It's Piracy I Tell You



Other Voices
July/August 1991
reproduced without permission

When The Cure decided to release their revolutionary remix album, Mixed Up, the usual forms of publicity: boring interviews, tv lip-synchs, and dull listening parties hardly seemed appropriate. The guys did some scheming and came up with the brilliant idea of introducing the new versions via their own pirate radio station. Unfortunately, the first attempt was so plagued by technical difficulties that few if any fans were able to hear the broadcast - so for "Son Of Cure FM" the band invited a US dj to assist them in taking over an existing London radio station for the night. In the true spirit of pirate radio, Other Voices planned to extend the range of the original broadcast by printing a full transcription for our readers. We were plagued by difficulties of our own - like inaudible conversation and unwieldy text so we elected to do a bit of careful editing over a couple of issues to spread the word more effectively.

So now we'll take you back to October 6th, 1990, just around 10 pm... The Cast of characters (in order of appearance) is:

(D) = Denis McNamara

(C) = Chris "Bill" Parry

(S) = Simon

The songs and the artists performing them for Son Of Cure FM are listed as they appeared in the broadcast.

Our strange tale begins with:

Never Enough - The Cure

D: CURE 102 that's Never Enough, in fact, that's the remix that will be on the forthcoming Mixed Up collection.

Good evening everyone. Hello London I'm from New York, my name's Denis McNamara I work for a radio station there called WDRE but this evening it is CURE 102 and we certainly would like you to call anyone and everyone you know and let them know that The Cure are going to be on the radio live, in fact each of the members of the band are bringing in some music to play. We're located at 101.7 - you probably know that because you're here but you might want to tell your friends. But we are live from Stringfellows, CURE FM and you can call us, in fact, we want to say thanks to Darren Butler who called us from Wentworth Hill is that right, Wentworth Hill? And if I mispronounce anything tonight, that's because I'm from Noou Yauk, but anyway Darren has asked us "When will The Cure play the UK again?". You know what? We'll ask the guys in the band to answer that in just a little while so stay tuned. This one goes back to, in it's original form, Kiss Me Kiss Me Kiss Me and you're never heard Just Like Heaven as you're going to hear it right now, exclusively on CURE FM 102.

"Just Like Heaven (dizzy mix)" - The Cure

CURE 102, good evening everyone, 101.7 FM is where we can be found and this is Cure radio, in fact, live from Stringfellows, and I'm in here from New York.... (silence) .... Oops, whoa! The switch got hit there, my producer accidentally hit the switch, but that's alright umm, because this is pirate radio, isn't it? Chris and Tom from Bishop's Stortford in Essex called us and, What did they have to say, Bill?

C: Well, they wanted some odd music, but I think you'll have to give them something from the Entreat CD.

D: Alright. Now this was recorded at Wembley and, in fact it was prior to The Cure doing the last major tour they did in the United States and all of the material on this live collection comes from Disintegration so we continue now at CURE 102 tell your friends.

Prayers For Rain/Untitled - The Cure

The Cure, recorded live at Wembley and this is CURE 102 and we're at 101.7 on your FM radio. My name is Denis McNamara and I am in here, just for this evening. Simon's on my left - we're going to have him on in a minute. Robert's in the back poring through CDs. And some of the questions that have been coming in, and again, I apologize ahead of time if I mispronounce anything because I am new to some of these geographic areas. From Islington, Phil and Nick want to give Robert a t shirt and what you should do Phil and Nick, is mail it to Robert in care of 97 Charlotte Street, W1. And Russ and Ian in Catford want to hear Bananafishbones. The answer to that is "no". And we have a comment here from Matthew in Crouch End who says for the band never to play -Crystal Palace again - he couldn't see. And we're wondering, 'Why not play there again?" And did anybody else who went to that show not like that particular venue or performance? And from Ilford, Greg wants to know if there will be a new Cure video - there is, in fact, it's an extension of the story line that existed on Close To Me if you remember the previous video, wait'll you I see how the story line continues and that will certainly be showing up on the boob tube soon. Kevin from Brentwood wants to know if a new Cure video compilation is in the works. The answer to that is yes. [see page two for further details!] My name is Denis

McNamara from WDRE in New York City, and coming to you tonight on a station that you know and love as Q 102, but we've renamed it tonight to -CURE 102. And you should know - the band have also picked out some special favorites to play for you on the radio this evening, in the meantime, right now, this is a brand new remix of a song that goes back a ways in the history of The Cure. This is the new remixed version of Primary on CURE 102.

"Primary (Red mix)" - The Cure

Ladies and gentlemen, I'm Denis McNamara, I've come from New York, from a radio station there called WDRE and it is my pleasure to be hosting CURE 102 this evening, live from Stringfellow's, in fact, we have our first member of The Cure on the radio with us. Hello Simon.

S: Hello, alright.

D: It's nice to have you here.

S: Thank you (laughing) - nice to be here.

D: And, welcome to pirate radio, live in London. And, we're just getting rolling and I'm getting used to the equipment here and I've got all kinds of surprises - plenty of things from Mixed Up, some collector's items, and in fact I'm going to get ready here and get your first choice. Now, explain this, everybody has selected songs, what's the criteria for the songs that you've brought in here this evening?

S: Uh, just the ones we picked up as we were going out the door I think.

D: (laughs) Now the first one you have chosen... Simon Gallup from The Cure is here with us, is The Pixies, and this goes back to the last album the Doolittle collection. Are you a Pixies fan?

S: Sometimes. I mean, some of the things they do is really good, some of the things, y'know - same as it is with any band I suppose, some of the things they do is crap. But, this one's good. It's a bit raucous.

D; Now, before we kick this one in lot me tell everyone you can call us.

S: Oh, yeah.

D: Give that number, Simon.

S: (laughs) Aw-eight, six-aw, two-free-seven, twoone-four, and in his best Dj voice he says again, aw-eight, six-aw, two-fre

D: And I have to say from Haseena Tenoshed, The Drowning Man - which, I don't know if we're going to get to, but we wanted to get that on the radio and Yasmin to Steve is dedicating any song, so we might as well make that Simon's first song here and Alistair and Ollie in North London are asking for A Forest which we'll get to later and Hullo, Hullo, Alistair and Ollie in North London, tell all your friends that we're live on the radio. It's happening tonight and only tonight on 101.7 on the FM dial. And why don't you introduce this one Simon?

S: This is dedicated to Arsenal for winning two nil today. (cheers and whistles from the back of the studio)

D: You're listening to CURE 102. These are The Pixies. This is Debaser.

Debaser - The Pixies

... Pixies on CURE 102. Good evening everyone we're coming to you live from an undisclosed location at 101.7. Simon Gallup is here with us from The Cure -everybody from The Cure is here. Robert's here, and Paul is here, and Perry is here, and Boris is... roaming around downstairs.

S: (laughs)

D: CURE FM live from Stringfellow's. And, messages here... Bill, what do I have this time around? Why doesn't Robert go to S. 0. concerts? Oh, Shelleyan Orphan concerts. That band opened for you in America, right? Yeah, Shelleyan Orphan. They're on the CBS label over there, are they on CBS here? Don't know? You don't know that. And , the reason here that Robert doesn't go to Shelleyan Orphan concerts is he's too shy.

S: (laughs LOUDLY)

D: And, that's for Chin, is that Chin, is that right? Hi Chin, thanks for listening. Um, Phil and Jenny...

S: Tell 'em where he comes from.

D: It doesn't say where Chin... Enfield. Hello Enfield, glad you're listening. Phil and Jenny from Enfield want to know if you're going to play Brixton Academy - if The Cure are going to play Brixton Academy?

C: (off mike) It's a possibility.

D: It's a possibility. I feel like an interpreter passing on the information. This is a question for Robert. Do you ever get mail from Chloe Leckie? And did you get a doll?

S: (laughing, still)

D: Answer, not too sure. And then we have to play a song for the Ghost Trail from Doug, where's Doug from?

C it's "Ghost Train Posse"

D: Ghost Train Posse. Alright. Simon, do we have a song for Doug coming up?

S: Yeah, Tom Jones.

D: Tom Jones.

S: Yeah Tom Jones Promise Her Anything.

D: Alright I gotta get him in the machine here. Are you a Tom Jones fan?

S: Not really, no, I mean. But he was a lot better than all these geezers about nowadays with leather trousers and anyfing and I mean at least he had a big wanger on 'im.

D: (laughs heartily)

S: And he's a Welsh boy.

D: Now, why this song in particular?

S: 'Cause this song... Well, I was out of the band for about 18 months and all I used to do was go down to the pub really. And the afternoons they used to leave the pub open, right? - for all the drunkards. This song was on the jukebox and we all used to play pool to it an drinking song and it's sort of like, at the same time, through being late home from the pub, um, y'know, you've got to explain to your girlfriend whatever. Why you're late and everything like that and - if you played this song - it sort of made 'em go all smooched up and nice and everything like that. It's a double fold thing. It's a raucous song, but it's a real smoochy song as well.

D: Alright, He's Simon Gallup of The Cure and we're coming to you tonight on CURE 102 and here he is ladies and gentlemen, MISTER TOM JONES!

Promise Her Anything - Tom Jones

D: It's all-Cure radio tonight and we're coming at you at 101.7 on the FM dial. and we'd certainly like...

S: (off mike) Live at Stringfellow's

D: Live from Stringfellow's, absolutely, yes. If you know anyone that is a Cure fan, this is a once in a lifetime opportunity, so let them know to get to a radio because we're going to go for a while and as I mentioned, all of the members of the band are here and you can phone us in. And we thank everyone who's calling and, if it's busy, keep trying 'cause the calls are just comin' in by the hundred s, 08 60 237 214 and, due to the nature of our broadcasting, we really only have one open line so we ask for your patience, but we do really want hear from you, 08 60 237 214. In a matter of weeks, Simon, Mixed Up will be released and I think it's time to leave Tom Jones for a little while and delve into some new remixes from The Cure. What have you picked for us?

S: Uh, Close To Me. I think Tom would've sung this one really well.

D: (Laughs) Now there's a new video, pauses, oops, hit the switch there again, excuse me folks, this is me being a clumsy engineer. But um, now you've been working on a new video that is actually an extension, if anyone remembers the original Close To Me video is that correct without giving too much away?

S: Yeah, it's just like, at the end of the last Close To Me we sort of, like, the wardrobe that we're in falls off the cliff and it lands in the sea - that's the last thing that you see. In this one it goes on to what happens afterwards, y'know, I mean, I won't give away anything, But there's a lot of nice people in it. (laughs)

D: (laughing also) And there's been almost a video ritual you've worked with the amazing Tim Pope?

S: Yeah. He's cheap.

D: And Tim is going to make a guest appearance, my producer tells me, a little later.

S: Has he learnt how to speak, then?

D: Oh yeah, I think he's been practicing for this. (Bill speaks off mike) Alright - an original Tim Pope recording.

S: Yeah, he's coming to plug 'is record Ha Ha Ha.

D: And he could only do that on CURE 102.

S: I hope he's brought Lisa.

D: 101.7 is where we are, that number again, 08 60 237 214, and Simon, thank you.

S: Thank you.

D: ... for spending this time with us.

S: See you later.

D: Alright, folks, this is the new remix - It'll be out a week Monday, it's the next single from the forthcoming Mixed Up, this is Close To Me on CURE 102.

"Close To Me (closer mix)" - The Cure

Again it is CURE 102 this evening, so if anyone you know is a Cure fan (with a prompt off-mike) Live from Stringfellows, yeah, in fact, order me some more drinks from downstairs, would'ya? If you know anyone that's a Cure fan, tell 'em - 'cause we're going to be here f or awhile.


Last Revised: Monday, 15-May-2006 15:00:01 CDT

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