Robert Smith is The Cure. Everyone knows that, right? He’s the hair, the lipstick, the smudged eyeliner, and that unmistakable voice that sounds like a ghost trying to find its way home. But if you look at the liner notes of Disintegration or Songs of a Lost World, you’ll see a revolving door of names that have shaped the sound of the most successful "depressing" band in history. It’s actually kind of wild how many people have cycled through. Over forty years, we’ve seen more members of The Cure come and go than most people have had jobs. Some stayed for decades. Others lasted about as long as a cup of coffee.
Robert isn't exactly easy to work with. He’s a perfectionist. He admits it. He’s also the guy who famously fired his childhood friend, Lol Tolhurst, during the recording of their biggest album because Lol was—to put it lightly—too drunk to play the drums (or the keys, or anything else). But that tension? That’s where the music comes from. It’s the friction between Smith’s vision and the musicians he brings into his orbit.
The Original Trio and the Post-Punk Spark
The Cure didn't start in a goth club. They started in a school in Crawley. The early members of The Cure were basically just kids trying to figure out how to play their instruments. Robert Smith, Michael Dempsey, and Lol Tolhurst. That was it. If you listen to Three Imaginary Boys, it doesn’t sound like the sweeping, atmospheric "Lullaby" or "Pictures of You." It’s jagged. It’s thin. It’s almost punk.
Michael Dempsey didn't stick around long. He wasn't a fan of the direction Robert wanted to take—which was darker, slower, and much more miserable. He left to join The Associates, and in came Simon Gallup.
Simon is the secret weapon. Honestly, without Simon, The Cure doesn't exist. He’s the one who provides that driving, melodic bassline that allows Robert to noodle around with those chorus-heavy guitar melodies. Except for a brief period in the 80s when he and Robert got into a literal fistfight in a club in Strasbourg, Simon has been the backbone of the group. He’s the second-longest-serving member. He’s the guy Robert calls "his best friend."
The Dark Trilogy and the First Big Collapse
By the time the band was recording Pornography in 1982, things were falling apart. The members of The Cure were basically living on a diet of drugs and spite. Robert wanted to make the ultimate "f*** off" record. It worked, but it almost killed the band.
When Simon left after the fistfight, Robert was basically alone. He did a stint playing guitar for Siouxsie and the Banshees. He made a weird psychedelic pop record called The Glove with Steven Severin. For a minute there, it looked like The Cure was just going to be Robert and whatever session guys he could find.
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But then something weird happened. He decided he wanted to be a pop star.
- The Pop Pivot: Robert brought Lol back (now on keyboards because he couldn't drum well enough for the new sound).
- The New Blood: Porl Thompson (now Pearl) joined on guitar. Pearl is a beast. The solos on "Doing the Unstuck" or "From the Edge of the Deep Green Sea"? That’s Pearl.
- The Rhythm Section: Boris Williams joined on drums. Ask any hardcore fan—Boris is the definitive Cure drummer. He had this jazz-influenced precision that made the Disintegration era sound so massive.
Why the Members of The Cure Keep Changing
It’s rarely about "creative differences" in the way most bands describe it. It’s about the "Robert Factor." If you’re in The Cure, you’re helping Robert Smith realize a vision.
Take Roger O'Donnell. He’s the keyboardist who has been fired and rehired more times than I can count. He’s brilliant. He’s the one responsible for the lush, orchestral layers on Disintegration. But he’s also vocal. He has opinions. And in a band where there is only one true leader, opinions can get you sent home. He’s back now, though, which is good because The Cure without those sweeping synth pads just feels empty.
Then you have Jason Cooper. He’s been the drummer since 1995. That’s longer than Boris Williams was ever in the band. Yet, fans still debate him. Why? Because The Cure is a band built on nostalgia. People want the lineup they grew up with. They want the 1989 version of the band forever. But Robert is loyal to the people who show up and do the work. Jason shows up.
The Recent Shakeups and the Return of Perry Bamonte
If you haven't been paying attention lately, the lineup of members of The Cure just got another shuffle. For years, the lineup was stable: Robert, Simon, Roger, Jason, and Reeves Gabrels.
Wait, Reeves Gabrels? Yeah, David Bowie’s old guitarist.
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Reeves is an interesting addition. He’s a "guitarist's guitarist." He brings a grit and a technical proficiency that the band didn't really have before. Some fans think he’s too "rock" for The Cure, but Robert clearly loves him. He adds a layer of noise that fits the darker, heavier tracks on the new material.
But the big news for 2023 and 2024 was the return of Perry Bamonte. Perry was in the band during the Wish era—the "Friday I’m In Love" years. He was fired in 2005 in a move that felt pretty cold at the time (via email, supposedly). Seeing him back on stage with Robert and Simon feels like a circle closing. It makes the band feel like a family again, even if it's a slightly dysfunctional one.
The Current Lineup (As of 2024/2025)
Right now, the band is a six-piece. That’s a lot of sound.
- Robert Smith: Vocals, guitars, keys, the boss.
- Simon Gallup: Bass (the heart).
- Roger O'Donnell: Keyboards (the atmosphere).
- Jason Cooper: Drums (the engine).
- Reeves Gabrels: Guitar (the edge).
- Perry Bamonte: Guitar/Keys (the glue).
It’s arguably the most "musically capable" version of the band ever assembled. They can play the 10-minute epics from Bloodflowers and then pivot immediately into the 3-minute pop of "In Between Days."
The Lol Tolhurst Situation: A Lesson in Band Dynamics
You can't talk about members of The Cure without mentioning the lawsuit. In the early 90s, Lol Tolhurst sued Robert Smith and Fiction Records. He wanted more royalties and a say in how the band was run. He lost. Hard.
It was a messy public divorce. For years, it seemed like they would never speak again. But time heals weird goth wounds. Lol eventually wrote a book (Cured), Robert read it, and they made peace. Lol isn't back in the band—he’s doing his own thing with Budgie from the Banshees now—but he’s back in the inner circle. It shows that even in a band with this much turnover, the history matters.
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Why Does This Matter to You?
If you're trying to understand the band's evolution, you have to look at who was in the room.
- Want the minimalist, cold stuff? Look at the Smith/Gallup/Tolhurst era (Seventeen Seconds).
- Want the lush, psychedelic stadium goth? Look at the Smith/Gallup/Thompson/Williams/O’Donnell era (Disintegration).
- Want the heavy, distorted, modern sound? That’s the Reeves Gabrels influence.
The "sound" of The Cure isn't just a pedal setting on a guitar. It’s the way Simon’s bass interacts with whoever is playing drums. It’s whether or not there’s a keyboard player who understands that "less is more."
How to Track the History Yourself
If you’re a new fan or just a casual listener trying to get deeper, don’t just stick to the Greatest Hits. To really hear what different members of The Cure brought to the table, you should listen to the live albums.
Paris and Show (both recorded in 1992) give you the peak "classic" lineup. The interplay between Porl Thompson and Robert is insane. Then, go watch the Trilogy DVD from 2002. You’ll see a different energy. It’s more clinical, more precise, but equally heavy.
Actionable Insights for Fans and Collectors
If you’re looking to dive into the world of The Cure, here is what you should actually do:
- Check the Credits on "Songs of a Lost World": Pay attention to the songwriting credits. Robert usually writes everything, but the arrangements are where the band members leave their fingerprints.
- Follow Roger O'Donnell on Social Media: Honestly, he’s one of the most transparent members. He often shares insights into the band's touring life and his own health battles (he recently opened up about his lymphoma diagnosis), which gives a very human face to the "Goth Icons" persona.
- Listen to the Basslines: If you want to know if a song is "Classic Cure," listen to the bass. If it’s melodic and high up on the neck of the guitar, that’s Simon Gallup. If the bass is missing that "lead" quality, it’s probably one of the brief windows where Simon wasn't in the band.
- Don't Ignore the Side Projects: To understand Pearl Thompson’s contribution, listen to their work with Page and Plant. To understand Reeves Gabrels, listen to Bowie’s Earthling. It helps you see what they brought into Robert’s world.
The Cure is a living organism. It changes skin every few years, but the soul stays the same. Robert Smith might be the one holding the map, but the members of The Cure are the ones who build the road. Whether they stay for one album or thirty years, each one has added a brick to the wall of sound that defines alternative music.
Go put on Faith and then put on Wish. You'll hear the difference that a few personnel changes can make. It’s not just the same band with different hair. It’s a complete sonic reinvention, held together by a guy who refuses to cut his hair or stop wearing eyeliner. And honestly? We wouldn't want it any other way.