Robert Smith and nine other members of The Cure past and present were inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame by Nine Inch Nails’ Trent Reznor at a ceremony in Brooklyn tonight that also saw the band’s current lineup play a five-song set.
Alongside Smith, current members Simon Gallup, Roger O’Donnell, Jason Cooper and Reeves Gabrels were inducted, along with co-founder Lol Tolhurst and other former members including Pearl Thompson, Boris Williams, Perry Bamonte and Michael Dempsey.
“Though they might be a hip name to drop in 2019, this wasn’t always the case,” Reznor said in his induction speech. “Their dedication to pushing sonic and artistic boundaries while making music for the ages wasn’t always rewarded with glowing reviews in the press. But they never failed to attract a passionate, intelligent and loyal fanbase who always knew the truth: The Cure are one of the most unique, most brilliant, most heartbreakingly excellent rock bands the world has ever known.”
Congratulations to @thecure on their #RockHall2019 Induction at the @KlipschAudio Ceremony. https://t.co/veLza9K7fy pic.twitter.com/fbkmyebEnW
— Rock Hall (@rockhall) March 30, 2019
In accepting the honors, Smith offered a short speech, thanking all of his bandmates, including the late Andy Anderson, who died last month, and was one of three former members — alongside Matthieu Hartley and Phil Thornalley — who were not selected for induction by the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame.
Smith ended by saying, “And finally, I’d like to thank all the fans, because, everyone that’s bought records… or listened to the music, been to a show, just enjoyed what we do, it’s been a fantastic thing, it really has. Thanks. We love you. too, that’s the point.”
The Cure’s current lineup then took the stage, performing a five-song set, opening with “Shake Dog Shake” — a song Anderson originally played drums on — along with “A Forest,” “Lovesong,” “Just Like Heaven” and “Boys Don’t Cry.” None of the former members joined in.
The Cure was inducted alongside Roxy Music, Janet Jackson, Def Leppard, Stevie Nicks, Radiohead and The Zombies. There ceremony will be broadcast on HBO on April 27.
Below, see Reznor’s and Smith’s full speeches, and The Cure’s full performance.
Trent Reznor’s full induction speech
Robert Smith’s full acceptance speech
The Cure’s full Rock and Roll Hall of Fame set
Setlist: The Cure, Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, Barclays Center, Brooklyn, NY, 3/29/19
1. “Shake Dog Shake”
2. “A Forest”
3. “Lovesong”
4. “Just Like Heaven”
5. “Boys Don’t Cry”
PREVIOUSLY ON SLICING UP EYEBALLS
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- The Cure closes Robert Smith’s Meltdown by going ‘there to here and back again’ — hear the full set
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- The absolute best of The Cure: All 225 songs ranked by Slicing Up Eyeballs’ readers
Nice to see Simon borrowed the TARDIS to get there from 1989.
Dude’s Dorian Gray.
Wow. This is beyond insulting. Thompson, Tolhurst and Boris had to watch Cooper and Gabrels perform their songs. The Cure would be nothing without the original band and obviously Smith didn’t select any songs from the post-Wish lineup for the event. What a sham.
The Cure was inducted for what they did during 85-92… oh surprise!!! these are the years with Porl (now called Pearl) and the great Boris Williams.
I concur with Andrew in that is an insult for the old members to suffer listening to this lineup full of backing tracks, terrible drum sound and a bad bad drummer, and the new guitarist is as boring and bored as a mummy.
Anyway, I was so glad to see Boris looking great and also all of the other past band members.
For most die-hard Cure fans, Robert Smith is the core and heart of the band. He is the only member to remain throughout the ENTIRETY of the band’s existence, and whatever input other members past or present have had or have, nothing has ever been released or performed without Smith’s approval. He is the ONLY member without whom this band would cease to be THE CURE.
Agree completely with Andrew and Claudio. Lorelei, what you fail to realize is that yes, RS is the only member to remain throughout, because he is a dicatator. It is not a band in the traditional sense, so much as a vehicle for Robert Smith. Members came and went according to the whims of Robert. Yes, he has a bit more talent than most of the other members, but without Tol, Porl and Boris, non of those hits would exist. Sad and pathetic that Robert once again was the ONLY one speaking at the acceptance. Typical.