10/29/1983 Smash Hits
Q: What do The Cure, The Banshees, The Royal Ballet and Crawley all have in common? A: Robert Smith
Seems a bit surprised to be back in England, does Robert Smith of The Cure. Why, there he was, beavering away in Scandinavia with the Banshees, when he was suddenly called home to perform "The Walk" on Top Of The Pops
Gratifying really. After several albums and line-up changes since their beginnings as a trio in 1978, last year the remaining Cure persons Robert and Laurence ("Lol") Tolhurst decided to try "the loosest arrangement possible".
Robert explains: "It was becoming a trap, like any other group. We decided to just use it as a vehicle for things we wanted to do. No commitments or pressure."
They’ve effectively been in hibernation since their "Let’s Go To Bed" single late last year, and Robert is pleased that this hasn’t stopped "The Walk" from making the charts.
"It proves the new arrangement can work. After this there’ll be a lot of pressure to follow it up though."
The current "loose arrangement" has meant The Cure spending only about six weeks working together so far this year. That isn’t because they don’t get on, Robert explains. "We’re still friends... strangely. Laurence usually materializes somewhere in the course of the evening." And Robert, who still lives in Crawley, often sleeps on his floor.
"I couldn’t stand living in London myself. When I get back to Crawley and away from all the vices London offers it’s a real rest. A couple of days there is like a fortnight’s holiday. If I stayed in London I think I’d soon go under."
Laurence, on the other hand, is apparently, "immensely into vice" whatever that’s supposed to mean. "More so than anyone I’ve ever met," Robert muses. He’s also into "Living the life of an artist", pursuing various vague-sounding solo projects, and may well be producing a French group called The Rock Bordello.
"I reckon," Robert remarks, "that they only reason he’s interested is because they’ve got a girl singer."
Meanwhile, Robert himself has been having a hectic time. Since last year he’s been guesting on guitar for the Banshees; another "loose arrangement".
"It’s as permanent as any of us want it to be. There’s nothing written down. As long as it works, we’ll continue... which is how I always thought a group should work."
Then there’s Glove, a project he and Steve Severin began work on when Siouxsie and Budgie disappeared off to Hawaii to do The Creatures’ album. The Glove stuff is "a bit hard to describe, it’s all so different", but there’s a single out soon called "Like An Animal" which is apparently "summery". An album, "Blue Sunshine", will follow, featuring Ginny Hewes and Annie Hogan of the Mambas (get everywhere don’t they?).
When he’s finished in Sweden with the Banshees, Robert will be jetting back for more Cure work. "Some time this year" they’ll be recording an album (their fifth), performing at a festival in Cornwall and playing a few dates in America.
"We’ll be using the American audience to experiment with new material."
Oh yes, and Robert’s also supposed to be scoring an adaptation of Jean Cocteau’s Les Enfants Terribles for the Royal Ballet. He’s done some of it already, but is finding it hard going.
"I’ll have to finish it in my sleep with all the things I’ve got coming up."
There’s also been some talk of Robert actually appearing in the final show, but he seems to find the idea of prancing about in a leotard and ballet pumps rather daunting.
"I can’t see it happening somehow," he chuckles. "I just don’t want to let myself in for that much ridicule."
