The Cure

post-punk

The Cure are an English gothic rock band formed in Crawley in 1976 by Robert Smith (vocals, guitar) and Lol Tolhurst (drums). The band’s current lineup consists of Smith, Simon Gallup (bass), Roger O'Donnell (keyboards), Perry Bamonte (guitar and keyboards), Jason Cooper (drums), and Reeves Gabrels (guitar). Smith has been the sole constant member throughout the group’s history, while Gallup has appeared on all but two of the band’s studio albums. The Cure’s debut album Three Imaginary Boys (1979), along with several early singles, established them as a leading act in the emerging post-punk and new wave scenes in the United Kingdom. With their second album Seventeen Seconds (1980), the band developed a darker, more atmospheric sound that became influential in the formation of gothic rock. This stylistic direction continued through albums such as Faith (1981) and Pornography (1982). Following Pornography, Smith began to integrate more melodic and pop-oriented elements into the band’s music, broadening their appeal and leading to international commercial success. The Cure reached their greatest mainstream popularity with the albums Kiss Me, Kiss Me, Kiss Me (1987), Disintegration (1989), and Wish (1992), recorded with guitarist Porl Thompson and drummer Boris Williams. These albums produced several of the band’s best-known songs and secured their reputation as one of the most influential alternative rock bands of the era. Over their career, The Cure have released...