21 questions to Lol Tolhurst

21 questions to Lol Tolhurst
hispaCure Interview, September 2013
Six years after he gave his first
interview for hispaCure, Lol Tolhurst
comes back to our house to kindly
answer the questions of Spanishspeaking fans. He updates us on the
recording of the new Levinhurst album
and the next tour, and shares with us
cherished memories of his long phase
with The Cure.
This interview was possible thanks to
Xavi Wish
1. We want to start this interview knowing about
the new Levinhurst album, which was initially
expected to be released this year. To which
direction is the new sound of the band oriented?
We are currently recording new Levinhurst material!
It is designed to show both sides of the band the
more traditional guitar /bass/drums side and the
electronic side. To that end it might be a little
schizophrenic you might say! It will be out early
2014.
2. Will you do a longer European branch of the
tour this time? Is it possible that you visit Spain?
Yes if we can find a good promoter! I definitely
like to tour!
3. Since 2000, you have been writing and putting all your talent into Levinhurst. Over the course of all these
years, have you ever thought that a particular Levinhurst song or an album concept could have perfectly fitted
into a Cure record?
In my mind all music I do can fit with anything I am involved in .The distinction others might have between music does
not really exist for me. I don’t see what I do in those terms.
4. In the last years, it feels that you have come closer to your former phase at The Cure. For instance, you
included early songs of The Cure in Levinhurst’s setlists, and then you collaborated in the “Reflections” concerts to
perform the songs in the “Faith” album. What were your emotions like when you rejoined The Cure to play again
those old songs on stage?
I think it is true that as you grow older disputes you had when you were younger seem to be fairly ridiculous. Life
is too short to hold grudges. I am and always will be connected to the Cure, it is a part of me, a very large part
of my life and it seems pointless denying that. I love the music we made and I loved the reflections shows. They
were wonderful for me to be back with Robert and Simon particularly, as they are my lifelong friends whom I love
deeply.
21 questions to Lol Tolhurst
hispaCure Interview September 2013
5. Probably at that time back in 1982, it was hard to imagine that an event such as “Reflections” will ever take
place. What were your feelings like after the infamous row at the Ancienne Belgique?
Like in the film “Spinal Tap” I think I was “too sedated” to feel very much haha! Seriously there was a lot of chaos in
that time and it had to come out somehow.I think it was inevitable given our age and lifestyle at the time. I always
tell people I spent the first half of my life trying to kill myself and the second half trying to keep alive haha! I
am now a non drinking, non smoking Vegan that exercises! Back then I was insane mostly haha!
6. Did you actually believe that The Cure would stop for ever after that?
Not so much that The Cure would stop more that we might stop! I thought we might not survive but the human spirit
is strong. We carried on eventually.
7. Both you and Robert expressed your desolation at the sad news of Gary Biddles’ death last April. Was the
relationship between band members and collaborators actually less tense than it seemed from outside?
The circumstances of Gary’s death made everybody that knew him sad for his passing I think. It was both inevitable
and tragic at the same time. Our relationships I imagine are the same as most people that have friends, mostly good,
sometimes they can be difficult of course but that’s life. I mistrust people that say their life is perfect all the
time.
8. Coming back to the “Reflections” gigs, there are rumours of possible new “trilogy” concerts, this time featuring the
songs of “The Top”, “The Head on the Door” and “Kiss me, kiss me, kiss me” albums. If it actually happens, will you
like to go back on stage with The Cure again for these concerts? Which city would you choose to perform the gigs?
I have always loved to play live especially with The Cure of course! It is wonderful to be onstage with my lifelong
friends playing the music we made from our youth especially now we are older men. I would love to play a very
long tour in many cities worldwide! But I do not know if that will happen...
9. And do you think is there any chance that a Cure reunion featuring the very early line up (including you and
Michael Dempsey) takes place some day for a special tour? Have you ever talked with Robert about such possibility?
It’s certainly something that might be fun and wonderful to do.
10. Would you like a future collaboration between Levinhurst and The Cure in a record or concert?
See number 9 above!
11. When we watch this little snips of tour moments in video compilations such as “Staring at the Sea” or “Play Out”,
it seems that making albums and touring with The Cure provided lots of moments of great fun. We reckon you lived
a myriad of those unforgettable moments, but if you have to pick just one, which one will you choose and why?
An impossible question but consider this, in all the years, we toured and recorded I remember mostly those good fun
moments with much love and Joy. Why else would you do it otherwise if it were not so?
12. In your first hispaCure interview in 2007, you told us you love experimentation and were always willing to learn
how to play new instruments. You were first drummer and later keyboardist of The Cure. Did you ever try a
different instrument while being in the band? Maybe guitar? Or something more exotic? Are there any bits of surprising
experimentation that we did not get to know because they never became officially published Cure songs?
At the recording of “17 seconds” we all swapped instruments for a song to see what would happen. Obviously as it
did not make the official album you can surmise that it was not meant to be! I did sing “Wild Thing” at one show in
NYC for a benefit concert of course too!
13. Which record session of a Cure album is the one you are fonder of?
“17 seconds” and “Faith” have fond memories and “Kiss me x3”
14. In the free time during Cure tours or recordings, was there something in particular that you enjoyed all together
as a hobby?
What free time? Seriously mostly when you are touring there is very little free time and recording the same. The
Cure has always been a very work orientated band by which I mean when we were working that’s mostly what we did…
21 questions to Lol Tolhurst
hispaCure Interview September 2013
15. Talking about hobbies, we know you are a Chelsea supporter. What do you think of Rafa Benitez? And what about
the Spanish players which are currently in the team?
Ah yes The Blues. I am a great fan of the Spanish players with Chelsea, Torres of course but especially Juan Mata,
he is such an intelligent player and a joy to watch. Rafa Benitez did pretty well with the little time he was given.
I give him credit for last season being fairly good in the end.
16. We also know you are an admirer of Salvador Dalí. What does impress you most about his work?
I think that the first time I saw Dali it connected to something in my soul that I immediately related to as a young
man, it was a very powerful feeling. Like the time I first read Sylvia Plath too.
17. After 1989, have you been actually interested in the albums The Cure made, when you were not part of the band
anymore? And if you have listened to them, which one do you like most?
Yes and No. It is hard for me to have a picture in my head of how they were made as I was not there and for me
the Cure albums I made were also part of my experience of life. I cannot distinguish the two apart really. But as I
love the people that made the albums I also have to love their creation which I do.
18. If you had to choose a favourite Cure song from a phase in which you did not contribute as a writer or performer
in the band, which one would it be?
I like the last album “4:13 Dream” it seems more like a cure album to me. I like “Underneath The Stars”. The music and
the lyrics seem more Cure to me as well.
19. As you are not in the Cure now, but you obviously know them and their sound much better than many people, we
would like to ask you to act now as a music reviewer. What do you think about Reeves Gabrels joining the Cure as a
guitarist?
Reeves is a wonderful thoughtful musician just what the Cure need in a guitarist and he’s a very nice man also! I met
him in Honolulu this summer for the first time and he is a real gentleman.
20. Many fans of The Cure claim not to be very satisfied with the sound of the last four albums. Do you agree that
the “cure mystic” was somehow lost in this last era? If you were still a member of the band, do you think you could
have contributed to preserve it?
It is the nature of the artist to have times when they are perceived by some as greater or lesser I think. For me I
prefer to look at the whole and see what has been the overall story of The Cure. I see it has stages, chapters like
a book. And the story is not yet over.
21. In this sense, do you think Robert “failed” at some point? Or it is just simply impossible to get back to the
roots of The Cure sound right now?
I don’t think you can make everybody happy all the time. Some see the early Cure as the “real” thing, some the
later years. Personally I do not think you can fail or succeed for everybody or anybody even! These are not the
terms I consider Robert or the Cure have operated under anyway. The people that made the Cure are still here. And
who knows what the future holds? Not I!
Questions collected by iván hispacure. Translation to Spanish and formatting by b.