Do you think The Cure will get another keyboardist?
Do you think this keys-less lineup is final?
If The Cure were to get another keyboardist, do you think it would be the rejoining of someone like Roger or Perry?
Do you think Porl or Robert would switch to keys?
If The Cure were to get another keyboardist, when do you think it would happen? Next album? Album after that? et cetera....
Do you WANT The Cure to get a keyboardist again?
Feeling the pulse...,
Bloodflower
IT DEPENDS...
MAYBE THE NEW SONGS DONT HAVE KEYBOARDS AT ALL!
ANYWAY, PORL IS A GOOD KEYBOARDIST, SO...
:smth023
Quote from: Janko on May 31, 2007, 22:32:44
IT DEPENDS...
MAYBE THE NEW SONGS DONT HAVE KEYBOARDS AT ALL!
ANYWAY, PORL IS A GOOD KEYBOARDIST, SO...
:smth023
Even if the new songs don't have keyboards, many old songs are quite dependent on them. Plainsong without keys is not as good, in my mind, as Plainsong with keys, and I'm hardly the only one who feels this way. I can't see how songs like All Cats Are Grey or The Funeral Party or Charlotte Sometimes or (insert any number of songs here) would work well without keys. And it is one thing to ignore one's ancient back-catalogue (such as the Dark Trilogy period), but newer songs from albums like Bloodflowers and Wish (not to mention Disintegration!) demand keys.
Heh... I guess it's obvious, then, that I'm in favour of a return to keys.
i want the keys back.
if the next album flops i have no doubt they'll return, if its a success i cant see them returning unless theres a shock return from someone
... AND WHAT IS WORST - PORL IS INTO THIS GUITAR GADGETRY THAT "CAN" MAKE "KEYBOARD SOUNDS" ...
:smth011
I really don't care about kbds,i didn't missed them at all.
After all Porl can play everything (almost) with his guitar!
:)
So...
But if they are gonna have keys back then i think that they should rejoin a member from the past.
Personla opinion ,of course.
I just have trouble imaging, say, Homesick without keyboards. Or Trust. Or Bare. All Cats Are Grey. The Funeral Party. Cold. Jupiter Crash.....
Well as you might seen at last tour (summer 2005) they played some great songs without keys,let's say 'let's go to bed' or 'why can't i be you?' 'lullaby' or even 'lovesong'
They manage them with their guitars & it worked out nice!
That is my opinion,but yes there are some songs like the ones you mention ('trust' or 'all cats are grey') that can't be heard without keys for sure...
But why to worry about?I don't think that they will try them ever again...
So just enjoy The Cure as long as they will be as a liliving band.
:)
AFTER PLAINSONG WITHOUT THE KEYBOARDS...
EVERYIHING GOES!
Quote from: figurehead on June 06, 2007, 10:05:38
Well as you might seen at last tour (summer 2005) they played some great songs without keys,let's say 'let's go to bed' or 'why can't i be you?' 'lullaby' or even 'lovesong'
They manage them with their guitars & it worked out nice!
That is my opinion,but yes there are some songs like the ones you mention ('trust' or 'all cats are grey') that can't be heard without keys for sure...
But why to worry about? I don't think that they will try them ever again...
So just enjoy The Cure as long as they will be as a liliving band.
:)
It is the realisation of this that dismays me. There are too many great songs that cannot be sustained without keyboards.... And I'd hate, for my own selfish, egocentric reasons, to think of The Cure as an old band, putting along without the ability to play many of their best.... I am a somewhat firm believer that egocentrism is an absolute, and a necessity; that the only things that matter, matter because of the eyeglass through which one views the world. Others will say that it's up to Robert, and that I should be happy with him in the absolute, but I disagree with that. If I were him, then it would make sense for me to follow his wants and desires only, instead of my own. But at the same time, I agree with many of the things said and done by Robert.... Or, I dread to think and dread more to say, my mentality is more in-tune with Robert's old mentality....
I dont think age has anything to do with it really, i think Robert really wanted a change.... and why not? same lineup for 10 years, songs being played pretty much the same way etc.
I accept that some songs will never really work without keyboards, but at the same time i think its really shaken things up a bit, the group mentality seems a bit more experimental and i like that...... its like "yeah lets play a song like The Walk, who cares if we dont have a keyboard player?" it still sounds good. Id rather hear a guitar than a cheesy brass sound on a keyboard.
although its now entirely guitar based, i dont think thats limited them in anyway, if anything they can do whatever they want with it and it sounds different. Lets face it, say youve been playing a song for 20 odd years, approaching it in a completely new way is great, its exactly what they need to keep excited about playing music and the fact that they care about having that passion in the group is as much as you can ask for.
I think if were all honest, some of the performances in recent years with the 5 piece lineup almost felt like they were going through the motions, since the lineup change ive noticed how theres a lot more energy in what they do, like a younger band, some songs being played faster and heavier etc.....
so if, (or when) they get a keyboard, it should just be one of them.... although i really dont think it matters that much.
I would love for either Robert or Porl to play keys instead of guitar, at least on some songs. I'd love it even more if they brought Perry back for keys. I've always liked Perry very much, and I think The Cure really ought to be a five-piece, so none of the songs need to be neglected.
BRING STEVE SEVERIN ON KEYS!!!
:rocker
PS
PORL SHOULD PLAY KEYBOARDS!
:smth023
I really think the Cure should go back to it's synth ways...That's what they are missing these days!
Quote from: Bloodflower on May 31, 2007, 22:01:22
Do you think The Cure will get another keyboardist?
Do you think this keys-less lineup is final?
If The Cure were to get another keyboardist, do you think it would be the rejoining of someone like Roger or Perry?
Do you think Porl or Robert would switch to keys?
If The Cure were to get another keyboardist, when do you think it would happen? Next album? Album after that? et cetera....
Do you WANT The Cure to get a keyboardist again?
Feeling the pulse...,
Bloodflower
Yes, the Cure needs a full-time keyboardist, preferably Roger O'Donnell, the best keyboardist who ever worked with the band.
cure without a keyboard suck! :smth011 porl should try to play the guitar parts on his guitar and not the keyboard parts!
I wish Porl would play keyboards on some songs. There are a lot of songs they've been playing where his part isn't significant, and he would be better suited to doing something else. Play For Today comes to mind.
I think they'll get a keyboard player on stage if/when they do a tour after the upcoming one, which probably means a few years.
Um...Just wondering...Does anyone miss LOL on drums?
Quote from: Carnage Visor on July 26, 2007, 01:30:46
Um...Just wondering...Does anyone miss LOL on drums?
Not at all. I do miss Boris, though :rocker
Sometimes I think Lol put more passion into his drumming than Jason does... But he probably wouldn't work that well with the newer material.
Agreed: Long live Boris! :D
I hold the trio of Lol, Robert, and Simon as my favorite Cure line-up. Don't ask why...thats just the one I feel closest with...and the lineup that got me interested in the group in the first place. Porl is cool too, but I just think he (how do I say this without stirring up something) he doesn't look good with Robert and Simon. That sounds really shallow, but there have been many Cure members who haven't really fit the group's initial image, and for a while that was Porl. :cry:
But I like him alot more knowing he's stuck with the group for so long.
i dont like porl too much because he goes OTT with the guitar alot
Quote from: farquad92 on July 30, 2007, 01:17:44
i dont like porl too much because he goes OTT with the guitar alot
???
Quote from: farquad92 on July 30, 2007, 01:17:44
i dont like porl too much because he goes OTT with the guitar alot
Over-the-top?
And if that's what you meant with your enigmatic little acronym, then I agree, at least with this line-up. I haven't seen anything resembling self-control yet.
I miss the keys and I miss Roger. I really loved the way he played.
But, I doubt there is going to be another keyboardist.
And, another note, I miss Boris. He put his all into his playing.
I don't think they'll bring back the kb but I wish they would.
Quote from: cult_hero on July 25, 2007, 07:34:11
cure without a keyboard suck! :smth011 porl should try to play the guitar parts on his guitar and not the keyboard parts!
A guitar that plays the keyboard bits can never replace a keyboard tht plays the keyboard bits. :rocker :rocker :rocker :rocker
Quote from: CureCrusader on October 12, 2007, 08:31:37
I don't think they'll bring back the kb but I wish they would.
Quote from: cult_hero on July 25, 2007, 07:34:11
cure without a keyboard suck! :smth011 porl should try to play the guitar parts on his guitar and not the keyboard parts!
A guitar that plays the keyboard bits can never replace a keyboard tht plays the keyboard bits. :rocker :rocker :rocker :rocker
I have to agree. You can never, totally, replace a keyboard or it's sound. no matter how well,it's executed on a guitar.
I'm missing the keyboards too really.
They did actually add some more texture to the whole sound.
I got the Festival DVD for xmas & it took me a while to get used to the sound & even now I still find it difficult.
The Miami show was the same & although the arrangements were pretty good, the execution was not the best in all cases.
The Download festival was also notable for the, what still seem experimental, guitar parts. The intro to A Forest was a shambles. If they are to do it without keyboards, then they should opt for the short intro.
Having said that, I do like IOTICS withouth the keys.
Quote from: Steve on October 12, 2007, 14:21:47
I'm missing the keyboards too really.
They did actually add some more texture to the whole sound.
I got the Festival DVD for xmas & it took me a while to get used to the sound & even now I still find it difficult.
I agree with this, I loved the keyboards in the band, and was totally freaked out when I heard ther was none in the concerts here... Lovecats is not the same without keyboards.. but I still take my hat off to Robert and the band for the improvising with guitar sounds.. altough not my flavour, it still was the best concert I've been too.. :rocker
TBH Lara Of all the recordings I've heard from the 2007 shows (still to hear Brisbane...anyone?), the Melbourne one is a "stand out" show for me too.
It seemed to be a really big sound & very tight.
Download fest wasn't bad, but if you fcuk up the beginning of the first song, then people (well me actually) will just pick holes.
This all seems a bit old doesnt it?
I can see that people dont like Porls playing for that reason, but its always been that way, its just more noticeable now.
I liked the way Perry's guitar sounded and the way he crafted feedback was awesome, i miss that. If anything id rather have him aswell, occasionally playing keyboards, also on guitar......... but that goes back to the idea of dream line-ups everyone has.
I never really got used to Rogers over improvised stuff, it only worked on 2 songs Trust and Homesick... but in songs like a Forest it didnt work, i always hated keyboards in Primary too, they just seemed there for the sake of it.
I think if they had one onstage for occasional use, that'd be the perfect balance
But you cant tell these people what to do, theyre musicians, they wont listen to anyone. ;)
I too think it would be nice to have Perry back as an additional guitarist that would occasionally play keys. But Porl is the king of feedback in terms of Cure guitarists. He was the one that added all those layers on Wish that really gave certain songs depth through noise :rocker
i kind of like this experiment without keys. it has bothered a lot of people because people keep talking about it but even though it's completely clear that some songs crave keyboards, i still kind of like the idea of experimenting. really, i'd hate to listen to live recordings and notice that they sound the same in '89, '92, '96... 2007. i like the idea that there has been different bands called the cure with different sound, with different focus in their sound. i think it would be dreadful if they just kept playing all the songs just like they did 20 years ago. true, some songs they can't play as well as they used to, unfortunately. but imo that's not mainly because they lack keys: it's mainly because they can't play the really upbeat songs fast enough anymore. and also maybe because they seem to stick to click tracks in everything.
what comes to perry joining the current band as guitarist/keyboardist, i'm not entirely sure what i think of it. on the other hand i always liked perry and i think he was ok with keys - not great but he could handle most things he needed to handle. in the context of the cure's music, i actually liked him more than a "lush" keyboardist like roger. i never found rogers style really fitting to my idea of the cure - the original key parts in many classic cure songs are really very simple and graphic so to speak, not improvisational (like roger's style was). i almost feel like roger was "too skilled" a keyboardist for the cure - by which i mean he wanted to play too much, improvise too much, add things where they shouldn't be. in my opinion that just didn't really fit the context of many of the cure songs. then again, i do find experimental/improvisational guitar parts fitting to their style well... so i'm not sure if i manage to explain my point here very well... hmm.
anyway, another thing would be that since porl's back, he does take a lot of "sonic space", due to his particular style. try adding keys/ additional guitar to that and it just might get too crowded - that would mean everything might become more or less messy, especially on a bad day - if you're going to have improvisationally oriented musicians aboard you should also make sure there's room for them, to move about.
i remember reading an old interview (can't remember where/when exactly) from the wish tour period where robert said how the currect (wish tour) lineup very tight but also a tricky combination on stage, because there were three guitars there already and how there was very little space for everyone and very little room to experiment anything. everyone just had to remember to stick to the things they've planned and agreed upon, otherwise it would easiyl get out of hands.
thinking about that, i'd like to see it that there are periods with more room to experiment too (like now?) whereas there has been periods when this was not really possible.
@Marika
On Roger, you're spot on. Over-skilled is a good way to describe it.
& they do need to be careful about overcrowding too. Nothing worse than a cluttered sound.
If there are to be keys, they don't need to be full on, "big cushions & velvet curtains" fat keys, but just the filling to the sandwich, as it were.
Stick Seventeen Seconds on for instance. Nothing flash, but very effective keyboard parts.
I just miss the keys, No matter who is playing them. There are quite a few songs which are not totally complete without them. Such as the ones, mentioned by others. I would love to see \\band to have a keyboardist. Hope, it comes about in the futher.
And i think Porl is one of the best guitarist around.
THE WORST THING THEY CAN DO IS TO RECORD AN ALBUM WITH KEYBOARDS AND THE GO ON TOUR WITHOUT THEM...
AH, BACKING TRACKS WILL PATCH THINGS UP!
:-D
don't think this will happen to soon, as Robert is on his 'everything sounds better without keyboards' trip, where I just ask myself, as this is the case why did he need 24 years to find out... anyway, obviously the keys are missing, many of my most beloved Cure songs rely on keyboards.
the option they are taking now by recreating keyboards on guitar is totally boll*cks if you ask me, either drop the songs from the set, rewrite a guitar part instead (but not tranfering key->guitar) or leave out the keyboard part + go to a more minimalist sound.
some of the songs mentioned here, they hurt so much to be heard this way with that horrible (I hate funky guitarsounds... always have and always will) funk guitarsound they mix into The Walk, Close To Me or LGTB not to mention Lovesong + Lullaby... (I won't go into the Plainsong debate again this version is so bad it is without words)
I know it will be hard if certain songs won't be played but why bother, I mean Cure have enough songs that would work in this lineup - remember when Roger wasn't in the band they didn't bother to try out things like Prayers For Rain cause it wouldn't have worked...
hm + as many suggest what is so much the problem that for some songs they use a keyboard? this could be even very interesting going back to the 17 Seconds days in that style - get 2 vintage analogue synths onto the stage (Roland SH09 + a Solina String or what about Roland JX8-P like in the mid 80es, use HiString Patch + Wave Aura sound for A Forest intro) and use it in some songs - won't harm anyone but enrich the live pleasure! gets a more minimalist sounding Cure with straight into the face sound.
Oh, by the way, what is Matthieu Hartley doing these days? why not give him a call or try to get back Lol for some synths
Quote from: closedown on October 15, 2007, 18:29:50
don't think this will happen to soon, as Robert is on his 'everything sounds better without keyboards' trip, where I just ask myself, as this is the case why did he need 24 years to find out... anyway, obviously the keys are missing, many of my most beloved Cure songs rely on keyboards.
the option they are taking now by recreating keyboards on guitar is totally boll*cks if you ask me, either drop the songs from the set, rewrite a guitar part instead (but not tranfering key->guitar) or leave out the keyboard part + go to a more minimalist sound.
some of the songs mentioned here, they hurt so much to be heard this way with that horrible (I hate funky guitarsounds... always have and always will) funk guitarsound they mix into The Walk, Close To Me or LGTB not to mention Lovesong + Lullaby... (I won't go into the Plainsong debate again this version is so bad it is without words)
I know it will be hard if certain songs won't be played but why bother, I mean Cure have enough songs that would work in this lineup - remember when Roger wasn't in the band they didn't bother to try out things like Prayers For Rain cause it wouldn't have worked...
hm + as many suggest what is so much the problem that for some songs they use a keyboard? this could be even very interesting going back to the 17 Seconds days in that style - get 2 vintage analogue synths onto the stage (Roland SH09 + a Solina String or what about Roland JX8-P like in the mid 80es, use HiString Patch + Wave Aura sound for A Forest intro) and use it in some songs - won't harm anyone but enrich the live pleasure! gets a more minimalist sounding Cure with straight into the face sound.
Oh, by the way, what is Matthieu Hartley doing these days? why not give him a call or try to get back Lol for some synths
I have always found the
keyboard to be unique to the Cure songs.. there are many songs, too many to mention and bore you all by listing.. There is something missing and, yes, it would be stupid to
record the songs with keyboard and NOT PLAY them live, but what to do, Huh?? Still, to mention again .. the Melbourne concert was obvious that some things can be re-interpreted, even with the eccentric guitar antics of Porl, and filling the Void of the Keyboards.. :smth100 but they didn't play .. Lovecats.. IMHO I wouldv'e preferred to hear the keyboard accompaniment to those that need the keyboards.., if they did play them!!
:smth020
i have to say i've really enjoyed song like 'the walk' the way they've been playing it recently.
but i guess it's a matter of taste in guitar styles. so whereas i've always admired porl's style, i can understand he's not into everyone's liking. that has never been a problem for me to accept, i don't mind. and no i don't absolutely love all their new arrangements, not all of them. some do sound like they miss something sonically, maybe. but some, like especially 'the walk' (imo) have sounded really fresh in my ears. i almost feel like it's the only way they can keep playing such sillier kind of their songs anymore, by trying out something new. it would be somehow pointless if they did it the same way year after year after year. then again it's completely different with songs like 'faith', of course...
personally i don't feel like it's a matter of robert needing 24 years to find out they don't need keyboards. when they had keys, i'm sure he thought they absolutely needed them right then. so i don't feel like he's/they are somehow denying their whole past or their earlier output/live achievements now by doing what they do now (if that was what you meant?).
Quote from: japanesebaby on October 15, 2007, 18:50:29
i have to say i've really enjoyed the walk, the way they've been playing it recently.
but i guess it's a matter of taste in guitar styles. whereas i've always admired porl's style, i can understand he's not into everyone liking. that has never been a problem for me to accept. and i don't absolutely love all the new arrangements they've had, not all of them. some do sound like they miss something sonically, maybe. but some, like the walk (imo) have sounded really fresh in my ears.
personally i don't feel like it's a matter of robert needing 24 years to find out they don't need keyboards. when they had keys, i'm sure he thought they absolutely needed them right then. so i don't feel like he's/they are somehow denying their whole past or their earlier output/live achievements now by doing what they do now (if that was what you meant?).
yes..the band has to evolve.. :smth023 I did like the version of the Walk that was played.. GOD being at the concert..u forget everything that came before.. I wasn't one of those that sat there (which I witnessed) and "wanted to be impressed"!! :smth011 I was amazed at the role Robert took up with the guitar.. that was impressive enuff!! ohh. to be there again.,. :cry: I was jumping up and told to sit down.. everything went so fast, but I need another fix now.. but maybe now and then, keyboards could create that
sound that WAS..
I think it's easy to complain about no keyboards when you're listening to a recording of a live show, but when you are actually there it's a different thing. I've seen them 3 times this year and I didn't miss the keys at all.
The walk was great, close to me had such a massive bassline that you were left short of breath, and plainsong, which for me is all about the bass anyway lost nothing.
It's a similar argument for those who thought it a good thing that they didn't play FTEOTDGS at the Download festival. Admitedly I used to feel this way myself, but the setlist isn't arranged for those listening to recordings. On three seperate nights in August I had tears in my eyes with that song, and if I'd gone to Download I would have been disappointed by its absence. To avoid being off topic I think that FTEOTDGS is musically better without keys, as that anoying repetitive note (C ?) is no longer there.
Quote from: devoblue on October 16, 2007, 07:10:51
I think it's easy to complain about no keyboards when you're listening to a recording of a live show, but when you are actually there it's a different thing.
The walk was great, close to me had such a massive bassline that you were left short of breath, and plainsong, which for me is all about the bass anyway lost nothing.
It's a similar argument for those who thought it a good thing that they didn't play FTEOTDGS at the Download festival. Admitedly I used to feel this way myself, but the setlist isn't arranged for those listening to recordings. On three seperate nights in August I had tears in my eyes with that song, and if I'd gone to Download I would have been disappointed by its absence. To avoid being off topic I think that FTEOTDGS is musically better without keys, as that anoying repetitive note (C ?) is no longer there.
I totally agree devoblue.. breathless is the only way to describe the performance.. it seems
nothing was missing, only enhanced! :rocker
I just say this: they played keyboards when they was only three (81-82 period), so I guess they can play it during this tour, especially Porl. And it depends on songs they want to perform. Boys don't cry, Figurehead and Push, for example, are perfect without keyboards.
Did this ever get posted anywhere? It's a couple months old now. Sorry, if it was and I've doubled it.
From http://www.84tigers.com/?m=200708 (http://www.84tigers.com/?m=200708)
QuoteAs the new four-piece Cure have been playing sans keyboards, Porl Thompson has been playing those lines on guitar. But this does not mean that the new album will mean "guitar rock" or anything like that, or indeed that there is anything wrong with keyboards in general. Some people are still of the opinion that keyboards = an abomnimation, and that the very presence of one will mean Rick Wakeman appears wearing a cape, much like drawing pentagrams on floors may invite demons.
"I’ve realized that there’s a low-level concern about keyboards, but there’s keyboards on pretty much every Cure album apart from Three Imaginary Boys, and in the main, they’ve been played by me or Porl, even when we had Roger O’Donnell in the band. Roger used to admit that a lot of the lines I would play because he couldn’t play them as I heard them. The first instrument I learned when I was young was the piano, and though I can’t play keyboards like Roger, Cure keyboards have always been very simplistic on purpose and that’s because I’m playing them. So there is keyboards set up in the studio for the new album, and me or Porl will play them if we feel like the song needs them. The difference is, for the first time since those early albums is that there is no keyboard player in the room as we are recording and it’s very much a textural thing added only if we feel they’re needed. When you have a player there, a part is written for keyboards whether or not with hindsight you think it might’ve been better without; so this way it lends a much greater flexibity and I actually feel much happier about it.
[/size]
Robert makes an interesting point that without a permanent keyboard player, there's no need to have a keyboard part unless the song warrants it.
thanks for that link Secrets.. it is always a topic for debate this keyboard issue. Listening to the older recordings, videos, etc.. they belong in their time BECAUSE of the keyboards.. you know 80's-90's music. Although there are a few songs that I really loved the keyboards in.. I just enjoy the fresher sound the Band have now, using guitars instead of keyboards. They pulled it off magically. ! For example.. the Melbourne gigs!! :smth023
I've had dreams The I became the next keyboardist to the Cure. XD
Well, I can do Same Deep Water, Lovesong, Disintegration, UNtitled, High, A Letter To Elise, and many others.
Prayers For Rain has always been my favorite though.
XD But I realize it would never happen, and if it did, The Cure audience would hate my guts, just like Jason, because it would seem As If I had kicked Roger or Perry out, and I'd be compared to two legends among me. And Age Difference. Yeah, I'm only more then 30 years younger then Smith. XD
My Dreams were far away from reality.....
I don't mind them ditching the keyboards for a tour. Seeing Porl play some bits on his guitar was quite different to see live. Especially the jazzy bits on Close To Me.
However, I think they do need the keys on the albums. Not so much for melodies like they did in the 80s on KMKMKM and HOTD, but as filler and ambience. There are plenty of keys in the background of the guitary songs on Wish.
to me there are song that sounds great without keys, and other ones sounds awful... but i guess my bigger complaint about the no keyboards thing are the sequences... no t the use of it... the limits of the use of it... i mean... no more long A FOREST or FAITH or M because the have to play according the duration of the sequences... and there is another thing... the speed of the songs... actually there is no variation on the speed of the songs from one show to other... remember on 1989 when they play why cant i be you and then makes this kind of mesh with the lovecats... the tempo variation... in Faith on that same tour... or that speed version of killing an arab on 84 or the variations in tempo in a forest during the wish tour... i can live with out the keyboards on the cure... but without this changing vibe? so may be the topic should be... THE CURE SHOULD HAVE TO USE SEQUENCES INSTEAD KEYBOARDS???...
:rocker
Quote from: Darth_Blood on November 19, 2007, 08:46:48
THE CURE SHOULD HAVE TO USE SEQUENCES INSTEAD KEYBOARDS???...
:rocker
You're pretty right on that point.
First time I heard Push with sequence, I found it funny. But then I thought is it really worthwhile ? The same with Kyoto song: it's sounds far too fast to me ... Without sequence it would be better (I think).
This is of course my humble opinion. I won't stop liking The Cure music if they keep using sequences. And I'll wait 2008 to make my opinion in live (nd not only on recordings of live shows ...).
Quote from: Darth_Blood on November 19, 2007, 08:46:48
to me there are song that sounds great without keys, and other ones sounds awful... but i guess my bigger complaint about the no keyboards thing are the sequences... no t the use of it... the limits of the use of it... i mean... no more long A FOREST or FAITH or M because the have to play according the duration of the sequences... and there is another thing... the speed of the songs... actually there is no variation on the speed of the songs from one show to other... remember on 1989 when they play why cant i be you and then makes this kind of mesh with the lovecats... the tempo variation... in Faith on that same tour... or that speed version of killing an arab on 84 or the variations in tempo in a forest during the wish tour... i can live with out the keyboards on the cure... but without this changing vibe? so may be the topic should be... THE CURE SHOULD HAVE TO USE SEQUENCES INSTEAD KEYBOARDS???...
:rocker
I gotta rethink.. I agree with the tempo.. being a fan since it's conception, and hearing new songs remixed, variations in tempo actually annoy me, because I loved the songs the way they were. Watching and listening to various acoustic and recent performances, I do feel that lack of "difference" and separation from other songs.
In concert, I suppose, to mesh together, they are performing well. I do miss the keyboards, but I can't help but really adopt the way the play.. I mean, Robert wasn't even singing when they first started up, and now he's the main vocals , playing guitar,performing, writing new album, remixing old ones, and he's nearly 50!!
I gotta say I miss the old A FORESTand others.. :smth011
I guess with most bands that survive this long.. they get sick of performing their songs over& over again.. they wanna not get bored by their own music.. but as an older fan.. yes, I like the originals, though some are definately improved through remixing.
:rocker
Well, the band sounds GREAT without keyboards!
Yes, i miss keyboards, i miss Roger, i miss some things every new seasson... but i do love being surprised by the band every seasson too!
Actually if The Cure were not an ever changing band, it is likely that by now i would have fed up of having the same kind of stuff year after year.
The sound of the current Cure is all guitar driven and i appreciate the disctinct "flavor" all those classic songs have now.
Just enjoy the varaitions!
You gotta hear them live and then you will agree that they are the Fantastic 4. Nothing and no one is missing.
I like how they sound without keyboards, too (Porl is great!)...but I must admit I miss so much the keys in some songs... :(
For exemple the Bloodflowers songs without keys will never give the same emotions...
Quote from: Lady on November 21, 2007, 19:00:57
I like how they sound without keyboards, too (Porl is great!)...but I must admit I miss so much the keys in some songs... :(
For exemple the Bloodflowers songs without keys will never give the same emotions...
Well, that's what i would have thought about Bloodflowers until the guitar solo came in and i broke into tears on Oct 22nd...
And it is interesting that you mentioned that song, because it sums up the everchanging philosophy of The Cure.
And yes... Porl is GREAT.
Quote from: Miss_Matrix on November 21, 2007, 19:10:19
Well, that's what i would have thought about Bloodflowers until the guitar solo came in and i broke into tears on Oct 22nd...
And it is interesting that you mentioned that song, because it sums up the everchanging philosophy of The Cure.
Yes, for sure robert and porl are fantastic with the guitars but the atmosphere created by the keyboards is something not replaceable for me... ;)
Yeah... i know what you mean :)
But wait until you hear those guitars bleeding on stage: you won't give keyboards a thought!
Oh... i am still excited for those 3 fantastic concerts we had in Mexico City a month ago!
Cheers,
--Ms.Mtrx
[/quote]
Yes, for sure robert and porl are fantastic with the guitars but the atmosphere created by the keyboards is something not replaceable for me... ;)
[/quote]
I think The Cure sound really powerful without keyboards, but on some songs i miss the keyboards like e.g. Plainsong. I think this song needs them.
Can't wait to see them in concert next year and i'm really curious how the new album will sound like :) I'm sure it will be great - no question :-D
well... i really enjoy the Mexico City shows... but please lets be honest... why cant i be you sucks with tah overloaded Porl's guitars, disintegration sounds... THIN... and the lovecats!!!... there are songs that really need the keyboards... when i hear the tapings i can say... sounds better live... its not the same hear it recorded that hear it alive... but there still songs that needs the keyboards... or even better songs that do not need sequences... as i said before i can live without the keyboards.. but that awful sequences are really annoying...
Quote from: Miss_Matrix on November 21, 2007, 19:49:32
Yeah... i know what you mean :)
But wait until you hear those guitars bleeding on stage: you won't give keyboards a thought!
Oh... i am still excited for those 3 fantastic concerts we had in Mexico City a month ago!
Cheers,
--Ms.Mtrx
Mmmmm.... yeah, I'm waiting for the italian concerts in february-march. :roll:.. I'm so excited!!!!!! :rocker And I'm sure I'll be excited after the concerts for a very long time!!!! :smth060 I can understand perfectly how you feel! :-D
Yeah, well...
I don't think WCIBY "sucks" (ya tú, qué exagerado... a poco asÃ-asà te pareció q estuvo del nabo???) but ok, i agree with you that there's been better versions of that one from 2 decades ago.
About Disintegration i don't think it is the best example since the richness of the song depends almost entirely on Robert's voice so, i think he can sing that one a cappella and the effect would be somehow the same. I was crying, and so was he.
And Lovecats, well evidently that one was just for the fun of playing it WITH the audience. How could you miss the keyboards when Porl's guitar was meowing all the time and Robert let us sing the chorus and danced just to make us scream? In the end he smiled and said "Thank you for the help!" so who cares about keyboards when it was all about jamming???
--Ms.Mtrx
Quote from: Darth_Blood on November 21, 2007, 19:59:03
well... i really enjoy the Mexico City shows... but please lets be honest... why cant i be you sucks with tah overloaded Porl's guitars, disintegration sounds... THIN... and the lovecats!!!... there are songs that really need the keyboards... when i hear the tapings i can say... sounds better live... its not the same hear it recorded that hear it alive... but there still songs that needs the keyboards... or even better songs that do not need sequences... as i said before i can live without the keyboards.. but that awful sequences are really annoying...
Quote from: Miss_Matrix on November 21, 2007, 21:02:41
Yeah, well...
I don't think WCIBY "sucks" (ya tú, qué exagerado... a poco asÃ-asà te pareció q estuvo del nabo???) but ok, i agree with you that there's been better versions of that one from 2 decades ago.
About Disintegration i don't think it is the best example since the richness of the song depends almost entirely on Robert's voice so, i think he can sing that one a cappella and the effect would be somehow the same. I was crying, and so was he.
And Lovecats, well evidently that one was just for the fun of playing it WITH the audience. How could you miss the keyboards when Porl's guitar was meowing all the time and Robert let us sing the chorus and danced just to make us scream? In the end he smiled and said "Thank you for the help!" so who cares about keyboards when it was all about jamming???
--Ms.Mtrx
Quote from: Darth_Blood on November 21, 2007, 19:59:03
well... i really enjoy the Mexico City shows... but please lets be honest... why cant i be you sucks with tah overloaded Porl's guitars, disintegration sounds... THIN... and the lovecats!!!... there are songs that really need the keyboards... when i hear the tapings i can say... sounds better live... its not the same hear it recorded that hear it alive... but there still songs that needs the keyboards... or even better songs that do not need sequences... as i said before i can live without the keyboards.. but that awful sequences are really annoying...
I GUESS YOU ARE MISSING THE POINT... PLEASE!!! NO SEQUENCES...NO SEQUENCES...
To be honest, I think they should keep a set of keyboards with them. THen When Plainsong comes on, SMith can do the guitar part and Porl can switch to keyboards. THey could do that on a few others too.
I Think Push sounds great without keys though!
I'm sticking to my guns, so to speak. There are songs,that absolutely need the keys. If not, at least use sequences.
But the whole feeling and emotion would be lost,in certain songs, if the keyboard wasn't present. Such as Cold. I cannot, for the life of, me have that song played anyway, but with the keys added. The whole feeling, for me would not be there if it wasn't. Another song would be Breathe. That song just crys for a keyboard.
In my opinion keys are necessary in songs as trust, cold, at night (without keys don't like me).
Quote from: Cure Freak on November 22, 2007, 13:44:28
I'm sticking to my guns, so to speak. There are songs,that absolutely need the keys. If not, at least use sequences.
But the whole feeling and emotion would be lost,in certain songs, if the keyboard wasn't present. Such as Cold. I cannot, for the life of, me have that song played anyway, but with the keys added. The whole feeling, for me would not be there if it wasn't. Another song would be Breathe. That song just crys for a keyboard.
This is exactly my point of view.
Cold, At Night, and other songs lose all their "magic" without keys, even if the guitars sound in a great way! :smth001
Ok... i guess Cold is out of the current setlists for that reason... but in the other hand they are bringing in some long forgotten gorgeous songs.
And in the case of Kyoto Song i guess they brought it back because they were going to Asia... and thanks God they kept it in the setlist thus played it in Mexico too! I don't really care if they used secuences, to me the most important thing was the fact that i got the chance to listen live to one of the songs that have captured my imagination for years. And the same happened with At Night.
Now in the case of Bloodflowers, that song was required to close the main setlist the third night because they were giving a Dream Tour flavour to that show (maybe to compensate us for not coming in 2000 and i certainly loved them for doing so). Without the keyboards the band hesitated and entered all wrong, but after a moment they got a grip and by the time the guitar solo entered, i was crying...
So my point is that for a great band like The Cure, nothing is out of reach: they wanted to play Kyoto Song in Japan, they wanted to play songs from Bloodflowers in Mexico and then get playful with The Lovecats, so the lack of keyboards is quite obvious just an insignificant detail for them.
And such boldness is one of the things that keep my ever growing respect for the band.
Some good points on this thread. Makes interesting reading.
I just listened to At Night from the Avenches 2005 show & I think it's one of the best versions ever played ++ it has no keyboards.
I'm not really a "keyboardy" person (much rather have a dirty guitar sound), but so much of the Cure material could really do with that layer put back in.
Even subtle stuff like the Seventeen Seconds pieces would just fill up the sound a bit.
I can't really appreciate any Disintegration stuff without keyboards TBH, but some of the other arrangements have been very good.
One thing that has to be made clear to Mad Bob et al & that is don't try the long intro to A Forest without keyboards PLEASE. :roll:
The Download festival version is a perfect example of how to horse up a classic by trying to mimic the keyboard intro with a guitar. :evil:
Although I've been quite satisfied by some of the new arrangements of songs, I do miss the keyboards. I'd like to see a new band member join on keys or maybe an old one (Matthieu Hartley anyone?).
The two people I'd most like The Cure to have for the keyboards would be Lol or Severin.
Levinhurst's stuff seems of a higher quality on Lol's part than in the old days; and honestly, I'd be happy if a monkey strung out on crack played the keys.
I wasn't aware Severin was a consistent keyboards player. I knew he played them on a few Banshees albums, but I don't know how he'd work out in a live setting. That would be certainly interesting.
Now Severin is an inspired idea. :smth023
Never thought of that myself.
hmmm. Steve Severin: (bass).. "Banshee Severin joined a lone Robert Smith to record 'Lament' in the summer of 1982. he also made a BBC TV appearance alongside Smith and Tolhurst in March, 1983. he was never a member of the Cure, but he was not never a member either. Still a Banchee, though"
quote from In between Days: An armchair guide to The Cure.
my probably most preferrable ( if there was to be a keyboardist).. would be Lol... and of course, Porl, but it of course.. matter of opinion and preferences.. still open to debate. Will there be someone NEW??
Or anyone at all?
I'm pessimistic about the likelihood of The Cure every getting keyboards back into things, now. Some things worked, some things didn't.
an old clipping :-D
Quote from: japanesebaby on June 09, 2008, 20:04:08
an old clipping :-D
epic win :roll:
I also love how they dont even attempt Close to Me without a backing track playing the keyboard bit.
I miss Roger, his keyboard playing really stole the show on alot of songs. Play For Today is sooo much better keyboards. I mean having people sing along is a nice addition but when they dont it just ends up sounding silly like at hollywood bowl. And the long intro to A Forest is just disasterous without keys. Plainsong, Lullaby, and Just Like Heaven are okay though. Porl really is one hell of a guitarist and makes it work really well.
I miss keyboards still.
Not so much Roger.
Though 'Trust' in 2000 blows me away with his additions.
Keeeeeeys......
[I like keyless Cure a lot more now than I did, though. So progress is progressing.]
whatever they do, fine by me!
something tells me that it will happen: THE RETURN OF THE KEYBOARD :-D
Quote from: Jozef on November 28, 2007, 05:08:18
I wasn't aware Severin was a consistent keyboards player. I knew he played them on a few Banshees albums, but I don't know how he'd work out in a live setting. That would be certainly interesting.
At the time of Roger/Perry sacking there were rumors (through COF) that Steven Severin takes the keyboards and the guitarist from Simple Minds (Charley Burchill, maybe. I think but I'm not sure) takes the lead guitar...
Severin plays keyboards (see it on You Tube with SATB circa 1991 shows) but more alike Perry, than Roger...
Quote from: Janko on June 10, 2008, 01:30:48
and the guitarist from Simple Minds (Charley Burchill, maybe. I think but I'm not sure) takes the lead guitar...
i bet THAT one was only a rumour!
Quote from: japanesebaby on June 10, 2008, 10:41:25
Quote from: Janko on June 10, 2008, 01:30:48
and the guitarist from Simple Minds (Charley Burchill, maybe. I think but I'm not sure) takes the lead guitar...
i bet THAT one was only a rumour!
Well, yes it was, but COF had pretty good sources at the time, so there had to be some talk in The Cure HQ
;)
I would be happy if Roger will come back to keyboards. I very missing keyboards in band and especially on concerts in Plainsong, or Lullaby etc... :(
And when Roger will not return to band, then... Perry's comeback :D he played on keys on Wish tour and formation: Robert, Porl ,Simon, Jason and Perry is... altogether interesting :P