- Matthieu Hartley
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Matthieu Hartley Born 4 February 1960 Origin Smallfield, England Genres Punk rock, post-punk, gothic rock, alternative rock Occupations Musician Instruments Keyboard Years active 1979–1983 Associated acts Lockjaw (1977–1978)
The Magazine Spies (1978–1979
The Cure (1979–1980)
Fools Dance (1983)Website www.thecure.com Matthieu Hartley (born 4 February 1960) 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.
Involvement in The Cure
When Matthieu and Simon first joined The Cure, they helped drive the band in an entirely new direction with the recording of their second album, Seventeen Seconds, a much darker album than their debut, Three Imaginary Boys. Matthieu also served as one of the keyboard players for the Cult Hero project. After a lengthy world tour to support Seventeen Seconds, he quit the band due to a difference in opinions with the other three members. Since leaving The Cure, he has played with different local bands, including Fools Dance in their early stages, and worked at a zoo and as a laborer. He still keeps in touch with Robert Smith, and lives close by.
Trivia
- Throughout most of the band's history, Matthieu was the only member - whose sole purpose was playing the keyboard - actually credited for single-handedly playing all keyboard tracks on a Cure album. Since his departure, almost every other album has either had Robert Smith on keyboard (in addition to some other instruments) or at least three members credited for playing the keyboard. The only other keyboardist credited for single-handedly playing all keyboard tracks was Roger O'Donnell on Wild Mood Swings and the band's self-titled album. (See The Cure discography)
External links
Categories:- 1960 births
- Living people
- The Cure members
- English keyboardists
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