Maybe Someone Is Trying To Tell You Something

As per this article, Robert Smith, beloved frontman of the Cure, is suffering writer’s block as the band completes their fourteenth album. Of note in this article is Smith’s apprehension of soiling the band’s legacy by becoming a touring band hawking their greatest hits. Sadly, as a long time fan, I know Smith has had this anxiety for decades. In the mid-eighties he emphatically stated in a lengthy interview in Face magazine that he wanted to go out at the top of his game and not become another Fleetwood Mac. I don’t have the exact quote but that is pretty close. My friends and I thought this was a daring statement of purpose and applauded Smith and Co.

However, this has not been the case as the band has slowly become the next Fleetwood Mac. See, the problem wasn’t commercial viability, which even Fleetwood Mac were at their artistic worst, they were still selling a butt load of records. And that same scenario is true of the Cure. Even as they have continued to produce their most commercially successfully albums, the albums have been progressively worse. Starting with Kiss Me, Kiss Me, Kiss Me, Cure albums have been bloated muddled messes that seem to repeat each other.

All I am saying is that if Mr. Smith is facing writer’s block, maybe it is the universe telling him that it is time to hang up his lipstick and mascara.

And in a little twist, instead of having my iPod on shuffle, I just started it at the beginning of the song list and here is the last 10 songs played:

1. "(Get A) Grip (On Yourself)" by the Stranglers
2. "(Ghost) Riders In The Sky" by Johnny Cash
3. "(Hot Pool Of) Woman Need" by the Cramps
4. "(I’ll Love You) Till The End Of The World" by Nick Cave & the Bad Seeds
5. "(I’ll Name You) The Flame That Cries" by Guided By Voices
6. "(I’m A) TV Savage" by Bow Wow Wow
7. "(I’m Always Touched By Your) Presence Dear" by Blondie
8. "(I’m Not) Your Stepping Stone" by the Monkees
9. "(I’m Not) Your Stepping Stone" by the Sex Pistols
10. "(I’m Stuck In A Pagoda With) Tricia Toyota" by the Dickies