I'm a Cult Hero
Encyclopedia
"I'm a Cult Hero" is a single released by an extended lineup of The Cure
under the name Cult Hero.
(singer/guitarist of The Cure) and Simon Gallup
(then bassist of The Magspies) as a way to test their musical compatibility. Smith was considering Gallup as a prospective replacement for Michael Dempsey
(The Cure's bassist at the time) "whose personality and ambitions for the band were seriously at odds" with Smith's.
The songs were written for, and feature on vocals, local Horley
postman Frank Bell, who is also featured on the single's artwork. They also feature Malice/Easy Cure
guitarist Porl Thompson
and Magspies keyboardist Matthieu Hartley
amongst an extended lineup of friends and family, including Robert's sisters Janet and Margaret and local band The Obtainers.
Hartley would ultimately leave The Cure in 1980, after only one album (Seventeen Seconds
) and its subsequent tour. Gallup would also leave The Cure in 1982, but would then rejoin the band in 1985 and remain a member to the present day. Porl Thompson would also rejoin The Cure between 1985 and 1992, and then again from 2005 to the present day.
with the song "I Dig You" on the b-side.
Upon release in 1980 in Canada
, and in 1981 in New Zealand
, the tracks were flipped, with "I Dig You" as the a-side. The track "I'm a Cult Hero" was also included on the Australia
n compilation album
Britannia Waives the Rules in 1981.
Both tracks are included on the 2005 Deluxe Edition of the Seventeen Seconds album in their original order. Also included are previously unreleased live recordings of both tracks, but in the reverse order.
)
UK single
Canadian/New Zealand single
The Cure
The Cure are an English rock band formed in Crawley, West Sussex in 1976. The band has experienced several line-up changes, with frontman, vocalist, guitarist and principal songwriter Robert Smith being the only constant member...
under the name Cult Hero.
History
The single was conceived by Robert SmithRobert Smith (musician)
Robert James Smith is an English musician. He is the lead singer, guitar player and principal songwriter of the rock band The Cure, and its only constant member since its founding in 1976...
(singer/guitarist of The Cure) and Simon Gallup
Simon Gallup
Simon Jonathon Gallup is an English musician and bassist of the post-punk band The Cure.-Early years:...
(then bassist of The Magspies) as a way to test their musical compatibility. Smith was considering Gallup as a prospective replacement for Michael Dempsey
Michael Dempsey
Michael Dempsey is a bassist from England, who has performed as a member of several post-punk and New Wave bands including The Cure and Associates.-Early years:...
(The Cure's bassist at the time) "whose personality and ambitions for the band were seriously at odds" with Smith's.
The songs were written for, and feature on vocals, local Horley
Horley
Horley is a town in Surrey, England, situated south of the twin towns of Reigate and Redhill, and north of Gatwick Airport and Crawley.With fast links by train to London from Horley railway station, it has grown popular with commuters in recent years...
postman Frank Bell, who is also featured on the single's artwork. They also feature Malice/Easy Cure
Easy Cure
Easy Cure were a British punk rock and post-punk band from Crawley, Sussex formed during the late '70s by former members of Malice. Easy Cure went on to fame when, after several lineup changes, they became The Cure.-History:...
guitarist Porl Thompson
Porl Thompson
Porl Thompson is an English musician best known for his work with The Cure.-Life and work:Thompson is the oldest of four children; he has two brothers and one sister...
and Magspies keyboardist Matthieu Hartley
Matthieu Hartley
Matthieu Hartley is an English musician born in Smallfield, England. He is best known as the original keyboardist for The Cure, but before that he and Simon Gallup were involved in two other bands called Lockjaw and The Magazine Spies....
amongst an extended lineup of friends and family, including Robert's sisters Janet and Margaret and local band The Obtainers.
After Cult Hero
Following the recording of the single in 1979, Simon Gallup left The Magspies and joined The Cure, replacing Dempsey. At the same time, Matthieu Hartley also left The Magspies and joined The Cure as their first keyboardist.Hartley would ultimately leave The Cure in 1980, after only one album (Seventeen Seconds
Seventeen Seconds
Seventeen Seconds is the second studio album by The Cure, released in April 1980 by Fiction Records. It is the only Cure album to feature keyboardist Matthieu Hartley, and was featured in the book 1001 Albums You Must Hear Before You Die. The album reached number 20 on the British album charts...
) and its subsequent tour. Gallup would also leave The Cure in 1982, but would then rejoin the band in 1985 and remain a member to the present day. Porl Thompson would also rejoin The Cure between 1985 and 1992, and then again from 2005 to the present day.
Releases
"I'm a Cult Hero" was originally released in December, 1979, in the UKUnited Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
with the song "I Dig You" on the b-side.
Upon release in 1980 in Canada
Canada
Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
, and in 1981 in New Zealand
New Zealand
New Zealand is an island country in the south-western Pacific Ocean comprising two main landmasses and numerous smaller islands. The country is situated some east of Australia across the Tasman Sea, and roughly south of the Pacific island nations of New Caledonia, Fiji, and Tonga...
, the tracks were flipped, with "I Dig You" as the a-side. The track "I'm a Cult Hero" was also included on the Australia
Australia
Australia , officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country in the Southern Hemisphere comprising the mainland of the Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous smaller islands in the Indian and Pacific Oceans. It is the world's sixth-largest country by total area...
n compilation album
Compilation album
A compilation album is an album featuring tracks from one or more performers, often culled from a variety of sources The tracks are usually collected according to a common characteristic, such as popularity, genre, source or subject matter...
Britannia Waives the Rules in 1981.
Both tracks are included on the 2005 Deluxe Edition of the Seventeen Seconds album in their original order. Also included are previously unreleased live recordings of both tracks, but in the reverse order.
Track listing
(Both tracks written by Robert SmithRobert Smith (musician)
Robert James Smith is an English musician. He is the lead singer, guitar player and principal songwriter of the rock band The Cure, and its only constant member since its founding in 1976...
)
UK single
- "I'm a Cult Hero" - 2:59
- "I Dig You" - 3:25
Canadian/New Zealand single
- "I Dig You" - 3:25
- "I'm a Cult Hero" - 2:59
Personnel
- Frank Bell - vocals
- Robert SmithRobert Smith (musician)Robert James Smith is an English musician. He is the lead singer, guitar player and principal songwriter of the rock band The Cure, and its only constant member since its founding in 1976...
- guitarElectric guitarAn electric guitar is a guitar that uses the principle of direct electromagnetic induction to convert vibrations of its metal strings into electric audio signals. The signal generated by an electric guitar is too weak to drive a loudspeaker, so it is amplified before sending it to a loudspeaker... - Porl ThompsonPorl ThompsonPorl Thompson is an English musician best known for his work with The Cure.-Life and work:Thompson is the oldest of four children; he has two brothers and one sister...
- guitar - Simon GallupSimon GallupSimon Jonathon Gallup is an English musician and bassist of the post-punk band The Cure.-Early years:...
- bassBass guitarThe bass guitar is a stringed instrument played primarily with the fingers or thumb , or by using a pick.... - Lol Tolhurst - drumsDrum kitA drum kit is a collection of drums, cymbals and often other percussion instruments, such as cowbells, wood blocks, triangles, chimes, or tambourines, arranged for convenient playing by a single person ....
- Michael DempseyMichael DempseyMichael Dempsey is a bassist from England, who has performed as a member of several post-punk and New Wave bands including The Cure and Associates.-Early years:...
- keyboardElectronic keyboardAn electronic keyboard is an electronic or digital keyboard instrument.The major components of a typical modern electronic keyboard are:... - Matthieu HartleyMatthieu HartleyMatthieu Hartley is an English musician born in Smallfield, England. He is best known as the original keyboardist for The Cure, but before that he and Simon Gallup were involved in two other bands called Lockjaw and The Magazine Spies....
- keyboard - Janet Smith - keyboard
- Margaret Smith - backing vocals
- The Obtainers - backing vocals