Though several bands are mentioned with the gothic rock genre, the Cure is one of those considered one of the genre’s classic bands. Starting with their second studio album entitled ‘Seventeen Seconds,’ the band began to become a strong influence on the emerging gothic rock and its subculture.
On top of the band’s sound, the lead singer Robert Smith’s stage looks and performances contributed to the band’s role as a defining act. However, Smith himself and the band members have routinely rejected classification, especially as a gothic rock band. The singer once opened up about this issue and explained why goths actually hated the Cure.
Robert Smith Said Goths Hated The Cure
Despite starting as a gothic band, specific changes within their sound became apparent after releasing their fourth studio album entitled ‘Pornography‘ on May 4, 1982. It marked the final album of their gloomy style that formed the Cure’s portrayal as a pioneer of the gothic rock genre.
During a 2019 interview with Rolling Stone, Robert Smith was asked about the goth’s role in the band’s music. The musician stated that he’s aware of their part in the history of goth, but it is not as big as it’s portrayed. Furthermore, he wanted to stress that the Cure isn’t a goth band once again.
Smith also noted that goths despised the Cure due to the changes in their style and sound after ‘Pornography.’ According to many, the band left their original sound to release pop songs that had nothing to do with goth. If you ask Smith, they just wanted to try out new things, which has been the case since their formation.
When asked about goth’s role in the band, Smith said:
“Inevitably, I think it had some kind of influence. ‘Cold’ from ‘Pornography,’ I think, sounds gothic, inasmuch as you can say it’s got that particular sound. I’m aware we played a part in it, and I think that we’re part of the history of goth, without question, but as a footnote. The Cure just isn’t a goth band. When people say it to me, you’re goth, I say you either have never heard us play or you have no idea what goth is. One of those two has to be true because we’re not a goth band.
I remember just for a while, goths were outraged that people would think we’re a goth band. They hated us because we’d kind of jumped ship, they thought. Because we sounded like we do on ‘Pornography’ and the next thing we do is ‘Let’s Go to Bed,’ and ‘Love Cats,’ and ‘The Walk,’ and all these sorts of stupid pop singles. So they’re missing the point that before we’d done ‘Pornography,’ we’d also done ‘Three Imaginary Boys’ and ‘Seventeen Seconds.’ We weren’t anything to do with goth. It’s like we passed through that phase and I did a few things that sounded like we were a part of it, and then we moved on to something else.”
It appears that Robert Smith didn’t want to be identified with one genre in particular, whether it’s goth or something else, since their style constantly evolved into something else over time. Still, their fans’ reaction is understandable as they were introduced to the Cure with their goth sound.
