The Cure

4-24-09 The Cure

I last wrote about The Cure in 2004. I probably like them better now than I did then. Pretty much followed them from their beginnings, up to “17 Seconds”. Then I liked some of their singles, and “The Head On The Door”. I do not have an intense Cure collection, and I sold off some of my early singles at time when it was very profitable to do so. So, no “Cult Hero” 45 for me anymore, alas.

LP 17 SECONDS FICTION UK FIX 004

1980 10 TRKS original UK issue

CDx2 17 SECONDS (Deluxe edition) RHINO US R2 74682

1980 25 TRKS ('05 issue)(15 x bonus tracks)

CD BOYS DON'T CRY FICTION DE 815011.2

1979 12 TRKS

7" BOYS DON'T CRY (New Version) / PILLBOX TALES VAP JPN 15007-07

1986 2 TRKS with pic sleeve

7" CATCH, THE / BREATHE FICTION UK FICSP 26

1987 2 TRKS with pic sleeve, clear vinyl

12" CLOSE TO ME / A MAN INSIDE MY MOUTH / STOP DEAD FICTION UK FICSX 23

1985 3 TRKS with pic sleeve

CD ENTREAT POLYDOR UK 843359.2

1990 8 TRKS Live, Wembley 7/89

CDx2 FAITH (Deluxe edition) RHINO US R2 74683

1981 24 TRKS ('05 issue) (16 x bonus tracks)

CD GALORE - THE SINGLES 1987 - 1997 ELEKTRA US 62117.2

1997 18 TRK Collection

CD HEAD ON THE DOOR, THE ELEKTRA US 60435.2

1985 10 TRKS

LP HEAD ON THE DOOR, THE ELEKTRA US 60435.1

1985 10 TRKS

7" HIGH / THIS TWILIGHT GARDEN FICTION UK FICS 39

1992 2 TRKS no pic sleeve

7" IN BETWEEN DAYS / EXPLODING BOY, THE VAP JPN 15006-07

1985 2 TRKS with pic sleeve

CD JAPANESE WHISPERS SIRE US 25076.2

1983 8 TRKS 'The Singles'

LP JAPANESE WHISPERS SIRE US 25076.1

1983 8 TRKS 'The Singles'

CD KISS ME KISS ME KISS ME ELEKTRA US 60737.2

1987 17 TRKS (one less track than the double LP)

LPx2 KISS ME KISS ME KISS ME POLYDOR DE 832130.1

1987 18 TRKS

CD5 LOVE SONG ELEKTRA US 66687.2

1989 4 TRK CD Single CD5

CD MIXED UP ELEKTRA US 60978.2

1990 11 TRKS remixes

CD5 NEVER ENOUGH ELEKTRA US 66604.2

1990 4 TRK CD Single CD5

CD PARIS ELEKTRA CAN CD 61552

1993 12 TRKS Live, Paris 10/92

CD5 PEEL SESSIONS, THE DUTCH EAST US DEI 8341.2

1988 4 TRK CD Single CD5 ('78 recording)

CD STANDING ON A BEACH - THE SINGLES ELEKTRA US 60477.2

1986 17 TRK Collection (4 x bonus tracks)

LP STANDING ON A BEACH - THE SINGLES ELEKTRA US 60477.1

1986 13 TRK Collection

LP THREE IMAGINARY BOYS FICTION UK FIX 1

1979 12 TRKS the version with literally no text on the exterior cover

CDx2 THREE IMAGINARY BOYS (Deluxe edition) RHINO US R2 78895

1979 33 TRKS ('04 issue) (20 x bonus tracks)

LP TOP, THE SIRE US 25086.1

1984 10 TRKS

7" WHY CAN'T I BE YOU? (7" x 2) FICTION UK FICSG 25

1987 4 TRK EP; with pic sleeve, 7"x2

12" WHY CAN'T I BE YOU? / A JAPANESE DREAM FICTION UK FICSX 25

1987 2 TRKS with pic sleeve

Boy, do I ever remember a time when I met tons of people that collected ONLY The Cure! That was really a pervasive scene. When I used to sell at the Emeryville swap meet, I really made bank selling the old Cure 45’s (and even that was to another dealer!).

When the re-mastered Deluxe Edition 2CD sets starting walking down the pike, I snapped up a few of them, and I wouldn’t be adverse to a few more, if the price was right.

What really helped my Cure fandom along was all of their music videos. I had the Japanese Beta stereo hi-fi tape of “Tea Party”, which was about 30 minutes long and it had all of the clips of the day, approx. ’85. Later with got a “Live In Japan” (’87) tape that I dubbed.

I never did see them live. I barely missed them once in Paris – during a “Fete De La Musique” day. Or did I miss The The? I don’t remember that day too well, as I sit here typing.

I always rather found it amusing that Robert Smith joined Siouxsie & The Banshees at one point. I never really did them; I didn’t care for their debut LP when it was highly recommended to me, but I am good with some of the singles, like “Hong Kong Garden”. Never heard “The Glove”, their thing with Mr. Smith.

And according to Word Magazine, Robert Smith is now 50 years of age. Hey, so am I!

Recently, I got two different live CD’s by The Cure, “Entreat” and “Paris” – maybe I am trying to make up for never having seen them live? I think the latest thing in my Cure collection is the 7” single called “High”, which was given to me with the batch of Thrift Store Records I recently described.

I definitely didn’t care for the LP after “Faith”, and I wasn’t even all that fond of “Faith”! But I did like the “Charlotte Sometimes” single, so nice to have it again, on the $4 copy of the 2CD “Faith” that I found at a Salvation Army store recently.