The Cure formed in May 1978, evolving from the previous outfits Malice and Easy Cure.[1] The band's original incarnation featured vocalist and guitarist Robert Smith, bassist Michael Dempsey and drummer Lol Tolhurst.[4] After the release and promotion of Three Imaginary Boys, Dempsey was replaced by Simon Gallup in November 1979, when keyboardist Matthieu Hartley also joined the band.[5] Hartley performed on Seventeen Seconds, but by August 1980 had left the band.[6] Keyboards on Faith and Pornography were performed by Smith, Gallup and Tolhurst.[7][8] Following the end of the Pornography touring cycle in June 1982, Gallup left the Cure and the band was placed on a temporary hiatus.[9] Later in the year, Smith and Tolhurst – now the band's keyboardist – returned with the single "Let's Go to Bed".[10]
After several performances with stand-in musicians, the Cure returned in 1983 with new bassist Phil Thornalley and drummer Andy Anderson.[6] Former Malice and Easy Cure guitarist Porl Thompson performed saxophone on the 1984 album The Top, before returning to the group on a full-time basis on guitar and keyboards.[6] During the Top World Tour, Anderson was fired from the band due to problems stemming from alcohol abuse; he was briefly replaced by Vince Ely and later by Boris Williams, the latter of whom was subsequently offered the position full-time.[6] Thornalley also left the band upon the tour's conclusion, replaced by the returning Gallup.[6] The five-piece lineup of Smith, Thompson, Gallup, Williams and Tolhurst released two studio albums: 1985's The Head on the Door and 1987's Kiss Me, Kiss Me, Kiss Me.[10]
For the tour in support of Kiss Me, Kiss Me, Kiss Me, the Cure added Roger O'Donnell as a second keyboardist.[11] Tolhurst eventually left the band entirely, after limited contributions to both Kiss Me, Kiss Me, Kiss Me and its follow-up Disintegration.[12] His departure was announced in April 1989,[13] when Smith claimed that he "wasn't taking it seriously enough".[14] O'Donnell remained only until the following June, when he left due to "personal differences" and was replaced by the band's guitar technician Perry Bamonte.[15] The new lineup released Wish in 1992, before Thompson left in early 1993 and Bamonte took over as main guitarist.[10] The Cure spent much of 1994 on hiatus, as Smith was involved in a legal dispute with former bandmate Tolhurst.[10] By the time they returned to the studio later in the year, Williams had left.[16]
In spring 1995, the Cure commenced recording for their next album with new drummer Jason Cooper and returning keyboardist O'Donnell.[16] This lineup remained active for ten years, releasing three studio albums and one live collection, before Bamonte and O'Donnell were dismissed in May 2005.[17] The keyboardist later claimed that Smith would be reducing the Cure back to a three-piece, with Bamonte and himself the two members culled from the lineup.[18] The remaining trio recorded a cover of John Lennon's "Love" for the Amnesty International album Make Some Noise,[19] before Porl Thompson returned for summer tour dates starting in July.[20]
In May and November 2011, the band performed a series of shows with former members Tolhurst and O'Donnell as special guests, although Thompson was not included.[21][22] On 1 May 2012, after not performing with the band since 2009, Thompson announced that he was no longer a member of the Cure.[23] He was replaced for subsequent tour dates by Reeves Gabrels,[24] who became an official member after a few shows.[25]
In 2019, Eden Gallup filled in on bass guitar for two shows when his father, Simon Gallup, was prevented from playing, due to personal circumstances.[26] In August 2021, Simon Gallup announced that he had quit the band,[27] although he said he was still in the band the following month.[28] On October 6, 2022, Perry Bamonte returned to the lineup on the first show of the Lost World Tour in Riga, Latvia.[29]
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