Press Telegram: October 28, 1997

Although lead singer Robert Smith is in Los Angeles this week to promote the Cure's second compilation CD, "Galore," his mind is plainly fixated on the band's future.

He's temporatily put aside his work for the band's next album - due out in the spring - to perform only two U.S. club shows before heading back to England with the rest of the band - drummer Jason Cooper, keyboardist Roger O'Donnell, bassist Simon Gallup and guitarist Perry Bamonte. In addition to their performances tonight at the Hollywood American Legion Hall (tickets go on sale today at the Pantages Theatre box office) and Friday in New York, they'll also make their debut on "The Tonight Show with Jay Leno" on Wednesday.

"Galore" features the band's best singles from the past 10 years (including "Why Can't I Be You", "Hot,Hot,Hot," "Friday I'm In Love," "Mint Car,") as well as their newest single, "Wrong Number." But is Smith, whose moody, alternative songs about love and love lost, itching to get back to finish the album and be with his wife? He talked to the Press-Telegram Monday afternoon before his scheduled midnight appearance at the Virgin Megastore in Hollywood to unveil and autograph copies of "Galore."

PT- Is there a theme among the 18 songs you chose to put on "Galore"? RS- It was really just to pick up form where "Standing On The Beach" finished up, which is our first singles collection. That ran from '78 to '87. So "Galore" is just all the A sides from the last 10 years in chronological order.

PT- Do you have a favorite?

RS- A couple of weeks ago, I listened to it a secound time after a few beers and I was surprised actually that the songs that I thought would be my favorites weren't. I think the best single on there is "Mint Car" (off "Wild Mood Swings") and it's probably one of the least commercially successful.

PT-What kind of memories does that song conjure?

RS-It's partly to do with that there was such a good atmosphere when we were making "Wild Mood Swings." We lived together in a big house for a year. It was a great experience. We had this strange criticism when it came out that I couldn't possibly be that happy. Last summer I had two months of incredible enthusiasm for life. And "Mint Car" sums up that period for me.

PT-Is having enthusiasm for life rare for you?

RS-Not really. It's rare that I ever write a song when I'm in that frame of mind. And usually most of what I do is introspective, which is usually a little bit more low-key.

PT-What was it like living in a house with your band mates?

RS-I wouldn't do it again.

PT-Why not?

RS-Because they're too scruffy and messy.

PT-So did you find yourself cleaning up after the others?

RS- Yeah. They'd take advantage of me. I get very obsessive about things. But they knew when they'd put things in the wrong place, I would get really tense about it until I had to clear up.

PT-Did Halloween have anything to do with the compilation record being released this week?

RS-I suppose , sort of. The original release date was about one month ago. But the record company was kind of messing about - for various dumb reasons- until finally they said it needed bo be released before November. I guess someone's head at Elektra went "Ding! It's Halloween week!" It's kind of cheesy, I suppose.

PT-Are your planning on dressing up this year for the show in New York?

RS-I don't know. I actually bought a lime green shirt for the video I'm very tempted to wear.

PT-A riot practically broke out in New York last week after tickets for your show there sold out. Are you worried that something similar may happen here?

RS-Yeah, we're worried about it. But it's difficult because I don't want to get involved with putting on a big production. My mind is on doing the new record. This is kind of like a mini break. The last time I did this was 10 years ago for "Standing On The Beach" and I spent like 10 days going completely insane on my own just doing interviews for TV, radio...and I just really lost it. So this is like a club thing that I'm determined to enjoy on a really basic level. We've got a light show that costs $500. It's a refreshing change.

PT-How far along are you on the album you're working on?

RS-I'm aiming to get 12 songs done by Christmas and we've got about six that are really good.

PT-Does it have a new sound?

RS-Yeah. It's kind of like "Wrong Number". It's almost like we're making two albums. The group of recordings of the live band has a kind of rocky sound. Then what I'm doing is taking the songs and using loops and remixing. I'm using their performances, but sampling bits and kind of like deconstructing and remaking.

PT-The Cure's music has always been avant-garde. What do you do to keep that cutting edge quality?

RS-I have no idea. In England that's perceived as being out of touch. Up to this point, if I can spot what we've been listening to in what we do I think there's something wrong with it. It always makes me laugh to think that you have to make music that's comtemporary. And contemporary is defined by a group of people who write for magazines kind of dictating what's in and what's out. Something that's hip in London may not be hip in Tokyo or in Dallas. I've always thought of the Cure as a group that can play anywhere in the world. If I wake up in the morning and hear something in my head, then that's what we should be doing and we just do it. Sometimes it works and sometimes it doesn't.