An Open Letter To Robert Smith

Dear Robert Smith,

For decades now we've been big fans of The Cure. From Three Imaginary Boys to Disintegration, we've enjoyed all styles the band has worked in. And while the last couple of albums have been treading water to put it nicely, we still held out hope that you've got another great album in ya. But what you've been doing lately is really starting to test our patience.

The first sign that things were afoot came in 2004 when Ross Robinson produced The Cure's self-titled album. We were shocked and appalled. This was the guy responsible for hoisting Korn, Limp Bizkit and Slipknot upon the world, surely he had no place behind the desk of a Cure album. However once we'd heard the result we settled down a bit. While not a great album by any means, you had at least kept him from embarrassing everyone involved.

Then you sang on a Blink-182 song, quickly followed by vocal appearances on tracks by Junior Jack, Tweaker and JunkieXL, all within the space of a year. But still your collaboration needs had not been satiated, so you sang a Bee Gees cover on Billy Corgan's album. Okay, we thought, surely this is the end of the line. Then late last year you sang with Korn at their MTV Unplugged on a god awful cover of The Cure classic "Inbetween Days." At this point we had to draw the line. It's one thing to sing on other people's songs, and it's another for shitty bands to cover The Cure, but when you yourself sing on said shitty cover it gives that version a stamp of legitimacy that it simply does not deserve.

Now comes word that you may collaborate with Ashlee Simpson on her next album. Robert, have you no shame? Are you now just trying to ruin your legacy? I know it's hard to turn down people when they shower you with praise, but please, for once could you just say no?

UPDATE: According to Chain Of Flowers, Robert has denied the EW.com story.

Comments

[j clicky clicky]

Amen.

[KHRIS]

God forbid he does what he enjoys. I think he forgot hes your pet monkey and must follow directions. Pathetic.

[nick]

at least ashlee is hotter than korn.

yeah, i'm struggling to find the positive too...although if kenna, timbaland and the un-famous neptune are also helping, maybe we'll have our next gwen stefani. wait a second...

[Brad]

Y"know, I thought it couldn't get any worse than "Pictures of You" being tainted by those HP commercials awhile back.

To think, soon I won't even be able to listen to Robert sing without thinking of Korn or Ashlee or hi-res photo print-outs. That makes me depressed enough to go listen to some Cure...

Oh, no... it's a goth's Catch-22!

[Cory]

We will always have those great albums by The Cure and really other than sleeping with children, Robert cannot ruin the legacy. If he wants to work with people that you dislike, then don't buy those records. As far as commercials go, do you really blame him? Radio doesn't play them much anymore, why not make some extra money. You could say sell out, but then they are in the business of making money for their music. At least "In Between Days" wasn't used to sell tampons, what a minute that would be genius.

[andy]

selling out? this is beyone that. i understand the big venues and arena shows and possibly hearing the music on chessy commercials. but working with ashlee simpson? what the fuck. i blame it all on george w. bush. fuck you!

[joe]

ashlee simpson is a twat. and so is j clicky clicky.

[Jenn]

Yeah, the news made my head hurt as well but before we can judge the man and what he's done with her maybe we should wait until the material comes out? I'm going to give him the benefit of the doubt in that he's doing the world a favor by trying to grow some flowers out of the shit that is Ashlee Simpson.

[Don Henson]

Ashlee was the lip-syncing cunt on SNL , was she not?!
I believe in letting an artist do what they will, but man, it is kind of appalling.

P.S. Eat me j clicky clicky

[Bildsköne Bengtsson, Sweden (Swede)]

Omg? This is a dream come true! I totallt LOVE Ashlee, she's my biggest idol! I've loved her ever since she started with music for god sake!!!
Robert is my second biggest idol, and God I can't wait for their collaboration! I wonder though, will there be any video? Tour? Could she replace anyone in the Cure? Omg?

[El Chriz]

Jesus, talk about a pretentious and discriminate diatribe. Why don't you guys drop the elitist posturing and try being music fans rather than critics?

[Tim]

Amen! Robert Smith has been subjecting The Cure to a slow and agonizing death. I would rather he just shot it and put it out of its misery. Watching the suffering is becoming unbearable!

[Peter]

Ah c'mon....Bloodflowers is a great album. I feel that the next one will be a classic, but I am worried about the lack of keyboards. Some of the lush soundscapes will be missing, and for me, this is a huge part of the Cure's sound.

[ALASTAIR ROSS]

This is ludicrous, the criticism of Robert, as someone else rightly puts it, since when do we as fans own him or his right to perform with whom he wants, if you dont like the people he works with, dont listen to the tracks, but i bet you will anyway.

the cure cannot ruin their legacy throught a few collaborations and while their last album is not incredible, it still has some great moments on it!

pull your heads in people

[Joe]

I would have to agree mostly with this letter, although I really liked Wish, and I think BloodFlowers is very good. I don't really listen to 'The Cure' or Wild Mood Swings though. I don't really have a problem with most of the collaborations, but the Ashlee Simpson gig is over the top. I mean, a - she doesn't write her own songs (lyrics or composition), and b, she DOESN'T EVEN SING THEM. I mean come on. I really wish Robert Smith would cancel the collaboration with Ashlee if true.

Also, I really think Robert Smith should get Flood to produce the next album (the one after the one that is supposed to be released this year). I think that would give us our totally kick ass Cure album we've all been waiting a long time for.

ouh come on now guys...
if he is enjoying what he does what is the problem with all those collaborations?
he isn't doing something at the name of CURE at all
...
After all i really liked last l.p. it was like a collection of sounds through the years of Cure's story,what is the main problem that he workd with Ross?
You want l.p.'s like 17 Seconds or Faith again?
Well i'm sorry but forget about it...
If you don't like them anymore just don't bother to listen ...
Robert you were & you still are the same for me
(even if you are fatter than before :P )

[mark]

I have no comment on the ashlee simpson thing, probably because my jaw hasn't retracted just yet. Flood is not Cure-material as far as producers go.......we're not talking about DM you know. Any better suggestions?

[mark]

joe...wait 'til you grow older.........you plumpen up as well...........

The Cure has been dead since Bloodflowers. Should have ended it that way.

[ejcmp]

I think RS is trying to appeal to young americans, and i dont understand why. I even find that icon thing with Mtv to be disgusting. All those crap bands covering the cure (except maybe the deftones).
I think the only decent associacion of late is with placebo and maybe billy corgan had it not been a bee gees' song (which is not that bad).
Its true that he can do whatever he wants, but i dont really see anybody of RS's peers (bunnymen, banshees, depeche mode) doing something that seems son unnatural and wrong. I certainly wont listen to it and I havent listened to the 182 collaboration or korn. It would have been better to ended at a high point 7 years ago with the dream tour.

[Jodeci]

If Robert Smith collaborated with Carrot Top on a song called "Eat My Orange Asshole" that was later used in a commercial to sell Minute Maid, it would never erase Disintegration.

[cut_here]

if it allows one of these "bands" fans to discover the cure, it can't be all that bad.

[Chickasaur]

I have to disagree with everything in the article except the bit about the simpson thing. Robert has Always made beautiful music, and sound business decisions concerning his 'legacy.' There was one semi-bad decision made a few years ago when he sang Just Say Yes with another pop female. So perhaps it's the idea of another duet-like tune with another pop chick... Icky to think of- he just doesn't have the right voice or style for the boy/girl duet thing. The simpson thing would be a step in the wrong direction. However, if he were to actually go through with it, it should be without The Cure (like he did recently with Billy Corgan and Paul Hartnoll.) As always though, Robert will do what is right for Robert- no matter what he's advised to do.

[X]

Hairspray and makeup are expensive, so maybe the fruit just needs the cash.

[Ashlee On The Cover Rolling Stone!]

Oy! Daddy! Yo homes, dis shit be ill!! :-P

For real, I don't much care for this idea. But oh well, it's not like Robert gives a toot what others think! I just hope this is not the idea of Geffen, or any little PR twats. Anyway, I still dig The Cure. Through the good and bad, until death do us part. ;-)