The Cure’s Robert Smith on how quitting smoking was his “most important” decision in preserving his voice

nme.com:

The Cure’s Robert Smith has revealed how the decision to quit smoking was the “most important” decision he made to preserve his voice.The frontman opened up about the decision during a new interview with Radio X host John Kennedy recently, as part of a special track-by-track playback of the band’s new ‘Songs Of A Lost World’ album.At one point in the discussion, Smith spoke candidly about his views on mortality and the decisions he’s made to enable him to continue his time with The Cure.

He explained that, while he began the band as a teenager in the ’70s, he didn’t take action to preserve his well-being and his voice until his 40s.“I’m fortunate to have the genes that I have, because I have really not paid great attention to longevity in my own personal life, up until the age of 50,” the musician, now aged 65, explained. “I was astonished that I got to 50 and then I started to think I’d probably like to get to 60.

And so I started to moderate a bit. Then you turn 60. Really every year is a bit of a bonus for me. So I suppose as a consequence of that, my voice has held up probably a lot longer than I thought.”One major decision he referenced as the decision to quit smoking at age 40 – both in a bid to protect his voice and improve his health. “It was the most important thing I did, really.

I turned 40 and I thought, I’m never smoking again. And I haven’t,” he said.“I think that’s really pretty much, along with a few other things, [what has] allowed me to continue doing what I do.