Robert Smith, the enigmatic frontman of The Cure, recently shared a self-deprecating tale of his inauspicious start as a lead singer, likening his first live performance with the band to something out of Spinal Tap.
In an interview with the U.K.'s Absolute Radio, Smith reflected on his reluctant journey to the mic. "For whatever reason, when I sing, people connect with it," he admitted. "I have no idea why, and I don't think any singer does. I was horrified when I ended up as the singer."
Back in 1977, Smith was far from a natural showman. "At school, I never did anything on stage," he confessed. But he decided to give singing a shot during The Cure's first show. The result was less triumphant and more farcical.
"I sang one song at our first show, just to see what it felt like – and I sang the wrong song," Smith recalled with a laugh. While his bandmates launched into Jimi Hendrix's "Foxy Lady," Smith delivered a slurred rendition of David Bowie's "Suffragette City."
"I was so drunk, I didn't even know," he admitted. "I thought, 'That was good!' And everyone's like, 'You played the wrong song!"
Smith didn't set out to be The Cure's vocalist. "I never felt like I was cut out to be a singer," he explained. "I kind of grew into it because I fell out with everyone else that occupied that position until I became the de facto singer."
In those early days, Smith's uncertainty extended to the production of their first albums. "That's why, the early mixes, I'm really low down in the mix," he said. "When I started singing, I didn't think anyone would like what I sounded like. I didn't, and so I thought no one else was going to."
Smith went on to record The Cure's debut album, Three Imaginary Boys, expecting a short stint in the spotlight. "I thought, 'This is going to be a really short career unless we find someone who can sing,' he joked.
But to his surprise, the audience embraced his voice. "I sang the first album, and then discovered that people liked what I was doing," Smith reflected, seemingly still bemused by the idea.
From singing the wrong song to leading one of the most iconic bands in alternative music, Smith's self-doubt and offbeat charm have always been central to his enduring appeal.
