"Without you I would probably be some bloated corporate pig"

Back in High School I was a massive Pink Floyd and Jimi Hendrix fan. It was all I listened to with the exception of the Beatles who to me are now one of the most over rated bands ever. I ocassionally listened to a local radio station as well to see if anything good was out there. Ha ! not much. But back in the summer of 1987 a song did catch my ear as it was much more melodic and different than the crap on the radio. I never heard the full song or caught the name of the band so I was never able to pick up the single or the album.

This song it turns out was Just Like Heaven. I was obsessed by the voice and guitar. But still had no idea who they were. Soon forgotten unfortunatley. Fast forward to 1988, I have a new set of friends who listen to hardcore. Bands like Suicidal Tendencies, Samhain, Bad Brains etc. I found this stuff kind of interesting, but I was still obsessed with Hendrix and Pink Floyd. Any way at the time I was sixteen and we would all drive around in my friends car. And they would always play hardcore or The Cure. One song by The Cure in particular was A Forest. Me being the retard I was at the time did not like the song. I did not really recognize the voice of Robert Smith to make the distinction that this was the same guy singing my favorite unknown song from the last summer.

Anyway, summer rolled around again. And my friend with the car was reading a book called acid dreams because Robert Smith had made mention of it in the book ten imaginary years. So this guy decides to start taking LSD. I thought he and the rest of the lot were out of their minds and did not take. Until me being the jelly fish I was finally broke down and took two doses for the very first try. Needless to say, the way they described was far less effective than they way it hit me. Took make this story short, the person who gave me the LSD also gave me a copy of The Top. He told me to put it on a walkman and listen to it when I got home. I did, and did and did. Being up all night having no clue what was happening to me. I clutched my walkman which thankfully was the type that would switch the tape to the next side when done.

In my room I was watching my Beatles poster get really weird my Hendrix poster was moving etc. I must've looked like a mess but that voice and music carried me through. As soon as I settled down a bit, I really began to realize that this is the band I should be listening too. And very soon after, I was the proud owner of all The Cure tapes from 3 Imaginary Boys to Kiss Me. Which really made me smile because now I had my favorite song again.

So there it is I have been hooked on the Cure for 20 years now and they are still my favorite band. Pornography and Disintegration remain two of may favorites cds ever. Pornography being my all time favorite album by anyone ever. It would take me hours to relate how this album in particular has affected my life. But in closing I'll just say that The Cure remain the most influential band to me as the music is just so different and the lyrics are some of the best poetry ever written. In fact, the song Breathe is one of my favorite Cure songs and I can never listen to it because even as a 36 year old man, it makes me cry everytime ! Thank you Robert Smith and The Cure for making my life what it is today. Without you I would probably be some bloated corporate pig with fond memories of making out with some ugly chick at an NSYNC concert.

(From: Jeff Kohlweiss - whereabout: unknown)