Matthieu Hartley (born 4 February 1960) is an English musician born in

Smallfield Burstow is a village and civil parishes in England, civil parish in the Tandridge (district), Tandridge district of Surrey, England. Its largest settlement is Smallfield. Smallfield is boxing the compass, ENE of Gatwick Airport and the M23 mot ...

, England. He is best known for as the original keyboardist for

The Cure The Cure are an English Rock music, rock band formed in 1978 in Crawley, Crawley, West Sussex. Throughout numerous lineup changes since the band's formation, guitarist, lead vocalist, and songwriter Robert Smith (musician), Robert Smith has re ...

. Before then he was in Lockjaw and

The Magazine Spies The Magazine Spies were an English post-punk band from the town of Horley. They were active during 1979 and 1980, and are notable for band members who went on to play in the Cure, Fools Dance and related projects. The Magazine Spies were also known ...

and was in several bands after leaving The Cure.

Biography

Before joining The Cure he and fellow band member

Simon Gallup Simon Jonathon Gallup (born 1 June 1960) is an English musician and bassist with the alternative rock band The Cure. He is the second longest-serving member of the band after lead vocalist/guitarist Robert Smith. Early years Born in Duxhurst ...

were involved in two other bands called Lockjaw and the Magspies (a.k.a.

the Magazine Spies The Magazine Spies were an English post-punk band from the town of Horley. They were active during 1979 and 1980, and are notable for band members who went on to play in the Cure, Fools Dance and related projects. The Magazine Spies were also known ...

). In November 1979, he and Gallup joined The Cure; replacing

Michael Dempsey Michael Stephen Dempsey (born 29 November 1958) is an English musician and composer, who has played bass as a member of several post-punk and new wave bands, including the Cure and the Associates. History Early years Dempsey was born on 29 ...

. They both helped drive the band in an entirely new direction with the recording of their second album, ''

Seventeen Seconds ''Seventeen Seconds'' is the second studio album by English rock band the Cure, released on 18 April 1980 by Fiction Records. The album marked the first time frontman Robert Smith co-produced with Mike Hedges. After the departure of original ba ...

'', a much darker album than their debut, ''

Three Imaginary Boys ''Three Imaginary Boys'' is the debut studio album by English rock band The Cure, released on 11 May 1979 by Fiction Records. It was later released in the United States, Canada, and Australia with a different track listing as a compilation album ...

''. Hartley also played keyboards for the

Cult Hero In modern English, ''cult'' is usually a pejorative term for a social group that is defined by its unusual religious, spiritual, or philosophical beliefs and rituals, or its common interest in a particular personality, object, or goal. This s ...

project. After a lengthy world tour to support ''Seventeen Seconds'', he departed in August 1980. This was after the fraught Australian leg of the tour. Hartley also stated a difference of opinion with the other three members, "I realised the group were heading towards suicidal, sombre music", adding, "The sort of thing that didn’t interest me at all." Since leaving The Cure, he has played with different local bands, including

Fools Dance Fools Dance were an English rock band active from 1983–1987, chiefly noted for their connection to The Cure. History Fools Dance was formed in Horley, Surrey in 1983 under the name 'The Cry' and consisted of Ian Fuller on vocals, Stuart Curra ...

in their early stages, as well as many newer small bands in Brighton including the Icicle Thieves, and currently,

power pop Power pop (also typeset as powerpop) is a form of pop rock based on the early music of bands such as the Who, the Beatles, the Beach Boys, and the Byrds. It typically incorporates melodic hooks, vocal harmonies, an energetic performance, and ch ...

band, The Speak.

References

* {{DEFAULTSORT:Hartley, Matt 1960 births Living people The Cure members English keyboardists English new wave musicians