Back in '83 a guy I worked with made me a Cure mix tape. He didn't bother to label it though (to show he didn't like me that much, I guess). Since I had grown up in the suburbs 30 minutes away from San Francisco, my Cure exposure was extremely limited at that time. It was in fact, nothing. So naturally this tape blew me away with its Cure awesomeness. I listened to it for years until finally it got too muddy to listen to any more.
Like the lack of information on the tape, I was thinking about how I know nearly nothing about The Cure. I know something about Robert Smith. I even know an American woman who looked, dressed and spoke in a Robert Smith accent for years. The cult of Robert Smith is quite strong to this day, though it may be waning as he (and we) reach the "golden years." The band itself still remains a mystery to me. The original line-up must have been the most ego-less band of all time and should have won a Grammy for that alone--it's so rare.
Over the years, The Cure was a kind of revolving-door band, with Robert Smith ushering members in and out of the building. Check out the early line-ups--amazing musicians all. So together and committed to that unique and haunting early vision. I'm telling you, The Cure collectively may be one of the best bands of all time. These are some of my favorites from the tape (and are still my favorite Cure songs today). That co-worker guy would go on to become my arch nemesis, which added a whole layer of complexity to listening to the mix tape.
A Forest
Faith
Fire in Cairo
Jumping Someone Else's Train
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