Curepedia: An A-Z of The Cure

by Simon Price

A  complete  and truly unique biography of Robert Smith and company, The Cure, chronicling their 40+ year history with hundreds of entries in A to Z fashion.  Definitive and deeply researched,  Curepedia will surprise and inform fans everywhere as they await The Cure's highly anticipated  next  album release. The Cure remain, 40 plus years into their career, one of the biggest rock bands in the world. With 12 studio albums, tours that pack stadiums all over the world—including their recent sold out series across North America in Spring/Summer 2023—they were the first alternative band to be inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, in 2019 by Trent Reznor. Their influence is heard in bands as wide ranging as Twilight Sad to Interpol to My Chemical Romance.  Amidst the record-setting  Shows of a Lost World Tour  winding down, acclaimed music journalist Simon Price has crafted a first of its kind history of this band that will satisfy legion of fans eagerly awaiting The Cure’s new album.  Curepedia  is a career-spanning and in-depth biography of Robert Smith and company, chronicling their 40 plus year history with hundreds of entries organized in an A-to-Z fashion.  Presented in a two-color format, with four-color endpapers designed by long-time Cure collaborator Andy Vella,  Curepedia  is a full-scale look at the long list of members, current and past, unknown facts, tours, descriptions of every album, song, films, as well as entries on the image of the band, their influence, their style, and their enduring legacy. This beautifully packaged book, celebrating one of the most enduring and beloved rock bands,  Curepedia   will be the perfect introduction for new fans, and a must-have for the obsessive as well.

Genres: Music, Nonfiction, Biography, Biography Memoir, Pop Culture

448 pages, Hardcover

Published December 12, 2023

Reviews

[Darius Ostrowski · Rating 4 out of 5]

I have loved The Cure since I was a high school kid, but really came to appreciate them and became a huge fan when I went to college. It was the 1980’s, the college alternative music scene was really heating up, and all of the new wave British bands were coming over to America and blowing our minds. Now in my 50’s, I still love The Cure and can appreciate their role as elder statesmen representing a certain age and time. Simon Price is also obviously a huge fan, and his “Curepedia, An A–Z of The Cure” is a labor of love, capturing a plethora of information from a variety of sources of everything and anything even tangentially associated with Mr. Robert Smith and his band. It is fair to say that even a most devoted fan will learn a thing or two from this impressive collection.

As the title suggests, this is not an easy read but rather an encyclopedia: there are entries organized in alphabetical order, from A to Z, that cover both obvious elements (band members, singles, albums) and some that are tenuous / rather general (drinking, supporting bands, producers and illustrators, other bands, etc.). Each entry talks about the subject, shares facts and/or stories, and links to any other entries. For 400+ pages and countless entries, we get a full picture of the band and how they have changed the musical landscape (and no, they are not Goth!).

Is this perfect? No, there are some errors, some stretching of connections, some really unnecessary information, some duplication of facts/stories in different entries. And since it’s organized alphabetically, the reading has you going back and forth in time. Plus, Mr. Price is obviously a huge fan of Siouxsie and the Banshees since they appear way more than necessary. And reading this front to back is quite difficult. But for any Cure fan, or fan of music in general, this is a critical source for all things Robert Smith.

I requested and received a free advanced electronic copy from Dey Street Books via NetGalley. Thank you!

[Sam · Rating 3 out of 5]

Weird to read, obvs, but also kinda boring? And Price seems to have actually wanted to write a Siousxie and the Bansheespedia because I ended up literally lol'ing at the ways he manages to bring them up ENDLESSLY. I want to give it a 2 but gave it a 3 because my insistence on reading it pretty much like a book and not as reference to be dipped in and out of as intended is entirely my own fault.

[Tania Dawn · Rating 3 out of 5]

Lots of information here. Unfortunately, it's not all accurate and any true Cure fan can and will spot the discrepancies. I had higher hopes. Even so, although it's not officially authorized or endorsed by the band, it's still a must have for Cure collectors. Just don't take it as gospel.

[Sacha Rosel · Rating 4 out of 5]

My rating is actually 4.5 stars, not 4. The only thing I am skeptical about after reading this wonderful goldmine of a book is the way Price seems obsessed with making comparisons between RS/The Cure and Prince. I don't mind the extensive entries dedicated to Siouxsie and the Banshees other reviewers seem to be annoyed by - after all, RS used to be a Banshee once, so why should it bother readers? - But Prince? I just don't get it. Apart from that, a marvellous book, great for Cured and non-Cured alike.

[Alex Sarll]

Simon Price's previous band book, Everything, covered the Manic Street Preachers, a group who, at least back then when they'd barely begun their trudge into middle-aged mediocrity, very much had a Story. The Cure, on the other hand, have been around for so long that, while they've made many excellent records (including one of the best albums ever, IDST) and got into plenty of scrapes, all of that would risk being overwhelmed by lists of tours and recording sessions if you tried to cover it by following them steadily through the years. So if chronological won't work, what's the other obvious organising principle? Exactly. Everything did have interstitial chapters on aspects worthy of thematic consideration, but this takes that to the next level, inevitable inclusions (albums, key songs, personnel) joined by some more surprising ones - the entries on associated (and indeed Associates) acts weren't too much of a shock, or even Alcohol, but I was not expecting Pissing. Not all of them can transcend the plainly informative, but that has its uses too, and there's almost always some flourish, wider angle or terrible joke to make this work for linear reading as well as reference. It goes wider than just the band, of course, through digging into their hinterland and the wider ecosystem around them; one notion that keeps cropping up is that their worldwide success comes down to the fact that while there is, mercifully, only one Crawley, there are an awful lot of places like Crawley. Among the peripheral entries that most interested me was that for Flexipop, a magazine of whose existence I was aware and whose headline gimmick is self-explanatory, but of whose scurrilous vibe and general deal I had been utterly ignorant. The hardback is beautifully put together, and though the alphabetical order does wobble here and there (Tim Pope is after Pornography, as it were), the facts, as far as I can ascertain while being by no means the most hardcore Cure fan in the world (hardCure?), are solid; the worst I spotted was two Crow films conflated and a passing lumping-in of Judge Dredd as a superhero. Which is better than Amazon Music can say - after Curepedia reminded me how much I like Blue Sunshine and I gave that a play, Bezos' 'informative' Chart Show-style pop-up claimed the Glove was Robert Smith and Siouxsie! Honestly. The surprises in the book, on the other hand, come more from the real world than bizarre inventions; I'd had no idea the archetypal goths shared members with the Thompson Twins and Johnny Hates Jazz, two eighties acts where even I draw the line, and nor was I aware of the generally low esteem in which Wild Mood Swings is held, when for me it's firmly ensconced as the last good album.

And yes, there is something for every letter, with only a little reaching. If anything, I was surprised at the distribution - R is only a few paragraphs longer than Q!

[Christine · Rating 4 out of 5]

The Cure has been my favorite band since the mid 1980s, so when I saw this book at a bookstore a few months ago, I didn't hesitate to buy it.

The book is an extremely comprehensive history of not only the band, but of the people and other artists that have surrounded the band over the years. It covers everything from individual songs, to albums, to band members. It is literally written like an encyclopedia, with entries for each letter of the alphabet. It's not really meant to be a book you just sit down and read from cover to cover. I expect most people will do what I did, which is to read a few entries at a time over an extended period of time.

As a fan of the band, I found this informative and a book that gave me some new insight into the band. The author pulls his content from other sources, so this is not a first hand account based on any direct experience with the band. But still something every Cure fan should read and would enjoy.

[MKF · Rating 4 out of 5]

So much information to take in so I just skimmed it and read bits and pieces and some of the sections of interest.

[Scott · Rating 3 out of 5]

As an audiobook, it's a nightmare.

[Debby · Rating 5 out of 5]

Curepedia by Simon Price is a must have for fans of the Cure.

I was excited to read this book as my husband has been a super fan since the early 1980's and I've spent the last forty something years listening to their music.

Anything I'd ever want to know about Robert Smith and the rest of the band seems to be answered and answered well! I'll be spouting trivia now like a pro.

If I have any complaints, it's that this books isn't filled with photos - at least the ARC I received wasn't. Their look is such a huge part of the band, it seemed odd that it wasn't photo filled.

I'll be buying this to gift to my husband upon release.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the ARC. All opinions are my own.

[Leonardo · Rating 4 out of 5]

I want to thank Netgalley and the author for providing me with an advanced review copy of this book.

This book is an extremely detailed book about the Cure. It's literally an encyclopedia-like publication as the name implies. Inn many places it has quite interesting insights into the lives and experiences of the group and its members. However, as any reference book, it is really designed to be read in snippets as opposed to in the manner of a novel or long style story.

Recommended for the true Cure afficionado. More of a curiosity for the casual reader.

[Lisa Davidson · Rating 4 out of 5]

I would have loved this more if it had tried harder to be a real coffee table book. Instead of an easy-to-read layout with pictures, this really is like an encyclopedia with fact after fact after fact, and I'm too old for this kind of print. That doesn't mean I don't think Cure fans should read it! They really are a legend and everything about them is fascinating. Thanks to NetGalley for letting me read this

[Booksandcoffeemx · Rating 4 out of 5]

I love music, and I jumped when I saw this beauty on my book mail. 𝗧𝗵𝗲 𝗖𝘂𝗿𝗲 is a band that I listened for so many years, I still do.
It was one of my first live concerts during my high school years and I had the best time!

This book is a complete treasure, you’ll find everything you need to know about the band. A must have for every Cure fan or if you want to know more about them.

Thank you Dey Street Books for this fantastic book.

𝗖𝘂𝗿𝗲𝗽𝗲𝗱𝗶𝗮 by Simon Price released December 12, 2023.

[David · Rating 5 out of 5]

The Best of Many

You'd assume an encyclopedia about anything to be a rather dry affair. This is an encyclopedia of The Cure , so that's unlikely to be true. In reality, it's everything you'd ever hope to know about the band (at least up to 2023), told with a wonderfully fitting sense of humor by author Price. I quite enjoyed it, and even if you're not a Cure fan (why?), as long as you enjoy entertaining writing about music, you'll not regret the purchase.

[Pennie · Rating 4 out of 5]

I was very excited when I found out that I won this through a Goodreads giveaway. I was however disappointed some. I expected it to be a tad different. The outside is gorgeous. The inside reads exactly like an encyclopedia, which was great, but I felt it fell short on photos and facts. Some were a tad inaccurate.

[Stephanie · Rating 5 out of 5]

I didn't read every single page of this, because it literally is a dictionary. I love Robert Smith as much as the next misunderstood 80s girl, but dang. It was really cool to flip through, though! I'm gonna keep this in mind in case I get covid again... 😆♥️

[brianna ♱ · Rating 4 out of 5]

me and my mom were equally excited for this book
( just wished it had pictures😞 )

[Chris Breitenbach · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was fun until it became exhausting-- the minutia and repetition are a lot, though I suppose this wasn't made to be a linear read and was intended more as a work of reference.

[Mel · Rating 2 out of 5]

Definitely an unofficial book....

Reads like an encyclopedia and there are no pictures :/

[Laurence · Rating 4 out of 5]

There are a few minor errors but this is a very interesting, insightful and fun read. Very well written and enjoyable.

[Kellylynn · Rating 4 out of 5]

Fun one to dip in and out of when you want to read just a snippet. And so much is proved.

I won this in one of the giveaways.

[Left Coast Justin · Rating 4 out of 5]

Pushing my face in the memory of you again...

Responses to music are so personal ... I was aware of The Cure in the early to mid-80's, but only as a novelty band -- "Jumping Someone Else's Train," with that propulsive drum section towards the end, breached my consciousness in a positive way, and "Charlotte Sometimes" remains impressive, but mostly I paid them no mind. But suddenly I was living on another continent, lying on a very narrow bed under a very large-boned German girl and staring at a poster of a man she referred to as "Wobert Smiss" hanging above her bed:



Like many people of generally sunny disposition, I have my black moods where I just want to be left alone and listen to scabrous or abrasive or just sad music. Shortly after my return to the United States, adrift, having learned over the past couple of years that I was really nothing special, Wobert and his bandmates released the dark, grim Disintegration which remains, in my mind, the best of all possible black-mood mope albums. The songs are relentlessly grim but also quite beautiful, in many cases. I can't even think of any reasonable contenders for this crown.

Simon Price was the right person to write this book. He is, for my tastes, not harsh enough in describing their upbeat songs, which tend to the cringeworthy (Love Cats? Friday I'm in Love? Man, please.) But he certainly knows his stuff, and the reader is rewarded with a great deal of interesting detail. I was unaware that 'Fascination Street' was written after a botched attempt at taking in the New Orleans nightlife, or that Mr. Smiss was only 18 when the photo above was taken. And while Price is clearly part of the cult, the book is in no way hagiographic. Reading any little section of it reminds me of something else I want to check out (flip flip flip) and then I remember another interesting song -- "The Forest," maybe, or "High" -- and time to flip some more pages. I read this book in much the same manner a young puppy explores the back yard.

Four stars because my favorite of all their songs, the achingly beautiful "Untitled" from Disintegration, the song that closes the album and convinces you that life is worth living after all, got a single sentence from this book. Simon! What the hell?!?

In memory of Lena O.

[Killian · Rating 4 out of 5]

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