Out of all the bands that emerged in the immediate aftermath of punk rock in the late '70s, few were as enduring and popular as the Cure. Led through numerous incarnations by guitarist/vocalist Robert Smith (born April 21, 1959), the band became well-known for its slow, gloomy dirges and Smith's ghoulish appearance, a public image that often hid the diversity of the Cure's music. At the outset, the Cure played jagged, edgy pop songs before slowly evolving into a more textured outfit. As one of the bands that laid the seeds for goth rock, the group created towering layers of guitars and synthesizers, but by the time goth caught on in the mid-'80s, the Cure had moved away from the genre. By the end of the '80s, the band had crossed over into the mainstream not only in its native England, but also in the United States and in various parts of Europe. The Cure remained a popular concert draw and reliable record-seller throughout the '90s, and their influence could be heard clearly on scores of new bands during the new millennium, including many that had little to do with goth. - Allmusic
In an interview with Select magazine, Cure vocalist and primary songwriter Robert Smith said: "I was thinking of Bourbon Street in New Orleans when I wrote it - I was getting ready to go there and I thought: what the f--k do I think I'm going to find? It's about the incredulity that I could still be fooled into looking for a perfect moment." - Songfacts
7. Boys Don't Cry (1979)
The Cure formed in the torn-and-frayed London suburb of Crawley, where their sensitive side was not always appreciated. This song didn't go over well with some of the hardened punks that came to their shows, but the band remained unwavering in their approach and made a strong connection with legions of fans.
6. Friday I'm In Love (1992)
During the writing process, Robert Smith became convinced that he had inadvertently stolen the chord progression from somewhere, and this led him to a state of paranoia where he called everyone he could think of and played the song for them, asking if they had heard it before. None of them had, and Smith realized that the melody was indeed his. "It's always been paradoxical that it's pushed down people's throats that we're a goth band," Smith observed. "Because, to the general public, we're not. To taxi drivers, I'm the bloke that sings 'Friday I'm in Love'. I'm not the bloke who sings 'Shake Dog Shake' or 'One Hundred Years'. - Wiki
5. The Walk (1983)
The Cure had lost their bass player Simon Gallup and were in limbo when the remaining two members, Robert Smith and Lol Tolhurst, got together to compose this song in late 1982. Tolhurst came up with the distinctive vibrato keyboard riff, and Smith took it from there. The song became their biggest UK hit to this point, going to #12 and revitalizing the band. - Songfacts
4. Close To Me (1985)
Three versions of "Close to Me" were released in 1985, including the original album version, the 7" single mix version and the 12" extended mix version. The album version does not feature the brass section part present on all of the other versions, which was adapted from a traditional New Orleans funeral march melody and played by horn section Rent Party for the single mix. - Wiki
3. Pictures Of You (1989)
Smith has given conflicting accounts of what events inspired the song. In other interviews he has said that the song was the result of losing pictures he carried around in his wallet, many from before he was born. What is certain is that the song is defined by an overwhelming sense of loss. Smith explained the emotions behind the lyrics in a 1989 interview with Music Box TV: "It's about the idea you hold someone. It goes back a bit to a song like 'How Beautiful You Are.' The idea of you hold someone isn't really what that person is like. Sometimes you completely lose touch with what a person has turned into. You just want to hold onto what they were." - Songfacts
2. Just Like Heaven (1987)
In the November 2003 issue of Blender magazine, Robert Smith said: "In 1987, my wife, Mary, and I lived in a small two-bedroom flat in North London. The other room was my music room. Just about the only discipline I had in my life was self-imposed. I set myself a regimen of writing 15 days a month; otherwise I'd have just got up in mid-afternoon and watched TV until the pubs opened, then gone out drinking. I knew as soon as I'd written it that it was a good pop song. - Songfacts
1. In Between Days (1985)
The song was released as the first single from the band's 1985 album The Head on the Door and was a big international success. In the UK, it was the band's ninth chart single and their fourth consecutive Top 20 hit; while in the US it was their first single to reach the Billboard Hot 100 when it peaked at #99. It was a Top 20 hit in Australia and New Zealand and also charted in several European countries, increasing the popularity of the band. - Lastfm
If you grew up in the desert metropolis of Albuquerque, New Mexico in the 60s, 70s or 80s you probably have fond memories of Toys By Roy. This Article Has Moved To Our New Blog At: Toys By Roy - Winrock Center Mall - Albuquerque, New Mexico - A Trip Down Memory Lane
About ten minutes east of the city of Lake Charles are the remains of an abandoned water park . The decaying structures are clearly visible from the busy I-10 freeway and for years drivers have wondered about it's history and why it was left for dead. The Pirate's Cove Water Park actually has a rather interesting story behind it. A story that has been repeated over and over again, unfortunately, here in Louisiana. It's just another example of how government bureaucracy in this state killed an enterprise before it could ever get off the ground. Construction on the park began in 2008 and it was scheduled to open sometime in 2010. The sprawling complex was envisioned as an oasis from the hot summer heat that would feature luxurious amenities like a 900 foot long lazy river, a giant splash pad for the kids and eventually a five star hotel. The Pirate's Cove would have been an obvious tourist destination that could have brought much needed tax dollars and employment oppo...
I have to admit that I have been hanging on to these photos for a couple of months now just looking for the right minute to post them. Back in November I was traveling up to El Dorado, Arkansas and I passed through the small town of Dodson. While driving through town my eyes spotted a very attractive old house up on a hill and I just had to stop and take a few photos of it. I honestly don't know the history of this house, but I'm sure some local will send me message telling me all about it (and someone did see the UPDATE ), and it's not as cool as an abandoned railroad locomotive or old movie house but it really spoke to me. I have to wonder about the people who used to live in it and how it ended up in the state it is now. Anyone can see that it was a beautiful house long ago. What happened? How did such a grand residence end up like this? Those are questions that I can't answer unfortunately. Unfortunately a site like this isn't all that uncommon here in Louisian...
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