Talk:Robert Smith (musician)

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

This is the talk page for discussing improvements to the Robert Smith (musician) article.

Article policies
Kim Gordon and Thurston Moore of Sonic Youth This article is part of the Alternative music WikiProject, a group of Wikipedians interested in improving the encyclopaedic coverage of articles relating to Alternative rock. If you would like to help out, you are welcome to drop by the project page and/or leave a query at the project's talk page.
B This article has been rated as B-Class on the Project's quality scale.
High This article has been rated as High-importance on the Project's importance scale.
This article is within the scope of WikiProject Biography. For more information, visit the project page.
B This article has been rated as B-Class on the project's quality scale. [FAQ]
This article is supported by WikiProject Musicians, an attempt to build a comprehensive and detailed biographical guide to musicians and musical groups on Wikipedia.
This article is part of WikiProject Guitarists, a group dedicated to improving Wikipedia's coverage of topics related to guitarists. If you would like to participate, you can edit the article attached to this page, or visit the project page, where you can join the project and/or contribute to the discussion.
??? This article has not yet received a rating on the quality scale.


Contents

[edit] Religion??

Remember this article stating that he was Atheist??And now it says he's Roman Catholic? So should we place him into Converts to Roman Catholicism?? unsigned

It says he was raised as a Roman Catholic. That doesn't mean he still is nut-meg 18:09, 20 October 2007 (UTC)

His myspace lists his Religion as "Other." Ash Loomis —Preceding unsigned comment added by Ash Loomis (talkcontribs) 18:12, 5 November 2007 (UTC)

UPDATE: I removed him from the English Roman Catholics and English Atheists list, since it's an oxymoron and no one seems to be able to find ant conclusive proof that he's either one. Ash Loomis(talk

On the cure website there is a link to the brights. A bright is a person who has a naturalistic worldview free of supernatural and mystical elements and whose ethics and actions are based on a naturalistic worldview. link: http://www.the-brights.net/ —Preceding unsigned comment added by 77.117.38.48 (talk) 07:13, 28 April 2008 (UTC)

http://www.musicfanclubs.org/cure/press/I80.html Looks like he's an atheist. Ash Loomis (talk) 01:35, 7 June 2008 (UTC)

[edit] God...Why? Robert why?

Why did he deny being goth? He's failed me. I have no more faith in him...erg...He's now teaming up with Ashlee Simpson-brained...No longer can I stand him...


This article has some serious NPOV issues. I'll tackle them when I get a free moment or twelve. Also, a lot of it is more about The Cure than about RS.


Discrepancy: RS's DOB here is listed as in 59, but in this 2000 article (already cited for the this page) http://www.nyrock.com/interviews/2000/cure.htm he is quoted as saying: "ROBERT: We owed our record company one album and now we fulfilled our contract. I promised myself that when I got to 40 I would do something new. I'm almost 40 now and it seems like a good time to start something new." If he was born in 59, he would have already turned 40, in 1999. Something's amiss.

Robert Smith's birthday is indeed in 1959, as verified in the official biography "Ten Imaginary Years" (Robert's bio page scanned from "Ten Imaginary Years" with birthdate given as 4/21/59, link to which was at the bottom of the main article in the "External Links" section), as well as IMDB. A possible reason for the discrepancy is that often interviews are conducted months before they are printed, and when the interview was done, it was before April of '99, and he was therefore still 39 years old. Also, Robert Smith, by his own admission, loves to wind reporters up and tell "stories", which is also discussed in "Ten Imaginary Years".

"His hair is legendary" is questionable for inclusion in this article as not only is it kind of trivial but is not detailed enough, as it neglects the period c.1988 when he cut his hair for just the reason of statements such as these. --Daniel C. Boyer In addition, film director Richard Burton has similar hair, as does one of his film character's, Edward Scissorhands.

robert smith came before the edward scissor hands movie, its been rumoured that scissorhands was partially inspired by smithFarquad92 19:31, 21 January 2007 (UTC)

[edit] discography

This discography is basically just the Cure's. It could be made more complete (e.g. blue sunshine, blink 182 self-titled, the relevant siouxie albums, the albums he's recently produced) or simply dropped. Jon Dowland 17:13, 2 Apr 2005 (UTC)

I am going to get rid of it. This is The Cure's discography, not Smith's. 66.61.143.204 21:50, 10 Jun 2005 (UTC)

[edit] south park appearance

I've rved an edit which contained the following sentence only:

He also appeared on an episode of South Park, in which he battled an evil Barbra Streisand.

I did this because it was tacked onto the end of the para regarding John Peel. The page should be kept in some kind of chronological order. According to List_of_South_Park_episodes#Season_1:_1997-1998, that south park episode was aired in February 18, 1998, so this sentence belongs before the Peel one (and perhaps others).

I haven't stuck the sentence back into the article as I think it could also be expressed better (E.g. Barbara spelt correctly)

-- Jon Dowland 15:43, 24 July 2005 (UTC)

[edit] Vegetarian?

Really?!?! I remember back in the 80s he says "If Morrissey says to not eat meat, I'm gonna eat meat because I hate Morrissey!" Could someone please give a source to his vegetarianism, thanks.

Well, here's an interview from 1984 where (a third of the way down) he says he hasn't eaten red meat for a year: http://www.musicfanclubs.org/cure/press/I28.html Other than that much, there's not much else that my web searches reveal, so either he's changed his mind or just doesn't talk about it much. --Stuart mcmillen 15:08, 25 January 2006 (UTC)


actually I know him to be a real vegetarian from lots of years! He's definitelly veggie, but can cite a source

[edit] Gay?

Rumor? --Psycho78m 23:00, 17 December 2005 (UTC)

  • Yes. Folkor 20:53, 29 January 2006 (UTC)
  • I don't think so...i've heard he has a fiancee or a long time girlfriend or something like that.
  • He's married...to a woman. Though I must admit he does seem kind of..."gay".
  • Yes, he's married. To a woman. And has been since 1988, when he married his long-time love (they had known each other since adolescence, so it's said), Mary. Type "Mary Smith" or "Mary Poole" into Google...

Yeah, I'm sure Googleing "Mary Smith" will only return a few hits and only ones pertaining to Robert Smiths wife as that isn't a very common name.

His song Love Song is well known to have been written for his wife. To paraphrase Hugh Grant, All english men are a little gay.

Robert Smith is not gay, although he doesn't appear to be homophobic. On the contrary, he has been supportive of gay rights. For instance, he organized an Easy Cure concert as a benefit for a gay schoolteacher who was fired.

[edit] Transvestite Then?

I think its possible, most transvestites are straight guys with a feminine twist; he's married anyway so who cares! go fuck yourself

[edit] Picture

I would have to say the recently uploaded picture looks strange to me. I wouldn't call it a characteristic picture of RS from his heyday or from now. May I suggest a change? Folkor 06:22, 16 February 2006 (UTC)

  • I second that...maybe use something from the cure's press kit?


This page needs a clean up as it has currently looks like a Cure fans bedroom wall. I think it only needs one picture, if any. WhizzBang 08:11, 17 May 2006 (UTC)

  • Can we have a decent picture of Robert Smith and not this blurry image ?

I think a picture of Robert before his signature look would be nice in addition to a picture of the modern Smith. Something from the Seventeen Seconds era, perhaps.

[edit] Clinical Depression?

I removed the statement and Category regarding Clinical Depression.

There is no basis in fact in the Article. No reference to when and by whom this diagnosis was made.

Michael David 15:48, 18 April 2006 (UTC)

[edit] Collaborations

I added his cowriter/vocalist collab with JunkieXL for "Perfect Blue Sky."

I suggest changing the classification of the Blank and Jones version of "A Forest" from a "remix" to a "cover." While the distinction between the two is often blurred these days, "A Forest" is an entirely new recording by B&J featuring new vox by Smith. Since it contains no parts from the original recording, it's probably better termed a "cover." --Nulldevice 19:24, 18 May 2006 (UTC)

[edit] musical credits

as far as i know robert has never been credited with playing drums or horns of any sort and i have all there albums.Curefreak 11:04, 19 June 2006 (UTC)


[edit] spirituality?

spirtuality?

it says he has written many songs about "spirituality", especially in the aptly-titled album Faith.
robert smith is an avowed aethist his songs about "faith" usually come from a questioning or antagonistic viewpoint in my opinion.
so saying hes written songs about "spirituality" would lead non informed people to think that they are a christian rock band especially with a name like "the cure" or expose that viewpoint in some of there lyrics wich is very far from the truth.
i want to edit that but im not sure what i should say
or put in there to correct it if someone can offer me some advice on how to change it i would love it cause its really bugging me :\ Curefreak 11:16, 19 June 2006 (UTC)
Nobody is going to confuse The Cure with a Christian band. Also "spirituality" is not exclusively Christian. nut-meg 18:11, 20 October 2007 (UTC)

[edit] picture

isnt there a better or more recent picture to be used? —The preceding unsigned comment was added by Farquad92 (talkcontribs) 17:23, 4 January 2007 (UTC).


[edit] In between days the song

It is not about death! omg i had to fix that! its about heartbreak.

"yesterday i got so scared i shivered like a child yesterday away from you it froze me deep inside come back come back don't walk away come back come back come back today come back come back why can't you see? come back come back come back to me

and i know i was wrong when i said it was true that it couldn't be me and be her inbetween without you without you"

Point made (SexyLui 00:38, 16 June 2007 (UTC))

[edit] Ashlee Simpson Collaboration?

Why is there mention of the Ashlee Simpson collaboration rumor in this article? Its inclusion in the Collaborations section is misleading and irrelevant. Zwanzig 22:12, 22 June 2007 (UTC)

[edit] Blue Monday

..."The Walk" although he has admitted he was trying to emulate New Order's hit record of the time; Blue Monday, but it became "The Walk".

Where is the source for this alleged admission? I don't recall ever having seen Robert Smith admit to emulating "Blue Monday"; rather, to my best recollection I have seen articles where the similarities between the two songs have been labeled purely coincidental by both parties (New Order and The Cure). I'd like to see this statement either sourced or removed. Thoughts?

P.S. Whether it goes or stays, I'd say this statement could use some grammar cleanup.  :)
P.P.S. I'd do it myself, but I'm a Wiki-noob and am still learning the protocol. :) Zwanzig 22:29, 22 June 2007 (UTC)

Actually, he has gone on record more than once with his stated influence for "The Walk" - and it wasn't New Order, but Japan (hence Steve Nye being the producer of choice for it.) —Preceding unsigned comment added by 74.138.236.178 (talk) 02:48, 17 April 2008 (UTC)

[edit] Fat Bob

Why, when I type in "Fat Bob" in the search panel, am I redirected to this page? Is it a known nickname of his? If so, shouldn't it be mentioned in the text? 86.133.247.48 (talk) 22:15, 1 January 2008 (UTC)

[edit] Fair use rationale for Image:NME RobertSmith.jpg

Image:NME RobertSmith.jpg is being used on this article. I notice the image page specifies that the image is being used under fair use but there is no explanation or rationale as to why its use in this Wikipedia article constitutes fair use. In addition to the boilerplate fair use template, you must also write out on the image description page a specific explanation or rationale for why using this image in each article is consistent with fair use.

Please go to the image description page and edit it to include a fair use rationale. Using one of the templates at Wikipedia:Fair use rationale guideline is an easy way to insure that your image is in compliance with Wikipedia policy, but remember that you must complete the template. Do not simply insert a blank template on an image page.

If there is other fair use media, consider checking that you have specified the fair use rationale on the other images used on this page. Note that any fair use images lacking such an explanation can be deleted one week after being tagged, as described on criteria for speedy deletion. If you have any questions please ask them at the Media copyright questions page. Thank you.

BetacommandBot (talk) 23:26, 2 January 2008 (UTC)

[edit] GOTH or NOT

Changed the section 'Stage persona and image' adding Smith not liking the 'Goth' label. I added a link to the quote. I also added 'unwittingly' in front of 'popularize the "goth" style of dress'. Smith had no idea he was starting or 'popularizing' some kind of movement. Also if he finds the label 'pitiful' I would think he wasn't wanting to be a part of it. In my opinion...like it or not...he is a part of goth.--Mickeyp2814 (talk) 20:19, 4 January 2008 (UTC)