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(Credits: Far Out \/ Alamy)<\/p>\n
Sun 28 December 2025 17:15, UK <\/p>\n
Being shy and reserved doesn\u2019t always mean inattentive or lacking confidence; sometimes it\u2019s merely a quiet arrogance and disdain for the world outside. Just ask Robert Smith<\/a>.<\/p>\n If you\u2019ve ever come across older interviews with the iconic Cure frontman, you\u2019ll probably notice the subtle differences in how Smith talks about his own work. Where before, when Smith was sure of himself in the way he often turned his nose up at being boxed into a singular category or being seen as someone who has the answers to everything, there\u2019s a more comfortable self-assuredness now, one that only comes from years of proving his position in a space more competitive than any other genre.<\/p>\n In those earlier moments, Smith\u2019s confidence came from knowing that his music was good, and that, despite the odd exception here and there, there\u2019s barely anything he would have changed. Obviously, we know now that there\u2019s a lot more to the story, as is clear from the many times Smith has criticised his own singles and records and admitted all the things he would have changed had he had the chance.<\/p>\n Although they were no less honest, those previous reflections came from someone who had yet to know exactly what it means to sustain your own legacy and endure all the perils and setbacks that come with realising things could have been different. Or better, in some ways. For instance, Smith has spoken candidly in the past about why he doesn\u2019t really like Three Imaginary Boys or 4:13 Dream, mostly because he didn\u2019t have full creative control<\/a>. <\/p>\n Smith could have just as easily felt the same way about Pornography, despite having more input on the record. Upon release, it was torn apart by those who claimed it to be just a musical drabble from someone who was too self-absorbed to create music that actually had substance. Obviously, we now know that that\u2019s Smith\u2019s main selling point, but back then, it was merely fodder for a flame that sought to burn Smith down to the ground.<\/p>\n