80's Re-Wind Artist - The Cure - Fascination Street

If you were listening to music in the 80's, there's a pretty good chance that your taste in music has some variety in it: Pop, R&B, Soul, Dance, Techno, Rap, Country, Goth, New Wave and Alternative. This is when I got introduced to Alternative music. This is when I discovered The Cure.

Thru-out the 80's, Robert Smith and his band put out very seductive and dreamy music, that needed to be played LOUD. They were dark, mysterious, gloomy, introspective and full of doom. Their music was considered 'Gothic Rock'. To me it was music, with an edge. But it wasn't until 1989 when The Cure released their 8th album, DISINTEGRATION, that I because obsessed with The Cure. To me this is what I was waiting for. This is what I thought Goth music was all about: dark, gloomy, depressing, sad, obscure, droning guitars, uttering vocals, lush, orchestral.

Every song on this album is a set-piece of music. The lush opening of Plainsong, the up-beat Lovesong, the drowning of The Same Deep Water As You, the scary Lullaby, the depressing Prayers For Rain, the madness of the title track. But of all the songs on this album, none affects me more than Fascination Street. The extended bass line intro leads to pounding repetitive drumming paired with some of Smith's amazing vocals. Its an angry song. Its about being stuck in a place that you can't get free from. The song ends with a musical rage. This is with-out a doubt my favorite song from The Cure. So for your listening pleasure, here is a live performance of Fascination Street:



John