So envious. They only came to Australia twice in the 80s, once in 1980 (I was a bit young) and 1984 (I was in hospital a lot that year) Gutted I never saw them tbh
Saw my first show in 96, though I loved them quite a while earlier, but have seen them a number of times since (still not nearly enough), different tours and different states/country over the same tour and A Forest is always amazing. Too be fair, the rest of the songs are also amazing live. They are such a great band live, I can’t wait to see the this next go around, it’s getting close to the end but I’ll certainly never forget the live experience.
1980 is technically still the 70s. This song was made in the 70s. In the 80s songs like this disappeared because they werent commercial enough. You folks often attribute to the 80s things that were from the 70s or 90s. Everything you complain about today began and were implemented in force in the 80s. Foday the record companies just repeat what was common practice in the 80s. The misguided nostalgia for the 80s is the strangest thing that exists today. It's so weong it is not even wrong, it is worse than wrong.
Big 80s Cure fan here- yes I actually can- "She Past Away" gets very close (whether by coincidence are explicitely trying I don't know) as does Placebo from the 90s (still active today). See She Past Away - Rituel (Wednesday dance) or "EXIT 2022 | She Past Away Live at Visa Fusion Stage FULL SHOW".
I believe it was something like this: The Smiths looked at the pain in life and saw the humor, The Cure saw the beauty, and Depeche Mode found it oddly arousing. 🤣
@@mightyV444 I always had a joke "Simon Gallup is one of my favourite bass players... but he isn't even The Cure's best bass player" 😉 (Listen to the bass on The Associates 'Party Fears Two'). However, the live version of Jumping Someone Else's Train which segued into Another Journey By Train which Simon did play on was always a favourite of mine. Live 'A Forest' used to morph into 'Three' and back again. The morphed version of 'Three' eventually became known as the live song 'Forever'.
15 years old.... 11.00 pm...john peel show on my ghetto blaster... through headphones ... on a school night and this track came on!!! Nearly 60 now & I've never got bored with it! A totally eerie, hauntingly atmospheric piece of music 🎶 👌
@@robinlarge1630 I'm a 38 yo Argentine and discovered many via his sessions. It must've been a blast to listen to them for the first time back then and see them evolve and get to watch them live. I have some healthy envy, mate.
@sebastianbardon391 was great...would go to bed at 10.00pm school nights and put the headphones on! About 1979....1982 ish! Next day at school we'd be talking about the bands etc .... and John peel was notorious for putting a record on at the wrong speed so funny too! Great days! Dr martens boots & Harrington jackets with band badges on etc etc! 🎊🎧🎵🎸
@@robinlarge1630 omg that's awesome! I hope to have a pint with a real geezer to hear stories about the late 70s and early 80s. Such a rich cultural era. We were losing the Falklands while you had Mark E. Smith. Thanks for sharing more details! My hypothesis is that austerity over an educated youth creates great protest art such as punk and post punk.. you had your fair dose of austerity nowadays but the education is lacking. I wish you the best to all the pirates over there 🙌
@@nihilistlivesmatter You obviously misunderstood what I meant by that. And no, It is not my favourite band. But I do appreciate quality music when I hear it.
You are witnessing the birth of gothic music. The following two albums are the pinnacle of that for me. It’s all I listened to during my teens, along with Siouxsie, Bauhaus and Sisters.
And you’re right: it takes way more than a couple of songs to get this band. Their pallette is broooaaad! All their 1980’s albums sound like a different, expanding take on Robert Smith’s songwriting and production ideas. Yes, he’s produced most of their albums himself on his own budget, and you can hear it expanding from the bare bones minimalism of their first two albums to the grandiose, multi-layered sound of Kiss Me (1987) and Disintegration (1989). There’s nothing like them really. You’re in for a real treat exploring The Cure. Enjoy 😊
@@not12listen yea those ‘acid’ albums can be pretty heavy for an unprepared ear. One never forgets hearing them, though. I was genuinely frightened first time I heard the Pornography album. It quickly grew to be one of my favorites, not just from the Cure but in the whole canon of Rock Music™️. The Top is good too, but quite deranged. Sonds like a new band for each song (fun fact: except for the drums, the whole album is played and sung by Robert Smith alone with just an engineer recording). I think drugs had a lot to do with it.
@@peroskarstorholm4196 I know what you mean - frightened was exactly how I felt - especially hearing the title track in the dark. The Top is interesting because (as you mentioned) Robert played all the bass lines on that album - it's interesting contrasting his style with Simon. He had some really good bass lines on there. I also love Roberts bass playing on Lets go To Bed - it's really different to anything else the Cure has done. :)
@@zoeherriot Andy Anderson’s drumming should not be overlooked there. He bangs the drums really hard and tight on both The Top and the ‘Concert’ live album from the tour that followed it. Quite a different feel in the rythm section both before and after it with Phil Thornalley (co-producer on Pornography) on bass too. Much more rigid, but also really powerful. They were both session guys, but session guys do tend to do their job well. Simon Gallup is the definitive bassist in The Cure, though. His feel for both melody and groove is quite unique and crucial to their sound. It’s definitely not the same band without him.
@@peroskarstorholm4196 Andy's drumming was amazing. I remember the first time hearing Shake Dog Shake, it was like gun fire. Such a contrast to the simple rhythms that had come before. There is a great live show - Live in Tokyo - on UA-cam, and he nails it there. So yeah - Simon is definitely THE bassist for The Cure. But you can see why Robert hired him. They have a similar sensibility when it comes to bass. I mean, Robert writes some of Simon's baselines (at least a rough sketch from what we hear in the home demo's) and Simon just elevates them. Then there are the Simon compositions - which are - quintessential Cure. I'm so glad he didn't end up leaving the band. Honestly - one of the most epic sounds I have ever heard, was seeing the Wish Tour - when they played End. It opens with that drop D bass riff. You can kinda get a sense of it on UA-cam listening to the version from the Show video. But holy hell, in person that shook my soul.
Glad you tapped into this as it is a baseline that has absolutely never lost its vibe in the 40 years I’ve been listening to it, but it is a bit simple for your type of breakdown. Now, Primary on the other hand. That’s a track you should give a listen to. Double bass line absolute punk rock punch!
I was thinking about how I’m always saying there are songs with baselines you should try (and I’ve got a few more to suggest) but I wanted to make sure you understood how much I appreciate that you’re doing this series. It is really a pleasure to watch and your enthusiasm and interpretation is refreshing and entertaining! Here’s to you achieving a gold play button someday soon!
The Cure didn't become bouncy and radio-friendly until about their fourth album. Their early albums are a really rich gloom-laden goth trip, and IMO far better than their later work. Coincidentally, today I attended the funeral of Martin Phillipps, the lead singer and songwriter of one of New Zealand's top bands, The Chills (61 - far too young). Their first hit, "Pink Frost" is often compared to "A Forest" - simpler bass, but the song is propelled in a very similar way.
Oh I listened to Pink Frost recently via a reaction, in tribute to Martin. Also did u know The Cure has grouped Pornography with Disintegration and Bloodflowers? That could be a good intro to their later stuff. My fav Cure albums are Head On The Door, Kiss Me (x3), Pornography but I do like most of their stuff. First song I heard was Let's Go To Bed
@@jamesdignanmusic2765 True, from then on, they balanced the pop with the gloom much more evenly than the very dark Faith, Pornography, and Seventeen Seconds.
The Cure is fantastic live. They were my first concert when I saw them on their Wish tour. I've seen them several times since, and they always dig deep into their older music, especially as they come out for encore after encore. They perform so spot on and put together, and the whole show is just one big feel.
My first concert too. Disintegration at the Miami Night Center. Though Faith is my favorite. But within 10 months fans of those music were given Disintegration and Violator, Oh my days!
This song was part of the soundtrack of my teenage years - not certain you'll ever get it if you didn't discover it at the time - but for those of us that were there its one of the best.
The Cure has a huge range, and outside the radio format they are well known for their deep, despairing songs and goth rock cred. The pop songs are more an anomaly, albeit one that pays the bills. They tend to pop up on albums as a bit of bittersweet sunshine between the rainstorms.
@@twoturntables9153 Wouldn't say 'downhill', just lighter, more poppy & a lot less feeling of focus. Up through Disintegration their albums all seemed to be a single continuous vibe, def moody. I think the history is that since then Robert Smith just got generally happier in life & less dark which might be why all their more recent stuff just seems all over the place.
I think a The Cure song to check out from that same time period would be Primary. Which is, if I'm not mistaken, just two duelling basses with flange pedals and a drummer.
one of my all time favourite songs by anyone, especially live where they speed up and slow down and mix up the intensity of the music for up to 15 minutes. I often feel tearful from the tension between the layers of sound and the 'running in the forest' vibe and the vocals. It feels like a physical experience, ending with a solo heartbeat out of the maelstrom. thanks for your breakdown,
Great analysis! If you have time, check out the live versions of A Forest, there are a few legendary ones, like the Werchter Festival version from 1981, or the Show version from 1992, or even a proto-version from the Paris show in 1979, where it still was called At Night had different lyrics and a much faster tempo, but to see them perform this song live is a delight.
There's a couple of tracks that use two bass VI's and a 4 string bass. High and Letter To Elise being two - but I think even Friday I'm in Love has three basses in it.
"It's more than a song, it's a feeling" Yep, you got it. NOW you know the full magnificence of the Cure...and it wasn't the more radio-friendly 80s pop albums. We were all bloody lucky to grow up with them
This band is emotionally complex! Simon is a big part of their sound a lot of the time (that's something that I like about this band...something different). This whole record is amazing. It's atmospheric in a way that I've never heard anywhere else. It's such an eerie, cold atmosphere; I love it. Very cool record.
The end bass resides in my soul. So comforting to hear that absolute delivery. So personal. Cant stand to listen anymore cause its too depressing. Saw them at Wembley in 1988.
Love that you love it. You are a geniun music lover and musician. Ive seen lots of your videos and this one was special. Keep on rocking with the channel and lets us join you. Thank you!
The Cure's catalogue has a HUGE amount of deep cuts. Sure, their most well known songs are Lovesong, Friday I'm in Love, Lullaby, Lovecats etc...and those are GREAT songs...but I think you'll get a real kick out of diving in to their entire catalogue. It spans a huge spectrum of "genres" and vibes. The box set "Connecting the Dots" contains a wonderful selection of B sides and one offs too.
The Cure are so much about the base. And the sound. Robert Smith is such an extraordinary guitarist. I love so many of their songs. I've seen them live twice.
Robert plays baritone guitar??? I never knew that existed until I borrowed one for guitar lessons at the music shop one day. Let’s just say, I broke the top string just as my teacher realized what I had in my hand while trying to tune it.
Great song & Love this band. In the lyrics, he’s talking about being lost in the forest and the girl and then he’s running towards nothing because the girl was never there. This is my all-time favorite Cure song and it’s the bass line that pulls me in. Great video!
You are the third reviewer of The Cure that I have seen today mentioning how they set a musical mood that supports Robert's words. They do that SO well.
Dude you are nailing this - so interesting to hear a breakdown of what is going on. I've always been mesmerized by this song since the 80s-90s. The Cure are amazing. Love your open take on all these bands and great songs! BTW you should check out the live version of this from the concert film The Cure in Orange, it's even cooler.
You really need to hear it live. The song has evolved, since 17 seconds. The message is the search for beauty in the darkness. its fundamental in nialism. Mr Smith was reading alot of phylosophy then. Great video 🖤
So many great bass lines in The Cure’s catalog! Close To Me or Fascination Street would be great ones to check out too. Also, young Robert Smith is tripping me out 😂
The Cure are one of those bands that I haven't ever gone out of my way to listen to, but when I hear them I enjoy their stuff. You talked about kind of a melancholy feeling in this song, and made me think of the band Interpol and some of their songs. You should check them out, preferably their older stuff when Carlos Dengler was their bass player. The song "The New" has always been one of my favorites from him.
the 1st time I listened to that song I hallucinated and I immediately knew the guitar would be my forever instrument, I have listened to that song as no any other I never repeated a song to many times, this is my favorite song of all times
I've loved them since the early 80's, mainly for what you're pointing out - the mustic is non-formulaic and doesn't go where you think it would. A trip. Refreshing. Art.
I had the great privilege of playing my chosen sport to a good level about 40 years ago. I had a walkman with a repeat cycle of 'A Forest' the cure, 'Totally wired' the fall and 'Transmission' joy division to prepare me for a match. This got me mentally prepared. These songs still have that effect!
Greg vid brother. This is one of my favorite cure songs. Not a huge fan of theirs overall, but damn they have some bangers and were certainly a huge part of the musical landscape as I was coming up.
I remember going to a concert sometime in the 80’s and was running a bit late. I came into the concert hall as they started playing a long version of the intro of A Forest and it was epic! I can imagine they did that at every concert, so no surprise they played it a 1000 times live.
Hey Mark! First of all, thank you so much for doing these videos and deconstructing some of my favorite music. I find it's much easier for me to learn music theory if it's applied to actual music examples. These videos feel like a cool bass hang session with some fun learning thrown in. Please keep up the great work! Please do an analysis of "The Hanging Garden" by the Cure
Great reaction!! I absolutely love the bass - for me it's what draws me in to the rhythm of the song, so The Cure is a perfect group to find this! Simon Gallup is a tremendous player. I highly recommend listening (and maybe reacting to) their track Fascination Street - the bassline in that is stellar. Cheers!
If I’m not mistaken in Primary Robert plays a Fender VI and Simon a PBass as he always did until 1982 where he switched to a Rickenbacker 4001 for the Pornography album.
Yeah, I always took the bass throughout to be like a heartbeat of someone running through a dark forest, chasing someone or something, that stutters when the runner stops.
I love how you applied the repetitive nature of the music (and that it doesn't "go anywhere") to the lyrics. It's a statement piece from the band for sure.
The best bands, especially those that are in the Hall of Fame, can produce both styles of music. The Forrest is deep and entrancing, while their mainstream songs are more peppy and catchy while still providing abundant quality and skill that reveals how good they are within their musical spectrum. The Cure has an outstanding spectrum for which they traverse back and forth. They are that good! You’re right deep subtleties.
The first notes of the song you played took me right back to my first Cure show, A Forest was the closer and those notes and their player were the last on stage, lol.
I don't recall where I heard this, but someone once said that some of their guitar tones were done by Robert Smith playing a 6 string Fender Bass. That might be what this with a bunch of pedal effects.
I saw Beck live at a concert which was the Bassist's last show with the band. Beck let the Bass player choose a song to play. He chose Soldier Jane. If for no other reason, check it out because the bass player chose it.
Well, already in 1980 it was a different song. Originally, the more accessible Play for Today was planned to be the single. But the band wanted to be obscure and picked this one. To their surprise in became a hit. It is a classic.
I need to look at your back catalog, but I super recommend looking at the bass stylings of Bauhaus' David John Haskins on "She's in Parties", and Sister's of Mercy's Patricia Morrison on "This Corrosion " and "Lucretia, My Reflection"
There is something about this dong that just gets into your soul in a way that can't be explained. I wasn't a Cure fan as a teenager but my God i am now at 51...
This great song is one from their beginning and exists in many versions. My favourite is the Tree-Mix from the "mixed-up" album that brought some silly disco-style remixes. But THE FOREST remix is awesome.
the Cure is some of the first stuff I tried to learn on bass. Great songwriting and the bass is always up front. haha yeah it is good driving music too!
It needs time to get into this band. Until I discover 'A forest' not a long ago. Such magical, mysterious catchy song I've ever listening. And the whole Seventeen second album is pure 👌👌👌
I've seen The Cure many times in many eras, but A Forest live is still the highlight to me. The whole audience enters a trance state.
Yes! 🙌
I agree, Pornography is one of my favorite albums of all time from any band.
I agree. Of many great songs, I always end up here at A Forest.
So envious. They only came to Australia twice in the 80s, once in 1980 (I was a bit young) and 1984 (I was in hospital a lot that year) Gutted I never saw them tbh
Saw my first show in 96, though I loved them quite a while earlier, but have seen them a number of times since (still not nearly enough), different tours and different states/country over the same tour and A Forest is always amazing. Too be fair, the rest of the songs are also amazing live. They are such a great band live, I can’t wait to see the this next go around, it’s getting close to the end but I’ll certainly never forget the live experience.
"Could you imagine a band putting out a track like this today?" That's what I really miss about the 80's.
Same here. Mainstream releases are mostly boring.
1980 is technically still the 70s. This song was made in the 70s. In the 80s songs like this disappeared because they werent commercial enough. You folks often attribute to the 80s things that were from the 70s or 90s. Everything you complain about today began and were implemented in force in the 80s. Foday the record companies just repeat what was common practice in the 80s. The misguided nostalgia for the 80s is the strangest thing that exists today. It's so weong it is not even wrong, it is worse than wrong.
@@thilobraun3440so were they in the 80s.
@carlossaraiva8213 I'm guessing you didn't live in Europe in the 80s. There's another world outside what you experienced in your neck of the woods.
Big 80s Cure fan here- yes I actually can- "She Past Away" gets very close (whether by coincidence are explicitely trying I don't know) as does Placebo from the 90s (still active today). See She Past Away - Rituel (Wednesday dance) or "EXIT 2022 | She Past Away Live at Visa Fusion Stage FULL SHOW".
I do not know who said this but it's the best way to describe the Cure: "The Cure finds the beauty in the sadness of life"
I believe it was something like this: The Smiths looked at the pain in life and saw the humor, The Cure saw the beauty, and Depeche Mode found it oddly arousing. 🤣
Those are awesome quotes
One of my all time favorite songs from a favorite band. Jumping Someone Else’s Train is a fantastic song.
@@JoneyJefe - Great song indeed! 😀👍 With original bassist Michael Dempsey! 🙂
I love that one as well
@@mightyV444 I always had a joke "Simon Gallup is one of my favourite bass players... but he isn't even The Cure's best bass player" 😉 (Listen to the bass on The Associates 'Party Fears Two').
However, the live version of Jumping Someone Else's Train which segued into Another Journey By Train which Simon did play on was always a favourite of mine.
Live 'A Forest' used to morph into 'Three' and back again. The morphed version of 'Three' eventually became known as the live song 'Forever'.
@@girlsatourbest2113 Michael Dempsey AND Mike Hedges on the Associates (Sulk).
Yep🙌
One of the best songs ever written
15 years old.... 11.00 pm...john peel show on my ghetto blaster... through headphones ... on a school night and this track came on!!! Nearly 60 now & I've never got bored with it! A totally eerie, hauntingly atmospheric piece of music 🎶 👌
I wonder how many bands you discovered through John Peel. Great story!
@sebastianbardon391 .. too many to remember but I definitely heard 'atmosphere' by joy division for the first time the same way!
@@robinlarge1630 I'm a 38 yo Argentine and discovered many via his sessions. It must've been a blast to listen to them for the first time back then and see them evolve and get to watch them live. I have some healthy envy, mate.
@sebastianbardon391 was great...would go to bed at 10.00pm school nights and put the headphones on! About 1979....1982 ish! Next day at school we'd be talking about the bands etc .... and John peel was notorious for putting a record on at the wrong speed so funny too! Great days! Dr martens boots & Harrington jackets with band badges on etc etc! 🎊🎧🎵🎸
@@robinlarge1630 omg that's awesome! I hope to have a pint with a real geezer to hear stories about the late 70s and early 80s. Such a rich cultural era. We were losing the Falklands while you had Mark E. Smith. Thanks for sharing more details!
My hypothesis is that austerity over an educated youth creates great protest art such as punk and post punk.. you had your fair dose of austerity nowadays but the education is lacking. I wish you the best to all the pirates over there 🙌
I love the cure, I love their big hit singles, but seventeen seconds is a wall to wall classic. One of the great albums of the era
This song is a vibe for sure. Live versions are wonderfully long, living in the mood and subtleties. Somehow it takes you into the trees...
1. Robert smith is a musical genius.
2. The Cure is mostly for people who understand music.
3. Their bass lines are epic.
Now do "Fascination street"
the extended version on Mixed Up 🤌
Point 2 is dangerously close to that infamous rick and morty copypasta
Everyone who likes my favourite band are people who 'understand' music.......rolls eyes
@@nihilistlivesmatter You obviously misunderstood what I meant by that. And no, It is not my favourite band. But I do appreciate quality music when I hear it.
@@philipmoser3784 Oh yeah, agree.
Fascination Street is a regular sound check song for me. Love that line.
My favorite from them. That bass intro sounds like a trucker falling asleep at the wheel and running over a rumble strip. And I love it.
Absolutely rocking bass line.
Seconded. I was introduced to The Cure through Stavesacre's cover of Fascination Street
You are witnessing the birth of gothic music. The following two albums are the pinnacle of that for me. It’s all I listened to during my teens, along with Siouxsie, Bauhaus and Sisters.
@themidnightchoir - absolutely, and The Cure do not consider themselves Goth either.
And you’re right: it takes way more than a couple of songs to get this band. Their pallette is broooaaad! All their 1980’s albums sound like a different, expanding take on Robert Smith’s songwriting and production ideas. Yes, he’s produced most of their albums himself on his own budget, and you can hear it expanding from the bare bones minimalism of their first two albums to the grandiose, multi-layered sound of Kiss Me (1987) and Disintegration (1989). There’s nothing like them really. You’re in for a real treat exploring The Cure. Enjoy 😊
Just wait until he listens to Pornography and The Top... :) He won't know what to think.
@@not12listen yea those ‘acid’ albums can be pretty heavy for an unprepared ear. One never forgets hearing them, though. I was genuinely frightened first time I heard the Pornography album. It quickly grew to be one of my favorites, not just from the Cure but in the whole canon of Rock Music™️. The Top is good too, but quite deranged. Sonds like a new band for each song (fun fact: except for the drums, the whole album is played and sung by Robert Smith alone with just an engineer recording). I think drugs had a lot to do with it.
@@peroskarstorholm4196 I know what you mean - frightened was exactly how I felt - especially hearing the title track in the dark.
The Top is interesting because (as you mentioned) Robert played all the bass lines on that album - it's interesting contrasting his style with Simon. He had some really good bass lines on there. I also love Roberts bass playing on Lets go To Bed - it's really different to anything else the Cure has done. :)
@@zoeherriot Andy Anderson’s drumming should not be overlooked there. He bangs the drums really hard and tight on both The Top and the ‘Concert’ live album from the tour that followed it. Quite a different feel in the rythm section both before and after it with Phil Thornalley (co-producer on Pornography) on bass too. Much more rigid, but also really powerful. They were both session guys, but session guys do tend to do their job well. Simon Gallup is the definitive bassist in The Cure, though. His feel for both melody and groove is quite unique and crucial to their sound. It’s definitely not the same band without him.
@@peroskarstorholm4196 Andy's drumming was amazing. I remember the first time hearing Shake Dog Shake, it was like gun fire. Such a contrast to the simple rhythms that had come before. There is a great live show - Live in Tokyo - on UA-cam, and he nails it there.
So yeah - Simon is definitely THE bassist for The Cure. But you can see why Robert hired him. They have a similar sensibility when it comes to bass. I mean, Robert writes some of Simon's baselines (at least a rough sketch from what we hear in the home demo's) and Simon just elevates them. Then there are the Simon compositions - which are - quintessential Cure. I'm so glad he didn't end up leaving the band.
Honestly - one of the most epic sounds I have ever heard, was seeing the Wish Tour - when they played End. It opens with that drop D bass riff. You can kinda get a sense of it on UA-cam listening to the version from the Show video. But holy hell, in person that shook my soul.
So, The Smiths, now The Cure. What's next? Siouxie and The Banshees? Sisters of Mercy?
Siouxie and the Banshees would be awesome ngl
The Damned! 😀👍
Goth rock has always been a bass heavy genre; there could definitely be a lot to chew on in a dive into it.
Siouxie would be sweet! 😁
I second Siouxsie and The Banshees. Also The Damned
Glad you tapped into this as it is a baseline that has absolutely never lost its vibe in the 40 years I’ve been listening to it, but it is a bit simple for your type of breakdown. Now, Primary on the other hand. That’s a track you should give a listen to. Double bass line absolute punk rock punch!
I was thinking about how I’m always saying there are songs with baselines you should try (and I’ve got a few more to suggest) but I wanted to make sure you understood how much I appreciate that you’re doing this series. It is really a pleasure to watch and your enthusiasm and interpretation is refreshing and entertaining! Here’s to you achieving a gold play button someday soon!
I was looking to see if anyone had mentioned Primary! Great suggestion 👍🏻😁
Nearest The Cure got to Big Bottom by Spinal Tap 😂
Primary and Holy Hour! Oh my days! My favorite driving album. I miss that Volvo 242 turbo with manual trans.
This band has changed my life. As simple as that.
same, always been a part of it.
The Cure didn't become bouncy and radio-friendly until about their fourth album. Their early albums are a really rich gloom-laden goth trip, and IMO far better than their later work. Coincidentally, today I attended the funeral of Martin Phillipps, the lead singer and songwriter of one of New Zealand's top bands, The Chills (61 - far too young). Their first hit, "Pink Frost" is often compared to "A Forest" - simpler bass, but the song is propelled in a very similar way.
Their first album has its poppy, bouncy moments, like "Boys Don't Cry."
Oh I listened to Pink Frost recently via a reaction, in tribute to Martin. Also did u know The Cure has grouped Pornography with Disintegration and Bloodflowers? That could be a good intro to their later stuff. My fav Cure albums are Head On The Door, Kiss Me (x3), Pornography but I do like most of their stuff. First song I heard was Let's Go To Bed
@@SO-ym3zs true, but it wasn't really until the time of "Let's Go To Bed" and "Lovecats" that it started to dominate.
@@jamesdignanmusic2765 True, from then on, they balanced the pop with the gloom much more evenly than the very dark Faith, Pornography, and Seventeen Seconds.
I'd performed 'Pink Frost' with my band at a gig here in Wellington only last night, to honour Martin Phillips.
Oh, man! You've been missing out! Simon is one the most crerative bass players ever!
The Cure is fantastic live. They were my first concert when I saw them on their Wish tour. I've seen them several times since, and they always dig deep into their older music, especially as they come out for encore after encore. They perform so spot on and put together, and the whole show is just one big feel.
My first concert too. Disintegration at the Miami Night Center. Though Faith is my favorite. But within 10 months fans of those music were given Disintegration and Violator, Oh my days!
This song was part of the soundtrack of my teenage years - not certain you'll ever get it if you didn't discover it at the time - but for those of us that were there its one of the best.
👆👆👆👆👆
There will never be another moment in time like you just described. It was so weird and perfect.
The Cure has a huge range, and outside the radio format they are well known for their deep, despairing songs and goth rock cred. The pop songs are more an anomaly, albeit one that pays the bills. They tend to pop up on albums as a bit of bittersweet sunshine between the rainstorms.
Wow, what a perfect analogy. The Cure are indeed perfect rainy weather music
Dang. Well said!
This is their best era. The true Cure sound
Nah they have at least true 3 "sounds", this, disintergration and the "new" sound (wish->)
17 seconds and faith and weirdly the top are my faves
Disintegration was their last good album. Went downhill after that.
@@twoturntables9153 Wouldn't say 'downhill', just lighter, more poppy & a lot less feeling of focus. Up through Disintegration their albums all seemed to be a single continuous vibe, def moody. I think the history is that since then Robert Smith just got generally happier in life & less dark which might be why all their more recent stuff just seems all over the place.
Agreed 100 %
I think a The Cure song to check out from that same time period would be Primary. Which is, if I'm not mistaken, just two duelling basses with flange pedals and a drummer.
The Cure is a great bass band! Such amazing bass-driven songs throughout their discography.
one of my all time favourite songs by anyone, especially live where they speed up and slow down and mix up the intensity of the music for up to 15 minutes. I often feel tearful from the tension between the layers of sound and the 'running in the forest' vibe and the vocals. It feels like a physical experience, ending with a solo heartbeat out of the maelstrom. thanks for your breakdown,
That's a great description of what the song evokes. Thanks!
M automatically plays in my brain after those closing bass 8th's.
Great analysis!
If you have time, check out the live versions of A Forest, there are a few legendary ones, like the Werchter Festival version from 1981, or the Show version from 1992, or even a proto-version from the Paris show in 1979, where it still was called At Night had different lyrics and a much faster tempo, but to see them perform this song live is a delight.
Fun fact, the Fender Bass VI six string bass is used all over The Cure’s records on top of a conventional 4 string bass
There's a couple of tracks that use two bass VI's and a 4 string bass. High and Letter To Elise being two - but I think even Friday I'm in Love has three basses in it.
"It's more than a song, it's a feeling" Yep, you got it. NOW you know the full magnificence of the Cure...and it wasn't the more radio-friendly 80s pop albums. We were all bloody lucky to grow up with them
This band is emotionally complex!
Simon is a big part of their sound a lot of the time (that's something that I like about this band...something different).
This whole record is amazing. It's atmospheric in a way that I've never heard anywhere else. It's such an eerie, cold atmosphere; I love it. Very cool record.
I like these types of videos, where I can hear about things I never thought about when listening to songs from my youth.
With the melodic kinda guitar solo, he plays the a string open along with the notes so it kinda masks it a bit hence the playing it like a chord
Gallup and Hooky are why I learned to play the bass
The end bass resides in my soul. So comforting to hear that absolute delivery. So personal. Cant stand to listen anymore cause its too depressing. Saw them at Wembley in 1988.
Love that you love it. You are a geniun music lover and musician. Ive seen lots of your videos and this one was special. Keep on rocking with the channel and lets us join you. Thank you!
That made my day - really appreciate you!
The Cure's catalogue has a HUGE amount of deep cuts. Sure, their most well known songs are Lovesong, Friday I'm in Love, Lullaby, Lovecats etc...and those are GREAT songs...but I think you'll get a real kick out of diving in to their entire catalogue. It spans a huge spectrum of "genres" and vibes. The box set "Connecting the Dots" contains a wonderful selection of B sides and one offs too.
The Cure are so much about the base. And the sound. Robert Smith is such an extraordinary guitarist. I love so many of their songs. I've seen them live twice.
Simon has simple yet memorable bass lines. Perfect for the Cure’s heavy baritone guitar, tribal drums and synth work.
Robert plays baritone guitar??? I never knew that existed until I borrowed one for guitar lessons at the music shop one day. Let’s just say, I broke the top string just as my teacher realized what I had in my hand while trying to tune it.
@@JoneyJefe Robert is a baritone guitar hero to us baritone guitar owners.
@@thesean3194 sweet!!!! Just another fact I never knew but needed to know back then! Lol
don't leave out the bass IV work either - Primary is brilliant
@@m1k3g3tz yes that’s my fav song from the Cure.
Seeing this Live at Fiddlers Green In Denver was AMAZING! Opening acts were Love and Rockets and The Pixies!
Great song & Love this band. In the lyrics, he’s talking about being lost in the forest and the girl and then he’s running towards nothing because the girl was never there. This is my all-time favorite Cure song and it’s the bass line that pulls me in. Great video!
First time on your channel. You gave a very thoughtful and substantive review. Will watch your other videos.
I appreciate that, thanks Nathan!
the 80s where much bolder in regards to music. we need this again!
Few songs encompass so many things at the same time: An era. A music genre. An attitude. A Mood. A feeling. A moment.
You are the third reviewer of The Cure that I have seen today mentioning how they set a musical mood that supports Robert's words. They do that SO well.
I love how they took their time establishing the groove.
Dude you are nailing this - so interesting to hear a breakdown of what is going on. I've always been mesmerized by this song since the 80s-90s. The Cure are amazing. Love your open take on all these bands and great songs! BTW you should check out the live version of this from the concert film The Cure in Orange, it's even cooler.
Appreciate you so much!
@@LowEndUniversity 55 min mark ua-cam.com/video/SXvEVl9MFB4/v-deo.html
@@matthewreed7471best live concert!
You really need to hear it live. The song has evolved, since 17 seconds.
The message is the search for beauty in the darkness. its fundamental in nialism. Mr Smith was reading alot of phylosophy then.
Great video 🖤
Another great Cure song with fantastic bass is Other Voices from the album Faith.
So many great bass lines in The Cure’s catalog! Close To Me or Fascination Street would be great ones to check out too. Also, young Robert Smith is tripping me out 😂
Thanks so much man, always love your feedback! See you around!
It took me a min to realize it was him
A pre-make-up Robert
They went from this to Primary where he's full make-up, hair and wearing a dress in that video lol
@@LowEndUniversity You gotta do Fascination Street - it's not a complicated bass line - but it's incredible, such attitude.
Ben Afflect on vocals. 😂
The Cure are one of those bands that I haven't ever gone out of my way to listen to, but when I hear them I enjoy their stuff. You talked about kind of a melancholy feeling in this song, and made me think of the band Interpol and some of their songs. You should check them out, preferably their older stuff when Carlos Dengler was their bass player. The song "The New" has always been one of my favorites from him.
Funny you should say that about Interpol - Interpol have acknowledged that the Cure were a massive influence for them
One of my favorite The Cure songs. Probably one of their best.
One of the best live bands to see! I saw them in May 2023
the 1st time I listened to that song I hallucinated and I immediately knew the guitar would be my forever instrument, I have listened to that song as no any other I never repeated a song to many times, this is my favorite song of all times
It’s incredible when you think how young they were when they wrote and played this
Fascination Street, Prayers For Rain, Burn, The Same Deep Water As You and everything else they’ve ever done.
The way they loop elements, build on them, bring them back in different contexts...classic Cure. So many memorable bass parts too.
Simon Gallup is awesome. Also check out David J lines from Bauhaus.
Oh man, do some Bauhaus puh-lease
overdriven fretless Precision, a real hero.
I love Primary from their 3rd album Faith 1981. Double bass action.
The Cure are definitely a vibe - I’ve always loved this song, but I’d probably say Fascination Street tops my list for cool basslines from them.
The Bouncing Souls...Manthem! Solid bassline and a smasher of a song
More Cure please! Primary would be a better song to review. Simon is such an innovative bass player.
'Play For Today' has great bass lines, too! 😊👍
I thought the exact same thing!!
I've loved them since the early 80's, mainly for what you're pointing out - the mustic is non-formulaic and doesn't go where you think it would. A trip. Refreshing. Art.
I had the great privilege of playing my chosen sport to a good level about 40 years ago. I had a walkman with a repeat cycle of 'A Forest' the cure, 'Totally wired' the fall and 'Transmission' joy division to prepare me for a match. This got me mentally prepared. These songs still have that effect!
At around 12:00 into this analysis, the sound of 'The Chain' by Feetwood Mac comes though to me.
Greg vid brother. This is one of my favorite cure songs. Not a huge fan of theirs overall, but damn they have some bangers and were certainly a huge part of the musical landscape as I was coming up.
Thanks, friend!
I remember going to a concert sometime in the 80’s and was running a bit late. I came into the concert hall as they started playing a long version of the intro of A Forest and it was epic! I can imagine they did that at every concert, so no surprise they played it a 1000 times live.
Hey Mark! First of all, thank you so much for doing these videos and deconstructing some of my favorite music. I find it's much easier for me to learn music theory if it's applied to actual music examples. These videos feel like a cool bass hang session with some fun learning thrown in. Please keep up the great work!
Please do an analysis of "The Hanging Garden" by the Cure
Thank you so much. I truly aim for that type of feel, and you really made my day. Cheers, and thanks for the song suggestion!!
Great reaction!! I absolutely love the bass - for me it's what draws me in to the rhythm of the song, so The Cure is a perfect group to find this! Simon Gallup is a tremendous player.
I highly recommend listening (and maybe reacting to) their track Fascination Street - the bassline in that is stellar. Cheers!
Favourite song ever!! Check out their live performances. Live Cure is a force to be reckoned with.
You should check out Primary by the Cure. Kinda similar, but you get two basses to analyze. Even better driving song.
Yes!!! Robert Smith plays bass lead/melody along with Simon Gallup holding down the bottom end and it's such a fun song! A post-punk gem!
If I’m not mistaken in Primary Robert plays a Fender VI and Simon a PBass as he always did until 1982 where he switched to a Rickenbacker 4001 for the Pornography album.
Love this band, give the album version of this song a listen, it has a fun little bass diddle in the buildup.
For me, tha last bass part is the heart that slowly stops beating.
Interesting!
Yeah, I always took the bass throughout to be like a heartbeat of someone running through a dark forest, chasing someone or something, that stutters when the runner stops.
I love how you applied the repetitive nature of the music (and that it doesn't "go anywhere") to the lyrics. It's a statement piece from the band for sure.
The best bands, especially those that are in the Hall of Fame, can produce both styles of music. The Forrest is deep and entrancing, while their mainstream songs are more peppy and catchy while still providing abundant quality and skill that reveals how good they are within their musical spectrum. The Cure has an outstanding spectrum for which they traverse back and forth. They are that good! You’re right deep subtleties.
The first notes of the song you played took me right back to my first Cure show, A Forest was the closer and those notes and their player were the last on stage, lol.
This was their first hit in the UK. Live version is epic
I don't recall where I heard this, but someone once said that some of their guitar tones were done by Robert Smith playing a 6 string Fender Bass. That might be what this with a bunch of pedal effects.
Awesome analysis.. being a hardcore punk and metal guy.. the Cure somehow made it into my world and they are an awesome band. Good ol'Goth
More fans of different musical genres seem to find more common ground with The Cure than any other alternative band around. JME
So glad you discovered this gem...
You are going through all my favorite songs lol. Excellent picks
1) I love The Cure. 2) Put this song on your exercise playlist for your days you do cardio.
My favorite band of all time. They have countless phenomenal songs & albums 🖤🤌🏼
I saw Beck live at a concert which was the Bassist's last show with the band. Beck let the Bass player choose a song to play. He chose Soldier Jane. If for no other reason, check it out because the bass player chose it.
The bass is so great in this song
It's a haunting Mantra that could float for ever. The LONG FINALE is mesmerizing! Long live the 80's.
Well, already in 1980 it was a different song. Originally, the more accessible Play for Today was planned to be the single. But the band wanted to be obscure and picked this one. To their surprise in became a hit. It is a classic.
Come to think of it, why wasn't this song in there on Trainspotting? They were all Ian Dury and stuff, this could've slotted right in
A Forest was one of the first bass lines I learnt. I even used a flanger pedal.
Great assessment. Great song!
I'm new to your site, love your breakdowns. Have you listened to anything from Morphine?
Thanks so much Jason! Yes, I did Morphine awhile back here: ua-cam.com/video/d0-X8eTVSq0/v-deo.html
I need to look at your back catalog, but I super recommend looking at the bass stylings of Bauhaus' David John Haskins on "She's in Parties", and Sister's of Mercy's Patricia Morrison on "This Corrosion " and "Lucretia, My Reflection"
Love this! One of my favorite Cure songs.
There is something about this dong that just gets into your soul in a way that can't be explained. I wasn't a Cure fan as a teenager but my God i am now at 51...
Man. That is really just TMI. I get it. But still.
@@JoneyJefe omg just realised about the typo 😳 SONG! I meant song....
@@nicholadeanewriter3499 LOL. I mean, I had NO IDEA what you really meant. NOW, it makes more sense. 🐝
Great breakdown! I would love to hear your thoughts on The Big Push - Wade in the Water/Trouble So Hard/Feeling Good and Ren's bass playing!
fond memories of listening to my friend's sister's band playing this song in the garage for 30 mins straight
I have to listen to it again! THE CURE
This great song is one from their beginning and exists in many versions. My favourite is the Tree-Mix from the "mixed-up" album that brought some silly disco-style remixes. But THE FOREST remix is awesome.
the Cure is some of the first stuff I tried to learn on bass. Great songwriting and the bass is always up front.
haha yeah it is good driving music too!
Awesome review!
The CURE.. BEST ROCK BAND IN THE WORLD !!! 🖤🤍🤎🖤🤍🤎
In my opinion the best British bands of that era were 1. Depeche mode 2. The Cure. 3. Tears for Fears ........................4. U2
It needs time to get into this band. Until I discover 'A forest' not a long ago.
Such magical, mysterious catchy song I've ever listening. And the whole Seventeen second album is pure 👌👌👌