In an interview he gave to Classic Rock a few years ago, Billy Corgan detailed his first meeting with The Cure singer Robert Smith.
The rocker recalled how Smith reacted to him while drunk:
“The first time I met Robert, it was a pretty wild night [laughs]. He was drunk out of his mind, and he asked me to make out with him. He ended up throwing up on my shoes. It was a memorable introduction! The next time I saw him, he just looked at me with those sleepy eyes and laughed, like, ‘That’s the way we roll in Cure world…’ When I think of The Cure, I think of a lot of alcohol being consumed. I’ve had some wild, fun nights with them.”
How Did Corgan Become A Cure Fan?
During the same chat, Corgan also shared the moment he became a fan:
“I was dating a goth girl who was obsessed with The Cure. She spoke about Robert Smith like he was her friend, which I’ve found through the years is very common with Cure fans, they see Robert as almost like their buddy.”
The vocalist was surprised when he listened to The Cure’s earlier album ‘Pornography’ and found a darker sound that he liked better. He stated:
“It was a totally different vibe. She put it on and ‘One Hundred Years,’ the first thing you hear, you think, ‘this isn’t the band I thought they were, it isn’t the cute cuddly version,’ it was this other side of the band. It made a big impression on me.”
Corgan worked with Robert Smith on a song for his solo album, ‘TheFutureEmbrace.’ They sang together on a cover version of The Bee Gees’ ‘To Love Somebody.’ Smashing Pumpkins also sometimes play cover songs by The Cure, like ‘A Night Like This’ and ‘Friday I’m In Love,’ with James Iha singing.