"I write this little message because after lyon gig, i met perry who said that the new album will be recorded until the end of 98. An Australian tour will be scheduled in january and album will be released in March."

Please remember that all dates are tentative and plans can change.

"Hi, I'm a Cure fan from Rome (Italy). Obviously a few days ago I was in Como to see the band play live (my 7th Cure concert since 1987!:), the concert has been great and after the show we had the incredible luck to meet Robert in the hotel where they stay in Cernobbio and he has been very very gentle to speak with us a couple of minutes (of course I realized the dream of my life:). The reason I'm writing to you is because he talked to us about some of the Cure programs and I think this could be interesting to you.

We asked Robert simply "When we'll see you again?" and he answered: "We are currently recording our new record, great songs, you will like it, and I think we'll be back next April".

That's all for now. Greetings from Rome!"

Los Angeles Times Calendar Section (7/26)

The Cure's Robert Smith has joined the soundtrack for "Orgasmo," the live-action movie coming from the "South Park" duo Trey Parker and Matt Stone. Smith's doing a new song called "Hand of God," which in the movie is credited to a group named Cogasmo.

Rocktropolis World Premiere: For the Masses, The Depeche Mode Tribute Album

http://www.rocktropolis.com/events

Six broadcasts:

"For the Masses," the DEPECHE MODE tribute album, will be released on August 4. But you can hear a sneak preview of the album tracks -- including cover versions of Depeche Mode songs by SMASHING PUMPKINS, VERUCA SALT, and the DEFTONES -- in this world premiere show. You'll also hear interviews with THE CURE, MONSTER MAGNET, GOD LIVES UNDERWATER, DISHWALLA, and others. Join us for this exclusive event.

"Who were The Cure" was the "question" for the german tv-show Jeopardy. The answer before was "the singer Robert Smith sang the song Boys Don't Cry at the beginning of the 80's with a whining voice"

DAVID BOWIE TO OFFER INTERNET SERVICE TO THE PUBLIC VIA BOWIENET

David Bowie confirmed rumors of the last several weeks that, beginning September 1, he will launch BowieNet. Located at www.davidbowie.com, BowieNet will be the first artist-created Internet Service Provider. The official announcement of the launch was to coincide with the release of EMI Records compilation "The Best Of David Bowie 1974/1979" on August 23. However, the CD, which contains details of the on-line service, was prematurely released by EMI-Canada two weeks ago. This led Canadian fans to search for the service. In response, a "pre-launch" site was posted on the www.davidbowie.com home page.

"I wanted to create an environment where not just my fans but all music lovers could be a part of the same community," Bowie stated, "a single place where the vast archives of music information could be accessed, views stated and ideas exchanged." Bowie continued, "Our biggest challenge was to assemble unique proprietary content along with first-rate content suppliers and unparalleled Internet service from tech support to billing. After nine months of work, I believe we have achieved just that."

To that end, UltraStar Internet Services was created. (UltraStar details below.) Due to the early announcement of BowieNet, UltraStar has set up a hotline number 800-587-STAR (7827) for fans to sign up for Internet service and reserve e-mail addresses. No accounts will be charged until members have received their CD-Roms and the network is officially launched 12:01 A.M. Tuesday September 1.

UltraStar is a management technology partnership that specializes in the arena of Internet services, bringing major entertainment, sports and fashion clients to the world in a community-based forum delivered over the Web. UltraStar's philosophy is to allow users a personal experience with their favorite personalities via the Internet. Never before has there been a gateway where the private and public worlds of famous figures has been opened with the continued support, input and materials of each star.

UltraStar Principals:

Robert Goodale is an executive producer in music and interactivity, including interactive events and Internet sites for the Rolling Stones, David Bowie, and The Cure. Firsts associated with these artists and their Web sites have included the debut sale by a major artist of audio material only over the Internet (5,000 numbered CDs with The Cure); the first artist to make available a single solely over the Internet (David Bowie with over 375,000 downloads in Dec. 96/Jan. 97); the world's first live rock n roll concert on the Internet (the Rolling Stones November 1994); executive produced four of rock's top five most trafficked Webcasts in Internet history. Executive produced David Bowie's CD-ROM ("JUMP"). Executive vice president of Bowie's management company for six years. Executive producer of various films.

Ron Roy has 15 years of computer/multimedia/Internet experience. Ron has worked with a variety of computer technologies throughout his career including help produce and market some of the industry's first truly interactive CD-ROM's-- using full-motion video and stereo quality audio--in areas that included sports (Big East Basketball, Reebok International) and training (one of the first interactive CD-ROM's for Windows 95, which eventually was redesigned to work over the Internet). In the area of Internet/music, Roy is currently the Project Manager for The Cure's official Web site (www.thecure.com), which holds the distinction of both being a rock Web site where all site design features are produced by the band itself and holds three of the top five all-time listened to Webcasts. Roy was also instrumental in bringing the first Internet-only CD release, Five Swing Live by The Cure, to market.

"It's a free concert sponsored by the city council.

The Cure play 22:00 h. Other spanish bands playing before."

Xfm takeover by Capital gets DTI approval

Capital Radio group programme director Richard Park is due to meet staff at Xfm today (Monday) following last week’s DTI approval of its takeover of the London-based alternative station.

The visit coincides with the first of Xfm’s staff relocating from Camden in north London to the Capital HQ in Leicester Square. At least two of Xfm’s six sales staff have decided to leave, and the future of programme director Sammy Jacob remains unclear.

“I’m going over on Monday and camping myself in there for a few days to have a chat with everybody. It’s an informal meeting,” says Park.

Park adds it is “business as usual” at Xfm for the immediate future and denies having made approaches to staff at rival stations. “I can confirm that nobody has been approached,” he says.

Xfm managing director Chris Parry is expecting some minor programming changes to be made between now and September but points out that they were planned prior to the Capital deal.

“There may be some new blood brought in. It would be naive of me to say everything will remain the same,” says Parry.

Meanwhile, Capital has launched a group-wide training scheme from which it hopes to recruit new talent. The Programming Production Trainee Scheme will kick-off in the autumn across its six stations, who will each take a trainee every six months.

"According to an web-page of the official german music magazine "Intro" the organizer of the Bizarre Festival are planning to broadcast some of the main acts live on the net via Real-Video. Top-Acts like Iggy Pop, Monster Magnet and The Cure are said to have already given their O.K. . The address where I read that information is http://OpenAir.de/xstart.html ."

"German tv-channel ARD will show appearances from Bizarre festival. In the night from Saturday to Sunday (22nd - 23rd August -> just after the show), they start their transmission at 0.30am. And they will show The Cure (I assume, they start with them)!"

I also received this from Lars back on June 6th but I don't think I ever posted it :

"I just got an email by Peter Rüchel, the german commentator of the music show "Rockpalast". He told me that The Cure play on the Bizarre Festival from 22.20 till 24 . The "ARD" will air an "Rockpalast special" from the Bizarre festival. It will start on saturday,22nd of August at 00.30 o`clock with the performance from The Cure. "ARD" will send about an hour of their show. The Cure maintained their right to let songs be cut out that worked not so good.

But some days later "Rockpalast" will air the show of The Cure once again on "WDR" (3.german programme) and there they will play at least one hour of the show but maybe even the whole concert if all songs worked great and The Cure give their ok."

Sat. afternoon update: There WILL NOT be any audio webcast of The Cure's set.

"On Mtv's EyeSpyVideo the question is "who is the ex-member of the CURE who wrote TORN?" but no one answered it."

"On last Thursday's "My Generation" on VH-1, the object of a question was to find the word that fits in the phrase to make two complete phrases. The original was:

Friday I'm in touch.

And of course the correct word to insert is Love...So The Cure makes it's third recent game show appearance."

In its 5th week on the Billboard Top 200 Albums chart, the X-Files movie soundtrack plummets 21 spots to #51.

Nîmes, Les Arênes, 23rd July 1998 :

The festival will begin at 20.00.

In Lyon on the 25th july 1998, there will be only the Cure and it will begin at 20.30

"The Cure was the answer to a question on the Liftime show Debt. It was in the categories of bands that changed their name (or something close). The question went something like: This band was formerly known as 'easy cure' and is known for such songs as killing an arab and boys don't cry, also it's ....(something unimportant). It aired late last week."

'Alt/Metal' Tag For New Bryan Adams?

It's anybody's guess what the next Bryan Adams album will sound like, but it's a fair bet it will reflect more than one influence. Sources at the singer's management company confirm that Adams is currently recording with both modern rock guru Phil Thornalley and metalhead Bob Rock. A spokesperson for that company told press sources that the respective producers were working on a couple of tracks each.

Thornalley toured and recorded with The Cure in the mid-80s, and launched a successful studio career producing and/or engineering such artists as XTC, the Thompson Twins, PreFab Sprout, the Psychedelic Furs and most recently, Natalie Imbruglia. Rock's recent projects have included Motley Crue, Metallica and Verucca Salt.

The new Adams album is due this fall. A Thornalley/Adams collaboration, to be released at the end of the summer, will be the record's first single.

Adams' last studio effort was 1996's "18 Til I Die," a straight ahead rocker that ran counter to his image as ballad singer and soundtrack king. Adams' last album was the pop-ish "MTV Unplugged" album released last year.

Main Stage:

And if you haven't checked, I've put many of the schedules on the 98 Festivals page.

"I've just heard from an industry source that Bowie has indeed already written and recorded a track with Reeves Gabrels- done in London with Cure drummer Jason Cooper."

If you're interested in receiving the newsletter, contact DBfan@aol.com

Here's some of the comments from it (thanks to Bob for sending it in and to Deborah Jones for posting it on the Strange Day board) :

'I don't think anybody should have lots of money" opines Robert Smith, so an above average royalty rate and 20 million album sales must have caused The Cure leader endless angst. There's just one house for himself and wife Mary, with such benevolent acts as buying friends property, donating to charity and paying for the up-bringing and education of two Guatamalan children. Goes on to talk about XFM and 15 years of outlay on hair gel & lipstick...Q magazine August 1998"

Also, the album has been certified Gold (sales of 500,000).

"At the uk fan club drink a few weeks ago, Roger told me that they are indeed not rehearsing any new songs for the festivals. Also because the timing is similar for all shows the set-list might be static."

"I just read in our local newspaper (Adelaide, South Australia) that acts rumoured to play in Australia's Big Day Out (australian festival gathering of bands type thing) next year include: the verve, rem, nine inch nails, hole and The Cure.

The Big day out generally takes place around January-February (summertime here). The Adelaide gig will be on January 29, 1999 at the Adelaide's Wayville Showground.

The article was in The Advertiser Newspaper, Wednesday July 1."

"I read the names of the other groups that will play in Cernobbio (near Como) on 24th July. They will play in this succession:

The show will begin at about 21:00."

"The Cure could give a bit more in Brno than in other cities, all the festival action will be oriented to their performance. Their appearance on the stage could be more than two hours."