SEPTEMBER
The Cure became a trio again, working on new songs. FAITH, DOUBT, and an unreleased one called DROWNING dates from this period, with Lol on guitar (an experament). Demos were recorded at Morgan studios at the end of the month, but they were rejected: THE HOLY HOUR, PRIMARY (musically different), GOING HOME TIME...
OCTOBER
28 dates were set up visiting Sweden for the first time. An opportunity to work on some of the new songs with Robert making up the words every night. Lots of those imrovised lyrics refered to Fuchsia's Gormengharst (by Mervyn Peake), a book that he was reading while on tour and litterally falling in love with the character. Later, Fuchsia would appear on THE DROWNING MAN's lyrics.
Sweden Tour
3rd
Sweden, Rock Palast-SETLIST/AUDIO
Pre Primary Tour
6th
Belgium, Aula VUB - Ancienne Belgique
9th
Germany, Wartburg Music Hall-SETLIST/AUDIO
10th
Germany, Stadthalle-SETLIST/AUDIO
14th
Germany, Neue Welt-SETLIST/AUDIO
17th
Amsterdam, Jaap Edenhal- SETLIST/PHOTOS
The whold show was filmed by Veronica TV (JUMPING SOMEONE ELSE'S TRAIN, ANOTHER JOURNEY BY TRAIN, GRINDING HALT, A FOREST.
20th
Netherlands, Evenementenhal
28th
France, L'Espace-SETLIST/AUDIO/LYRICS
31st
Rodange, Blue Note -SETLIST /AUDIO/LYRICS
PLAY FOR TODAY from the encore could'nt be played faster.
NOVEMBER
Primary UK Tour
10th
Reading, University -SETLIST
14th
Birmingham
RARE INTERVIEW: Bordion Knot fanzine
17th
London, Dominion Theatre -SETLIST/AUDIO
18th
Cardiff, University -SETLIST/AUDIO/LYRICS
1981
JANUARY
More rehearsals and work on the new songs.
7th
John Peel Session (Langham Studio 1)
Songs recorded for the radio program: THE HOLY HOUR, PRIMARY, ALL CATS ARE GREY, FOREVER. Still no definitive lyrics for the first tow songs. PRIMARY waas still different musically (bass line and tune) compared with how it would turn out on the following month. FOREVER was an improvised attempt based on the chords from THREE.
FEBRUARY
2nd to 11th
Morgan Studios, London
Recording sessions for the FAITH album started but it became a difficulty process: the band was "thrown out in favor of more important people" to the Red Bus studios and then to the Roundhouse, the Trident and finally Abbey Road studios.
01 the holy hour
02 primary
03 other voices
04 all cats are grey
05 the funeral party
06 doubt
07 the drowning man
08 faith
*the violin song, a normal story - unreleased songs
Around the same time, Ric Gallup (Simon's brother) was asked to make a film, CARNAGE VISORS, to replace support bands on the upcoming tour.
26th
BBC Sessions - Langham, England THE DROWNING MAN, FAITH
MARCH
16th
Point Studios
Rober and Simon recorded the soundtrack to CARNAGE VISORS while Lol took care of a drum machine.
27th
PRIMARY/DESCENT single is relased. A video was also made for PRIMARY along with one for OTHER VOICES on the same day.
APRIL
8th
RARE INTERVIEW: Rock On, BBC radio
11th
The FAITH album is released. The misty cover depicts Bolton Abbey where Robert Smith used to play as a child.
18th
UK Picture Tour (31 shows)
Aylesbury, Friars Maxwell Hall -SETLIST
20th
Wessex, Poole Art Center -SETLIST
26th
Reading, Hexagon -SETLIST/AUDIO
RARE INTERVIEW: Grinding Halt fanzine
29th
Chelmsford, Odeon -SETLIST
MAY
2nd
Bristol, Colston Hall -SETLIST/AUDIO
3rd
Birmingham, Odeon Theatre -SETLIST/AUDIO
15th
Scotland, Capitol -SETLIST
17th
Newcastle, City Hall -SETLIST/PHOTOS
FAITH included the line" Slowly the picture fades", a recurrent line later for the extra lyrics for the song.
22nd
Dublin, Mai Ball College
27th
The Picture Tour reached Belgium, Germany and Holland (34 shows). The Dutch dates were performed under a circus tent, a way to avoid traditional venues, even if that meant having to built the tent every night.
Genk, Limburghal -SETLIST
29th
Brussels, Ancienne Belgique -SETLIST/PHOTOS
JUNE
Picture tour (Germany)
The song SEVENTEEN SECONDS was quickly put aside on the continent and FAITH became "bigger", Robert adding improvised lines once the tour arrived in Wiesbaden (Germany), always refering to a women who died, picture fading, growing old, getting lost...
10th
Tubingen, Uni Mensa Morgenstern -SETLIST/AUDIO/PHOTOS
11th
Karsruhe, Gartenhalle -SETLIST/AUDIO
18th
Dusseldorf, Philippshalle -SETLIST/AUDIO/LYRICS
20th
Essen, Saalbau -SETLIST/AUDIO/LYRICS
Circus tour (Netherlands)
23rd
Arnhem, Evenenten-terrein bij de Rijnhal -SETLIST/AUDIO
27th
Rotterdam, Park -SETLIST/AUDIO/LYRICS
29th
Leeuwarden, Bodeterrein aan de heliconweg - SETLIST/AUDIO/LYRICS
JULY
Belguim Festivals
4th
Torhort, Festival -SETLIST/PHOTOS
5th
Werchter, Festival -SETLIST/PHOTOS (ACCURACY, M, PLAY FOR TODAY, FIRE IN CAIRO, A FOREST - VIDEOS
16th/17th
Playground Studios
A new single was recorded in Mike Hedges studios: CHARLOTTE SOMETIMES/SPLINTERED IN HER HEAD. CHARLOTTE SOMETIMES was inspired by a book with the same title by Penolope Farmer. A video was made around the same time in an deserted asylum in surrey.
Picture Tour (USA)
23rd
New York, The Ritz
SPLINTERED IN HER HEAD was played for the first time.
The Cure quickly arrived to California. In L.A., A FOREST ended differenlty: slowing down.
26th
Pasadena, Perkins Place -SETLIST/AUDIO
27th
Los Angeles, The Wiskey a Go-Go -SETLIST/AUDIO/LYRICS/PHOTOS
SPLINTERED IN HER HEAD -AUDIO
28th
San Francisco, I Beam -SETLIST/AUDIO/LYRICS
The following week they crossed the Pacific for New Zealand (VIDEO).
RARE INTERVIEW: RRR radio
RARE INTERVIEW: Rock&Folk magazine
AUGUST
In Australia, they appeared on the radio and mimed PRIMARY on Countdown (TV show PHOTOS).
The tour crossed the Pacific again to play a few shows in Canada.
29th
Winnepeg, Wellingtons -SETLIST
SEPTEMBER
30th
After a month of rest, the Picture Tour reached France (18 shows).
OCTOBER
CHARLOTTE SOMETIMES/SPLINTERED IN HER HEAD was released.
1st
INTERVIEW: Liberation newspaper
2nd
Le Mans, Le Empire -SETLIST
5th
Rennes, L'Espace -SETLIST/AUDIO
6th
Tours, Theatre de L'Universitie
7th
Salle des France -SETLIST/AUDIO
12th
Lille, Palais St. Sauveur -SETLIST/AUDIO/LYRICS
16th
Lyon, Salle Rameau -SETLIST/PHOTOS
FOREVER's lyrics were about loneliness ("knowing just anyone at all").
17th
Salle Europa, Metz -SETLIST/AUDIO/PHOTOS AT NIGHT, THREE IMAGINARY BOYS, SPLINTERED IN HER HEAD, FUNERAL PARTY, M -VIDEOS
19th
Paris, Olympia -SETLIST/PHOTOS
INTERVIEW: New Wave fanzine
NOVEMBER
The band started to demo new material during the month: BREAK.
25th
New tour in the UK. New material was played: THE FIGUREHEAD, ONE HEUNDRED YEARS, THE HANGING GARDEN. Quiet different versions compared to the final ones. Probably their darkest tour.
THE FUNERAL PARTY & FOREVER both appear on the FAITH deluxe remaster edition.
Eight Appearances Tour
26th
Edinburgh, Edinburgh, Odeon - AUDIO/LYRICS
27th
Glasgow, Pavillion Theatre -AUDIO/LYRICS
28th
Bradford, St. George's Hall -AUDIO/LYRICS
30th
Coventry, Apollo -AUDIO/LYRICS
ONE HUNDRED YEARS
DECEMBER
Work on the next album already started. Demos were recorded at Rhino Studios. The songs now getting definitive structures except THE HANGING GARDEN, still very different from the latter. Songs included were: DEMISE, TEMPTATION, THE FIGUREHEAD, ONE HUNDRED YEARS.
1st
Brighton, Dome -AUDIO/LYRICS
21st
John Peel Session, Maida Vale Studio 4
Songs were recorded for the radio: SIAMESE TWINS, THE FIGUREHEAD, ONE HUNDRED YEARS.
1982
JANUARY
More work in the studio. A French TV crew came to film the band. Only THE FIGUREHEAD (demo version would be shown on TV. Late January, the RAK studios in London were booked to record the album with Phil Thornally producing.
Recording PORNOGRAPHY would start an era of miscommunication in the band. And that simply became a life style. Robert would read phychiatrists, anything to do with mental illness and drugs would do the rest. The final lyrics were written in a "stram of consciousness".
Calling the album "PORNOGRAPHY" was Robert Smith's idea. The word cerainly sums up the grim side of man both on the immediate and aspiring level. Would it be physical or spiritual or both? The band woudl spend two months at RAK, also reording the "Airlock" soundtrack (another film made by Ric Gallup to be projected before the band entered the stage.
01 ONE HUNDRED YEARS
02 A SHORT TERM EFFECT
03 THE HANGING GARDEN
04 SIAMESE TWINS
05 THE FIGUREHEAD
06 A STRANGE DAY
07 COLD
08 PORNOGRAPHY
MARCH
AIRLOCK: THE SOUNDTRACK for the upcoming tour was recorded at RAK Studios, London.
APRIL
10th
Bourges, Festival du Printemps -SETLIST/PHOTOS
A one-off concert right after the album was done. A bizarre version of THE HANGING GARDEN (drums slowing down). But they played the PORNOGRAPHY songs a month before the release of the album.
11th
Paris, Studio Davout
Rehearsals for the upcoming tour, filmed and shown on TV at the time (THE FIGUREHEAD, PLAY FOR TODAY, ONE HUNDRED YEARS, COLD, THE HANGING GARDEN, A FOREST.
18th
Plymouth, Top Rank -SETLIST/AUDIO
14 dates UK tour (14 Explict Moments).
ALL MINE is another fluctuating-form song, only played in 1982 and close to FOREVER (a rework actually) as Robert started singing (making up the lyrics) and playing the guitar with the others joining in after a while, always including a tempo that got faster and faster before collapsing at the end of the song. The lenth of the tack often approached 10 minutes long.
19th
Reading, Hexagon
20th
Bristol, Colston Hall -SETLIST/AUDIO/PHOTOS
INTERVIEW: Radio West
21st
Brighton, Dome -SETLIST/AUDIO
22nd
Southampton, Gaumont Theatre -SETLIST
ALL MINE
23rd
Sheffield, Phoenix Hall SETLIST/AUDIO
25th
Glasgow, Pavilion SETLIST/AUDIO
THE DROWNING MAN
26th
Edinburgh, Playhouse SETLIST/AUDIO/LYRICS
27th
Manchester, Apollo Theatre SETLIST/AUDIO
30th
Leicester, University SETLIST/AUDIO
ALL MINE was just Robert's voice and guitar for three minutes and was medleyed to the end of PORNOGRAPHY. CHARLOTTE SOMETIMES was finally played live again though.
INTERVIEW: Radio Fourth
MAY
1st
London, Hammersmith Odeon AUDIO/LYRICS/PHOTOS
Last concert in UK and the first live performances of both A STRANGE DAY and SPLINTERED IN HER HEAD. A recording of ALL MINE had a few recurrent lines: ":"face down in the snow", "the sky goes black", "death by drowning".
3rd
Release of the PORNOGRAPHY album. The entire tour in the UK was done before the record was out.
THE PORNOGRAPHY TOUR
Netherlands
5th
Rotterdam, De Doelen -SETLIST/AUDIO
First of the 31 dates in Europe. ALL MINE included an interesting and revealing last verse that maybe can relate to the mood: "All you asked was "I should go?" /Nothing makes me stay/ Nothing makes you go/ See we stand and look at each other/ For days and days and days and days."
6th
Amsterdam, Carre Theatre SETLIST/AUDIO
The band ended the concert with an improvised song that was differernt from ALL MINE or FOREVER but still in the same spirit. The words talked about "wasted time' and "change".
7th
Nijmegen, Vereeneging SETLIST/AUDIO
10th
Ultrech, Muziekcentrum
Pornography Tour Belgium
14th
Brilport, Deinze SETLIST/AUDIO
16th
Genk, Limburghal SETLIST
Tension was in the air.
Pornography Tour Germany
22nd
Aachen, Eurogress SETLIST/AUDIO
Somehow the "Atmosphere rotting with time" served the PORNOGRAPHY songs and the intesity needed to play them even if the most friendships were "disintegrating" . A fight between Robert and Simon would occpr in Strasbourg a few days later. resulting in the cancellation of the next two concerts in France as nobody could find where Robert had gone.
25th
Koln, Stadthalle Mullheim SETLIST
Pornography Tour France
27nd
Stasburg, Hall Tivoli SETLIST/AUDIO/PHOTOS
M, THE DROWING MAN, A SHORT TERM AFFECT, COLD, AT NIGHT, SPLINTERED IN HER HEAD, PRIMARY, ONE HUNDRED YEARS, A STRANGE DAY, PLAY FOR TODAY, A FOREST, THE FIGUREHEAD, FOREVER
JUNE
3rd
Montpellier, Palais Des Sports SETLIST/AUDIO
7th
Paris, Olympia SETLIST/PHOTOS - AUDIO/PHOTOS/LYRICS
Two sold out nights in Paris in front of a fanatical audience. It had a fantastic version of ALL MINE. PORNOGRAPHY, THREE IMAGINARY BOYS, SPLINTERED IN HER HEAD
11th
Brussels, Ancienne Belgique SETLIST THE CURE ARE DEAD
JULY
The band practically dissolved after the tour. Everybody went away. The record company took the opportunity to release THE HANGING GARDEN as a single. The video was made a while back at the York House, in Surrey.
