Pornography (album)

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Pornography
Studio album by The Cure
Released	1 May 1982
Recorded	January to February 1982 at RAK Studio One, London
Genre	Gothic Rock
Length	43:29
Label	Fiction
Producer(s)	Phil Thornalley, The Cure
Professional reviews
Rolling Stone link All Music Guide link Pitchfork Media (8.4/10) link
The Cure chronology
Faith (1981)	Pornography (1982)	Japanese Whispers (1983)

Pornography is the fourth studio album by British alternative rock band The Cure, originally released in 1982 and re-mastered and re-released in 2005. Recorded with the group on the brink of collapse, it represents the conclusion of the musical journey started with Seventeen Seconds and Faith.

Contents 1 History 2 2005 re-release 3 Track listing 3.1 Original 1982 release 3.2 2005 "Deluxe Edition" 3.2.1 Disc one 3.2.2 Disc two: Rarities 1981-1982 4 Personnel 5 Production 6 Artwork 7 Charts 8 References

[edit] History

The angriest and most disturbing product of The Cure, Pornography has no happiness. It begins with rage and ends in chaotic limbo, as the title track is a conglomeration of sampled voices, high-pitched keyboards, militaristic drumming, harshly distorted guitar, and Smith's desperate vocals. The opening lyrical line of the album is "It doesn't matter if we all die" Despite the fact that very few critics in the British press gave the album a favorable review, Pornography charted well in the UK and is now considered one of the key Gothic rock albums of all time.

Pornography is also the last Cure album to feature founding band member Laurence Tolhurst as the band's drummer. He became the band's keyboardist and this also marks the first time he played keyboards on a release by The Cure.

In 2002, The Cure performed this album live in its entirety, along with Disintegration and Bloodflowers, as part of the Trilogy concerts.

[edit] 2005 re-release

Pornography was remastered by Chris Blair at Abbey Road Studios and reissued in the UK on 25 April 2005 (26th in the US) as part of Universal's Deluxe Edition series. The new edition featured a remastered version of the album on CD One, while CD Two contained demo and live tracks. The bonus disc contains never-before-heard songs (in demo format, all instrumental) and an alternate version of each song on the album. (Demo or Live) It also contains the song "All Mine" from the Curiosity album and the soundtrack from a movie that aired prior to the Cure concerts in 1982, "Airlock". Nothing is known about that movie.

There also exists a one-CD reissue. It was released on September 5, 2005 in the UK and April 4, 2006 in the US. The CD features the original album, but does not contain the bonus disc. It is also released in the standard jewel case, and not a box. In some countries, the "Deluxe Edition" has become a collector's item and the production has phased out, being replaced by the more economic one-CD version.

[edit] Track listing

All songs by Simon Gallup, Robert Smith and Laurence Tolhurst.

[edit] Original 1982 release

1. "One Hundred Years" – 6:40
2. "A Short Term Effect" – 4:22
3. "The Hanging Garden" – 4:33
4. "Siamese Twins" – 5:29
5. "The Figurehead" – 6:15
6. "A Strange Day" – 5:04
7. "Cold" – 4:26
8. "Pornography" – 6:27

[edit] 2005 "Deluxe Edition"

[edit] Disc one

Original album, as above

[edit] Disc two: Rarities 1981-1982

1. "Break" (group home demo)
2. "Demise" (studio demo)
3. "Temptation" (studio demo)
4. "The Figurehead" (studio demo)
5. "The Hanging Garden" (studio demo)
6. "One Hundred Years" (studio demo)
7. "Airlock: The Soundtrack"
8. "Cold" (live)
9. "A Strange Day" (live)
10. "Pornography" (live)
11. "All Mine" (live)
12. "A Short Term Effect" (live)
13. "Siamese Twins" (live)
14. "Temptation Two" (aka LGTB) (RS studio demo)

[edit] Personnel

• Robert Smith - guitar, keyboard (One Hundred Years, The Hanging Garden, Cold, Pornography), Cello, vocals
• Simon Gallup - bass, keyboard (A Strange Day, Cold, Pornography)
• Laurence Tolhurst - drums, keyboard (One Hundred Years)

[edit] Production

• Producer: Phil Thornalley, The Cure
• Engineer: Mike Nocito, Robert Smith
• Assistant engineer: Phil Thornalley

[edit] Artwork

• Photography: Michael Kostiff
• Sleeve design: Ben Kelly

The album's artwork is the first in The Cure's output not to feature the logo for the group's name which was used on their previous releases.

[edit] Charts

Country	Date	Peak position
UK Top 40	May 1982	8[1]

[edit] References

1. ^ UNCUT magazine, August 2004

The Cure

Robert Smith | Porl Thompson | Simon Gallup | Jason Cooper

The Cure personnel

Discography

Studio albums: Three Imaginary Boys | Seventeen Seconds | Faith | Pornography | The Top | The Head on the Door | Kiss Me Kiss Me Kiss Me | Disintegration | Wish | Wild Mood Swings | Bloodflowers | The Cure

Live albums: Concert | Entreat | Paris | Show | Trilogy | Festival 2005

Compilations: Boys Don't Cry | Japanese Whispers | Standing on a Beach / Staring at the Sea | Mixed Up | Galore | Greatest Hits | Join the Dots

EPs: Half an Octopuss & Quadpus | Lost Wishes | Five Swing Live

Singles: "Killing an Arab" | "Boys Don't Cry" | "Jumping Someone Else's Train" | "A Forest" | "Primary" | "Charlotte Sometimes" | "A Single" | "Let's Go to Bed" | "The Walk" | "The Lovecats" | "The Caterpillar" | "In Between Days" | "Close to Me" | "Why Can't I Be You?" | "Catch" | "Just like Heaven" | "Hot Hot Hot!!!" | "Fascination Street" | "Lullaby" | "Lovesong" | "Pictures of You" | "Never Enough" | "Close to Me (Closest Mix)" | "High" | "Friday I'm in Love" | "A Letter to Elise" | "The 13th" | "Mint Car" | "Gone!" | "Strange Attraction" | "Wrong Number" | "Cut Here" | "End of the World" | "Taking Off" & "alt.end"

Cult Hero: "I'm a Cult Hero"

Related bands: Malice | Easy Cure | The Glove | Fools Dance | Presence | Babacar