The Cure frontman Robert Smith finds singing “embarrassing”
Whilst holding down a position as one of the best songwriters in rock music, The Cure frontman Robert Smith has also made a name for himself by being unafraid to divulge his opinions regarding his own work and that of others. This has made him one of the more compelling figures in contemporary music, with his personality much more substantial than solely the backcombed hair and lipstick that many have characterised him for. Smith is a multifaceted character, and this, combined with the quality of his music, has made him a potent force.
From recently fighting against Ticketmaster’s monopoly on live music to vitriolically saying, “I despise Def Leppard and everything they’ve ever done”, since The Cure broke through, Robert Smith has established himself as one of music’s resident sages, with fans listening attentively to every word he says.
Smith’s comments rank at the very pinnacle of hilarity. There’s something about his fearlessness that even his detractors can admire. Known as an acute figure, Smith has often saved the most punishing accounts for himself. As revealed in the recently released The Cure: Rock Case Studies Documentary, which featured an archival interview with The Cure mastermind from the mid-1980s, he discussed the extent of his reservations about his voice and singing ability.
Smith explained that he finds singing “embarrassing” and that when he encounters those he believes are actually good singers, it really frustrates him, as he deems his ability “very limited”. In his typically self-effacing style, The Cure frontman even maintained that he would turn down the vocal option if he was asked to sing in a band again. Despite the self-critique, he did concede that he views singing as a “release”.
Smith said: “I’m still very, very limited. I get frustrated when I hear good singers, but it’s just funny. It’s such an embarrassing thing to sing; I couldn’t sing now. I’d jump in the river rather than sing, but if I don’t know in a specific frame of mind and I’m singing songs, it’s a release this way.”
