2018.06.07 "RS: I was very optimistic when I was young", The Guardian, UK

Started by dsanchez, June 08, 2018, 13:19:50

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dsanchez

QuoteThe period from the second world war to the 70s, we were on a great trajectory for equality and so forth. It's only since the end of the 70s, Maggie and Ronnie, that things have inexorably gone wrong. It's insane, people's lust for technology and new things." He sighs. "I'm just turning into a grumpy old man."

QuoteHow has his outlook changed? "It's slightly more cynical and slightly less optimistic, which is strange. I was very optimistic when I was young, even though I wrote very dismal songs, but now I'm kind of the opposite. I have a very dismal outlook on life."

https://www.theguardian.com/music/2018/jun/07/the-cures-robert-smith-i-was-very-optimistic-when-i-was-young-now-im-the-opposite
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Ulrich

Great interview!

This
QuoteOr the time that he interviewed David Bowie for Xfm and arrived so drunk that he proceeded to talk over his hero for two hours. "I think my opening gambit was, 'We can both agree you've never done anything good since 1982,'" he says, wincing.
made me laugh.  :D
The holy city breathed like a dying man...

PearlThompsonsBloodflower

Quote from: Ulrich on June 08, 2018, 13:28:43
Great interview!

This
QuoteOr the time that he interviewed David Bowie for Xfm and arrived so drunk that he proceeded to talk over his hero for two hours. "I think my opening gambit was, 'We can both agree you've never done anything good since 1982,'" he says, wincing.
made me laugh.  :D


same

Ulrich

As I said before, I think this is an interesting interview, I think Robert gives away a lot about how he feels inside...

QuoteSmith has been rummaging through boxes for a documentary directed by regular collaborator Tim Pope. "I knew a few people wanted to – what's a nice way of saying exploit? – celebrate the 40th anniversary with projects," he says. "I said no, but I knew that they would probably go ahead anyway unless I made it very obvious that we were doing something."

By the time of 1992's Wish, with its jaunty hit Friday I'm in Love, the novelty of being huge had evaporated. "I was coping in a slightly disturbed way with what was going on," he says. "I felt it was at odds with what I'd started out doing. I couldn't understand how we could be so successful and still be honest. With hindsight we were, but I couldn't see it." So when the Cure were elbowed aside by Britpop, he was relieved. "I felt more comfortable being slightly outside of what was going on, because that's how I'd felt from the very start. Had we kept pushing it, I don't think I'd have survived it – not in one piece, anyway."

He still likes to be "the outsider" a bit.
The holy city breathed like a dying man...

Ulrich

And another new interview:
https://www.timeout.com/london/music/robert-smith-one-day-my-hair-will-fall-out-and-i-wont-look-gothic-any-more

A few quotes:
Quote
Meltdown is why Smith is doing press: this is only his second interview in the last five years. Not that he's reticent. In fact, he's a talker – voluble, combative, nostalgic, even occasionally blokey – despite being worn out after a (relatively) early start. 'These aren't my hours,' he warns. 'I normally go to bed between five and six in the morning and get up between one and two.'

You've had a rocky relationship with the word 'goth'. Does it have anything to do with you?
'Not really! We got stuck with it at a certain time when goths first started. I was playing guitar with Siouxsie And The Banshees, so I had to play the part. Goth was like pantomime to me. I never really took the whole culture thing seriously.'

What about all your fans who do identify as goths?
'Every goth I've ever met has been very nice, you know? As a subculture, I think it's full of wonderful people. But I have never liked what's classified as goth music.'

Does it feel weird doing something like this solo, not as The Cure?
'I've never done anything this public where it's just me. It wasn't how I intended it at all – it was going to be The Cure's Meltdown. But this big Hyde Park show came up at the same time and they were very iffy about exclusivity, so it became my Meltdown. It's actually a good thing, because it would have been utterly impractical to have a five-piece curating a festival. We can't even agree what to listen to on a tour bus.'

And another thing, on Friday June 15th Robert will be on Radio "BBC6 Music":
http://craigjparker.blogspot.com/2018/06/robert-on-bbc-6-music-june-15th.html
The holy city breathed like a dying man...