applekisses said:

...hey now, hey now now....

applekisses said:

...hey now, hey now now....

And I really find Robert Smith more likeable and interesting as a person.

SassyBritches said:

really? I wouldn't have guessed.

GangstaFam said:

if it were just morrissey v. the cure i would have had a much tougher time deciding...i probably would have gone with the cure. the smiths rock my box though.

SassyBritches said:

I just had never read any mention of you liking them.

GangstaFam said:

there's much to learn, young jedi.

i U TRON!!

applekisses said:

...hey now, hey now now....

I think The Cure are winning.

I think I'm going to have to vote for the Smiths again then

sermwanderer said:

GOOD MAN! That's more like it!

I see from your profile that The Queen Is Dead is one of your faves..But what about Morrissey solo? Not a fan..?

The Cure; i Love 'em, especially their early stuff I saw them live in the early days and have been kind of surprised at their longevity Robert Smith is a genius He also played a major role in the music of 'susie and the banshee's'.An amazingly original guitarist

minneapolisgenius said:

Yeah, always the way - the people with bad taste always make the most noise

FLUX said:

I don't know if Robert Smith's contribution to Siouxsie And The Banshees is really major. He played guitar for them on tour after their original guitarist abruptly quit in 1979. He then became their official guitarist for two albums from 1983-1984, but his input on those albums in terms of songwriting was minimal if not nonexsistent. Sioux and bassist Steve Severin are the real driving force behind the Banshees. Cure fans interested in finding a more equal collaboration with the Banshees should check out their side project called The Glove. They released one album in 1983. Smith sings lead vocals on maybe half the tracks.

I have to go with The Cure in every single way.

I like their songs better, their sound better, Robert Smith better, their subject matter better, their evolution is more impressive and I think they're much more listenable.

While I really love The Smiths, I can't listen to them all the time. I find if I listen too long, I start to get numb from it. Even moreso with Morrissey's solo stuff. And I've never thought them particularly good as album artists. It's probably just me, cuz I hear the same opinion about The Cure all the time. I love a lot of their singles and b-sides and a few of their album tracks, but I just don't find the Smiths' albums endlessly enjoyable front to back like I do most Cure ones. I'd say at best, I really like or love half of what Morrissey's been involved with. With The Cure, I'd have to struggle to come up with 10 songs I don't like.

And I really find Robert Smith more likeable and interesting as a person. People think of him as a moody/broody goth, but there's so much more to him than that. He's been in love with the same girl since he was a teenager, he's extremely charming and funny in interviews and there seems to be no limit to the type of music he can make. Morrissey on the other hand seems to hate his own sexuality and hide it, he's constantly bitching about something and almost all of his songs seem to be about one thing: "I want love so badly, but I won't ever let anyone love me." And while that works when you're feeling sorry for yourself, I find The Cure's music to have real passion about the full range of emotions. With a Cure record, you can get everything from absolute rage, to pure ecstasy within the span of the first 2 songs. Which brings me to my next point.

Although The Cure have an instantly identifiable sound, they seem to have no boundaries on the type of music they're willing to tackle. Take the "Kiss Me" album for example. In the course of the first 5 songs you get quasi-metal, a surreal pop ballad, a goth barnburner, a psychedelic mindfuck and a silly little funk/pop song. And that's why I love them. Their music at its heart is very serious and sad, but they themselves don't take it too seriously. That's what allows them to have songs like "The Lovecats". Robert Smith since day one has seemed on a quest to map out the darkness and light inside his own heart. Morrissey on the other hand always has an agenda and something to prove. Very little of what he does seems like it's taken directly from his heart without a little wink thrown in for cleverness. And I don't get the sense of infinite possibilities listening to The Smiths and Morrissey. Most of their work is cut from the indie rock/jangle pop cloth. And while it is great within its framework, it can only go so far.

The Cure's sound is also something I've always identified with as a musician. I love the minimalism of their early records and the utilitarian approach they take with every instrument. It's like Prince at his best: there's not a lot going on in the mix, but it's all used so effectively and precisely. Plus, the fact that Robert is the primary song writer and instrumentalist on most of their tracks is very impressive. And from such a young age. He was the same age as Prince when he started out. He doesn't get a lot of credit for his guitar playing, but it absolutely blows me away. Compare him to the virtuosity of Johnny Marr all you want, I simply like the way The Cure's guitars sound better. No one understands the value of a Boss pedal more than him.

I also think The Cure are often quickly dismissed as a "goth" band. I'm not the slightest bit goth in style, yet most people in school would've considered me a freak or a misfit. The Cure's music has always spoken to the outsider in me, even though I've grown past the awkwardness of growing up. Like Darin said, through most of the difficult times I've had in my life, The Cure's been there. Their music is the music of my youth and is the inspiration for my adulthood. I don't ever see myself growing out of it. Their catelogue is infinitely colorful, varied and unique. I love them.

All of this makes it sounds like I think The Smiths are shit. They're not. They're awesome. They just don't even come close for me.
[Edited 9/30/04 20:49pm]

Thank you for this thoughtful and beautifully written article Now how about the Tori vs. Bjork comments?

But you see, I love my Cure,
But The Smiths speak to me in a way that few bands have ever spoken to me. They defined my youth.

But is there really a comparison? I mean, yeah these are 2 of the greatest Alternative bands with deep, emotional lyrics and tragically beautiful soundscapes. But the Cure often is like a manic depressive: sometimes extremely happy, sometimes extremely miserable. But The Smiths are even more miserable than the Cure if you ask me. There's more depth and feeling in Moz's lyrics and vocals. Also, Moz is very ironic and witty in his songs too, which you do not see in Fatass Bob's lyrics often. Even onstage is different with both bands. The Smiths were full of rompin' stompin' energy with Moz (shirtless, jumping), while The Cure just stood there like shoegazers trying to get their songs over with.

So with The Cure and The Smiths, there's 2 major differences here.....and yet they're somewhat similar.

SassyBritches said:

Oh yeah? Any other bombs you'd like to drop on me?