace unos días el Sábado 13 de Diciembre en Réquiem fue la fiesta Cure XLIX, la cuál estuvo muy buena no voy a dar detalles porque es perder tiempo pero les puedo decir que este Sábado 27 de Diciembre es la fiesta Cure final de 2003, es decir “The Cure L” para festejar con todo entre Navidad y Año Nuevo. No solo eso sino que el Sábado 10 de Enero es el especial “The Cure LI”, en menos de un mes 3 fiestas Cure aun no recuperados de la del 13 de Diciembre y preparándonos para la del 27 de Diciembre ya sabemos que el 10 de Enero hay otra más, esto de tener fiestas Cure cada 15 días se nos está haciendo un vicio no hace falta decir el mejor de los vicios, es demasiado tantos especiales Cure pero debo aclarar que es excelente que esto pase. Los fanáticos argentinos de The Cure somos realmente benditos, tocados por la mano de Dios diría yo de que nos pase todo esto, más que hace 16 años que The Cure no viene a Buenos Aires ni siquiera andan cerca de esta zona del hemisferio sur, por supuesto con la esperanza de que en el 2004 Smith y su banda venga por aquí a brindar esos excelentes conciertos que sabe hacer The Cure. Para todos los seguidores de The Cure tanto de Argentina, de Réquiem y del resto del mundo les deseo una “Feliz Cure Navidad”, “Feliz Cure Año Nuevo 2004” y “Felices Fiestas Cure”. Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year! "

(Thanks Curegirl)

"If you read the entire feature, there's some talk of the songs that were recorded for the first album back in late 78 - there were about 20-odd songs recorded over three nights, basically everything the band had in their repertoire. Plus, they dragged out some old stuff that wasn't considered that good (Pillbox Tales, Do The Hansa, I Don't Know aka Faded Smiles, and a few more). Also there was a track called "Winter" which was something they tried out once at a pub gig (The Rocket, probably) - it was the last part of a hippy-styled acoustic "symphony" that also featured Spring, Summer and Autumn. They recorded it, according to Robert, because Dempsey liked it, but he was adamant it wasn't going to get on the finished album. But it will probably appear on the Three Imaginary Boys extras CD.

The confusion is because the last paragraph is taken out of context. Robert says that in previous years, he would have been worried that any reissue material (ie all the extras discs) would be taken by casual buyers as the "new" Cure album - he was horrified to think that "Winter" would be considered the title track of the new LP, because it's so awful! So essentially, the paragraph you've scanned in is the punchline to Robert's earlier criticism of some of his more embarrassing moments..."

(Thanks Father Christmas)

Even though I haven't had the chance to read the entire article, that bit seems to be refering to something on the reissues, not the new album. Steve adds the following:

"Winter is NOT going to be the title track on the new LP. 'Winter' is described in the Record Collector article as an old Cure song which Robert particulary loathed. "

(Thanks Ian and Steve)

"Robert's Box It is at the end of January that the Cure box set should finally be released. Four CDs assembling the B-sides and other rarities of the group, from 1978 to 2001, an 80-page book containing photos from Robert Smith's personal collection, song by song notes... In short, an item not to be missed while waiting for the "true" new album scheduled for 2004 (we have faith!). All the info on The Cure: Join The Dots: B-Sides And Rarities, 1978-2001 (The Fiction Years) can be found on the band's site: www.thecure.com ."

(Thanks to Mel. for the scan and to Aria for the translation)

(Thanks Alex)

"a random cure mention - http://www.theage.com.au/articles/2003/09/11/1063268513559.html"

(Thanks midnightt)

"Just to let you know that Record Collector Magazine in the UK, have put Robert on the cover this month, it is a VERY interesting article about Join The Dots and some new points about the history of the band and qoutes from Perry as well BUT the best part is at the end as it lets slip that "Winter" is the title track from the new album according to Robert!!!!"

Anyone willing to type this article up? If it's too long, how about a couple of people doing a page each. Could anyone at least send in the part about "Winter"? Thanks.

Update: No, it seems that the "Winter" thing was misunderstood:

"Robert doesn't mention that 'winter' will be the new album title

robert is derogatory about the title, a title chosen it seems for a 4 part 'suite' circa 3 imaginary boys entitled 'spring', 'summer' etc..

i might have missed it.. but i dont see anything conclusive about the new new lp at all.... it's all dots and robert is reflective and mentions 'this twilight garden' should have replaced 'wendy time'.. would probably agree with that..

he also mentions (!!!!) - that although he has put dots together with care, QUOTE Despite all that, there's still fucking mutterings on the internet about what I've left off... What people haven't understood is that the extras discs on the album reissues are going to contain the more esoteric stuff END QUOTE"

Right on Robert! I wish I had a dollar for every one of the e-mails I've received that have knocked "Dots" because it's not what THAT person thinks it should be. I've said it before and I'll say it again, "Dots" is a collection of the b-sides with a few rarities included. It wasn't meant to be some huge collection of every alternate take of every song they've ever done. It's a b-sides collection! Are any of the b-sides missing? NO. Remixes, live versions, etc. don't count. As for everything else, there are going to be at least 12 bonus discs to fill. So wait until you see what's on them before you become "outraged" or "feel betrayed" about Lost Wishes, Spilt Milk, etc., not being included. Chances are pretty good that you are going to get everything you want and a hell of a lot more. Sorry about the rant, but it's been bugging me for the last month or so. Combine that with the ridiculous Saints loss today, and I'm in a foul mood. I'll feel better tomorrow...maybe. : )

(Thanks Ian and Lozza)

(Thanks Ange)

"I worked as a researcher for BBC 1 in Northern Ireland recently on a series called Super 8 Stories. It has old footage of life in Northern Ireland, all filmed on Super 8 from the 1940's to the 1980's. Anyway, the Beeb are using 'Inbetween Days' on the trailer for the next episode which screens this Sunday the 21st of Dec at 5.45pm on BBC1 NI. Although I was battling to get The Cure included in the soundtrack I have to hold my hands up and say I had nothing to do with this, but I nearly fell of my chair when I saw the trailer this evening.

Good work BBC."

(Thanks Ronan)

"A bit of a strange one, saw a Cure shirt at the Simon and Garfunkel concert last night in Atlanta."

(Thanks ALClovis)

Cure Go Heavy on New Album

New-metal producer Ross Robinson is at the helm

The Cure are recording their twelfth album in London with producer Ross Robinson, best-known for his work with new-metal bands like Korn, Limp Bizkit and Slipknot.

"We are trying to get a heavier sound than we've been associated with in the past," Smith says. "We convinced him that the doom and gloom of London is more conducive to making our music than sunny California."

Smith said it was Robinson's more subtle work on albums by Vex Red and At the Drive-In that got his attention. "The reason I've developed a relationship with Ross has to do with his love of music and his love for the Cure," Smith says. "Some of the stuff he's worked on I don't like, but some is genius sonically."

The Cure have written and demoed twenty-seven songs, which Smith plans to cut down to fourteen.

"The heavier sound we're going for is more to do with the tempos and dynamics and the space were leaving," he says."The more space you leave, the heavier you get. It's actually the antithesis of the new-metal assault, which is all about piling things on. It's going back to the Faith period, but making the sounds themselves a lot heavier and more savage."

The album should be wrapped by February and released in the summer, after which the Cure plan to tour the U.S.

GIL KAUFMAN (December 19, 2003)

(Thanks Michael)

(Thanks Rob)

"My book about The Cure will probably be a 100 page book or so. I'd dealing to make it release at a low price (hope it could be aroud 30 €).

1- I'm now working on the visual aspect of my book and I've little money to produce it, so I'm looking for fans who could have beautiful pictures (between 15 and 30 or so) from every period of the band that I could use to light the text.

2- I'm also looking for contacts to sell the book (book shop chains, internet sites...).

3- I'm desperately searching a motivated translator (not to release it only in french).

4- on the front page, I'd love to use a Porl painting. Do you know how I could ask him if he'd be ok?

If someone is ok to help me, it's easy to get in touch via my email adress (david.fargier@fr.smurfitgroup.com)."

(Thanks David)

"I'm listening right now to "A forest" in the Coldplay.com internet radio "Coldplayer", with tracks chosen personally by the band! it's great to know a such talented band listen to such great music. : D "

(Thanks Pietro)

"A recent article in the Japan Times reviewed the year's top "rock 'n roll" albums; the author references robert in his review of the newest Rapture album:

"5. The Rapture -- Echoes (Vertigo)Mournful barroom ballads, cheap '80s synthetic disco grooves, something that sounds like James Brown covering a track off PIL's "Metal Box," and a vocalist whose neurotic whine makes him sound like Robert Smith's younger brother having a breakdown because he botched his makeup. "Echoes" is a bizarre rock-dance hybrid from a band who, despite obvious musical differences, thankfully did not split up. "

http://www.japantimes.com/cgi-bin/getarticle.pl5?fm20031214sb.htm"

(Thanks Jajojead)

"A few of us waited after the concert to see the band come out from the venue...I asked Robert how the new album is coming along, he said that its going well and they had about 38 songs originally which has now been whittled down to what he thinks will be the final 12 or so. When asked what the album will sound like, he said it reminds him more of like how The Cure sounded around Seventeen Seconds...he made one comment that he and Ross Robinson are creating an album which is "like space..." which I thought was funny and at the same time intriguing."

So that's twice now that Robert has used the "Seventeen Seconds" comparison when talking about the new album. I guess the "heaviest album ever made" will have to wait at least 4 more years. ; )

(Thanks Tom)

(Thanks KGR)

(Thanks Charles)

(Thanks Brandon)

"Cure on q-awards repeat for those who missed taping it. 2:35am ch4 sunday morning."

(Thanks Ange)

"I’ve got more info on that Cure in Boston concert footage on New Years Eve;

Apparently the entire film only runs 45 minutes. If anyone is interested in seeing it, it will be running continuously at the Hynes Convention Center - Room 210, from 1:00 pm through 11:00 pm. "

(Thanks Jason)

"I did some checking on the Boston New Years Eve thing and here's the press release.

http://www.firstnight.org/PressKit/releases/FN_2004_films.pdf

Looks like they are showing Killing an Arab from the Underground show in 1980. I think this is a show people who have boots have. What's interesting is on page 36 of the Ten Imaginary Years book Robert mentions that it was his 21st birthday and he specifically mentions going out with "a guy who was making a video of us" and a wild ride back to the hotel that ended down on Cape Cod. Maybe someday the rest of the night's videos will show up..."

(Thanks Mike)

"Thought the readers of A Chain Of Flowers might be interested in this Bob Nanna of Braid/Hey Mercedes cover of "Just Like Heaven".

(Thanks Kevon)

"I was just watching VH1 classic. During All Star Jams the VJ said that while fans were wating for the much anticipated new studio album, The Cure would be releasing "Join the Dots." He talked about the 4-disc box set, some of the tracks, and the booklet with commentary by Robert and Simon. Then they played "Pictures of You" from TRILOGY. What Luck that i happened to turn it on!"

(Thanks Danny)

"One of my guilty pleasures is watching ‘Rich Girls’ on MTV, and near the end of one episode, ‘Cut Here’ was used as background music. Sweet."

(Thanks Leah)

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE San Diego, California December 3, 2003

MOOG: A documentary film by Hans Fjellestad

From the production team that brought you Frontier Life (2003), director Hans Fjellestad and producer Ryan Page are halfway through production of MOOG: a feature length documentary film that explores the revolutionary world of electronic musical instrument pioneer Robert Moog.

Director Hans Fjellestad explains, “I'm very much focused on Bob's ideas about creativity, interactivity, spirituality, as well as the raft of stories in the man's head. This is very much an "in Bob's own words" piece.

Artists such as Stereolab, The Neptunes, Devo, Meat Beat Manifesto, Tortoise, DJ Spooky, The Cure, Money Mark, Luke Vibert, 33, The Album Leaf, Pete Devriese, Bostich, Charlie Clouser, Baiyon, Suzanne Ciani, Electric Skychurch and others are contributing original music produced on Moog instruments for the film’s soundtrack.

Moog has not only made prodigious contributions to modern music and culture, but he has become a character within an unfolding "American maverick inventor" mythology. Still active in his workshop in rural North Carolina, Moog continues to shape musical culture with some of the most inspiring instruments ever created.

The film is currently shooting on location in North Carolina, New York, Los Angeles, Tokyo and London. A theatrical and soundtrack release is currently being finalized by producer Ryan Page for Summer 2004.

View the trailer: www.moogmovie.com

For press coverage or additional information, please contact David Brown @ Holiday Matinee

Download publicity materials: www.holidaymatinee.com "

Update: The Cure will not be able to be a part of the documentary, due to time and scheduling problems.

(Thanks David)

"www.nme.com are now taking votes for the 2004 awards. It would be great if everyone got over there and voted for The Cure in the relevant sections!"

(Thanks Steve)

"I was trawling the web and came across an interesting cover of 3 imaginary boys by a band called 'brainslur' over on ampcast.com http://www.ampcast.com/music/23713/music.php is the link to their page and if you scroll down I think it's the seventh song."

(Thanks Andy)

"Wanted to share this with you – this New Year’s Eve some Cure concert footage will be shown in Boston as part of the First Night program (an annual non-alcoholic event featuring live bands, street shows, fireworks, etc.). I don’t know what tour it’s from but here’s the release I found from www.boston.com:

Flippin' the Lid: Live Rock Music in Boston 25 Years Ago: From 1978 to 1982 before there was MTV and consumer video cams, Jan Crocker produced documentary live performances of local bands and national acts visiting Boston. Most of the work was done in collaboration with Benjamin Bergery who taught Documentary Performance at the MIT Film/Video Section. Jan spent countless hours with Benjamin, MIT students, and staff filming in the wee hours at rock venues throughout the city. MIT was one of the few places that had affordable technology available to record with low light cameras and the hardware necessary to mix and switch several camera sources at live locations. The result was hundreds of hours of footage of high energy performances. This program contains footage never before seen, as well as footage that has not been seen since 1983, and will include La Peste, Mission of Burma, The Nervous Eaters, Unnatural Axe, The Neighborhoods, Thrills, The Lyres, Human Sexual Response, Someone and the Somebodies, Fabulous Billygoons, The Cure, The Buzzcocks and more. Introduction by Tom White of Unnatural Axe."

(Thanks Jason)

"on the 30th of january 2004 there will be a "cure tribute night" in leipzig / germany.

11 bands / artists from the local area will perform 3 songs each, and there will be two dj´s too, one of them spinning only the cure...

the venue is called "ilses erika" - more information is to be found here:

http://www.ilseserika.de/vorschau/vorschau.php4?ID=30"

(Thanks umbrellaman)

"Here's a new game for Cure fans: look at www.apple.com on the main page, to celebrate 25 million songs sold with iTunes Music Store there's a picture with cd covers. Look carefully: how many Cure covers can you find? My answer is: Concert, Kiss me x3, Galore, Wish."

(Thanks Serena)

"I was watching my DVD of the Ben Stiller Show the other day. There is a sketch where an insurance salesman is talking about going on the road with the Grateful Dead to sell insurance to the Dead Heads. At the end, he says that it was so successful that he plans on going on the road with The Cure the next year. The sketch ends with the man dressed all goth talking to anothe goth guy about how suicide is not covered."

(Thanks Joe)

"Just a quick note. I have heard from Nordoff Robbins event organiser that over £40,000 was raised from the Islington Academy event.

Reports that the touts outside the venue raised even more for their own pockets are as yet unconfirmed!!!"

(Thanks Andy)

"I am a singer/songwriter in the Baltimore/D.C. area looking to start a Cure Cover band called "Closedown." I have all the Cure "essentials," (ARP Solina, Bass VI, Gretsch Black Falcon, Electric Sitar, Roland XP 50, Boss pedals, JC 120, RS-like voice, teased hair, and Make-Up!). I am looking for dedicated musicians to explode onto the scene. Original songs are more than possible too, which there are a few of those already. I have a few bar/club connections within the Baltimore area once it is time to "Play Out!" Serious inquiries only, please email at dbeahm1@comcast.net I can email original songs if wanted."

(Thanks Dave)

"Robert Smith - " The Best thing I've heard all year " MOJO Magazine Jan 2004 (On sale now)

"Anyone who hasn't got Mogwai's HAPPY SONGS FOR HAPPY PEOPLE should seriously go out and buy it. That's the best thing I've heard in the last 12 months. Of the very new bands, I think Interpol are good - they shared the same bill with us in LA recently and I thought they were fabulous"

(Thanks Chris)

"In the December 19, 2003 Entertainment Weekly there is a comic strip called "How Blink-182 Found the Cure." The comic is three pages long, tells the story of how Robert ended up working with the Blinksters, and is pretty funny, to boot. Robert prominently featured in EW? Who'd of thunk it? But there he is. Everybody should check this out."

(Thanks Rust)

"Was watching MTV Europe yesterday and people had voted for 100 top videos from the 80's. The winner was M. JACKSON with "Billy Jean" and the best Cure video, "Lullaby" appeared @ # 21. "

(Thanks David)

"I got this update from the Alamo Drafthouse website....The show has been moved back to Dec 22 and it will only be shown ONCE at 1145 pm I believe....

"NOTE: This show was originally scheduled for 12/15. Due to time restraints, we will only be screening the Disentegration/Pornography portions of their set. The Bloodflowers part will screen in January, so stay tuned!!! "

....very disappointing to say the least : ( For more info check the Alamo Drafthouse website."

Wouldn't it make more sense to just delay it until you can show the entire concert as a whole, rather then show 2/3rds now and the last third in January?

(Thanks Bernie and Aaron)

"I have a copy of the setlist, Lovecats has MTV written beside it, Lovesong, Close To Me, and Why Can't I Be You have 4 Music (Channel 4 show), so we might see something broadcast."

(Thanks Shane)

"Ange isnt the only one. I lost my Sony digital camera with 128mb memory card £300 worth. sounds a bit like some dodgy camera thief about. I too had piccies of the band on there, met the band after the show and will try to get the pics sent in soon, that Sylvia and Sue kindly took, but please try to find my camera too."

But in all of the fun, Ange lost her camera:

"I lost my camera at the gig last night and i had almost finished my film with lots of great photos on it, it must have jumped out of my bag in the mosh, could you put a note up asking if anyone happened to find a black aps camera, i'm not bothered about the camera...just the film inside it, I'm gutted;))

My friend said they saw someone pick something up off the floor at that time i would be very grateful for its return:( argghhhh i had some great pictures of us all!!!"

If anyone can help, please e-mail me.

"I'm french, living in Tokyo (Ikebukuro area) and I'm looking for a place where I could listen to our favorite music: bar, pub, club... whatever. Is there some good music place around??"

(Thanks Craig, Didier, Claudio, Pietro, Tamar, Isobel and Caro)

"I was looking at the official Meat Beat Manifesto site just now and found this:

Jack Dangers is one of several artists asked to create original music to the upcoming feature length documentary, MOOG that explores the revolutionary world of electronic musical instrument pioneer Robert Moog by the production team (Frontier Life - 2003) of director Hans Fjellestad and producer Ryan Page. The Meat Beat Manifesto track, "Unavailable Memory" will also accompany the film's trailer. Other artists contributing music to the film's soundtrack include: Stereolab, Devo, Tortoise, DJ Spooky, The Cure, Money Mark, Luke Vibert, The Album Leaf and Charlie Clouser, — all of which were produced on Moog instruments . A theatrical and soundtrack release are planned for Summer 2004.

I guess the song that will be contributed by The Cure won't be anything new, but I thought I'd let you know that I found this tidbit."

(Thanks Natalie)

"The follow up to the club smash and tune of the summer 'E Samba', 'Da Hype', the second single from Junior Jack's forthcoming album 'Trust It', looks set to reach similar heights. Already huge for Pete Tong, Seb Fonatine, Roger Sanchez, Judge Jules and the Sharp Boys the original is causing a storm in clubland. With a vocal to come from none other than the Cure's Robert Smith, this is set for big things... Watch this space! Out Jan http://www.defected.co.uk/main.html.

you can to listen to the track (without vocals) look under (forthcoming releases) you can also see a picture of the sleeve."

(Thanks Chris)

"http://www.musicmobs.com/

Musicmobs is a community for iTunes users that allows you to share your listening habits and discover new music. iTunes for Mac and Windows keeps track of all songs in a .xml file. The .xml file is submitted to the site and the info is added to the site. In .xml file is how many times the song is played in iTunes. With the help of other Cure fans, it should be easy have The Cure #1. Currently, Radiohead is #1 at 11,248. The Cure is behind at #20 with 2768."

(Thanks Kris)

"The HP ad with Pictures Of You is now being played on Australian tv."

(Thanks Richard)

"From Maxim:

Uh-oh, it’s the serious album. Yes, Blink-182, the goof-punk trio best known for streaking naked through their own videos, are trying a new kind of nakedness—the emotional kind. Blink’s excessive silliness has long masked some rather anguished lyrics, but here they do away with most of the silliness altogether, and it works. “Violence” strips the band’s buoyant melodies from the verses, leaving only a stark, compelling beat. “I saw him again/I know you fucked him again,” Tom DeLonge offers during a portentous lull between angry, slashing power chords on “Obvious,” setting the stage for Mark Hoppus’ own brooding turn on the downcast, piano-adorned “I Miss You.” Any lingering confusion about the band’s direction is cleared up when the Cure’s infamous sad sack, Robert Smith, shows up to lend his voice to “All of This” and to give Blink’s new miserable-ism his esteemed blessing in the process. "

(Thanks Bernie)

Musicalidad

December 2003

The Cure

"Robert Smith is already cooking his next sound dish"

by Marcos Domínguez

The cure are probably the band that exist which have suffered the most bipolar disorder of all, musically speaking. If in the eighties the dark albums, torturous, autodestroying, and pessimistic were the most characteristic of the band, in the nineties they turned to a more pop sound, playful, and almost ingenuous. Robert Smith´s buddies seem to be turning to a harder sound in their next album, which it is probably to being recording now, under Ross Robinson´s supervision, producer of bands such as Korn or Southfly. It is supposed that distortion should reign through Smith´s and Bamonte´s amplifiers, though this new turn should not surprise us, due to the fact that in their last studio album, Bloodflowers, they took up again their most serious line of apocaliptical and deep rock, something that it is evident when one sees them live: The last time they came to Spain, for the International Festival of Benicássim (FIB) from 2002, they presented their collection of "forbidden" albums, such as Pornography, Seventeen Seconds, or The Top, delighting their most loyal and Goth fans.

In 1979, during the emerging of punk and new wave, The Cure bursted into with their first album, Three Imaginary Boys, in which, despite of being very new wave-like (songs such as Accuracy, give faith of it), emerged the first sign of the later Cure. Though another sign characteristic of the band , the continuous income and expenditure of members from the group, apart from Robert Smith, of course, it has already happened, Porl Thompson, the most important guitar player from his village, Crawley (in Sussex), which later on would return (and will go again), had left the group one year ago. Together with Porl and Robert, the founder members, in 1976, were Michael Dempsey playing bass, and Lol Tolhurst playing drums, and when they released their first album, they had covered not little of their way, given that before, they have won the national contest organised by he seal Ariola-Hansa, which could have meant that first album if it had been not because Robert Smith had very clear from the very beginning that he was not going to be manipulated. Maybe due to this fact, the original name of the group, The Easy Cure, was decided to be changed deleting the middle word because they saw that it didn’t define them, and which stayed such as it has till eternity.

Despite that they were very young at that time (Robert was not only twenty when he composed Three...) these guys already had recorded several classic songs from their first time, such as "10:15 Saturday Night", and then one which will be their first single, "Killing an Arab". - Donut get alarmed thinking that they predicted the later deeds of he 11-S; the lyrics are based on the novel "L´Etrangier", one of the bibles for Robert Smith, and which first line would named the singles album from 1986 "Standing on a Beach", whereas the second would named the collection of music videos, "Staring at the Sea". The extremely well-known "Boys don´t cry", would arrive after their first albums release, and given that it gained certain success in USA, the LP was retouched and renamed as the hit for the American market. It was a year of important activity for The Cure. Dempsey decided to leave the band, and two more people joined them: Simon Gallup (who, excepting two years has been always loyal to Robert) and Matthieu Hartley on keyboards.

In 1980 the "Cure sound" got closer, with the decaying "Seventeen Seconds", which contained the first greatest hit of the band: "A Forest". There were a macro tour, from which Hartley got so weak in the head that had to left the band. The following year, they launched "Faith", that would follow the trail of its former, being more grievous still. Another hit came out from this last album, "Primary", and the original soundtrack of the tour was released, under the name of "Carnage Visors"

The culmination of this epoch came in 1982 with "Pornography", paradigm of the Goth rock with drums as the most important instrument over the rest, whose rhythm made the "riff" of theme, whereas bass leads us into the passage, and guitar leads us directly abyss in a very hypnotic and crafty way. However, this album so excessive, torturous, and, why not, humdrum, was the very first one by The Cure which entered the Top Ten charts, and gave a few more classic songs such as "One Hundred Years" and, "The Hanging Garden". Nevertheless, the violent planning (not physical but psychological) of the band and their music would lead them in a no way alley. Robert Smith himself has declared that at that time, he was obsessed by self-destroying, and the line-up of the group seemed to be following the same way, given that Gallup left the band in little time. Due to all of this, Robert decided to change the direction of the group, publishing in very little time three singles of great importance in the later development their music. "Lets go to Bed" (whose music video opened the collaboration of the realiser Tim Pope with the band till now) "The Walk" and "The Lovecats". Through them, they wanted to make clear that their intention was to face life in an ironical and histrionical way, in an attempt to reconcile with naiveness. The Cure image was already characteristic, and also was so Robert Smith´s backcombed hair, making funnier the promise of behaving with their guests. The three singles and their correspondents b-sides were released in December of 1983, in an album under the name of "Japanese Whispers".

In 1984, they were mature enough to publish one of the masterpieces of the band, "The Top", where they kept on making a stand in desertion and nihilistic aridity, but in a less stereotyped and more varied way, adding a touch of beautiful ingeniousness with the wonderful and special "Dressing Up", and "The Caterpillar", though at the end of the album, they adopted the same course, like saying "Yes, we have tried and see it in another way, but the world keeps on being a shit". Songs like "Give Me It", and "The Top", deal with this topic. In this album, which has led to all kinds of opinions, Robert played all interments but percussion. Their first live album, "Concert", was taken from The Top Tour.

Changes took place in the band (Gallup and Thompson returned), in 1985, "The Head on the Door" was released, this time a really "sincere" pop album, from which glorious songs such as "Inbetween Days" or "Close to Me" were included, and the band became one of the bet groups from the eighties. Next year, a collection of singles of the band (the CD version’s name is the same as that of the collection of videos, “Staring at the Sea”), and their recognition from USA came at last, up to the point of that the single “Boys don’t cry” was re-recorded, remixed, and re-interpreted. Moreover, Tim Pope recorded a film about The Cure, entitled “The Cure in Orange”

However, the true point of inflexion of the band came in 1987 with the publishing of the double album ""Kiss Me kiss Me kiss Me", from which hits such as "Why can’t I be You?", or "Catch", came out. From this album it can be said that The Cure had already found their own style among music, deleting the label they had of “Goth and dark band”. After the “Kissing Tour”, the anxious rest came at last, a very uncommon thing in The Cure up to that moment, due to the fact that where there was no album there was a tour and vice versa. Nevertheless, the coming back to the recording studio was marked by Tolhurst´s leaving, the only Cure member which had stood Robert Smith from the very beginning, however, his leaving was predictable. Then the so much venerated “Disintegration” came out, a kind of purification of what their career had been till then. The existentialism of their beginning mixed with their later sound, resulting in a jewel of the pop music, of the most authentic dark pop, that only The Cure were able to do, leading them into the 3rd place in the British charts, and entering the collective imagination with songs such as “fascination Street”, or “Lovesong”, but above all, “Lullaby”, which tells through music about the fears from childhood about monsters under beds or wardrobes. Was this enough? Not for The Cure, which the next year “Mixed Up”, included old and new remises from their hits plus a new additional song, “Never Enough”. Short time after would come “Entreat”, another live album whose loyalties were posted to beneficial associations, and, in 1992, “Wish”, the most popular album by the band; it entered as number #1 in England and as number #3 in USA. Here the guitars superpose playing different rhythms or melodies in order to create a bright and melancholic atmosphere, that reminds of the Beach Boys´ famous “Pet Sounds”, as if it were an updated version of it. This album is represented by the fascinationg “Friday I´m in Love”, and “High”, though The Cure have been always The Cure, and this fact is well reflected in songs such as “From the Edge of the Deep Green Sea”. Maybe because of the success of the album and of the tour that took place the following year, that as a consequence two more live albums were published “Show” and “Paris”. And the only founder member apart from Robert Smith, that still were in the group, Porl Thmpson, left again, as saying “well, my work here is already done”.

The 90´s were more relaxed than the 80´s: only two more albums wwere released: “Wild Mood Swings”, in 1996, and “Bloodflowers”, in 1999-2000, plus another colloction of singles, “Galore”, the complement album of “Standing on a Beach”. This second singles collection included the hits from 1987-1997. But this did not mean that Robert Smith and his band were, never better said, resting in their laurels, just because at that time there were lots of songs for flims (The Crow, Dredd´s Jury….), and versions of Bowie´s songs (“Young Americans”), or of his great idol, can you guess who? Someone called James Marshall Hendrix. Of who he had already played “Foxy Lady”, in his first album, considered by Robert the best version made by him which he is most proud of. In 1997, Smith played together with David Bowie´s “Quicksand”, in a concert celebrating Bowie´s 50th´s Birthday. Smith also published, two years ago, a special edition of the recopilatory “Greatest Hits”, that for the first time, included all The Cure´s hits, plus two new songs, “Cut here”, and “Just say yes”. In this special edition of their hits, they performed all the sings in acoustic: from “Boys don´t cry” to “Friday I´m in Love”; from “A Forest” to “Lullaby”.

We are in 2003 and the fashions of the Goths, Techno-pop, After-punk, Brit-pop, Indie, or Grunge, have disappeared, and more and only a few bands are so alive as The Cure are, who, not being glad of being parents, godfathers, and grandfathers of who are already old glories, they do not stop giving concerts without concession of easy sucess and to work on new stuuff, but calmly, letting ideas to mature, in order to not to get a place in which they have been before. All of this with the band taht have been together for 24 years of career; Smith on voice and guitar, Gallup on bass, Perry Bamonte playing the other guitar, Roger O´Donnell playing keyboards, and Jason Cooper on drums. Their numerous fans, many more than those easy to recognise at a first sigh, by their 80´s-like hair styles, their pale faces, eyeliner, and dark clothes, wait for the next revelation of a history that, though it has been several time that it was going to end, won´t be disappointed by comertial attemps or ridiculous purists. Just because The Cure are a band ironically sincere, graciously sad, bitterly optimistic, and above all, they keep on being The Cure.

(Thanks to Sharon from Charlotte Sometimes for the translation and scans)

"Brussels, last Saturday, 6 December. This Dutch band called The Nits dedicated their song 'Espresso Girl' to Robert ('you know, that weird little man with the fluffy hair and the red lipstick'), it's a song about a Japanese groupie who's not after sex, she's just interested in speaking Japanese with Robert : ‘The year I was following the Cure/Words were insects around my head/Everything was electric and pure/I went to see Mr. Smith/The red mouth saying/Japanese words like candy/ To the bathroom mirrors/The Espresso Girl/Is walking through my head’. "

(Thanks Ilse)

"I have 1 extra ticket for the December 11th show in London. I'm selly this ticket for the price cost me (50 livres) I can meet up with the buyer in London the day of the show. Mail-me quickly soledadnad@club-internet.fr Je ne parle pas anglais mais on peut me traduire."

(Thanks Soledad)

"while working with the WEA b2b site today I decided to punch up The Cure and see if they'd posted the "official" listing for Join The Dots. They haven't yet but I found something else listed that looked like it might be of interest. The title is listed as:

Pictures Of You/ Fear Of Ghosts with UPC code: 0-8122-78039-2-6 and a product code of: ECG R2-78039 and a srp of $2.99

Street date is shown as being 01/06/04

I'm not sure what this is. the product configuration (media format) says "C3" and I'm not sure what that is either but I suspect it means a 3" CD. it's the only Cure-related item they show with that product configuration.

This has been confirmed.

(Thanks Rob)

"hi guys, hope you're all as excited as me!!!!

Here's a suggestion for a pub we could all meet in before the doors open (about 6pm?) PITCHER AND PIANO (68 Upper st), its quite near to the venue, (see map) I'm sooooooo looking forward to seeing you all and meeting the new faces I've been helping get tickets in the past few weeks!!!!!

PITCHER AND PIANO (68 Upper st) http://www.pitcherandpiano.com/ http://www.multimap.com/map/browse.cgi?pc=n10ny "

(Thanks Ange)

"Maybe you already know but I have picked up a flyer tonight in bar made by a french promoter named 'Alias'. It annouces their concert for december and at the bottom of it in the forthcoming section they are announcing a Cure concert to be held soon (probably in Paris) without mentioning a precise date. "

(Thanks Victor)

"In case anyone is interested, Join The Dots apparently has a UPC and Catalog # assigned now for the US Rhino version: 081227804329 and RHIN78043 (this info comes not from Rhino/WEA but from one of my other national distributors, Baker & Taylor)."

(Thanks Rob)

"Random Lol Tolhurst spot at the Arturia homepage (they make synth software and the like). Check out this interview with 'Lol Tolhurst, founding member of The Cure.' http://www.arturia.com/en/interview3.lasso"

(Thanks Dan)

"Levinhurst has secured national retail distribution and the release of Perfect Life will now be in April 2004. Come back in January for some sneak preview MP3s, from www.levinhurst.com "

(Thanks Lars)

"Rolling Stones December issue:

Special Collectors Issue the 500 Greatest Albums Of All Time: Includes Disintegration at number 326

"According to the kids on South Park, this is the best album ever made. According to many depressive Eighties-minded kids, its the only album ever made. On "Fascination Street" and "Lovesong", Robert Smith's voice shakes like milk as he makes adolescent angst sound so wonderfully, wonderfully pretty. 1 Million + ^"

It also includes Boys Don't Cry at number 442

"Before they became a goth-pop group, the Cure were a minimalist, inventive post-punk power trio. Boys is all hummable hooks, choppy guitars and mopey vocals. "10:15 Saturday Night" and "Jumping Someone Else's Train" are ingenious: You wait for a guitar solo and get a club-footed bass line instead. Under 500,000"

(Thanks Diandra)

"Love Song played at the opening of "Cold Case" tonight. The description of the show - "Lilly gets an anonymous phone call from a man claiming he killed an elderly woman back in 1989 and buried her body in the basement of a house."

(Thanks Kristy & Greg)

"check out the mention of RS at the Earl Slick link.

(Thanks Toni)

"I was just surfing the web when I found this poll "Are you a fan of one-time Smiths rivals, The Cure? (anonymously suggested)" at http://www.morrissey-solo.com There are many comments and opinions people left on the board. seems like most people have a generous repspect for the cure, while others have their harsh opinions. I haven't written any comments. While I believe The Cure is the best band, I almost equally enjoy the smiths all the same."

(Thanks Xiomara and Snakelvas)

"Yesterday I managed to get hold of 2 extra tickets for the December 11th show in London. But the persons I bought them for managed to get hold on some tickets themselves. So I'm selling the tickets for the price they cost me, 54.5 £ each. I'd prefer to sell them as a pair. I can meet up with the buyer in London (mayby you feel like buying me a beer when you get the ticket ;-).

First come first served.

Cheers Klaus (gaba@post9.tele.dk)"

(Thanks Klaus)

http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=2207965214

(Thanks Britain Kitten)

Earl Slick - Zig Zag

December 9, 2003

"A musician of great feeling and a true legendary guitar-star, Slick's playing is earthy, timeless and never less than stellar." - David Bowie

EARL SLICK TO RELEASE FIRST ALBUM OF NEW MATERIAL IN 12 YEARS ON SANCTUARY RECORDS;

ACCOMPLISHED GUITARIST'S SOLO CD 'ZIG ZAG' FEATURING VOCALS BY DAVID BOWIE, ROBERT SMITH, ROYSTON LANGDON, JOE ELLIOTT AND MARTHA DAVIS;

ALBUM'S FIRST SINGLE - 'BELIEVE,' A COLLABORATION WITH ROBERT SMITH - REACHES RADIO IN JANUARY

U.S. TOUR WITH BOWIE KICKS OFF DECEMBER 6

Acclaimed guitarist EARL SLICK will release his new solo album ZIG ZAG (Sanctuary Records) December 9. His first album of new material in 12 years features collaborations with vocalists David Bowie, the Cure's Robert Smith, Def Leppard's Joe Elliott, Spacehog's Royston Langdon and Martha Davis, each of whom wrote their own melody and lyrics. The album's first single-"Believe", a collaboration with Smith-reaches radio in January. SLICK is currently touring the globe with Bowie's band on "A Reality Tour," which touches down in the U.S. December 6.

The ZIG ZAG album marks SLICK's return as a solo performer, after having taken a few years off before returning to play with Bowie on his 2002 Heathen tour. The collaboration with Bowie on the track "Isn't It Evening (The Revolutionary)" features mesmerizingly subtle guitar shadings which SLICK described as "weird," saying, "For once, I'm on the other side of the glass and he's playing on a track for me. He nailed his vocals in one or two takes and it came out great-that's the beauty of working with David." Meanwhile, Bowie describes SLICK's technique as "earthly, timeless and never less than stellar." ZIG ZAG was produced by Mark Plati (Bowie, Duncan Sheik, Natalie Imbruglia) and includes four instrumentals. "After years of constant work, I took a much-needed break and spent some time hiding out in the High Sierras. But then I did some dates with David and felt inspired and started to write again, which I hadn't done in a long time." Word got out, and SLICK co-wrote songs with the album's guests.

The variety of voices woven throughout ZIG ZAG lends depth and resonance to SLICK's searing guitar work, be it Royston Langdon floating an airy melody over the meaty rhythm of title track or Martha Davis painting a trippy picture of New York City's east village on the spiraling "St. Mark's Place." Main Cure man Robert Smith adds a cool melodic breeze to lead single "Believe," while Joe Elliott amplifies the dark and dangerous "Psycho Twang." "Each vocalist wrote his or her own melodies and lyrics," says Slick. "Some of them got really rough demos from me and still managed to come up with amazing ideas. They really helped make this a unique record."

Introduced to Bowie by composer Michel Kamen, the then 22-year-old SLICK was invited to join Bowie's group and played guitar on three of his groundbreaking mid-'70s albums (David Live, Young Americans and Station To Station). That collaboration led to a solo career and collaborations with artists including John Lennon (SLICK played guitar on 1980's Double Fantasy album), Ian Hunter, David Coverdale and the band Phantom, Rocker and Slick (with ex-Stray Cats Jim Phantom and Lee Rocker). SLICK's solo albums include several studio and live recordings. In a review of his 1976 solo debut, Rolling Stone magazine described his technique as "relentlessly emotional." Track listing 1. Dancing with Eleanor 2. Believe (Vocals: Robert Smith of The Cure) 3. Isn't It Evening (Vocals: David Bowie) 4. 1735 5. Zig Zag (Vocals: Royston Langdon of Spacehog) 6. Pike St. 7. Crunched 8. St. Mark's Place (Vocals: Martha Davis of The Motels) 9. Psycho Twang (Vocals: Joe Elliot of Def Leppard) 10. The Cat

(Thanks AutumnCure)

"thought you might like to see this it's a recent interview with ron howe from fools dance and session player with the cure...http://www.carmenrosa.com/towelflick/foolsdance/"

(Thanks Pisk)

"The Cure XLIX special Saturday Dec. 13th The Cure L special Saturday Dec. 27th Con motivo de celebrarse 50 fiestas de la banda en Réquiem en el mes de Diciembre habrá 2 especiales de The Cure como es habitual una vez al mes ahí, creo que en ningún país del mundo hacen fiestas Cure una por mes al menos que yo sepa, sé que se hacen fiestas en varios países pero de vez en cuando. Por suerte aquí en Argentina las tenemos todos los meses, es algo muy bueno estar ahí escuchando y viendo los videos de The Cure a todo volumen como debe ser, en realidad la música de The Cure se escucha todos los fines de semana pero en los especiales Cure es solo de ellos toda la noche. El primer especial The Cure XLIX será el Sábado 13 de Diciembre después de medianoche, esta es la fiesta correspondiente a Diciembre pero como se vienen las fiestas de Navidad y Año nuevo han agregado el especial The Cure L que se realizará el Sábado 27 de Diciembre, es decir la mejor de las fiestas de fin de año. Para empezar el 2004 con todo y tener la esperanza de que The Cure venga a ofrecernos algunos conciertos aquí en Buenos Aires en el estadio de River Plate (que el barrio de Núñez sea invadido por la música bien Cure), porque otro lugar les quedaría chico por ejemplo el estadio de Ferrocarril Oeste en Caballito cuando The Cure vino por primera y única vez a Argentina durante 2 noches el 17 y 18 de Marzo de 1987. Así que ya saben amigos 2 fiestas Cure en Diciembre, la verdad 2 especiales The Cure en el mismo mes es como demasiado y es excelente que esto ocurra. Bueno es seguro que todos los fanáticos argentinos de The Cure estarán esas 2 noches en Réquiem. "

(Thanks Curegirl)

"there is a 33 minutes LOOPED promotional VIDEO in the HALL of the BIBLIOTECA CENTRAL de la UNIVERSIDAD POLITECNICA DE VALENCIA (SPAIN). the music are all instrumentals from the cure: bloodflowers demos and lost wishes. We've made it with great love for the Cure and hope for people to enjoy the images with the music as it will be played forever and forEVER! there will be a DVD-R in the same library for people to take home. we don't make any money from it! we only had the fun fo the Cure sounding constantly in the entrance of such a huge library!

a short version (2 minutes) will be posted in a few days in our website:

http://getit.at/invasioncerebral

look for a divx version of 224 MB in winmx or soulseek by this name:

biblioteca central UPV (wiro films-music by the CURE).avi"

Update: "i'm just writing to tell you that the video is already online go to http://getit.at/invasioncerebral and enter EXTRAS and Biblioteca Central UPV and "ver ahora" and it'll will be available to download in the official BIBLIOTECA webpage in a few weeks."

(Thanks WIRO films)

"I was watching HBO the other night and they were interviewing Paul Bettany from the film "Master and Commander." He was speaking of his experiences while filming on the boat and how everyone was sea-sick and said, "I haven't seen that many people throw up since a Cure concert in 1987." Made me laugh."

(Thanks Garret)

"I was at a 24 hour fitness in Dallas on Wednesday - they normally play shitty dance music, and I have never heard a commercial, so I don't think it's a radio station here in town - but Boy's Don't Cry was played. Pretty cool!"

(Thanks Andy)

"Robert Smith, Simon Gallup and Daryl Bamonte appears on The Jérémy WULC web site (A french Actor) ! The Link : http://membres.lycos.fr/milleartistes/comedien_jeremywulc.htm"

(Thanks Jeremy)

"I did a full transcript of the brief NME article from 29th November 2003.

"These days, the Cure singer doesn't have to try in the business of generating massive amounts of media attention for producing fuck all? Forget David Blaine. This was Robert Smith's year. As the first flush of electroclash died out last christmas it mutated into something darker and more intriguing. Suddenly absurdist pop-glitz was out and the Gothic rumble of gloomy '80's oddballs The Cure was in. As the months passed, everywhere you went, from Brooklyn drag parties to Kingsland Road dive bars to catwalk aftershows, you simply couldn't move for Robert Smith lookalikes as 'A Forest' scattered souls across the dancefloor. When the Rapture finally released 'Echoes', Luke Jenner did away with all the pretence and spent half the album in a stars in their eyes Smith-like trance, and sounded all the better for it. the Cure's comeback was sealed. A box-set looms. who knows, in 2004 maybe Robert himself might actually do something..."

(Thanks Becka)

"I just wanted to let you know that Halloran put up the audio from the Blink 182 interview a couple weeks ago on their website. Here's the URL: http://www.b949fm.com/station/photos.cfm "

(Thanks Jen)

"The Newbury Comics music store chain here in New England (which began by specializing in indie rock) marked their company anniversary by releasing a bargain-price official compilation cd of songs they liked early on; it did well enough that on Dec. 2 they are releasing a 2nd one which includes "Boys Don't Cry". Tracklist is:

The Ramones "Sheena Is A Punk Rocker"

Richard Hell & The Voidoids "Blank Generation"

Dead Boys "Sonic Reducer"

Devo "Jocko Homo"

Germs "Manimal"

The B-52's "52 Girls"

Gang Of Four "Anthrax"

Madness "One Step Beyond"

The English Beat "Twist & Crawl"

Joy Division "Love Will Tear Us Apart"

Echo & The Bunnymen "Do It Clean"

The Cure "Boys Don't Cry"

X "Johnny Hit and Run Paulene"

Laurie Anderson "O Superman (For Massenet)"

New Order "Blue Monday"

Violent Femmes "Gone Daddy Gone"

The Smiths "How Soon Is Now?"

Husker Du "Sorry Somehow"

(Thanks Justin)

You know you're a Cure fan if...

* your bedtime is 10:15, and not just on saturday

* when you say "robert smith", you suddenly acquire an english accent

* you name your goldfish "parched" and "art"

* it only takes you seventeen seconds to have sex

* all of your cats are dyed grey

* you went to a halloween party dressed as the caterpillar girl

* you ask your grocer if he has bananafish bones in stock

* you major in taxidermy just so you can re-enact the "lovecats" video

* "let's go to bed" is your main pick-up line

* people saying "let's go to bed" actually gets you in bed

* you and two friends lock yourself in your bureau and throw yourselves off of a cliff

* you try and play a comb instead of a guitar

* you're truly upset when you find out boys do cry

* you want to visit algeria and find yourself an arab

* you've actually read "the stranger"

* you randomly do the "why can't i be you?" dance in the supermarket

* you do the "hot, hot, hot" hand movements while driving

* you bought for the masses just to hear robert sing "world in my eyes"

* you can listen to the "foxy lady" cover from three imaginary boys more than once

* you're sure that you have a head on your door

* you actually know the six different ways to be inside my heart

* when you meet someone named charlotte, you eep! and fall over dead

* you dress up statues for fun, like in "the hanging garden" video

* you dream where all the other people dance

* you can forgive the band for the cover of galore

* you answer your phone "sorry, wrong number" and hang up

* you find someone named elise, just to write to her

* you know that bourbon st. is supposed to be the "fascination street"

* you rename your bedroom "club america"

* you've got the "c" from wish tattooed anywhere on your body

* you stand at the edge of your own deep green sea

* you can actually understand the words to the songs on seventeen seconds.

* you name your first child "untitled"

* you think that pornography is a healthy album

* you need a synth organ doing a baseline to tell your dog "let's go for a walk"

* you made friends called harold and joe, just so you can tack a "go, go, go" onto the end

* whatever you do is never enough

* you and your partner call each other "lovecats" and truly think you should have each other with tea

* when walking out your front door you exclaim "get up, get out and get gone!" to your empty apartment

* you spray paint your parents new lexus bright green so you can have a "mint car"

* you think everytime is "wendy time"

* "doing the unstuck" gets you into trouble for arson

* "head on the door" doesn't scare the bejesus out of you

* you actually went out and bought the lamp from the cover of three imaginary boys

* when fighting with your kids, you quote "a play for today"

* you sneak up on your siblings dressed like robert in the "lullaby" video because you thought it would be funny

(Thanks Ange)

"the band Spoon does a decent, mostly instrumental cover of "secrets". its track 14, disc 1 on their rareities compilation "if you say so, motherfucker." the album is a bootleg so i'm not sure where you can get it. i dunno, try soulseek."

(Thanks Jeff)

"BBC 1 currently has a trailer for a BBC 4 programme airing this Friday (I think) for a Jazz Festival thing. The trailer has a short snippet of a young male singer doing a Jazz version of Friday, I'm In Love. I think he is called Jamie Cullen as I recognise him from adverts for his new ablum during breakfast telly, but I could be wrong. It's got to be Jazz thats what she wants......"

(Thanks Nigel)

"I’m not sure if anyone has noticed this t-shirt before, but I was perusing eBay last night for some new cheap skate shirts and I just happened across this shirt by Baker Skateboards. I just thought it was kinda weird and interesting, as I wouldn’t really expect this company to be giving The Cure enough credit to rip-off their Wish font for a logo… http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=3641734268&category=23826 "

(Thanks Colin)

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=2207018988&category=16067

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=2207106333&category=16067

And a reminder about this one from last week:

http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=2206155317&category=16067&rd=1

"I noticed on the HMV Japan site they list the Japanese release date for the Join the Dots box set as Feb. 11, 2004 not sure if this is set in stone or tenative."

(Thanks Robert)

"In this site http://www.alias-production.fr/tournees/tournees_index.html below we can read in the "En prévision" part : The Cure live in France in 2004. Great news."

(Thanks Cedric)

"On next december, there will be a Cure's review in a spanish magazine called "Musicalidad". The front page is dedicated to Deep Purple, but there's also a photo of Robert at the top left corner of the page."

(Thanks Mr Pinkeyes)

"I was taking a look at the weekly newspaper, "El Pais de las Tentaciones", which is sold together with El Pais on Fridays, and oh surprise! on the section of Music, on page 5, there´s an advertisement of a monthly Music Magazine named "Musicalidad" (you can take a look at its website, it´s in Spanish, www.musicalidad.net), and on its front page there's a picture of Robert Smith, which means that there must be an article about The Cure. I´m willing to read it! Here's the front cover."

(Thanks Sharon from www.charlottesometimes.fr.st)

"Just watching snooker on BBC2. Opening music was "Close To Me". Nice Touch as it's Ronnie O" Sullivan V. Stephen Hendry!!"

(Thanks Sylvia)

"Friday, 28th November, I went to a club in Lisbon called Lux, and in the ground floor (wich usually haves house/ electronic music) there was 2 DJ's called "Dezperados", and to my surprise they played The Cure's "The Caterpillar" with an electronic beat behind, and the result was very good. Maybe this was a remix made by them, don't have more info about it. This was very surprising to be heard on the ground floor, usually they play Cure tracks on the 1st floor like "10:15", "Play for Today" or "Let's go to Bed". "

(Thanks Paulo)