September 22 JJJ interview transcript (thanks Fuji!)
Ti"Its 6:26 on jjj
and after 6:30 we will be playing our chat that we had with Robert Smith the
other day" so its obviously pre-recorded.
This should be read in an upbeat laughing kind of mood.
JJJ : How are you Robert?
RS: Very well thank you
JJJ: Are you looking forward to coming down to Brisbane and rocking out
RS: Yeah, Yeah, Its been quite a while since we were last in Australia. Last
time was 92 so its too long really
JJJ: Do you realise the sort of excitement , domino effect you have when you
announce you are comin'
RS: Well we did a world tour in 96 and we missed out on the Southern Hemisphere
for a lot of different reasons , none of them particularly good and we got
a lot of kind of disappointment heading our way. So this time round when we
knew we were gonna go out again we thought we would definitely come on down
to Australia. THERE WAS A PETITION STARTED UP A COUPLE OF MONTHS BACK WHICH
KIND OF REALLY NUDGED US INTO MAKING A FINAL DECISION (I knew the hours would
pay off, Fuji and Andy's finest moment) And certainly the last big world tour
we kind of go to the same places which is kind of stupid really. I mean Japan
we haven't been there for like 13 years I don't know why we had a really good
time while we were there and the concerts were great but we never went back.
I don't really know why we missed out on Australia last time looking back
the reasons at the time seem good but with hindsight they were pretty weak.
This time round we have been very kind of conservative and we've picked our
dates and we are still dead keen to play and everybody is really looking forward
to coming down to Australia.
JJJ: What's the main difference between say playing The Cure solo shows and
playing a big festival like Livid
RS: The main difference for us is that we are playing for 3 hours when we
do our own shows. I think with the festivals we are kind of constrained by
90 minutes. We are faced, in our own minds, potentially that a good percentage
of the audience don't really want to see us, So we have to win them over.
Whether that's true or not I think its a good thing to have going on stage
at a festival. If u go on thinking that everyone loves you you are going to
be in for a shock. Certainly at some of the festivals we have done in the
past.
JJJ: Do u ever just think , OK we have done some remixes, we do some pretty
long songs, they don't know us, bugger it lets just do 1 hour, 1 song.
RS: At festivals? well in the old days we used to do that . We thought oh
well bugger it nobody knows who we are. But it would be pretty tragic for
the Livid festival. For like people turning up and don't know who the cure
are. Having said that the last three festivals we've done we have been a lot
less festival conscious. We've tended to bring out the hits and try and win
them over but we have been a little bit more kind of pig headed this year
cause we have actually tended to play, I mean the whole year we have been
concentrating more on the darker side of what we do so that's why the shows
are 3 hours long and its only 7 songs. But with festivals they are a few kind
of interspersed with more well known songs but we are actually playing some
more heavy stuff. Its not the pop side of The Cure really. Its also dependent
what the bill I think that's probably the key to it. And its a pretty good
bill at Livid. There's enough interesting bands on to make the whole event
have a certain atmosphere.
JJJ: Ok there's some great bands kicking around. I wanna know Robert what
are u like as a festival goer. You guys are gonna be on say 9 - 9:30 at night.
Do u get there early, put on the shorts and the T-shirt, throw the zinc on
go around have a few hot dogs get pretty pissed you know, fall over later
stumbling drunk on stage having seen all the other bands.
RS: Im a consummate professional how could I possibly do that
JJJ: What I like about the festival circuit though and the thing that The
Cure has that some other acts don't have at the festival u can still kind
of identify a cure fan.
RS: yeah there is a very highly visible hard-core to our audience and they
are probably the ones who least like us doing festivals as well. Its not really
the best setting for that look. I think its sweet , u know its like I spose
generally we are coming on later in the day, after the suns gone down, does
the sun ever set in Australia.
BOYS DON'T CRY PLAYED
JJJ: One of the things that die hard cure fans are asking us that don't live
in Queensland or Brisbane I s, are u just playing livid or are doing a series
of spin off gigs around Australia. Sort of a more full Cure experience.
RS: Yeah I think a couple of days ago we decided, we are doing a couple of
shows now in Sydney. We are starting off in Perth and we are doing Adelaide
and Melbourne, Canberra so we are pretty much doing almost everywhere. We
are missing, I know we are missing some places. We will probably end up doing
7 or 8 shows in the time that we are down there.
JJJ: Can I ask you on a completely different note, there's a little thing
called the Olympics going on. In Australia at the moment and we are seeing
the worlds very best, If u weren't in The Cure if u weren't a muso, and u
could be one of the worlds very best at something else. What would it be.
a dentist tennis player
RS: ummm I really like the Triathlon actually I think its fantastic event
JJJ: I didn't pick that I must admit. What would be your strongest leg the
swim the run or the bike
RS: The bike I think , I like the swimming that's going on I think its really
its weird, I think because of the setting, im really into it, I like the Thorpedo.
I think its pretty funny.
JJJ: Well im sure he's a bit of a cure fan too. We see him with the all black
sometimes with the body suit
RS: Maybe that's what it is
JJJ: That's what the body suit is, It isn't about speed, its just about being
black
RS: Its a Goth statement
JJJ:We cant wait for u too come out , its going to be fantastic. Best of luck
at livid and on the entire festival. Now rumours that this could have a kind
of farewell , thanks for ur love kind of feel to it, any comment
RS: Rumours have been going round and there's a feeling within the band, there's
kind of like an unstated belief that this will be the last time that we do
it, Id say each time we do it, at some point it is going to be the last time.
I cant imagine us coming back to Australia in another 8 years, but who knows.
Ive tried to encourage everyone around the band to believe that this will
be the last time we do it. Its made the performances just so much better.
Everybody's really keen to kind of go out on a high.
JJJ: Of course we can see u again in 4 years competing in Athens at the Triathlon
RS: Its a bit late for that
JJJ: Thank you very much for your time, Robert Smith from the Cure.
RS: See you when we get down there.