Cured

The Tale of Two Imaginary Boys

By: Lol Tolhurst

Narrated by: Lol Tolhurst

Length: 9 hrs and 54 mins

Publisher's Summary

A deeply moving and engaging memoir by Laurence "Lol" Tolhurst, cofounder of The Cure, detailing the origins and creation of one of the most beloved bands of all time and Tolhurst's own return from the brink of self-destruction.

"On a damp September morning in 1964, my mother threw Robert Smith and me together. A bus had been arranged to take children from the outlying areas to St. Francis of Assisi School in Crawley. On our first day of school, Robert and I stood at the designated stop at Hevers Avenue with our mothers, and that's when we met for the very first time. We were five years old."

So began a lifelong friendship that 14 years later would result in the formation of The Cure, a quintessential postpunk band whose albums - such as "Three Imaginary Boys", "Pornography", and "Kiss Me, Kiss Me, Kiss Me" - remain among the best loved and most influential of all time.

As two of the first punks in the provincial English town of Crawley, Lol Tolhurst and Robert Smith didn't have it easy. Outsiders from the start, theirs was a friendship based initially on proximity and a shared love of music, from the punk that was raging in nearby London to the groundbreaking experimentation of David Bowie's Berlin Trilogy. First known as The Easy Cure, they began playing in pubs and soon developed their own unique style and approach to songwriting, resulting in timeless songs that sparked a deep sense of identification and empathy in listeners, songs like "Boys Don't Cry", "Just Like Heaven", and "Why Can't I Be You?," spearheading a new subculture dubbed "Goth" by the press. The music of The Cure was not only accessible, but also deeply subversive, challenging conventional notions of pop music and gender roles while inspiring a generation of devoted fans and a revolution in style.

Cured is not only the first insider account of the early days of the band, it is a revealing look at the artistic evolution of the enigmatic Robert Smith, the iconic lead singer, songwriter, and innovative guitarist at the heart of The Cure. A deeply rebellious, sensitive, tough, and often surprisingly "normal" young man, Smith was from the start destined for stardom, a fearless nonconformist and provocateur who soon found his own musical language through which to express his considerable and unique talent.

But there was also a dark side to The Cure's intense and bewildering success. Tolhurst, on drums and keyboards, was nursing a growing alcoholism that would destroy his place in The Cure and nearly end his life. Cured tells the harrowing and unforgettable story of his crash and burn, recovery, and rebirth. Now, more than a quarter century sober, Tolhurst looks back on those days with clear-eyed honesty, delivering an inspiring account of his redemption and the process of coming to peace with The Cure and its continuing legacy.

©2016 Laurence A. Tolhurst (P)2016 Audible, Inc.

Thank you Lol!

As someone who grew up around alcoholism going back several generations this was a very inspiring story of not only breaking that cycle, but truly being a very present father. That Lol could come back from that not only for himself, but for his son, and his future is fantastic. Thank you for all the beautiful music, and this incredible story. It has meant so much to me in my life, and am glad you have sorted all your demons.

Excellent

Would you listen to Cured again? Why?

I've started it over already

What was one of the most memorable moments of Cured?

The younger stories were great to hear. It's hard to imagine Lol or Robert fighting skinheads!

What about Lol Tolhurst’s performance did you like?

He seemed genuine in his performance. You could tell this meant a lot to him.

Was this a book you wanted to listen to all in one sitting?

Yes, but of course it's to long for that.

Any additional comments?

As a Cure fan I'm biased admittedly. But I thought this book was really well done. It puts a new light on the songs up through Disintegration for me and I'll take any reason to go back and listen to those albums. Nice job Lol!!! Write more!

Heartfelt memoir from an artisan's soul

Would you listen to Cured again? Why?

No. Great tale but only need to hear it once.

What did you like best about this story?

The perspective of this story comes from a founding member of one of my favorite bands.

Which character – as performed by Lol Tolhurst – was your favorite?

Lol Tolhurst

If you were to make a film of this book, what would the tag line be?

A Play for Today and Tomorrow

Any additional comments?

This is a sole perspective into the curious world of The Cure. A band I grew up with and adore to this day. This tale focuses on the personal struggles of Lol, while chronicling the formation and rise of The Cure. I appreciate Lol's thoughtful reminiscing on the band's history as well as his conflict with alcohol. I saw the "Kiss Me" tour in Chicago while I was still in high school, and I remember the beginning of that show just as Lol describes in the book. Sadly, this was around the time that his addiction was beginning to affect his work. I have seen The Cure a number of times since my high school days. They rank as one of my favorite bands of all time. So this story feels very personal and I'm sure it took a lot of courage for Lol to put himself out there. Well done, Lol.

Splendid and brutally honest

Unlike any band memoir you are likely to read. Well done on every level. Anyone with even a passing interest in The Cure will find this well worth their time.

Boring. Zero insight.

It's a bland account. I went here, I did this, I drank too much, I got kicked out of the band, and now I'm old, and have no wisdom to impart besides "don't drink too much".

A must read for fans of The Cure.

I've read a few band related autobiographies lately and by far Tolhurst's story telling of his life in and out of the band was the most humble and touching one I've listened to.

Honest and Engaging, a Cure-all for Fans!

Gotta love Lol Tolherst. Suoerb rock & roll memoir of his life in The Cure.

a touching story

a touching story read by the author gives this audio book the right feeling to get into it

Touching story

I was impressed with this story. It was honest and touching. I saw a different side of the band I grew up loving.

For fans only

I very much enjoyed the stories about the early days with Robert in middle school during the Punk era in the mid-70s and how the band was formed. I especially enjoyed his vivid memories of his first albums and influential bands I had never heard of.

Ultimately, however, the third act is just a droll, fogy boring story about recovering from alcoholism. He's clearly grateful to be alive and through all that but there aren't many lessons that anybody else can use. Anything worth confessing is pretty much just skipped over entirely. The whole court case was only ever referred to in future or past tense. The long list of thank-yous at the end was downright cringy and made this all very self-serving.

If he really wanted to help somebody, he could have done all this down at a speaker meeting. I think with this he just helped his own wallet.