The Cure by David Corio

Photographer: David Corio

Location: Top Rank, Brighton

Edition: Limited

Date: 1982

"I can’t say The Cure were ever one of my favourite bands. I just couldn’t get into the alternative music scene that was then labelled ‘Goth-rock’. Their songs were so gloomy and depressing. The lyrics to ‘One Hundred Years’ state “it doesn’t matter if we all die”, and after taking in an entire show I could share that sentiment. The band was a photographer’s nightmare. Their publicist stipulated that no flash-guns were allowed on cameras but failed to mention that they performed in near-total darkness. It is very frustrating watching a band playing in low purple or blue light as it doesn’t record well on film at all, however atmospheric it may look. This was long before digital cameras were available. Luckily at one point rapid strobe lights were set off during the gig. I used a shutter speed of a few seconds hoping to get something and was lucky to snatch these two images of lead singer Robert Smith in the one frame."