JANUARY
Hansa rejected the band's demo and suggested a few rock'n'roll classics
instead. So, a third recording session was set up but the band refused to
compromise. New versions of I Just Need Myself and Rebel Rebel were recorded,
along with an early version of Plastic Passion and Smashed Up.
FEBRUARY
19th
Crawley, The Rocket
Lockjaw (a local band Simon Gallup played bass in) supported Easy Cure for
the first time.
MARCH
Hansa's contract was dissolved since the record company wouldn't release
the band's material. Easy Cure evolved quite quickly, tracks like 10:15
Saturday Night and Grinding Halt date from this era, making it more difficult
for Porl to include guitar solos on the new style of songs that was emerging.
MAY
Porl left early May 1978, reducing the band to a trio (Robert Smith, Michael
Dempsey, Lol Tolhurst) and giving the opportunity to shorten "Easy
Cure" to "The Cure".
27th
New demos (funded by Ric Gallup) were recorded at the Chestnut Studios :
10:15 Saturday Night, Boys Don't Cry, It's Not You, Fire In Cairo. The tape
(along with a picture again) was sent to major record companies : "We
would like a recording contract".
JUNE
09th
Crawley, The Rocket
A special performance (with organs played back from tapes) entitled "Mourning
the Departed" in reference to Porl. The Cure continued playing along
with Lockjaw here and there.
AUGUST
10th
The band met Chris Parry, as Polydor was the most promising reply to the
demo tape sent earlier. But to their surprise, he proposed them a deal with
his own independant label that would be distributed through Polydor. They
agreed (remembering their experience with a major company).
SEPTEMBER
The Cure signed a 6-month contract with Fiction Records. Chris Parry became
the band's producer but also their manager, setting up concerts, giving
them the opportunity to play away from their hometown and surroundings for
the first time.
20th
London, Willesden, Morgan Studios
Three Imaginary Boys, 10:15 Saturday Night, Fire In Cairo, Plastic Passion,
Killing An Arab were recorded. Parts of most tracks would be re-recorded
later for the final versions.
NOVEMBER
Supporting Generation X for a few dates, before the headliners ceased to
tolerate the Cure - an incident involved Lol urinating on Billy Idol's leg.
In fact, the band was getting more and more noticed by the audience.
DECEMBER
04th
John Peel Radio Session
Four tracks (great versions) were recorded for the famous radio show on
BBC Radio 1 : Killing An Arab, 10:15 Saturday Night, Boys Don't Cry, Fire
In Cairo. The radio session would be broadcast on the following week.
19th
Islington, The Hope And Archor
Chris Parry managed to get the first Cure interview ever to be published
in the press (NME) a few days before. So lots of people showed up to this
show but Robert Smith was sick that night. It didn't prevent the band to
get good reviews and even sympathy, certainly because of the sickness, the
"charity-rack instruments" and Lol's drumkit keeping falling over.
At this point, they probably played most of the Three Imaginary Boys album
along with Boys Don't Cry, Plastic Passion, Killing An Arab and Do The Hansa.
22th
The Cure's first single, Killing An Arab, was released
on Small Wonder (15,000 copies) since Polydor wouldn't have a record out
so close to Christmas.
GO TO 1979 PART 1
