New Books Network Ian Gittins, "The Cure: A Perfect Dream" (Gemini Books, 2025)
Feb 12, 2026
Ian Gittins, veteran music writer and author of The Cure: A Perfect Dream, traces the band from punky Crawley beginnings to stadium stature. He covers turbulent line-up changes, legal battles, addiction struggles, and the making of key albums. The conversation also explores Robert Smith's perfectionism, touring resurgence, and the long road to Songs of a Lost World.
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Constraints Focus Creative Vision
- Bringing engineer Mike Hedges in let Robert Smith better realize his vision on 17 Seconds.
- Limited studio time and money forced focus and improved the album's intensity.
Balancing Darkness With Pop Confidence
- By The Head On The Door, The Cure balanced moody songs with upbeat pop, showing Robert's renewed confidence.
- Smith sought to put moody and pop tracks on the same record to reflect the band's range.
Band Chemistry Amid A Troubled Member
- During The Head On The Door sessions, Lol Tolhurst was reportedly often drunk and unreliable.
- Bandmates resented his lack of contribution even as the lineup otherwise clicked creatively.
