“Cured: The Tale of Two Imaginary Boys” by Lol Tolhurst [Book Review]

The Cure ruled the alternative charts in the 80’s and 90’s with their trademark melancholic post-punk sound and dark brooding lyrics. You literally couldn’t turn on a radio station and not hear The Cure at some point. Fronted by Robert Smith, one of the most recognizable vocalists in the genre, he and his bandmates, including drummer Lol Tolhurst, virtually created the so-called “Goth Music” phenomenon.

And, much like millions of others, I was a fan (it is hard not to be with their catchy melodies) and was excited to dig into this book and see what author/drummer Lol Tolhurst had to say about his band.

Tolhurst starts at the very beginning, in the suburb of London called Crawley and descriptively tells the story of the group’s long and arduous trek to the top of the charts. Along the way, there are the usual stumbling blocks; substance abuse issues, infighting, court cases, and ultimately forgiveness. This is a story of two school friends from the outskirts of the big city determined to carve their own path in the music world. In the end, they succeed but not without great consequence.

For fans of The Cure like myself, this was a great read. I also think it would a great starting point for those who might have an interest in one of the most influential bands of the alternative music scene.

Written by: Lol Tolhurst (Author)
Publisher: Da Capo Press (Oct. 11 2016)
Format/Length: Hardcover; 312 pages