“With a slightly heavy heart I am no longer a member of the Cure ! Good luck to them all, … I’m ok… just got fed up of betrayal.”
This makes me think of pensioners who get divorced after 40 years, saying “We’ve got nothing in common”.
https://www.rollingstone.com/music/music-news/the-cure-bassist-simon-gallup-leaves-band-1212406/
There are other people in the Cure? With names of their own? When did this shit start?
There have been people on the Hofmann forum saying The Cure must now end. Seemingly unaware that he has left the band before and that Robert Smith to all intents and purposes is The Cure, he owns the name and I believe anybody else who plays with him is on salary. Gallup will get some songwriting royalties and that shall continue presumably.
Song writing royalties?
What are these ‘songs’ of which you talk?
Songs by The Cure. He is credited on at least the first few albums. Some were big hits
e.g. A Forest
In at No.31.
In those days, that was a hit and there were quite a few others
The Cure? The Robert Smith? The Simon Gallop?
The Group with the silly haircuts and the wonky music and the laughable lyrics?
They’re still going? And someone feels “betrayed”?
I’m off to set fire to my feet (again)
Yeah almost bad as that band from Liverpool with the silly haircuts and the wonky music – what were they called again ? (And yes I know the Afterword answer is Haaaaa fwaaa fnaar FLOCK OF SEAGULLS…GUFFAW)
You really commit to that username of yours, don’t you?
Tis my one true gift. However, I now apologise for the harshness of my tone.
The Cure are one of those bands I cannot for one moment see what the attraction is. Think I would almost rather listen to ELO.
Strike that last comment from the record. The defendant lost his marbles for a moment
And Robert Smith is still applying lipstick without looking in a mirror.
..and it’s not really helping.
Gallup was a massive part of their live sound, although he’s missed a number of gigs on the most recent tours of Japan and the US, where his son deputised, for seemingly health issues. He’ll be missed for sure, but judging by Robert Smith’s comments I think the upcoming album, which has been ‘imminent’ for a few years now, will be their last anyway when it finally appears – and to all intents, as pointed out above, Smith is The Cure.
True, and I’d imagine he’ll still be on the album? They’ve given the impression a lot of it is already complete.
Shame he’s leaving, and shame also to hear that things aren’t right with them. Behind the make-up, they somehow always appeared more down to earth than most.
One of my very favourite bass players. I think that even with their floating line-up, even Smith would concede that Gallup is a key part of their sonic armoury. While to the outsider The Cure would appear to be just Robert stood next to a revolving door, more staunch fans (such as myself) know of his importance. We’re all old enough to see through the ‘gang’ mentality of bands, but this is very much a loyalist issue. Most fans have their breaking point: Peter Hook and New Order; MWP and/or Peter Koppes in The Church; the guitarist in Bon Jovi, not that I’m a fan. It’s all very well for the main man and more casual fans to shrug, but some planks on the ship of Theseus are thicker than others. (Not that Simon struck me as unintelligent, haha)
Very much the Steve Hanley to Smith’s…well….Smith.
I’m no expert, but I seem to recall reading years ago that RS originally made a point of splitting all songwriting credits and royalties equally among band members.
Any Cuirophiles here know if this is true, and, if so, how long the policy lasted?
Most LP sleeves list Smith as lyricist with all band members as writers of music. Many of their albums began from all members submitting demos which they’d all listen to and mark, getting sloshed. Obviously, Robert is the sonic architect and has final say, but I think they’re a far more collaborative group than most assume.
I don’t think it’s just generosity on his part: fans can definitely ‘hear’ the different line-ups. I certainly preferred albums featuring Pearl Thompson and Boris WIlliams, and an album sans Gallup would definitely sound appreciably different, and not in a good way. I think Reeves Gabrels is a good fit for the live lineup, but I don’t think he’s be a better fit on record than Pearl Thompson. Roger O’Donnell brings a far deeper keyboard vocabulary than Perry Bamonte did circa Wish. All of which to say, the other members do contribute to the sound, so he’s not just being magnanimous.
I agree with kidpresentable above in terms of them being more down to earth than most – I think that this, rather than Robert being an egomaniac, is why the other members don’t look to fight for the limelight and are happy coming and going.
Or unhappily, as it appears to be with Simon.
Maybe the ‘betrayal’ is some dispute over the as-yet-unreleased album(s) mentioned. Perhaps some issue with his contributions might have delayed release. Just a thought.
Maybe the perceived ‘betrayal’ is to do with the business side of things rather than personal regarding Smith and the other band members.
Can it be that no one has shoehorned a ‘Gallup into the sunset’ line in this thread yet?
Or indeed ‘Gallup poll shows dissatisfaction with Smith’s leadership style’
That one wins the internet today.