Robert Smith: "I can't see a long future for The Cure, I must admit"

[dsanchez]

Aired December 19, 2008 (Interview took place on May 10th, 2008 in Philadelphia, Pa.)

"I can't see a long future for The Cure, I must admit.  I’m not being dramatic, but I’m fifty next year and we're doing the thirtieth anniversary DVD, and I really feel I want it to blossom into kind of like the big end.  It will be a really good feeling.  So I don't have these dreams of continuing on for another, like, ten years.  I would be actually quite horrified if we were sitting in this room in ten years' time.  I think this is a really natural, kind of, "closing the circle" sort of end for the band, but inside the band we kind of feel that, we're going places.  Like tonight, we were saying it's like the last time we play Philadelphia, it's like yesterday the last time we played Washington, we're going on stage with that kind of mentality, and I think it shows in the ways that we're playing."

The complete interview
http://ourworld.compuserve.com/homepages/ChainofFlowers/worldcafeinterview.html

(thanks to the loudestcure forum)

[sullen]

That is sad if it's true this time...
Kind of believable at this point with his age   

[Druide]

Aired December 19, 2008 (Interview took place on May 10th, 2008 in Philadelphia, Pa.)

"“closing the circle”

...but circle never ends...

 8)

[Poe]

Aaw, no Greatest Hits 2 in 2025? Anyhow, sounds very reasonable this time. How about fading out with tours for the next twenty years? Guess not...

[sullen]

more of a reason to go to london.

[Virpi]

one reason more to do a suicide

[dsanchez]

one reason more to do a suicide

I don't think Robert would be too much happy if he reads what you wrote, and I hope you're not talking seriously anyway.

If you need to talk about something in particular, please PM. I don't know how much I can help, but I always like to listen. We all have/had hard times Virpi, just hang in there...

[Hero]

"I'm not being dramatic" Haha, that made me laugh.

Even if this is the last Cure album  (even though i really hope it isn't, how many times has Robert talked about the end before)
We still have Roberts legendary solo career to look forward to.  8)

[nausearockpig]

does anyone remember the comments made after the release of, and tour for Disintegration??? I'm not implying that The Cure will go on till Robert croaks on stage but it's really hard go gauge just exactly what he means given that he's not put a DEFINITIVE lifespan on the band, regardless of the comments made above - i mean, check out his track record... now I hope I haven't jinxed it by writing that...

and weren't they signed to IAM records for a three album deal? assuming of course that the "dark album" isn't treated as a third album [due to it being recorded in the same sessions as 4:13 Dream] we should have another album coming.. so another 5 years at least.... LOL

[nausearockpig]

oops, didn't read Hero's post... what s/he said

[Poe]

Even if this is the last Cure album  (even though i really hope it isn't, how many times has Robert talked about the end before)

I know Robert's "threatened" to end it all several times before but to me, it rings much more true this time, at least when it comes to further album releases. I'm not a big fan of the two latest albums. Granted that may have quite a lot to do with that butchery they call a studio nowadays, but if the upcoming album isn't any different, then well...I could always leave of course. 

They're still great live though, and I don't know about the three album deal, so...maybe he is being just a leetle dramatic. 

[fiction]

Well RS can be a bit of a punist sometimes and the last song on that (noisy) last album is titled "It´s Over". Is he telling the truth this time?

And (hope You don´t dislike me for this) it aint the same act live today as it was in the early 80´s. They are not bolts of pure energy anymore. Hey, he´s turning 50 and the band is constantly touring. It has got to take its cost somewhere. I just mean to say that over the year this band has constantly doing more than anyone could have think of. They never really was the journalists favourites in the cradle years but they kept on fighting. And perhaps they wasn´t the most talanted musicians but still they produced. And all around them at that time was the punk and still they stood their style and took a wave of their own and ride it and even tamed it. I think it´s a huge achievement!

And should they quit now I still have their music and a bunch of great memories to take hold on.

[Lady]

Do we really need to think about this now??
Don't know if this time it's true, but I wanna be positive...not necessary 10 years yet, but 4-5 years... I'm sure they can still go on!!!!

[Poe]

And (hope You don´t dislike me for this) it aint the same act live today as it was in the early 80´s. They are not bolts of pure energy anymore.

Sure it's different from when they were in their prime (career-wise and age-wise), but you can be an artist pushing 50 or 60 and still have "it" on stage. I only have live videos to go after though since I was only two years old at most during the 80's, hehe, so I don't really know what it was like. However, I have heard from people who went to their concerts back then and who think Robert and the band seem happier on stage now...

Anyhow, I for one would like to have a big fat tour at the end of it all so we could say thank you and goodbye to them properly...if not, the music and the memories would be a good comfort.

[fiction]

Anyhow, I for one would like to have a big fat tour at the end of it all so we could say thank you and goodbye to them properly...if not, the music and the memories would be a good comfort.

Yeah A Good Bye Tour (if and when they are ready to do one) should bring out even the most reluctant fans (such as me) to the concerts again.