This Saturday, The Cure will play a headline set at the British Summer Time festival at London’s Hyde Park.
The show comes on the back of their scintillating Meltdown festival appearance in the city last month – which was, incidentally, curated by Robert Smith himself – with the sold out BST concert organised to mark the band’s 40th anniversary.
And what a four decades it’s been! Rightfully regarded as one of the finest bands to come from the UK, they've forged their own path down through the years, delivering an abundance of classic tracks and thrilling millions with their truly unique sound.
Fans from around the world are currently preparing to descend on London, where The Cure will be led to the stage following appearances from bands including Ride, Slowdive, Interpol, Editors, Goldfrapp and The Twilight Sad.
And to mark the milestone in their career – and after much deliberation – we’ve picked the 10 songs we desperately want to hear on the night.
A Forest (Seventeen Seconds, 1980)
Okay, this is an obvious choice as it’s one of The Cure’s most recognisable songs, but it’s a 38-year-old classic. The band’s second album would shape The Cure’s sound throughout the 80s, and as soon as those synths and guitar kick in, it’s goosebump time. Probably The Cure’s most atmospheric track. A masterpiece.
A Strange Day (Pornography, 1982)
Let’s face it, you’d probably be happy to hear any song from this corker of album, considered by many as one of the best the band have ever recorded. But if we had to choose one of the eight tracks, it’s this one. Dripping with a deliciously dark, goth-tinged atmosphere, it’s one that saw a few of us two-stepping our way through many an evening at the student union back in the day.
The Caterpillar (The Top, 1984)
The opening discordant piano runs and screeching violins soon give way to one of the band’s catchiest tunes, complete with bongo drums and strumming guitars. It’s has plenty of classic singalong moments too, making it a perfect song to play in the late London evening.
Inbetween Days (The Head On The Door, 1985)
A little more upbeat than the last song – and the perfect way to open the band’s sixth studio album. This is three minutes of pure Cure pop magic. The album’s other stand out track is Close To Me and it was a tough choice to pick them apart. But the sheer feelgood factor (and danceability) here was just enough to push it over the top.
The Kiss (Kiss Me, Kiss Me, Kiss Me, 1987)
Clocking in at 75-minutes, The Cure’s magnificent seventh album is full of brilliant moments, so we’ve decided to include two from it. Opening track The Kiss is full of menace – and it takes Robert Smith close to four minutes before he delivers his spiteful opening lines: 'Kiss me, kiss me, kiss me, your tongue is like poison. So swollen it fills up my mouth. Love me, love me, love me, you nail me to the floor and push my guts all inside out.' Now that’s how to grab someone’s attention. If the band opened the Saturday night set with this, we’ll be very happy.
Just Like Heaven (Kiss Me, Kiss Me, Kiss Me, 1987)
Just Like Heaven is our second pick from the record and with its bouncy bass line, infectious melody and sweeping synths, this is The Cure at their uplifting best. In fact, if they played this immediately after Inbetween Days, it would be the greatest one-two punch ever!
Pictures Of You (Disintegration, 1989)
Is Disintegration The Cure’s finest moment and one of the greatest albums ever recorded? Pretty much. If they were just to play every track and then exit stage left, we wouldn’t feel short-changed such is the sheer magnificence of this classic record. But if pressed to pick just one song, it would have to be the sprawling, epic and emotionally charged Pictures Of You. Should they play this, look out for a few people wiping tears from their eyes – including a few of the Louder staff.
This Twilight Garden (High single B-side, 1992)
The Cure’s 9th studio album spawned the massive hit Friday I’m In Love, but it’s this b-side which appeared on lead single High that floats our boat. It’s a slice of sheer brilliance, with ethereal guitars sweeping in and out of the mix before Smith’s vocals glide gently across the shimmering instrumental passages. Should have been on the album!
The Loudest Sound (Bloodflowers, 2000)
The Cure returned to their dark era with Bloodflowers, with The Loudest Sound being our standout track. It has a Disintegration vibe to it and would have fitted that record perfectly. A gentle, atmospheric five minutes which showed that Bob and the boys had lost none of their magic. The drum brushes combined with delicious vocals and a beautiful fuzzed-out guitar solo would make this perfect for the blissed out crowd to enjoy on Saturday night.
Jupiter Crash (Wild Mood Swings, 1996)
We don’t think that Wild Mood Swings got the credit it deserves when it was released 22 years ago, but dig in and there’s a lot to love. The spaced out and melancholic Jupiter Crash is a bit of a hidden gem – and with The Cure sprinkling it with some magic space dust at their recent show at the Meltdown festival, hopes are high that this will make an appearance.
The Cure play at British Summer Time Hyde Park festival on 07 July.
