Robert Smith guides us on The Cure’s sound and vision.
Part 2 of 2. Insights and inspiration, the singles, and videos 1987-1997, taken from Kiss Me Kiss Me Kiss Me, Disintegration, Mixed Up, Wish, Wild Mood Swings.
Part 2 of 2. Read part 1 here
In part one of this feature, we followed the journey from 1987’s Kiss Me Kiss Kiss Me singles to 1989’s Disintegration. Now we pick up Robert Smith’s narration through each Cure single from 1987 to 1997, featured on the Standing On A Beach sequel, Galore. This transcript originally featured in my music mag Planet of Sound, organised by Outside Organisation PR. Available here in full for the first time ever.
Robert Smith guides us through a period that includes the likes of David Bowie, Jean Cocteau, Paul Oakenfold, chaos theory, and the tale of when he was unplaced in a talent show after singing Copacabana.
We start with the remaining single from Disintegration released the year following the album.
1990
Pictures Of You
“Loosely based on the essay by Myra Poleo entitled The Dark Power Of Ritual Pictures. After reading it I destroyed all my old personal photographs, almost all of my home cine and video collection. I think I was trying to wipe away my past. Within days I was suffering great regret. I still am”.
Note; Myra Poleo is an anagram of Mary Poole, Robert Smith’s wife.
“The Tim Pope directed video was shot in Ballachulish, Scotland during the February 1990 ‘week of the big snow’ – and despite the palm trees, I have NEVER been colder! It took the band two days to travel the 500 miles back down to London…”
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