Hear Original Cure Drummer Explain How Punk Changed Band

A founding member of the Cure – drummer and keyboardist Lol Tolhurst, who played with the group in 1976 and stayed with them through 1988 – chronicles his history with frontman Robert Smith in the upcoming book Cured: The Tale of Two Imaginary Boys. He also read the book for an audiobook version of the release via Audible, which will come out simultaneously with the print edition on October 11th.

In an audio excerpt, Tolhurst recalls how the group bonded over seeing the punk group the Stranglers live at a time in the late Seventies when things seemed stale creatively. He recalls a band practice where he, Robert and bassist Michael Dempsey were hanging out as he leafed through the music magazine Melody Maker. Tolhurst spotted an ad for the gig and offered to buy the band tickets as a tradeoff so he wouldn’t have to drive.

It was at the show, the drummer says, where the group found some much needed inspiration. “When we got there, it was full of all the London punks we had heard about and seen on TV and in the newspapers but never in the flesh – spiked-up hairdos and safety pins everywhere!” he recalls. “Robert and I pushed our way through the assorted punky types to the front. … I saw the look of wonder on Robert’s face. ‘This is more like it!’ I shouted over the loud music. We had found a place to start from. We could see a way to get out of the drab environs of Crawley and make real music that was exciting and alive, right here, right now.”

Earlier this month, Rolling Stone included the book on its list of “must-read music tell-alls.”

Tolhurst will be promoting the release with a book tour around the U.S. in October and November. He has listed the dates, as well as the nature of each event (whether it’s a Q&A session, a signing, an after-party or a DJ set) on his website.