Robert James Smith (born 21 April 1959) is an English musician. He is the lead singer, guitarist, lyricist and principal songwriter of the rock band the Cure, and its only constant member since its formation in 1976. NY Rock describes him as “pop culture’s unkempt poster child of doom and gloom,” and asserts that some of his songs are a “somber introspection over lush, brooding guitars.” Smith’s guitar-playing and use of flanging, chorusing and phasing effects put him among the forefront of the gothic rock and new wave genres.He also played guitar in the band Siouxsie and the Banshees. Smith is a multi-instrumentalist, known for his unique stage look, such as teased hair, smudged makeup, and his distinctive voice.
Early years and family life
Smith was born in the Lancashire town of Blackpool and is the third of four children born to James Alexander and Rita Mary (née Emmott) Smith. Smith came from a musical family – his father sang and his mother played the piano.
Raised Catholic, he later became an atheist. When he was three years old, in December 1962 his family moved to Horley, Surrey, where he later attended St Francis Primary School, before the family moved to Crawley, West Sussex, in March 1966, where Smith attended St Francis Junior School. He later attended Notre Dame Middle School (1970–72) and St Wilfrid’s Comprehensive School, Crawley (1972–77).
Musical background
Both Robert and his little sister Janet had piano lessons; Smith said that Janet “was a piano prodigy, so sibling rivalry made me take up guitar because she couldn’t get her fingers around the neck.” He told Chris Heath of Smash Hits magazine that from about 1966 (when Smith turned seven years old) his brother Richard (thirteen years Robert’s senior) taught him “a few basic chords” on guitar, “but I didn’t have any dreams of becoming anything at that age”. Smith began taking classical guitar lessons from the age of nine, “with a student of John Williams, a really excellent guitarist … I learned a lot, but got to the point where I was losing the sense of fun. I wish I’d stuck with it.” Smith was quoted as saying that his guitar tutor “was horrified by my playing”, and that Robert consequently gave up formal tuition and instead began teaching himself to play by ear, listening to Richard’s record collection.
Smith claims he was thirteen or fourteen when he became more serious about rock music and “started to play and learn frenetically”. Up until December 1972 Robert did not have a guitar of his own, and had been borrowing his brother Richard’s for some time, “so he gave me his guitar for Christmas. But I’d commandeered it anyway – so whether he was officially giving it to me at Christmas or not, I was going to have it!” One rock biographer (Jeff Apter) maintains that the guitar Smith received for Christmas of 1972 was from his parents, and equates this item with Smith’s notorious Woolworth’s ‘Top 20’ guitar, later used on many of The Cure’s earliest recordings.
Smith was quoted in several earlier sources as saying he purchased the Top 20 himself for £20, in 1978. Smith told Guitar Player magazine that the Woolworth’s Top 20 was his “very first electric” guitar.
Smith has said that he is generally uncomfortable with interviews and conversations with strangers and does not express an interest or desire to engage in either. In addition to this, although he has a presence on multiple social networks, he does not actively use it, instead using it as an official presence to prevent imposters.
Smith has described himself as a “liberal kind of guy” and has described himself as a socialist, but he is “uncomfortable with politicised musicians”. He sported a ‘citizens, not subjects’ slogan on his guitar on tour in 2012 and 2013…
Brilliant review Peter Ian, love your researches, smart bloke
Thank you Gail