Anti-image and a threat to rock: how did Robert Smith build such a divisive persona?
Most bands go through ups and downs in their careers, with the lucky ones either becoming legendary classics or evolving to stay relevant over time. The Cure seems to fit into the latter category, thanks to the eclectic mix of genres in their music and the magnetic presence of their frontman, Robert Smith. However, ever since the man took centre stage, other musicians have wanted nothing more than to throw tomatoes.
The Cure gained prominence in the early 1980s for their distinctive take on the post-punk offshoot goth rock, which became darker and more glam-rock infused as early as the second album, Seventeen Seconds. Alongside Smith’s extravagant choices in makeup—extravagant by the standards of the time, at least—the band harboured a unique aesthetic and sound that set them apart from many of the groups on the scene.
Above all, it was their combination of moody, atmospheric music and a striking visual presence that helped them carve out a niche in the burgeoning alternative rock scene. This also meant that, by the time they released Disintegration, The Cure were more than icons of the era. They were pop culture staples, intersecting worlds with edgy, clean, melancholic sounds and catchy melodies.
During the same time, many bands were achieving a similar feat, including New Order, Siouxsie and the Banshees, Depeche Mode, Bauhaus, The Psychedelic Furs, The Smiths, Talking Heads, and more. However, The Cure’s blend of personal lyricism, dark pop, and striking imagery created a sound that was unique but still accessible, with Smith proving that appearance could be just as iconic as when Lou Reed released Transformer.
Smith’s anti-image set his body of work apart purely on visuals alone, but one of the most endearing parts of the music is the melodies he crafted, ones that genuinely stay in your mind long after you have listened. For this reason, however, he seemed like an easy target for other players in the business who struggled to grasp his progressive blend of genres and his unconventional look.
Although many big names have made some considerably offensive comments about the musician, including Morrissey, Peter Hook, Joey Ramone, and Queen Kwong, the forerunner has to be Paul Weller, whose qualms seem to stem solely from the offence he takes from his image and nothing of actual substance. Other reasons for direct hatred might seem a little easier to work with, but still, over the years, Smith appears to have accrued a club of high-profile haters whose reasons for such cynicism remain up for debate.
While all music taste is subjective, it’s tough to chalk up the dislike for Smith solely to his appearance. After all, musical pioneers had been using dark clothing and bold makeup for years before The Cure hit the scene. David Bowie, for instance, built his entire career on striking visuals. However, Smith’s style tapped more into a sense of societal subculture and the outsider, contrasting with the mainstream eccentricities that artists like Bowie embraced.
Smith’s gothic overtones might seem admirable and cool today thanks to the passing of time and his heavy ties to cult classics like Edward Scissorhands and The Crow, but back then, he showed up more like the kid in the corner of the playground who seemed a little too weird to be quirky and not conformist enough to fit into any established group.
Like many of the concepts and characters he has inspired over the years, Smith also seemed more like an inexplicable folkloric figure than a frontman due to his music and stage presence, as well as how he appeared in interviews. He spoke in a deadpan manner with an expression that suited the troubled artist more than an understated prodigy. His disinterest in being in the public eye only added to the mystery. “I have no interest or desire in having a conversation with anyone other than the people that I know,” Smith once told The Guardian.
Therefore, unlike those who adopted a more classical rock ‘n’ roll edge like the Ramones and peers such as Mick Jagger and Keith Richards, Smith was never figuratively invited to sit at the ‘cool guy’ table and instead enjoyed occupying spaces far away from such notions. Although the reality of the situation was that Smith and The Cure were just as good, if not better than most of those who turned their noses up, his unusualness seems a plausible reason why he garnered so much disapproval and became alienated from the rest of the greats.
That, plus the fact that many of the bands and musicians that occupied traditional rock spaces felt that The Cure was too melodious to ever be associated with the tag. Smith infused his music with endearing pop-like melodies, but rock and alternative musicians likely felt like he was attempting to dilute a beloved genre and transform it into something much more Disneyfied than what they had in mind. The music of The Cure was much more complex and credible than that, of course, but innovators are almost always met with hostility when it comes to tweaking an already well-established and cherished landscape.
However, by choosing to ignore unwarranted criticism and ploughing on as era-defining musicians, The Cure’s music continues to speak for itself. Smith might not be to everybody’s taste, but he continues to inspire many, not just in terms of appearance and music but also in the way he holds himself in the face of adversity. Above all, he is a powerful reminder of how important it is to believe in what you have to offer and ward off disapproval.
