This has not been brought up here at Obner yet but being your music information reporter I thought I would post it.

I found out all about this on ILX, of course, and have been reading Chain of Flowers and the Cure official site.

This is the very latest from Chain of Flowers:

Hmm, perhaps Mr. Smith would prefer for COF to just go away. You know, I could defend the "No Cure shows this year" comment very easily, but why bother? And why involve people who don't need the hassle? I remember when running COF was fun. And the worst is yet to come.

BTW, I've just checked the official site and can find no mention of Robert's collaboration with Billy Corgan on 'To Love Somebody'. Therefore, it's probably just a rumor. Despite the fact that Billy has mentioned it in numerous interviews. Despite the fact that it's listed on the track list at numerous retail sites. And despite the fact that it's actually on the album and reviewers have heard it (even if he/she got the title wrong). But it hasn't been posted on the official site, so it must not be confirmed yet. See how ridiculous this can get? Not "officially" confirmed doesn't always mean not true.

Before this gets too ugly, I have never had any serious problems with anyone in or involved with The Cure. They have never really interfered, and have been very supportive and helpful whenever and wherever they could. I'd like to think I've been the same to them. Whenever they've asked for something to be removed, I've always done it. When I've been asked to hold back on posting something, I always have. When I've been asked TO post something, it was done immediately.

But you can't take an undeserved shot at someone and expect them to sit there and take it. Hey, I know it's a fight I have no chance of winning, but I'm sure as hell going to put up a defense.

ILM link: http://ilx.p3r.net/thread.php?msgid=5817022

Chain of Flowers: http://ourworld.compuserve.com/homepage ... s/news.htm

The Cure (official link): http://www.thecure.com/community/news_c ... ID=1227795

Forgot this:

Well, there's not much sense in withholding this any longer, and judging from the e-mails of the last couple of days, it's not exactly a state secret - Roger O'Donnell, Perry Bamonte and Daryl Bamonte are no longer with The Cure.

To each of you, our sincerest thanks for everything you contributed to The Cure and to the fans over these many years. We will miss you, and we wish you the best of luck with whatever you choose to do next.


So what does this mean for The Cure? It looks like the band will continue, apparently as a 3 piece, and the festival tour will go on as planned. I'm sure there will be a much more definitive and informative announcement in the near future.

Hey, look, Bob Smith is firing bandmembers.

Imagine that.

I'm not sure i understand what the problem is...Is the Cure camp upset that COF was reporting ther departure of some members before the band officialy did it on their site?

Rumours of the Cure breaking up? Good lord, it can't be possible!

I guess this doesn’t make much sense right now as it did a week or so ago when the news broke.

Chain of Flowers broke news that Steve Severin had joined the Cure. So that led to speculation on, if Steve joined than who is out? Consequently this is what started it because it turned out to not be true. So than it hits music board like ILM and the Cure camp is pissed off. This led to Robert Smith saying something on his own site. So than Craig, of Chain of Flowers, has to defend his leaked news. Than all those fans are ganging up on Craig because he had criticized some of the last album.

So no the Cure is not breaking up but has lost three members.

I will post Robert’s post along with COF posts when I find it. Was looking last night but there were 280 post on the Cure . com and I was getting tired.

To me this is kinda fun, so I posted it for you guys to see what is going on. To be(e) continued…

Yeah, well he was right to criticize the last album There's several great tracks, but there's also several lazy and forgettable ones, where Smith has foregone any kind of melody and just relies on tuneless mopisms.

Fuck I LOVE ILM, the Cure are now a three-piece which if fantastic news:

From Bilboard via ILX:

"As of Tuesday this week I am no longer a member of the Cure," O'Donnell wrote. "It was sad to find out after nearly 20 years the way I did but then I should have expected no less or more."

Elaborating to Billboard.com today, O'Donnell reveals that he was informed by Smith that he is transforming the Cure into a three-piece, backed only by bassist Simon Gallup and drummer Jason Cooper. "There's not really much you can say when you are the fifth member," he says, adding that he found out about the Cure's upcoming live dates via a fan Web site.

The whole Billboard story: http://www.billboard.com/bb/daily/artic ... 1000938147

Update: Two Members Exit The Cure


By Jason MacNeil, Toronto

Two members of the Cure have exited the veteran U.K. rock act, which has long featured a revolving door of musicians backing up leader Robert Smith. Keyboardist Roger O'Donnell announced his departure today (May 27) on his official Web site, while a fan site dedicated to guitarist Perry Bamonte conveyed the same news about his fate.

"As of Tuesday this week I am no longer a member of the Cure," O'Donnell wrote. "It was sad to find out after nearly 20 years the way I did but then I should have expected no less or more."

Elaborating to Billboard.com today, O'Donnell reveals that he was informed by Smith that he is transforming the Cure into a three-piece, backed only by bassist Simon Gallup and drummer Jason Cooper. "There's not really much you can say when you are the fifth member," he says, adding that he found out about the Cure's upcoming live dates via a fan Web site.

O'Donnell has been working on a solo album, "The Truth in Me," for the past six months and will release it in the fall on an as-yet-unnamed independent label. The set is being mixed in Germany with Mario Thaler (Lali Puna, the Notwist), and remixes of select tracks are being prepared by Four Tet and the Album Leaf. In addition, a video is in the works from Mike and Matt Chapman, the masterminds behind the online animated site HomestarRunner.com.

Rumors are also circulating that Siouxie and the Banshees principal Steve Severin will fill in at the Cure's upcoming shows in some capacity. Severin and Smith are longtime friends who recorded a 1983 side-project album, "Blue Sunshine," under the moniker the Glove.

"It is true that we are talking again, but I haven't spoken to Robert since this story broke," Severin tells Billboard.com. "All I know is that we are working together on making the most exciting remaster of 'Blue Sunshine' possible."

Nice capsule review of Pornography.

This just posted on ILM:

Mr. Smith speaks (via a comment on the official site -- there's no way to link directly to it):

CHANGE
5/29/2005 10:07:24 AM - by CURE:ROBERT
Change alone is eternal, perpetual, immortal.
- Arthur Schopenhauer

THERE ARE NOW THREE PEOPLE IN THE BAND: ME, SIMON AND JASON - AND THERE ARE VERY GOOD REASONS FOR THIS CHANGE... REASONS WE ALL KNOW, UNDERSTAND AND ACCEPT

THE RS/SG/JC/PB/RO'D CURE LINE-UP WAS TOGETHER FOR TEN GORGEOUS YEARS - WILD MOOD SWINGS, FIVE SWING LIVE, (GALORE), BLOODFLOWERS, (GREATEST HITS), TRILOGY, THE CURE - A SHARED LEGACY TO BE VERY PROUD OF INDEED

BUT NONE OF US CAN BELIEVE IT IS BETTER TO TREAD WATER MARK TIME BITE LIP RATHER THAN EMBRACE CHANGE WHEN CHANGE ARRIVES

SO ONWARD...
LOVE
RS

Chain of Flowers posted this over the weekend:

---

Meanwhile, the trio forges ahead with a new album and Curiosa UK?

"I've just read the following article on UK Channel 4 Teletext - "PS NEWS" (p.351).... in which Robert speaks of a new album.

CURIOUS NEWS FROM CURE

The Cure won't be touring Britain until next year, PS can reveal.

Although they're playing festivals in Europe, Robert Smith told PS: "I want to bring the Curiosa event here next year. I spent a lot of time researching the bill last year for America. I DON'T HAVE THE TIME NOW, WE'RE DOING A NEW LP."

Smith added: "We won't do Glastonbury, as they've fallen out with us. I was told they think we've never done a good performance whenever we've played there."

Elsewhere on PS NEWS (p.353) Robert talks about the time Lou Reed was rude to his dad...!"

And according to "Second Source" (who turned out to be 100% correct last friday), the trio have already recorded 5 songs and we might see some sort of preview before the festivals.

---

Hmmm...hm.

-- Ned Raggett (d@kuci.org), May 31st, 2005 7:39 PM. (later)

ooo-wee, Cure trop goes back to Primary-style aggressiveness and records albums in less than 4 years!

-- The Emancipation of Baaderonixx (KERERU 4 LIFE!) (k@yahoo.com), May 31st, 2005 12:37 AM. (later)

Lots and lots of stuff still going on. If you want to see what happen today than you need to hit the above link from I Love Music (ILM). It is Robert Smith reaction but Obner doesn’t seem to don’t care so I will give it up.