The Cure Bass Player

[Downunderwonder]

16 minutes ago, SumOne said:

 

I'm not sure about that, yes- the song is made up of lots of simple parts working together but it is the Bass that is prominently repetitively driving it all along throughout as other parts come and go, I'd go as far to say say that song is a classic example of a Bass driven song.

We disagree. To me the 'driving' is coming from the ebb and flow of the thematic keyboard part. Everything else is along for the ride.

Edited August 16, 2021 by Downunderwonder

[Musicman666]

28 minutes ago, Ricky Rioli said:

I was surprised to read that awaiting release are both a Cure album and a Robert Smith solo album. I had had no idea that Robert Smith had ever self-identified as a collaborative musician, and had assumed that everything that ever appeared on a Cure release was pretty much what he wanted. Working on those two things at the same time sounds potentially messy, and, lo, a mess.

I’m surprised also, let’s face it Robert smith is the cure, if you listen to any of the demos and the top which was bass played by Robert and stuff with the glove or the walk and the banshees it becomes fairly clear where the magic is, Gallup is a solid bass player but I was never blown away technically by anything he has done even though he has been a big influence on me. Can’t help thinking Robert was always the puppet master.

[tegs07]

20 minutes ago, Downunderwonder said:

We disagree. To me the 'driving' is coming from the ebb and flow of the thematic keyboard part. Everything else is along for the ride.

They managed very well without a dedicated keyboard player for several albums. I always thought the keyboards were brought in to flesh out the live sound as they moved to arena and stadium sized gigs..

Edited August 16, 2021 by tegs07

[Guest]

Here's a nice video of Simon Gallup playing to bassline to 'Cold' with his feet, and, only occasionally playing a high solo line on his Rickenbacker 

 

 

[Guest]

39 minutes ago, Old Horse Murphy said:

He has always given the band full songwriting credits all the way through (unlike a number of artists)

 

(excepting The Top and The Head On The Door in the mid 80s)

[ubit]

25 minutes ago, Downunderwonder said:

We disagree. To me the 'driving' is coming from the ebb and flow of the thematic keyboard part. Everything else is along for the ride.

Is this bass driven enough for you? 😉

 

 

[Bassybert]

1 hour ago, Downunderwonder said:

I really dislike that expression, ''serving the song''. It should always be the bloody bass that works. If it's too flashy and distracting fire the showoff prick and get someone else.

 

In this case all the simple parts are most of 'the song' and the bass is but one of them. The singer sings his little ditty over it. Magic. Bass driven it ain't.

Funny you should say that as I really dislike it when people dislike that expression. Swings and roundabouts and all that.

[Woodinblack]

The cure are still going?? Wow.

[Lozz196]

The Cure to me are very similar to the Foo Fighters in that I can happily listen to a song of theirs but not a whole album. Whereas live, be it that I’m at the gig is watching it in tv, both bands hold my interest for the whole set.

[Cat Burrito]

18 minutes ago, Woodinblack said:

The cure are still going?? Wow.

Rock n Roll Hall of Fame inductees 2019 (check the interview footage on YouTube for the coolest ever interview), still filling stadiums around the world and 2 new albums (admittedly one Robert Smith solo) recorded for release. In my mind they should be heralded as a national treasure and spoken about in the same tones as David Bowie. Guess they just must be operating under your radar. 

[Woodinblack]

3 minutes ago, Cat Burrito said:

Rock n Roll Hall of Fame inductees 2019 (check the interview footage on YouTube for the coolest ever interview), still filling stadiums around the world and 2 new albums (admittedly one Robert Smith solo) recorded for release. In my mind they should be heralded as a national treasure and spoken about in the same tones as David Bowie. Guess they just must be operating under your radar. 

 

It was tongue in cheek. No, I like the cure, or their old albums, I have seen them several times and some of their music is very significant to me, but I also believe there is a time for everything.

But whether they carry on I guess as always is up to them, its their career.

[ADAM ROBERTS]

I was fortunate enough to see the original line up just after Killing an Arab was released, I always preferred Dempsey so, perhaps they will get him back? 

[Nail Soup]

Slightly off topic, but Lol Tolhurst’s autobiography is a good read.

Sad in parts of course.

[Musicman666]

5 minutes ago, Nail Soup said:

Slightly off topic, but Lol Tolhurst’s autobiography is a good read.

Sad in parts of course.

yeah i read it, he has made amends but judging by his levinhurst offerings he should have just stayed on drums, it would have definitely been the healthier option.

[Cairobill]

Gallup is great and so central to their sound...which is great too 👍

Shame if he left on bad terms...

[Musicman666]

1 minute ago, Cairobill said:

Gallup is great and so central to their sound...which is great too 👍

Shame if he left on bad terms...

new order survived but its not quite the same, i guess the cure could do likewise.

[lou24d53]

Genuinely a bit gutted at this...such an integral part of The Cure, both in terms of sound and look over the last 30+ years or so...

 

Still, if the call comes...!!! 😏😂

[AndyTravis]

40 minutes ago, Cat Burrito said:

Rock n Roll Hall of Fame inductees 2019 (check the interview footage on YouTube for the coolest ever interview), still filling stadiums around the world and 2 new albums (admittedly one Robert Smith solo) recorded for release. In my mind they should be heralded as a national treasure and spoken about in the same tones as David Bowie. Guess they just must be operating under your radar. 

“How excited are you about winning this!”

“By the sounds of it, not as much as you.”

 

or something like that. 
 

he’s a slippery bugger.

[Guest]

18 minutes ago, AndyTravis said:

“How excited are you about winning this!”

“By the sounds of it, not as much as you.”

 

or something like that. 

 

[Jus Lukin]

-

Edited March 15, 2022 by Jus Lukin

[lou24d53]

That clip in what, 15, 20 seconds, is the perfect example of stereotypical over-excitable Americans versus stereotypical downbeat deadpan British sarcasm...!

[Cat Burrito]

1 hour ago, Woodinblack said:

It was tongue in cheek. ... but I also believe there is a time for everything.

Ah! The subtlety was lost on me in the typing! Pretty much my view too, as it happens.

[Nail Soup]

2 hours ago, Lozz196 said:

I can happily listen to a song of theirs

similar for me.... you could name a whole bunch of Cure singles which I think are a great song, yet I have no inclination to get any further into their albums. That goes for both the 'alt' and 'pop' periods - if I can split their career like that!

[Nail Soup]

42 minutes ago, lou24d53 said:

That clip in what, 15, 20 seconds, is the perfect example of stereotypical over-excitable Americans versus stereotypical downbeat deadpan British sarcasm...!

Yes, makes you proud to be British don't it guv😀

[Barking Spiders]

5 hours ago, Newfoundfreedom said:

That's weird. I'm just this minute listening to Disintegration, after a friend asked on Facebook what everyone thought the best Cure album is. I came on here and this was the first thread that popped up. 

 

I've never been a Cure fan, but never been able to figure out why. So I thought I'd give them another go. 

 

I really should like them with the bass driven melodies, but I just don't. I love the bass lines, but hate pretty much everything else. It's just wishy washy noise. It's like listening to music underwater. 

 

It's a shame the bass player is leaving. He's the only decent thing in the band. 

I've got around half a dozen Cure albums but their total output has been pretty inconsistent and can understand why people might not enjoy them and same goes for Joy Division and other post punk 'miserablists'. There are some gems among the Cure's albums but also some real duds. I'd put Disintegration at around #3 or 4 and but definitely place 17 Seconds at #1.