A Reflection - Paul Seegers (Assemblage 23) [EN]
Paul Seegers is a musician from Indiana (United States) known for playing the synthesizers in the electronic group Assemblage 23. He also plays guitar and keyboards on his dream pop project Thy Fearful Symmetry.
I first heard the music of The Cure at a nightclub in my home town, back in the 80's. I was watching a local new wave cover band called The Scene, and they played 'Let's Go to Bed' as well as 'In Between Days'. I would grab a girl and would head out to the dance floor. I became friends with the band's keyboard player, and he became something of a mentor. We didn't have any radio stations that played new wave in my home town in rural Indiana, but there was a college radio station that played all kinds of good things, including the Cure.
When the 'Wish' CD dropped, I caught the tour in Chicago, with my cover handmade and friend Troy. It was a great show in an outside venue. I was all kinds of happy.
Fast forward to 2001. Assemblage 23 is playing our first gig in London, at The Garage in Camden. Five mins before the show, my band mate Tom Shear informs me that Robert Smith is in the audience. I said to him, " Why did you tell me that?" Lol. I very rarely get stage fright, but knowing I was performing in front of the man that wrote one of the best, if not the greatest pop song of all time, well...I pushed through. After our performance, I did meet and spoke to the man himself, he was polite and British.
The last time I saw The Cure , it was again in London. This time, it was their 40th anniversary concert in Hyde Park, and my birthday. I went to London alone, hung out at the show with a Dutchman, his Argentine girlfriend and their Italian " Scarlett Johansson" look alike friend. Part way through the show, the heat got to the couple, and they had to bail, leaving me with the young Italian lady. We became fast friends and watched each other's back through the whole show.
It was a absolutely great festival, with Interpol, Slowdive, Editors and Goldfrapp, all picked to perform by Mr. Smith himself.
Good times with good friends.
Currently, I await the next Cure release, with baited breath.
‘Human’ of Assemblage 23 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Kses48U5xlw
Thy Fearful Symmetry https://carbon12records.bandcamp.com/album/from-a-blue-room
Read more interviews-> https://www.distortiongirl.com/a-reflection/
Interview publication, August 01, 2022
