A Reflection - Mark Gemini Thwaite (MGT) [EN]
‘A Reflection’, my space that with the support of Hispacure, the Official Fan Collective of The Cure in Spain, I ask artists and cultural agents to tell me about their favorite songs and albums of The Cure.
A REFLECTION - MARK GEMINI THWAITE
When I was 13 the band's first album came out in 1979, but I remember reading 'Killing an Arab' on 7” vinyl at some point, so I think that was my first introduction to the band... they were much more that a new wave post punk band at that early stage, the term 'Goth' hadn't even been invented yet... The Cure have released many fantastic albums, but my favorite era of the band is probably around 1985 with the iconic 'Head on the Door' album. Choosing my favorite songs or albums is difficult, but apart from 'Head on the Door', I love the gothic darkness of 'Pornography', and 'A Forest' on '17 Seconds' is sublime.
The Cure's music is actually quite timeless music, each album takes you on a new journey... everything from alternative to new wave, through post punk, pop, goth and everything in between...
I met Robert Smith in the 1990s while on tour with my old band The Mission. Both The Mission and The Cure were booked for a festival in Switzerland in 1995. I remember being on a Swiss mountain on a sunny day standing in a cabin dressing room and seeing a guy dressed in black who looks suspiciously like Robert Smith climbing up just the hill to me...he introduces himself: "Hi, I'm Robert, is Wayne there?" It was surreal as I was alone in the cabin at the time and of course I knew who it was right away.
I told him Wayne had walked away and I didn't know where he was. Robert: "okay, tell him Robert says hello" and went back down the hill. I was too shocked to run after him and ask him more!
Many years later, in 2017, I was also lucky enough to record with the Cure's original drummer, Lol Tolhurst, and the band's original guitarist, Pearl (aka Porl) Thompson, who guested on one of the singles on my solo album for my second MGT album. I also performed some The Cure songs live with Lol on drums in 2017 for a benefit concert in Los Angeles. It was fun playing old classics like 'Boys Don't Cry' with him! I've seen The Cure several times over the years, most notably at that festival we played together in the '90s, most recently at the Rose Bowl in Pasadena, USA in 2019.
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Interview publication, October 17, 2024
