The Glove was a distinctive English musical collaboration and recording project that emerged in 1983, bringing together Robert Smith of The Cure and Steven Severin of Siouxsie and the Banshees. This project, which resulted in a single studio album titled *Blue Sunshine*, was born during a period of significant stress for both musicians within their respective primary bands. It offered a creative outlet and a departure from their usual musical endeavors,
showcasing a unique blend of post-punk, neo-psychedelia, new wave, and dark wave genres.
Genesis Amidst Band Turmoil
The formation of The Glove was directly influenced by the intense pressures Robert Smith and Steven Severin were experiencing. In June 1982, Smith was on the brink of a breakdown, exhausted from the production and tour of The Cure's album *Pornography*, coupled with substance abuse and internal band conflicts that led to bassist Simon Gallup's departure. Simultaneously, in October, Siouxsie and the Banshees faced their own crisis when guitarist John McGeoch suffered a nervous breakdown due to alcohol and the stresses of recording and touring, leading to his dismissal just before a major European tour. Smith was asked to step in, officially joining the Banshees in November 1982, having previously played live with them in 1979.
This shared experience of band instability and personal strain provided the impetus for their collaboration. Severin and Smith booked a studio in late 1982, with their first recorded song being "Punish Me with Kisses." The project gained momentum in January 1983, after Smith rejoined Siouxsie and the Banshees, and further after a tour in Japan and Australasia. The duo even performed The Cure's song "Siamese Twins" on a UK television program, *Riverside*, for a ballet, featuring cellists Anne Stephenson and Gini Hewes, who would later contribute to The Glove's album.
Creative Process and Album Development
The name "The Glove" itself was a nod to popular culture, referencing the enormous flying glove from The Beatles' 1968 animated movie *Yellow Submarine*. Their album's title, *Blue Sunshine*, drew inspiration from a horror film of the same name, which depicted people becoming psychotic murderers years after taking a fictional LSD variety. Smith described the recording sessions as "unreal," noting that despite spending 12 weeks in the studio, actual recording only took about five days. The rest of the time was characterized as an "endless party," with a constant rotation of guests. Amidst this unconventional environment, they would intermittently record musical elements like piano or drums. The duo also spent many nights watching "video nasties," including Dario Argento films, which likely influenced the project's aesthetic.
A key aspect of The Glove's sound was the recruitment of former Zoo dancer Jeanette Landray as the lead singer. This decision was partly due to Smith being contractually prohibited from singing with another band at the time. Smith did, however, contribute vocals to two tracks, "Perfect Murder" and "Mr. Alphabet Says," notably singing lyrics other than his own on the latter. Other musicians involved included Andy Anderson, who would later become The Cure's drummer, and Martin McCarrick, a musician for Marc Almond who subsequently joined the Banshees, along with string players Ginny Hewes and Anne Stephenson. Smith, Severin, and Landray promoted the album with a television appearance on *Riverside* in October 1983. In 2005, Severin proposed re-releasing *Blue Sunshine*, and Smith agreed, leading to a 2-CD remastered edition in 2006, which included previously unreleased demo versions sung by Smith, offering new insights into this unique musical chapter.
