There aren’t many musicians who can claim as much cultural significance as Robert Smith. Not only has he inspired droves of listeners with his instantly recognisable and undoubtedly classic work with The Cure, he’s also kept himself and his band relevant by continually refreshing their sound and image with each outing.
This has led to a sonically multifarious back catalogue, as well as lauded collaborations with the likes of Crystal Castles, Gorillaz, Blink-182 and, most recently, Olivia Rodrigo. Taken together with The Cure’s latest album, 2024’s Songs of a Lost World, these standalone tracks show that the long-reigning king of the goths is still a force to be reckoned with, even nearly 50 years since the Crawley legend first burst onto the scene.
Given that Robert Smith is one of the most influential musicians in history through his work with The Cure, he has more right than most to be critical of others. His extensive back catalogue speaks for itself, in terms of both the success of his world-building and the sheer sonic terrain he’s covered.
Despite his inextricable link to the world of goth, Robert Smith is, mirroring his music, a person of great vicissitudes, nuances and often contradictions. Beneath the black aesthetic and gloomy reputation lies a far more fascinating picture.
Put it this way: while Smith and his band emerged in the wake of the punk insurrection of the late 1970s, he’s a big fan of classic rock, the genre punk had in its crosshairs, and a lifelong devotee of Thin Lizzy. He once compared Thin Lizzy, the group behind ‘The Boys Are Back in Town’, to being “better than drinking.” Given some of his other comments on music and his artistic style, you’d be forgiven for assuming Smith would hate Phil Lynott’s band and everything it represented.
Yet, as mentioned, he’s a man of contradictions, and there’s another heavyweight 1970s act Smith is on record as detesting with every ounce of his being. Despite sharing a transgressive spirit and pioneering musical outlook, the band he loathes most are ‘Bohemian Rhapsody’ icons, Queen.
Speaking to Rolling Stone in 2004, Smith aired his hatred for Queen after being asked about The Darkness, who had just become one of the biggest bands in Britain with their over-the-top take on 1970s rock. Their 2003 debut, Permission to Land, shot straight to the top of the charts, earned the Suffolk quartet a slew of Brit Awards, and saw them suddenly headlining major festivals.
By that point, Smith had seen and heard enough. Unconvinced by The Darkness, he made his thoughts on Queen clear: “Well, I never liked Queen,” he said when asked about the band. “I can honestly say I hated Queen and everything that they did.”
The Cure frontman added: “To have that rehashed and reheated for a second time around is pretty weird. So, no, I don’t like the Darkness at all. I think they’re a comedy band.”
