Robert does have a status for being a management freak, however I believe he arms over the baton to whoever is working with. He ain’t going to leap via hoops of fireside, and it was by no means in my modus operandi to get footage that made the flip look silly. However I believe he trusts those who he is aware of can do the job.
Robert Smith enjoys the sculptures in Bologna: The Remedy on tour in Italy, June 1984
This was on The High tour. I joined them in Italy. They had been fairly a good band. There’s all the time this factor while you be part of a band on tour, even when they know you a bit, you continue to really feel just like the outsider since you’re not a part of the gang. Though you could be an honorary member for 2 or three days, you’re an outsider. It’s like you may’t argue with a married couple. It’s the identical with any band, you understand: they’ve acquired their very own lingo, their very own methods. You’re witnessing it, however you’re really outdoors of it. And also you’ll by no means have the ability to penetrate it.
That statue with a fountain is in Bologna, and it’s on a Sunday morning. The day earlier than, the gig was nice… however earlier on within the day, Robert had a dicky tummy. I believe he’d eaten a dodgy prawn or one thing and he was laying on the on the dressing room flooring, groaning in ache previous to soundcheck.
He recovered sufficient the subsequent morning to exit. But it surely was a case of, let’s nail it. In order that was only a fast as soon as across the block and take some footage. It was actually fortuitous that there was some good structure round to utilise.
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A cheeky second with Robert Smith and Lol Tolhurst: The Remedy on tour in Italy, June 1984
I’ve a historical past of them doing stuff [for other photographers] and me strolling in and taking up the studio. There was this actually well-known Italian photographer who was capturing them for a very high-end publication. This man was arrange after which he was achieved, and he was speaking to his assistant. I simply shifted the lights round a bit, and whacked off a few frames. That was on the hoof, you understand? If one thing presents itself, you simply go to go, there you go chaps. And bang, bang, bang. This image is the one Lol used on the duvet of the UK model of his biography, Cured: The Tale of Two Imaginary Boys.
Getting Robert away from bed: The Remedy on tour in Brussels, November 1987
It was a Saturday evening, they performed some membership in Brussels which I can’t recall. We’re within the dressing room and Robert’s finding out his hair and all that stuff. I’ve simply acquired a few plastic backgrounds on a wall and I’m simply saying, “Robert, the blue one.” I’m getting them as they’re prepared.
In the event that they’re preparing for a present, they don’t actually need me of their of their hair as effectively. So I pinned up two backgrounds subsequent to one another so I may swap, one to the opposite. Then the Melody Maker’s acquired a alternative of colors.
These footage have fairly clear lighting, they’re fairly outlined. Good for a canopy, maybe. However I used to be gagging for one thing in daylight. So, I mentioned to Robert, can we meet tomorrow lunchtime? I get there at one or two o’clock, and the bugger’s nonetheless in mattress. It was in November, and it was getting darkish. So, I believed I higher go from road stage as much as the roof. After which Robert turns up and it’s that traditional form of ‘Tommy, do I actually must be right here?’ kinda look. This type of weathered, aged, ‘is that this completely essential?’ look. I all the time bear in mind it, as a result of it doesn’t look as darkish because it was getting… or possibly it was simply my sheer panic.
‘Give us your eyes’: The Remedy on tour in France, 1989
This was a swifty – dive in and dive out. You may’t take {a photograph} of The Remedy of their fatigues. You may’t do it till he’s prepared, within the sense of made up, able to go. The eyes are on, the lips on, the hair’s achieved. In the event that they in the event that they’ve acquired a gig coming, I’ve to be fairly economical with the time as a result of they’re on stage in half-hour.
Robert is admittedly good at connecting with the digicam. He is aware of what’s required. It’s not just like the [Melody] Maker was some kind of artwork journal. You couldn’t have some enigmatic, looking-at-the-stars shot, as a result of it’d be too darkish and the ink would fuck up. A whole lot of time it needed to be fairly clear.
When Melody Maker, together with the NME and Sounds and File Mirror, was sitting with a mess of different magazines on the information stand at Tottenham Court docket Street while you come out of the tube station, you’ve acquired to have the ability to see these minces [mince pies, rhyming slang for eyes] on the opposite aspect of the highway. Each time I’m working with a person, whoever I’m photographing, I say, give us your eyes. Until you bought eye contact, you may’t anticipate folks to take a look at it the identical manner.
Generally while you look into the lens and look into their eyes, it’s a little bit of a staring competitors. With Robert I believe he’s all the time been assured. I imply, God is aware of what he thinks about in his personal time, however when he’s working his confidence is nice. He’s all the time seemed to be older than his years as effectively.
Robert’s aspect hustle as a Nationwide Belief information: The Remedy in southwest England, 1995
This was an incredible time out. The band had been achieved within the southwest recording [the album Wild Mood Swings] in that actress’s home [Jane Seymour’s house, St Catherine’s Court in Somerset]. I got here down once they’d been caught within the studio for a few weeks, so I’m certain they wished a distraction. In different phrases, taking the piss out of a mature lensman. So, off we went.
Robert was, and doubtless nonetheless is, a member of the Nationwide Belief. So he had all of it labored out, the place we’re had been going. We acquired in a van and we simply travelled round. We went to Cheddar Gorge and all spherical that space. Robert had made just a few notes, so he’d be trying on the map, and saying, “Developing is…”
The horse doesn’t have any hidden that means. It’s simply the British countryside. However I prefer to suppose it confused lots of people abroad, in Japan or no matter.
Music icons: The Remedy in Westside Studios, London, 2005
It was 2005, and The Remedy had been in Westside Studios recording. I used to be taking an image of Robert with a duplicate of Bowie’s …Ziggy Stardust… for sequence of portraits on music icons and the data that impressed them. I mentioned to him, “let’s get a few different portraits whereas we’re right here”. There was this spiral staircase outdoors, so we headed there. Robert mentioned to me “you’ll do higher getting me from above…” and he was proper. I like taking pictures from above, you get a greater line on folks’s jaw. Their faces look higher.
I believe Robert labored out his relationship between him and the digicam. I imply, he acquired his entire factor collectively, didn’t he? With the hair and the lips and the clobber. If you happen to’ve acquired all that stuff round, you would confuse the viewer. So I’d all the time say, I nonetheless need the eyes. I need that contact.
The Cure: Pictures of You by Tom Sheehan, with a foreword by Robert Smith, is revealed November 3, 2022.
The Remedy are on tour now, they play throughout the UK from December 2-13, thecure.com.