First, the reader survey has been going great. Much more popular than I thought it would be. In fact, there will be a Part 2 & 3 to the survey due to the suggestions sent in and a bunch of ideas that I had, but were too late for the 1st survey. So part 1 will end at midnight on Friday night/Saturday morning with results posted by 5pm that day. Part 2 will start Saturday morning and Part 3 a week later.

Second, I had hoped to start the COF Birthday contest this week, but I've had to delay it until next Monday. Some really nice prizes have been provided by Polymath MultiMedia Productions and The Cureheads, and I hope you enjoy it.

Third, the big surprise that was supposed to be the icing on the cake will probably not come through. I'll keep my fingers crossed, but it doesn't look good.

"I watched Ray Cokes on Saturday and confirm that The Cure clip was of Friday I'm In Love from 1995. In fact Robert adlibbed one chorus of it with "Friday no more Ray"

Anyway Ray was on later with his top 10 songs life-changing moments or favourite bands : interesting for Cure fans was the inclusion of The Jam, David Bowie and The Cure (at No.3 with Boys Don't Cry). Ray admitted he had loved this band all his life had all their singles and albums and though not life-changing moment, this song was one of his favourite singles. He went on to recant the tale of meeting them backstage at an Earls Court (London) gig and asking Robert to play at his wedding.

Years later he reminded Robert that he was getting married in France and Robert mentioned he hated flying but would play it anyway. Ray then described how this was the best night of his life accompanied by the Cure playing 20 or so of his favourite songs."

(Thanks Stephen)

"Just wanted to let you know. I got the VCD of The Cure in Orange, and I am able to play it on a regular CD ROM (not DVD). It doesn't load automatically like a DVD would but if you take the .dat files in the \MPEGAV folder and open them with Media Player (I'm using windows 98 by the way), they play fine."

(Thanks Trev)

(Thanks Gary)

"The french mag "LES INROCKUPTIBLES N° 296 26-06-01" mentioned that AIR THE FRENCH BAND has made a CURE COVER for the English Television."

(Thanks Cedrique)

"(ex-Cure) Phil Thornalley gets a mention for working with Natalie Imbruglia on her new album according to NME.com."

(Thanks Mark)

"Yesterday in a new quiz (100%)on the new italian channel (La7) was asked this question: Which band was the singer Robert Smith in? The 3 answers were: Genesis; Cure; Pink Floyd. The 2 players answered right!!! The only problem is the "was" in the question: Robert is still alive and the Cure are still alive!!!"

(Thanks Michele)

"Today ( 26/6.) i saw the german tv show "Die Quizshow". It was the third question: Which band had a big hit with "Night Fever" ? the answering choices were: 1. Kajagoogoo 2. Bee Gees 3.THE CURE(!) 4. Chicago

The candidate (older man) wasn't sure, he hasn't the song in his mind. First he choose Bee Gees, than The Cure(!) and finally did his answer with Bee Gees! (right :)) For the fact he doesn't know The Cure, he pronounced it very well! It gives me a big laugh because of the crazy choice of answering possibilites!"

(Thanks Stefan)

"Robert appeared on Ray Cokes show about 5 minutes before I wrote this. The conversation lasted quite a few minutes and I think it was maybe a bit too much to type up, anyway it wasn't particularly interesting other than the fact it's the 1st time Robert has been on UK TV for quite some time.

Anyway, there was a big bit of news: Ray mentioned that The Cure had been recording a new album. Robert said they had, but it has been put on hold for a while because the 4 major record companies they have had contracts with want to put out a greatest hits album and they asked The Cure if they would record a new single to put on it and that, said Robert, is why the album has been delayed.

So it looks like we'll have a new single to enjoy soonish! By the way, Robert will be appearing on the Bingo Hall of Death later today. I will try to let you know what questions he got and the answers he gave."

If anyone wants to take the time to transcribe the interview and/or the game show, we would really appreciate it.

(Thanks David)

To explain a bit of the conversation, note the following: At the start of Saturdays 1st show Ray showed a clip of the band performing Friday Im In Love, with Ray on rythmn guitar. Ray said "that's what we used to show........that clip was from 1942"

ROBERT: Hello?

RAY: Hello?

ROBERT: Hello?

RAY: Is it really you Robert?

ROBERT: Yes it really is, hah! How are you?

RAY: It's Robert Smith everybody !! Hi Robert, I don't seem to have changed much in 5 years, how are you doing?

ROBERT: Err...five years?.....that was from 1942 you said that clip was from........that's sixty years, it's been very kind to you hasn't it?

RAY: You're watching aren't you?

ROBERT: Yeah, course I am, I seen you in the papers, I thought "I cannot miss this" !

RAY: Oh, Robert, you shouldn't have bothered , I mean go out and get some sunshine, no it's not you, you don't go out and sunbathe do you? Course not.

ROBERT: No, come on. I shouldn't even be up at this time. (This was about 15:15-15:30 UK Time!)

RAY: Robert, lives in a cave you know, there's bats flying around and things. He does. Er, Robert are you busy tomorrow? I know I shouldn't use my friendship, you know you've already played at my wedding a few years ago?

ROBERT: Yeah. What, you getting married again tomorrow?

RAY: No, no, I'm still married, can you see? (Shows hand/wedding ring to camera) Can you see my ring? (Ray and crew start to laugh suggestively - Don't know about other countries but "ring" in England is one of our equivalents of "ass/arse".)

ROBERT: Oh, very nice, yeah.

RAY: Well remember you played at my wedding and all the boys were there, and we played on the beach and everything?

ROBERT: Yeah, and weren't we good?

RAY: You were fantastic. It was the first time The Cure had ever done a wedding. And probably the last time as well.

ROBERT: Well, thankfully it was yeah, but it was good practice for years to come.

RAY: The trouble was Robert you see, all the speeches went on too long just like me on TV, and by the time we came to you there were a bit too many courtesy drinks I think.

ROBERT: Just a few too many, yeah.

RAY: But are you doing anything tomorrow afternoon? You ask him Rob. (Rob the cameraman)

ROBERT: Erm, not now!

RAY: You're not?

ROBERT: Well, I was gonna be watching you of course, I mean I've based my whole weekend around you.

RAY: Have you?

ROBERT: Yeah.

RAY: And your wife?

ROBERT: Er, Yes, of course.

ROB THE CAMERAMAN (whispering to Ray): Ask him to come in.

RAY: Will you come in.....you ask him Rob !!

ROB THE CAMERAMAN: Well....err...

(Robert laughing while all this goes on.)

RAY: Will you come in tomorrow Rob and be our special guest on...erm...on our show.

ROBERT: Certainly, I would love to, it would be much a pleasure.

RAY: Was that a yes? That was a yes! YES! IT'S A YES!!! WE GOT A YES!!! We've got our first guest, Robert thank you so much, it's in Camden Town, same old place and you'll recognise me, I'm the guy with all the wrinkles, and no hair. Okay Rob....Robert?

ROBERT: Alright!

RAY: Okay, see you tomorrow!

ROBERT: Right, see you tomorrow!

RAY: You don't have to bring the band, just bring yourself.

ROBERT: Heeeey !

RAY: Hey, I'll see you tomorrow. Fantastic, Robert Smith is coming in tomorrow.

(Thanks to David Herron for taking the time to type it up for us. Thanks also to Michelle)

"It's not this weekend...it's next weekend. Or at least that what's the promos on VH-1 Europe were saying. I tuned in at 5:00 (Finland time)...3:00 UK time and they were in the middle of a top 20 countdown show. However, they were running promos for the Ray Cokes show and it said "tune in next weekend"."

(Thanks Heather)

"I just noticed that one of the pay TV cable channels here in Helsniki, Finland is airing a Cure concert tomorrow (Sunday, June 24th). The cable channel is called CANAL+KULTA and the programme (The Cure-Belgian Flowers, Live in Brussels) starts at 23:00 (Finland time) tomorrow. I'm not sure if this cable system reaches other European countries. "

(Thanks Heather)

"After their annual break during the exams....yes it's boring !! The official Belgian The Cure Coverband CURIOSITY is back :

- July : Salle AGORA (Liège) for the Pérou's Children

- 1 sept 2001 Herstal : MOTORIUM SAROLEA

- 15 sept 2001 Visé : Rock'Binson Festival

- Oct : others dates in Belgium (Liège, Bruxelles, etc...)

There will be others shows programmed soon...very soon.....with more songs and more surprises..."

(Thanks Vincent)

"On the 19th of June'01, in Warsaw, in the middle of the day, on my way to my exam I met.... Porl Thompson:)))) (He was playing that day a gig, with Robert Plant, as Strange Sensation). The last time I saw him it was Wembley'89 gig but Porl hasn't changed at all (except from his hair lenght). He turned out to be a lovely, easy going person and it was a great pleasure to meet my favourite ex-Cure. He agreed to have his pict. taken, so here it is. It made my day even though Porl was soon off to his soundcheck, and I was.... too late to take my exam.

Porl, if you read this: I passed this exam two days later. Thanks for everything."

(Thanks Tais)

(Thanks Maciek)

"PBS will be broadcasting the movie "Gormenghast," a film based on Mervyn Peake's fantasy trilogy - which we all know was Robert's inspiration for the song The Drowning Man on Faith. While, of course, nothing can compare to giving the brilliant novel a read for yourself, it is an interesting and humorous adaptation. Check http://www.tvguide.com for the time in your local area - but the two part film is scheduled to air on June 28th at 1am and 4am, and June 29th at 1am and 4am in the Boston area."

And If you enjoy it, it is scheduled to be released on dvd on July 3rd.

(Thanks Janice)

"On Saturday June 16th, I may have been the only person in the entire world watching BBC1's 'A Question of Pop', a low-budget, poor-quality popular music trivia programme unconvincingly fronted by Jamie Theakston (Americans won't know him, he's a D-List celebrity over here) and with regular 'team captains' Suggs (lead singer of Madness, a ska-pop group who were huge in Britain in the 80s, but didn't make the same impact in the States) and Noddy Holder (lead singer of Slade, a glam-rock who were huge in Britain in the early 70s, but who didn't make anything like the same impact in the USA, although i think one of their biggest hits - perhaps 'Cum on Feel the Noize' - was covered by Quiet Riot and met with fairly considerable commerical success across the Atlantic). Anyway, I assume the producer of the show (or perhaps the writer) is a Cure fan, because they 'popped up' twice on the show.

First, there was a themed section of footage from a particular year (there are two questions about the footage, one of which is to name the year the footage comes from), and, for a collage of the 'highlights' of 1983, the background music was 'The Lovecats'.

Later on, another section required the contestants to view an album cover which has had its title and artist airbrushed out, and to name the title and artist (New Order's Republic was met with blank looks from everyone, which left me shouting out the answer at home). As it happens, one of the albums was Standing on a Beach , which Paul Young (washed up 80s semi-star) got close enough to naming (he may have called it staring at the sea, I just know he didn't quite get it right) to get full points. Anyway, two Curespots in one programme!"

(Thanks Johnny Marr and StarlaZero)

"The Cure were mentionned on the 19 of june. On the Belgian public radio station, "La Première RTBF" during a game called "Le jeu des dictionnaires" (a black humour game about the french langage). Presenter Jacques Mercier asked his french guest Bertrand Burgalat (who as well as being a singer is the founder of Tricatel, an alternative record label for french music) if he detested The Cure. Burgalat answed: "Because of the way I keep my hair, I'm compared to the band's singer (Robert Smith)". The presenter then went on to ask: "Didn't you say that The Cure had made music become 'bad'?". And it finished when Burgalat answered: "I said that? It must have been when I was drunk!".

(Thanks David)

"Well today a friend and I went to Book People, to find some new mags and books. As I was looking at a tatoo book I heard Fascination Street. My friend and I looked at each other smiled and nodded. It really made my day."

(Thanks Jennifer)

"June 25th---> the cure's "carnage visors". tune in to hear the 27 minute instrumental recorded in 1981 to support them on tour and can only be found on cassette versions of the album "faith".

This will be on my radio show Monday june 25th at 10pm central time in chicago!!!! wluw 88.7fm mondays 10pm-2am and listen on line at www.wluw.org

If you have any requests whether it be cure related or not, email destinationunknown23@hotmail.com or call 773-591-8870. thanks a lot!!!!"

(Thanks Kamar)

"Because the Cure is coming to my country, Denmark, to give a concert at the Roskilde Festival, I have created a "Roskilde Festival 2001 Dreambook" on my website ONE HUNDRED YEARS. The Dreambook is dedicated to The Cure at the Roskilde Festival July 1, 2001. Cure fans can write their comments, questions, song wishes, thoughts and anything else. They can also write a message if they would like to meet with other fans at the festival."

(Thanks Tina)

"The next concert of EASY CURE will be on Saturday 23 JUNE at TOWER LIVE in TORRE DEL LAGO (LUCCA) - V.le Kennedy 6 . The way to the sea.. We'll waiting for you...

Ciao

(Thanks Luca)

"There will be a concert as a tribute to the Cure in France in Montpellier the 25th of june. it takes place at the "rockstore" a Concert hall. There will be 7 bands, 1 will cover live, songs from "the cure". the show begins at 22:00."

(Thanks Sébastien)

"Don´t know if J. Mascis does it often but I thought I´ll report it just in case anybody cares...At the Hultsfred festival in Sweden this friday (15th of June), J. Mascis and The Fog played a cover of Just like Heaven. The show was also broadcasted by ZTV"

(Thanks Henrik)

"I was on a concert with a band called “the Misled” in Helsingborg (Sweden). They ended the show with a cover of "Secrets". Only the singer with a guitar. All I can say is: Perfect. I also found some pictures and a play list from the concert on their Web page. http://listen.to/the_misled."

(Thanks Andreas P.)

"This weekend i have been to the swedish rock-festival Hultsfred. on friday Aimee Mann was doing her thing (unfortunately i missed it). But a friend of mine said that she had played some cure songs like Just Like Heaven and one more... but i'm not sure if its true..."

Can anyone confirm this? What songs did she do? And did anyone record it? : )

(Thanks Jerk)

"The Cure are mentioned in the July issue of CMJ Music Monthly Magazine (Coldplay on cover). They are mentioned in an interview with Mogwai where the band talks about what is "pish" or "fuckin' ace". "Things that are pish: Coldplay, all Rolling Stones songs except Gimme Shelter, all Pink Floyd albums except The Piper At The Gates Of Dawn and pretty much all American alterna-rock (except the Deftones, whose Chino Moreno will be lending vocals to a new Mogwai track). Things that are fuckin' ace: Joy Division, the Cure, Syd Barrett and, of late, Jewish spirituals..."

(Thanks Jimmy)

"Well, yesterday (Saturday 6/16), I was at the United States-England rugby match. After sitting down with some South Africans in on the stand near the England bench, I listen to the loudspeaker and heard a faint noise....it's the Walk! For the record, England beat the US 48-19, not bad considering the US was picked to lose by 60 to 70 points. Always nice to mix my favorite sport with my favorite band."

(Thanks Flynn)

"I was picking up my brother from "The Outback Steak House" in Provo Utah, and while I waited in front in my car they were playing the cover version of World In My Eyes by THE CURE! It made the wait more pleasant that is for sure!"

(Thanks Cambria)

(Thanks John, Matthew, David, Kevin, Gilbert, Eric and Trevor)

I would like to single out a couple of people who first got me interested in "The Cure on the web", and they are Scott Zumsteg (who's Cure Concerts site was my favorite when I first got on the net), Bob Kwiatkowski (SATTAM was THE place to be), Nancy Everson (for the ever infuriating Babble), Alia Rayl (for This Twilight Garden and the even more infuriating Descent) and Rui the Drowning Man (probably my first Cure friend on the net and for letting me host his Cure Countdown e-mail thing when I first started).

A few more Thank You's:

To Roger O' Donnell for his never-ending support, for the laughs & for his defense when we needed it. : )

To Robert Smith for the links, for understanding my stupidity at times and for what's to come.

To Nadine Tanner for the love & encouragement shown and for all of the help and advice given over the last 2 years.

Ok, enough. This isn't a funeral or a good-bye, it's supposed to be a celebration. So what's in store for us over the next year? Some pretty exciting stuff I'd say. Roskilde, the recording of the new album, possible "promotion" of the new album, Robert's solo album, and so much more. And to celebrate our 5th birthday, I'll be running some special features over the next few weeks. Some will be stupid, some will be fun. But I can guarantee there will be one or two that you don't want to miss. : )

So while I can't imagine that I'll still be here in another 5 years, I can promise you at least another year or two.

Thanks again to everyone for their help and encouragement over the years. Cure fans truly are the best.

-Craig

(Thanks Conor)

From The Warsaw Voice

Polish Cure

There is a growing trend among Polish musicians for recording classic rock songs. A few years ago, a Polish album with Eric Clapton's songs was released and this year the album Yugoton, featuring Yugoslav rock hits interpreted by leading Polish musicians, was given a great deal of publicity. The latest example of this tribute fad is Prayers for Disintegration: A Tribute To The Cure.

Only a handful of groups on the independent rock scene have enjoyed as much popularity as The Cure. Robert Smith's dark lyrics and the band's melancholy music have influenced many Polish bands including the current "cold wave."

Tribute albums often invite unflattering comparisons between the originals and the cover versions, with the latter losing out, but the Polish musicians on this album manage to hold their own. The Polish, rough version of "The Holy Hour" by Tres Hombres, and the poetic "Aparta" by Piotr Piêkoœ, deserve special mention. The musicians' courage to interpret rather than blindly imitate clearly pays off-Usta Bilizowane's rendition of "Lovecats" is a fine example of following your instincts rather than the path laid down by the original.

The new album not only reminds the public of some classic Cure compositions, but also promotes Polish groups left in the group's shadow. Maybe the project will draw attention to groups such as Le Fleur, eM and Common Dream.

"Flowers never die," Robert Smith sings in "Bloodflowers," title track of the group's most recent record. The same might be said of The Cure's songs, and Prayers for Disintegration proves it.

Anna Kosowska-Czubaj

(Thanks Bobblehat)

"I was at a club called the "black cat" in Austin, and I saw a band named "Alex Cant Sleep" play "A Forrest". They did a really awsome job of doing it.. What a bunch of nice guys too!"

(Thanks Jennifer)

"I went to a concert of a German punk band named DIE ÄRZTE yesterday who have a song called VAMPYR. At the beginning of this song I recognized the scream of CURE'S SUBWAY SONG and in the song they integrated the bass line of A FOREST. I was so exited, I just couldn't believe it but I seamed to be the only one. Anyway, for me this was the highlight of the concert!!!! "

(Thanks Tina)

"I saw this on BBC's web-pages relating to the 'Virtual Glastonbury' event. It mentions The Cure's involvement in it:

"As well as new performance there will be archive sets from Glastonburys gone by including The Cure and Elastica."

(Thanks Steven)

"Hi. It's me again. The girl with that cure-influenced novel called 'Der Kahuna Modus.' Last night i was invited to do a 1 hour promo reading / interview on our local pop radio station WDR Einslive and, before the show, the host asked me if i had any special musical requests and of course i mentioned The Cure, and you know what? They actually played 'Maybe Someday' during the first break, in the acoustic mix version! After that, i felt really comfortable ... "

(Thanks Nika)

(Thanks Jennifer)

"Just an FYI, The Cure The Head on the Door is one of the 500 Vital Titles in the new Virgin Megastore sale this month which is 500 titles you cannot live without. The Cure is featured in the melancholic genre of the sale but still, its actually featured as a can't live without title!!!"

(Thanks skyfullofdreams)

"The french artist "M" who covered "Close To Me" (in french!) a few years ago edited this week a double live CD that contains "Close To Me" live (very electric version... Really beautifull !... and still in french !!!). This live album is available in standard double CD, and also in a special limited edition (w/ hard card sleeve and a 60-page booklet!)."

(Thanks Rodolphexxx )

"The Gathering of The Cure Clans" : The Second Annual Irish Cure Fan Gathering. July 28th @ Temple Bar Music Centre, Dublin. Doors 6.30 pm - till late.

A night of Complete Guinessed Cureness. "Giveaways, Cure Disco, The Cureheads Live onstage."

Tickets online from Ticketmaster Ireland.

Why not make a weekend of it ?

(Thanks Gary)

"in an article about a Placebo show at Irving Plaza on May 28 writer James Hannaham says, "At their best, Molko's lyrics sound like indie-film kiss-offs; at worst, they rely on cliches of torturedness that Robert Smith and Bill Corgan hollowed out long ago". "

(Thanks Van)

"Last wednesday, the French tv chanel CANAL+ aired the movie "ORGAZMO" (that contains the Cogasm song "A Sign From God")... It will be aired again on saturday June 9th at 0:35 (French time)."

(Thanks Rodolphexxx )

"ON READING THE 2 CURE REFERENCES MADE IN THE TV SHOW NEIGHBOURS RECENTLY,I'M PRETTY CONVINCED ONE OF THE SHOW'S MAKERS MUST BE A CURE FAN. WATCHING AN OLD EPISODE,TWO CHARACTERS WERE DRESSING UP FOR A HALLOWEEN PARTY. DEBBIE'S BOYFRIEND SUGGESTED SHE DRESSED UP AS ROBERT SMITH OF THE CURE! SEE THE SHOW ISN'T CRAP AFTERALL."

(Thanks Chris P)

"I walked into Toys "R" Us yesterday to buy my neice a birthday present, and I thought I heard a very familar sound. I did. Over the intercom they played "Close to Me" from "Head on the Door". A song like that in a toy store, who would have thought. "

(Thanks Mary)

"I'm on the mailing list for Bar None records & just received this "letter" from Luka Bloom concerning a cover album in which he mentions the Cure. An mp3 sample can be found at the website.

LETTER FROM LUKA BLOOM

Greetings Mike,

Ever since I recorded LL Cool J's "I Need Love," fans have been asking for an album of covers. I had never really been drawn to the idea until last year. To mark the new millennium, I decided to go back to "song school," as it were, and study the work of artists and writers I admired. Rather than simply create a collection of my own favorite songs, I wanted to investigate worlds other than my own.

It's been quite a little adventure -- trying to find great songs in different styles, trying to learn them, and trying to bring something of myself to the songs. After all, I had to end up with a Luka Bloom record. I had already been playing "Keeper of the Flame" which I knew from Nina Simone's recording and I had learned Bob Marley's "Natural Mystic." But as a performer the rest of the songs on this disc were all new to me. I was pleasantly surprised at how easily I connected with Cure songs, Radiohead songs... On the other hand, I was disappointed I couldn't seem to find a Van Morrison song that suited me.

In making this CD, I have once more found new areas to explore, and it made me realize yet again that the only barriers in music exist in our minds. I truly never imagined I would one day record an ABBA song; now I love to perform it. I look forward to singing these songs for you in America this August.

Best wishes,

Luka

website: http://www.bar-none.com/bios/Lukabloom.htm "

(Thanks Mike)

"On May 12th, 2001 I was visiting the Henry Ford Museum in Dearborn, Michigan where to my suprise there was an amazingly accurate recreation of a Mid-80's teenager's bedroom (complete with Aqua-Net hairspray cans, a closet full of denim jackets and Apple II computer). Walking toward the display I said to my traveling companion, "There has got to be a Cure poster or something over there." Sure enough, on a door on the outside of the display was a HEAD ON THE DOOR poster. I got some weird looks as I took a picture of it."

(Thanks Marcie)

And closing on a completely selfish note, If anyone out there works for New Line Cinema or has some contacts there, please e-mail me. Thanks.