# The 1984 Cure album that was almost Robert Smith’s first solo record

- URL: https://talkfuse.com/story/the-1984-cure-album-that-was-almost-robert-smiths-first-solo-record/
- Published: 2026-07-23T09:00:00+00:00
- Updated: 2026-07-28T04:33:24+00:00
- Original publisher: Far Out
- Original article: https://faroutmagazine.co.uk/the-1984-cure-album-that-was-almost-robert-smiths-first-solo-record/
- Topics: Entertainment, Music

## Key points

- The Top was nearly credited solely to Robert Smith.
- It followed a difficult period for The Cure.
- ‘The Caterpillar’ became a UK top-20 single.

## Summary

The article examines The Top, The Cure’s 1984 album, which Robert Smith initially considered releasing as his first solo record. It argues that the project emerged during a turbulent period for the band, making it an important transitional release between their earlier bleak work and their later commercial success.

Following the strain of recording Pornography and bassist Simon Gallup’s departure, Smith largely drove the album’s creation while working with shifting collaborators, including Lol Tolhurst and drummer Andy Anderson. Released in May 1984, The Top adopted a more psychedelic and varied sound; its best-known single, ‘The Caterpillar’, reached number 14 in the UK.

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