A new album with good, unhappy songs is not worth a suicide from Robert Smith in my view.
I did not mention "suicide" with one word, did I?
That sort of "danger" has never really been there for him, in my opinion. (The only time, in my view, Robert was "ready to die for his art" was
maybe around "Pornography"?)
In 1986, he told Creem magazine: "Ian Curtis was my generation's suicide. I didn't really want to follow in his footsteps". (Found in the book "Ten Imaginary Years", page 102.)
According to various interviews, Robert has almost
never written any songs when he felt "happy", so we can guess he uses "songwriting" to get rid of his "demons" or in other words: to work up his melancholy/sadness or whatever it is that might fall upon him (as it does with many human beings, even if they do live a "happy life" in general). And
working things up in a creative way is actually a healthy, positive thing!
I'm hoping for a transformation in Robert, like a new look, a new outlook.
Yeah well, he mentioned his "new" outlook in above interview, didn't he?
How has his outlook changed? “It’s slightly more cynical and slightly less optimistic, which is strange. I was very optimistic when I was young..."
Strangely, he wrote these very "dark" songs when he was around 20-23. Which makes me think: the
one thing does not necessarily have to do with the other, i.e. he was an optmistic young man, who wrote these sad songs (when he was in the mood for it). Nowadays, he may turn into a grumpy old man who writes optimistic songs - well, you never know, huh?
If he keeps trying to play the old Robert Smith it's just going to be pathetic.
Once again, the recent interview gives a clue that he is not:
"It would be weird if I felt the same as I did when I was in my 20s."
However, as we all know, he hasn't really changed his "style" (clothes, make-up) for public appearances with the band - seeing this has gone on for 35+ years now, I don't think he
ever will! He's not David Bowie, who changed his "image" every so often! He wants to retain THE iconic "Robert Smith look" for his fans.
Time for him to step into a healthier place in life. I've loved Robert since I was 14 years old and I love him like a husband, like a friend, like a father. His health is my number one concern.
I know nothing at all about his health! He managed to do the 2016 tour with no known problems (apart from catching a cold), which to me sounds like he's in good shape. There's one person whose concern it should be: his wife, Mary. Does she cook for him (or does he for her)? I do not know...
So he's a little overweight maybe? I don't care. Actually I heard from the age of 45+ it is healthier to have a slight bit of overweight. (RS is 59, btw.)
I never said or thought he was "unhappy"
in general. He lives a life with less "hassles" than most of us. Once again, the above interview suggests that one of very few "unpleasant" things in his life is doing interviews!
When was the last time he did something he didn’t want to do? He points at my Dictaphone and laughs. “Sitting here.”
Sounds like a very happy life to me!
