The Cure frontman Robert Smith opens up about ‘imaginary feud’ with The Smiths

Tension between the two bands began in the Eighties after Morrissey called Smith a ‘whingebag’

The Cure’s Robert Smith has addressed the band’s allegedly bad relationship with The Smiths.

Smith opened up about The Cure’s history with the band during an interview with The Sunday Times writer Jonathan Dean.

While the quote did not make the cut into the final published piece, Dean shared the moment on Twitter yesterday (13 June).

In it, Smith discussed the ongoing “feud” with The Smiths frontman Morrissey, stating that “he felt the internet was spiralling their spat out of control”.

The 62-year-old said: “With Morrissey, I got a flurry of [public backlash]. And I thought, ‘What does it matter?’ This imaginary feud that happened 20 years ago.”

Rumours of tension between Smith and Morrissey began in the Eighties, after Morrissey called Smith a “whingebag” during an interview with The Face.

In retaliation, as per Far Out Magazine, Smith replied: “Morrissey’s so depressing if he doesn’t [off] himself soon, I probably will.”

According to NME,  the pair’s back-and-forth continued until the early 2000s. In 2004, Smith described his relationship with Morrissey as a “petty feud”.

Speaking to Dean more recently, The Cure’s lead vocalist said: “I didn’t really like The Smiths particularly. They were competition for a very brief period. But more than that, I didn’t connect with it.

“I didn’t dislike them on a personal level – I didn’t know them.”

He added: “It never really got to me and then in later years it was this set up and I thought, ‘Why?’ And so since then I’ve realised how easily these things can spiral because people want it to be something. They’re desperate for it to be some sort of soap opera.”

(Shutterstock / Getty Images)

Elsewhere in the interview, the singer also revealed that The Cure’s next album will likely be the band’s last.

Last year, Smith revealed that he had spent the year working on both The Cure’s new album as well as his own solo record.

A release date for either is yet to be announced.