The CURE - Rare - MTV Interview 1983 with Nina Blackwood

[@chrisknowlton9460]

Eye contact was not one of Smith's strong points.

[@thunder_heads]

It makes some people very uncomfortable

[@alienlapdance]

i wouldn’t want to stare deeply into someone’s eyes either but maybe that’s just my silly goofy autism

[@mapndo2337]

It never has been but, he has been better at it.

[@pierced_veil]

mine neither 😭

[@yolandacamino8188]

Well, I think that he was sooo shy. 😂

[@nancysmith4217]

I remember early 80s MTV never played the cure in prime time. They had an alternative show called 120 minutes that ran on Sunday nights from midnight till 2 am . I would always watch in hopes they would be on. It set the tone for the week.. Dragging ass with my head in the clouds!

[@miked1355]

Young Ones. 120 Minutes. HBB. The daaaaays!

[@sifugurusensei]

Oh the memory...

[@watchxfiles]

That was the days

[@mapndo2337]

And shows 'Post Modern MTV' and morphed to 'Alternative Nation'.

[@haydenwittig8877]

LOL TOLHURSTS CONTRIBUTION TO THE CURE ESPECIALLY THEIR SOUND WAS BIGGER THAN MOST PEOPLE REALISE.

[@haydenwittig8877]

@@sifugurusensei Dude he was one of the Original band members.

[@haydenwittig8877]

Along with Simon Gallup and Michael Dempsey.

[@haydenwittig8877]

@@sifugurusensei Dario he did influence the band because he was in the band, they all contribute.

[@haydenwittig8877]

@@sifugurusensei your wrong mate another silly Millennial that knows little your confused and never lived the 80s I can tell OOOHH a useless drunk that composed some of the bands most memorable tunes, Original drummer and Synth player.

[@NOWtheband]

WHILST HE WAS THEIR DRUMMER, YES. AFTER, I HIGHLY DOUBT IT.

[@80sWavrDude]

Lol doesn't get enough respect. Everyone is like "Robbie Rob Rob... he's so cute..." Yeah, he's cute; but Lol is just such a cool cat. I can tell Robert had such a strong friendship with Lol. They were bosom chaps.

[@Celina_195]

Sturm Reiter .... cool cat? Bosom chaps? What is that mean?

[@duffbaker9554]

+R Smith Bosom buddies. Very good friends.

[@punkpoetry]

Cute or not, Robert’s contribution to the musical side was ahem somewhat more significant shall we say

[@NickB-md1oy]

R Smith goes back to when non blood related babies would share the same bosom from the same wet nurse when they were babies and remained friends into adulthood. Now it’s really just an English phrase for saying they’re extremely close and probably for a long time

[@SK-sm9mn]

Unfortunately they had a major falling out in the late 1980s and Lol sued Robert for royalties after he was kicked out of the band. Lol lost that and eventually the 2 reconciled

[@kab4292]

When Mtv was awesome.

[@trey5667]

kab4292 They really did not play the Cure at all until 87 and 120 minutes. MTV was not as cool as people would like to think.

[@kab4292]

Trey Cauley I grew up watching Mtv. I watched when they first started so It was cool to me.....it was certainly more cool when they actually played music than it is now.

[@tdoesntmatter]

kab4292 Absolutely! I grew up with MTV as well. I was just stating that they did not play the Cure until much later than 83.

[@alukuhito]

+kab4292 MuchMusic was better.

[@LaHoraDelMal]

Fall into my arms Robert!! my love

[@JRStephens5005]

They both definitely came out of their respective shells.

[@kristimunn3010]

Nina was the best lol. I was in 3rd grade in 83 but I used to watch MTV all the time. I remember her

[@tracy9610]

Wow, thanks for saving this and getting it out on KZbin!

[@Jaysthename]

Thanks for the upload! It's interesting to see how soft-spoken Robert is here, especially compared to just about any interview he did from 1985 onward. My guess is that it was a combination of fatigue (playing in two bands and not knowing exactly where the Cure was going), natural shyness, and inexperience with interviews. Lol comes across as somewhat conceited here, but some of that was likely just posturing for the camera. It would be easy to take "the band's" side against Lol as far as all the rumors go, but Robert stuck by Lol for a long time (10+ years) and I think it would be foolish to undermine Lol's contributions to the band. In fact, I suspect that while he may have had limited skills as a drummer, he came into his own with the synth parts on the Kiss Me album, which was the most expansive and creative album of their career.

[@Jaysthename]

Ryan Campbell Roger isn't on the Kiss Me album. He was actually hired after the recording and doesn't play on it at all (although he does appear in the videos, which were filmed afterward). I agree that Lol was not a very good technical player, as a number or bootleg live concerts prove, but that doesn't mean he wasn't creative in the studio (where even a bad or mediocre player can sound fine because they have as many chances to get it right as they need). I do believe that it's true that Lol's alcoholism and bad relations with the band kept him from contributing to Disintegration, but that doesn't mean Robert is being completely honest. Robert himself even admits that he frequently told lies during interviews, partly to amuse himself and the band and partly to tease interviewers, so the idea that he would claim Lol had next-to-zero input in the band after 1982 isn't completely unrealistic.If nothing else, he served as a sort of hated muse which inspired some biting lyrics, something which the band could surely have used for most of their 1990s output.

[@Jaysthename]

Ryan Campbell It's probably true that Robert (and maybe Porl) had a lot to do with the synth parts on Kiss Me. But I do believe that Lol contributed some of the synth parts for The Cure, starting with the Japanese Whispers singles and on up through Kiss Me. Those parts aren't very difficult to play (although Lol seemed to have a problem with timing back then and probably needed two or three tries!), but just because they're simple doesn't mean they aren't creative. If you listen to Disintegration and onward, the synth parts tend to be much more "orchestral" and complex (which fits the mood of Disintegration and parts of Wish), but also much less bouncy and fun. In all honesty, we may never know how little or how much Lol truly contributed, but I just can't believe that if his contributions amounted to nothing that Robert would have allowed him to remain in the band. In any case, Kiss Me is one of my top three fave albums by The Cure, so I'll just enjoy it and not worry too much about it. Cheers for the chat!

[@thecureforbronies488]

Yeah. For example, Laurence's contributions to the song writing was enough that in the book, Songwords 1978-1989, he's listed as one of the authors of all the songs prior to 1982, and 1982-1983 has 2 lists, one with him and Robert as co-authors. Doesn't mean did half the writing on those songs, nor does it mean he couldn't have helped on songs he isn't credited, but it indicates he did enough to get song writing credit up until 1984.

[@EarthKandiSoap]

If you watch enough interviews, specially the earlier stuff. You'll see that Lol has much more confidence and is easier in front of the camera than Robert. He maintains eye contact and doesn't shy from the interviewer or the lens. In fact, he would go out of his way to step into the breach when things were getting stilted and awkward. Simon and Robert together could be your worse interview nightmare...both can be painfully shy and evasive.

[@space-xz7kb]

he pretended to play keyboards in kiss me too. they were robert and porl playing them in the studio. live they took o'donnel. in 1983 lol became the sid vicious of the cures, hehehe

[@klaudijav9164]

They looked so cute♡♡

[@smugggles]

Renee Heinrich british genes

[@atlasolivier6520]

I just got The Walk yesterday on vinyl too, this is pretty cool.

[@805tonyg]

wow! congrats

[@80sWavrDude]

You're a person of taste

[@BackWordsJane]

Their album Disintegration sold 2 million copies in the US making it double platinum and sold a total of 4 million worldwide

[@lukalugosi]

I've watched this video before but KZbin brought it back to my homepage on the walk's anniversary

[@letterfromastranger]

Ahhh, Nina. Had the biggest crush on her as a kid. She was so cute.

[@ayr1225]

This was tv when I was a kid.

[@NOWtheband]

Lol is one of my all-time favourite drummers, along with Jaki Liebezeit, Moe Tucker, Bobby Z & Wolfgang und Karl from Kraftwerk. 🙂 Now if only we could find a drummer like any of those............

[@reinforcedpenisstem]

Great taste!

[@NOWtheband]

@@reinforcedpenisstem - Thank you. 🙂

[@matthewreese8064]

I remember MTV showing Let's go To Bed a fair amount around that time.My first introduction to The Cure.

[@Aniya12358]

Mr. Smith is so handsome here!

[@paolagabrielli4909]

Robert stupendo...

[@Nominay]

I was an MTV junkie in the 80's and The Cure never made prime time on it until Fascination Street, the first single from Disintegration.

[@PJPsounds]

Lullaby was the first single of that album but US label refused to release it so they released Fascination first and then Lullaby next.

[@stephansong]

fully agree with you. Lol was perfect for the first albums. His " simple " style showcases the music so well. Boris. Andy, they're real drummers so to speak. They took it to a level lol wasn't able to keep up with it for the next phases of the cure.

[@puppetmaster3911]

Lol Robert Smith is so funny and real. :)

[@abesalamy681]

The Glove !!!!!!!

[@veerchasm1]

Ah, the good ol’ days of smoking indoors

[@AlexanderLaurence]

I saw The Cure on Aug 07, 1983 at the Beverly Theatre in Los Angeles, California, United States. They mostly play Pornography. With Phil Thornally and Andy Anderson.

[@coleccionartestore2949]

The techno-postpunk-disco Cure! Only Robert and Lol.

[@Fascinatingstreet]

Dressed in all black. They look so cool 😎

[@Andrew.Stuart]

When MTV was worth something

[@alenyoung713]

"I WANT MY MTV !" * music plays *

[@Cl4rendon]

i totally forgot they shrunk to a 2 piece in 83 with "The Walk"

[@robinchatterjee4353]

“They’re in my room” hahahaa

[@robinchatterjee4353]

“Keep going and we won’t play anywhere” ahahha

[@ledruide6664]

Merci pour la vidéo super sympa

[@Alex.loves.chipotle]

It looks like they were recorded on a microwave😭😭

[@stephansong]

there's a video of a show they did right after releasing seventeen seconds in Amsterdam that really captures them at their best. even with lol on drums n no Simon .

[@stephansong]

***** it's Smith. The dammed were already well established , when this was being filmed. You can't put the clash, a GREAT band but political in same genre as the cure. A romantic post punk band with a million sounds.

[@stephansong]

+Toni Denel they had a fist fight. Simon was replaced by Pope. Thanx to cure gods, they made up.

[@stephansong]

Sure. Might be wrong ... I believe it's Pope maybe on keys then. It's the bassist from the love cats album ... there's a version of shake dog shake With a studio musician.

[@MonkyMonk729]

+Stephan St. Claire Simon was replaced on tour by Phil Thornally (who was the producer on the Pornography album); and in the studio, Robert Smith played the bass tracks. Tim Pope was their video director.

[@stephansong]

+MonkyMonk729 thank you for piecing the puzzle of names . stephansong . so is that thornely on the posters with Andy. played on the love cats?.

[@emmas648]

That end bit is fucking hilarious

[@cavecave-rg9hh]

I Miss Thee Eighties ☆ # Better Music & Living ⊙

[@benishmael9451]

Entire interview is crackling static.

[@melissawells5779]

Oh Martha Quinn❤. I think Roberts lack of eye contact is so sexy to this day. Something dark & mysterious

[@loverunsout2286]

Robert looks so HOT in here!!!

[@zoe3831]

I love your profile picture! Yes, he does look awesome!

[@Celina_195]

He looks hot everywhere

[@thomaskemer8109]

Oh.....when he leaned back ahhhh...💋🎶

[@klaudijavorih5809]

So does Lol in that jacket...

[@hollybennett1729]

Ikr

[@taix371]

The person interviewing the cure reminds me of Joan Jett because of her mannerisms and the way she speaks.

[@wadejen31]

Wowww....speechless

[@mattcure]

Was he laughing on the way Lol shook her hand?!?

[@Irisplove]

Yeah, maybe at how awkward it was.

[@JRStephens5005]

Back in the day when you could smoke everywhere and say what you really thought without reprisals from thin-skinned morons. Alternative was truly alternative and attitude was everything. The days when British bands ruled the music world because they were the most creative and challenging.

[@specialsnowfake6744]

Yeah passive smoke cancer was awesome

[@Reprodestruxion]

Paul Metzger Sonic Youth starting out and all. Mtv, mate? Its like totp and the togwt all day

[@luislizard2626]

Paul Metzger so true.....but Italy at that time was great too in music .. but the market is...you know.... English xxx

[@JouniKyyronen-nv1ep]

Paul Metzger i hope ur children and their Childrens die in cancer when u still alive

[@identitycrushchicago]

Jouni Kyyrönen youre pathetic

[@lilianaroblesramirez2831]

Ah qué rancheros se vieron los dos!

[@maryammohammad4566]

why does robert at the end looks like he is avoiding shaking her hand and laughs like that and falls backwards??:)

[@Cum007]

Because she's an American

[@heidih3048]

He seems nervous and maybe the handshake gesture surprised him. I can relate.

[@laurakojobeecham4872]

He’s either cringed out by the formality, or too embarrassed/shy to shake her hand… I’d put my money on the former…

[@claymoore5761]

Young Bobs laugh at the good ol American hand shake!

[@duffbaker9554]

Today's handshake is the fist-to-fist. Where have you been lately?

[@kenmills30]

Great days when yanks were, well yanks and us Brits had to teach them a lesson or two about music and style, they eventually caught up, some of them still had perms and flared trousers in the mid-80s. Now everything's so homogenized and ostentatious blandness masquerading as 'cool' rules the dull youth mind caught in a sterile prison of corporate controlled superficial American dross.

[@duffbaker9554]

Not just American dross, bro, but Global dross. Get with the times already.

[@Alteroga]

Poor girl trying to start a real conversation.... So funny...

[@lizsmith315]

Little Kobold yeah , whatever. she freaking sucks interviewing these guys, they're an icon, probably not them , but whatever, mtv was the best without the host, and just videos, feel bad robert had to deal with that shit. oh well. merica

[@lizsmith315]

Little Kobold right

[@sonicfoxxmusic4281]

This has the feel and film texture of film of a really dodgy cheap porn movie....VHS for ya. NOT that i have ever watched any..of course.

[@sifugurusensei]

Never seen VHS tapes? They did exist long time ago. They used to roam about like dinosaurs. Just kidding. I know you meant porn. And there's nothing wrong with pornography. I like siamese twins myself. And a hundred years was good too.

[@KlausBahnhof]

The kind of cheap porn movie where the actress has giant hair way too much make up on, and has to suffer through a page of terrible dialogue that we can't even hear anyway, because the sound equipment is so cheap. Charming times.

[@paulvillegas3513]

Robert and Lol looked so bored and didn't want to be there. That, I think they were either drunk, high or both...

[@R_Durand]

Is there any footage of these 1983 US shows? Did they have Andy, Porl, & Phil already?

[@corfukitty]

Ha ha smoking near a singer? Love this whole thing. RS is king of eye rolling....

[@fabriceboe9189]

the old days....sexy and beautiful

[@rockybalboa2526]

: / THERE IS SOMETHING SERIOUSLY WRONG WITH THESE GUYS! ESPECIALLY ROBERT!

[@styrofoamned]

one night in BKK

[@derwin22]

When did they decide to call him Laurence instead of Lol? Kind of weird or rude if they mistakenly did that but he never corrected her when she said it out loud .

[@marblegirl1678]

I guess you're right. I just posted your link here in my other name, but that doesn't even appear. The video is called 'The Cure - Live in Japan 1984 Interview Sound Check' if anyone wants to hear Lol call himself Laurence.

[@theeunborn]

I felt like Lol was shocked to be called Laurence and I think he wanted to correct her but I guess he let it go. His face says it all though lol

[@chocomanger6873]

Lol is just a nickname. I'm pretty sure he's been used to both his entire life. There's nothing to correct.

[@heidih3048]

Laurence is his name. You don't typically call someone you've just met by their nickname.

[@stylelearnorigins]

Didn’t know Dolly Parton interviewed The Cure

[@Ravenghoul]

😂😂😂

[@csilt]

What's the deal with the audio?

[@marcoelizondo7718]

Nina didn’t understand Robert’s British ways.

[@DavidMRatcliff1]

Nina, was soooo out of her element doing this. Well, except the her hair.

[@USMCLP]

Lmfao they’re not fucking with the interviewer one bit. Both seem bored and annoyed.

[@ShiroMiura-fy4lw]

I wonder if robert ever smoked. I'd never seen him with a cigarette.

[@KlausBahnhof]

He smoked briefly during this period while he was with the Banshees and also making The Top album. He said that he "quit smoking overnight" after a doctor informed him that he had blood poisoning and he was forced to pull out of the Banshees' American tour. Safe bet the Banshees must've been awash with drugs and strange parties, which would be fun but heavily taxing on body and mind.

[@Ravenghoul]

Yes, Robbie smoked for awhile.

[@maravilla1992]

miss lol

[@nathanjamesbaker]

Seemed like Nina actually did want to "go to bed" with Robert. She kept repeating the phrase "let's go to bed" with a gleam in her eyes.

[@Alex.loves.chipotle]

Anyways..😰

[@missescookie]

Was Nina hitting on him at the end?

[@LaHoraDelMal]

I think no

[@amers83]

Yup that was flirting. From a females perspective there was a bit of attraction on her end. I think Robert sensed it. The way she said "first time" in the studios had sexual undertones whether she was conscious of it or not. Not shocking, a majority of american women are charmed by a cute face and an English accent and he was quite attractive at 24 and soft spoken here. Judging from her body language throughout the interview, if he had asked her to go to bed she wouldn't have turned it down. Lol. Now that song will be stuck in my head all day.

[@missescookie]

amers83 Making sure i wasn't imagining things... Well, he was pretty hot back then. :)

[@laurakojobeecham4872]

@@amers83 this is very demented comment, that reads wayyy too deep into this interview. Clutching at straws there my love! 😂

[@JamesSmith-ed7je]

Back when MTV played real music. Now it's 🐂💩 & noise pollution.

[@abesalamy681]

dose LOL EVER STOP SMOKING.... ?

[@woudwilder8324]

Only when he is asleep but than he dreams of smoking ;-)

[@EarthKandiSoap]

He hasn't smoked for nearly 20 years. I think he drove the others nuts because he'd chain smoke day in and out.

[@KevinKorenthal]

So much bad audio. A simple fix, You can ee how awkward Robert was in the early days. Lol was his typical fried self. Call me for an audio repair.

[@BOB-wx3fq]

Ya I still think Il keep my early 00s MTV and watch 2hr blocks of jackass at night

[@malochala]

It's kind of funny how she has no idea what a legend he will come to be. She was probably thinking we may not ever hear from this bloke again. Now, where is she???

[@dominica4799]

Why had the interviewer got such a strange way of speaking

[@heidih3048]

She seemed really unprepared for the interview-- like someone had just handed her the script a few minutes before, and she was stumbling over and misreading the words.

[@dominica4799]

@@heidih3048 I agree. I don't even think she is a proper interviewer . Or maybe she us just nervous interviewing such a cool band

[@oranginator]

Bob acted weird in here, nervous? Scared? Annoyed? Or simply awesome?

[@LaHoraDelMal]

He looks tired

[@helenaadams6639]

SmytheSmythe he hated everything MTV stood for and did not want to be there

[@resofactor]

After the "Pornography" break up with Simon - the short two piece era of The Cure IMHO was one of the strangest. I'm pretty sure during this "dissolution phase" Robert and Lol were rather directionless with the whole thing.

[@allowyou9225]

Not at all actually.... If you read The Cures autobiography 10 imaginary years it can give you a lot of info... Robert Smith was in three different bands during 1983. The Cure. Siouxsie and the Banshees. And The Glove. Hardly a disillusioned or directionless phase ! As for 'Lol' I'm sure he was pretty directionless during this whole phase but not Robert...

[@laurakojobeecham4872]

In fact it’s this phase that catapulted them into more widely recognised waters. “The Lovecats” “The Walk” and “Let’s Go to Bed” were all commercial success’s that set them up on the path to “The Head on the Door”. I read that Robert was close to giving up hope before this period, but this “dissolution phase” is partway responsible for the amazing songs we have today!

[@JRStephens5005]

So awkward.

[@syncops834]

Ok Tom Metzger

[@JRStephens5005]

​@@syncops834 What the hell are you talking about?

[@MissPerriwinkle]

cig addiction, so weak.....

[@KlausBahnhof]

It was pretty much mainstream in those days, people thought nothing of it. Addictions are a result of numerous factors, but a major one is genetics - not something we have much of a choice about. Climb off the high horse and quit passing judgement please.

[@richardfitt]

Coincidence or not.. since Lawrence was sacked from the band, The Cure went downhill. 1992's Wish was their last good album. Then a new drummer joined and the excellent rhythmic section of the past wasn't the same anymore. Maybe Bob should put a new ad and begin the auditions for a new drummer. A real drummer this time, please!

[@dm562]

Uhhh... pretty sure Lol's last drumming album was in 1982; drum machines in 1983, Andy Anderson in '84, then Boris & Jason - so, your statement is off.

[@richardfitt]

Daniel Mitchell haha I'm talking about his input on the songs whether he was drumming or not! May I ask you... since when you are a Cure fan?

[@dm562]

When I was 12 in 1989 and saw the video for "Fascination Street." I remember it was a "Buzz Bin" clip. I bought "Disintegration" that summer, and I've been ever since!

[@woudwilder8324]

For a long time I was thinking the same but 4:13 dream I liked immediately and it made me listen again to the other post wish albums and the only one I still don't like is 'bloodflowers'. So i don't agree it went downhill, the music just took a slightly different direction. And all in all that's not a surprise.Every The Cure album sounds differently but recognizable...

[@amers83]

Richard O Besides being a decent drummer and helping with the lyrics for a few earlier songs,I don't think he had much input at all. Simon did and I'm sure Porl did as well. For some reason, Robert and the other band members seemed like they tolerated Lol at best.It was rumoured that he had a drinking problem and I just don't think his personality was a good match. They replaced him with Andy on the drums and later Roger on the keyboards. I agree with Woud Wilder. I also believe they've progressed like older bands just do. They've had more than a few good songs.They shouldn't have to live up to any expectations higher than that.

[@missescookie]

She was my least favorite VJ back in the day. Always blabbed on and on...

[@walkingmonument]

She's not so smart

[@sifugurusensei]

Closing the Loop her hair is so eighties ugly. I never understood the godawful hairstyle they had back then

[@duffbaker9554]

But so much better than the godawful shaved haircuts that many he-gals are wearing today along with their tattoos. Gross.

[@markrooms1]

"Blond" vs "Black"

[@stephansong]

yeah. that new drummers sucks. how lucky can one ass get!!!! wish I would read that add. I actually knew the cure's songs. 

[@stephansong]

***** oh. Oui. Tu a raison...comme tu pense. 3 angleterres.

[@stephansong]

+Langelier Fabrice Fabrice. pourquoi tu est si méchant. Bref. oui. penses. Les angleterres.

[@stephansong]

+Langelier Fabrice Thy is wrong, sire. it's the UK....thee is old English. mais. je m'en fous. Je suis bête. Tu a raison. My sincere apologies.

[@stephansong]

Oui. Mon orthographe en Francais laisse un peux a désiré. I thought you meant" the UK ...". Not thee. Have a great samedi Fabrice. Écoute un bon groupe Francais. Stephansong.

[@stephansong]

*****​ my bad. I am not well with real English and I suck at french. So. That's why when my friend, Sarah, said " i was pissed" it meant drunk not angry? Thank-you Fabrice. You are well learned in both la langue de Moliere et Shakespeare. Thank you for your time and lesson. Stéphane.

[@cavendish2453]

This is just Awful 😂 its embarrassing

[@FitnessFactoryOutletQuakertown]

How difficult is it to talk about how you guys met what a g****** drama Queen they always were

[@KlausBahnhof]

They've probably told that story over a thousand times at this point. It's a boring stock question.