Curepedia: An A – Z of The Cure (Author Q&A/ DJ set)

presented by The Sugar Club

The acclaimed book, Curepedia, written in 2023 by music journalist Simon Price (Guardian, Quietus), was described as an encyclopaedic biography and homage to The Cure. 

This ‘live’ Curepedia event features a fascinating interview with and readings by Simon Price and much more. Podcaster and journalist Paul McDermott will pose the questions, before it’s opened up for an audience Q&A. 

Don’t miss this chance to hear from a bona fide Cure expert.

After the talk, Simon brings one of Brighton’s best-loved club nights SPELLBOUND – ‘The Alternative 80s Night’, to the Sugar Club dance floor. 

Simon’s dj set will feature the best of Goth, Post-Punk, New Romantic, Alternative Rock, Synth from 1979 – 1989, capping a brilliant night. 

Note: signed copies of Curepedia will be available on the night

More on Curepedia

Curepedia (published by White Rabbit) was ranked by The Guardian as one of their five best music books of 2023.

Despite forming in 1978, The Cure continue to be a massive draw for Irish audiences as shown by their 2022 sell-out show at the 3 Arena. Songs like Lullaby, The Walk, Friday I’m in Love, Close to Me, In Between Days, Just Like Heaven and Boys Don’t Cry still inspire a fervent brand of fandom in Ireland.

The bands iconic status as elder statesmen of Alternative Rock remains undiminished – if anything, their tireless touring has ensured that it has grown with every passing year – and lead singer Robert Smith is an endlessly fascinating figure to successive generations of fans. The Cure’s influence reverberates through genres including Emo, Goth, Industrial and Indie Rock.

In Curepedia, Price also goes beyond the music in this mammoth biography, offering a detailed analysis of The Cure’s wider cultural impact on British male mental health, toxic masculinity and stoicism in the face of emotional trauma with an essay on Boys Don’t Cry. Over the years, the song has become more than a pop song but an antidote to the “English stiff upper lip” mentality and an anthem for male sensitivity.

Providing rich cultural context for the inspirations behind the band’s ever-evolving and diverse discography, Curepedia is the go-to book for every Cure fan.

“Simon Price is a goth aficionado, and his encyclopaedic knowledge of The Cure was a pleasure to study and absorb – highly recommended for superfans or anyone with an interest in one of our most treasured bands of the past four decades”

Tim Burgess (The Charlatans)

Simon Price

Simon Price is a Welsh music journalist and author. He wrote extensively for Melody Maker in the 80’s and is a regular contributor to The Quietus and The Guardian among others. He’s also the author of Everything: A Book About Manic Street Preachers. It was named Book of The Year by NME and Rock Book of The Decade by the Guardian.

Paul McDermott
Paul is a journalist, lecturer and award winning documentary producer. He also produces the critically acclaimed No. 1 podcast To Here Knows When – Great Irish Albums Revisited.