Porl Thompson

Pearl Thompson (born 8 November 1957 as Paul Stephen ThompsonChris Gerrard (2021)The Cure FAQ: All That’s Left to Know About the Most Heartbreakingly Excellent Rock Band the World Has Ever Known. Backbeat, ISBN 9781493053988, p. 155) is an English musician and artist. Thompson is best known as a member of the English alternative rock band The Cure from 1983–1994 and 2006–2010, credited as Porl Thompson and playing mainly guitar with occasional keyboards and saxophone. During and after The Cure, Thompson was active with a few other bands and projects but has since retired from music and turned to painting.

Career

Thompson was a member (alongside Robert Smith, Michael Dempsey and Lol Tolhurst) of the Easy Cure, which was a precursor to The Cure. Thompson left Easy Cure to go to art college; his style did not mesh well with Smith's approach to songwriting. Thompson went on to become a member of The Exotic Pandas and occasionally played with The Glove, a collaboration between Smith and Steven Severin of Siouxsie and the Banshees. Thompson rejoined his bandmates in The Cure in 1983, initially playing saxophone on several tracks that would appear on the group's 1984 album, '' The Top''. During the Top tour, he expanded his instrumental contributions to include keyboard as well as guitar, also continuing to perform with The Glove when they appeared on television. Over time, Thompson became known principally as a guitarist in the band, and is sometimes seen as the most technically proficient musician in the band's history after Reeves Gabrels.

In 1994, Thompson left The Cure to play with Jimmy Page and Robert Plant of Led Zeppelin during the Page and Plant tour of 1995. He also played with Babacar, a band formed by long-time Cure drummer Boris Williams. Later, Thompson formed another project called Quietly Torn. Thompson continued working with Plant, joining the singer's group for the 2002 release '' Dreamland''.

In June 2005 Thompson rejoined The Cure, and was with the band for the recording of the live DVD '' The Cure: Festival 2005''; for the recording of the band's 13th studio album, '' 4:13 Dream''; and for the band's 2007–2008 4Tour.

In 2007, Schecter Guitars released a Pearl Thompson Signature model featuring graphics by the British artist Kev Grey. The guitar was featured in the book ''108 Rock Star Guitars'' by photographer Lisa S. Johnson.

Thompson is featured on the album ''Callus'' by Gonjasufi, released in August 2016.Patrin, Nate (18 August 2016)
Gonjasufi - Callus (review)
''Pitchfork''

As an artist

Thompson and background designer Andy Vella were the co-founders of Parched Art. Parched Art produced many of the record sleeves found on The Cure's albums. The most recognisable record sleeves were primarily drawn, painted, or photographed by Thompson.

In 2002, Thompson also had an exhibition of paintings in Cornwall, UK, and Canada titled "100% SKY".

In March 2015, Thompson's first US painting exhibition of abstract landscape paintings was held at Mr. MusicHead Art Gallery on Sunset Boulevard in Los Angeles, California. The exhibition was entitled "...Through the eyes of birds". Remote Malibu canyons inspired the work and desert landscapes. Also in 2015, Thompson announced that he would focus his endeavors on his artwork.

Personal life

Close friends had long used "Pearl" as a nickname. Thompson's first name was legally changed to "Pearl" in 2011.(8 March 2015)
The Cure Star Legally Changes His Name As He Leaves The Music World For Art
''Contact Music''(23 September 2014)
Ex-Cure star to exhibit art for the first time
''Express''

Pearl is noted for being reclusive and private.Davroy, Gabrielle (10 April 2016)
Let's Talk About Sex : Porl Thompson The Cure
''RTBF'' From his early time in The Cure Thompson dated Janet Smith,Apter, Jeff. ''Never Enough: The Story of The Cure'', (2009), Omnibus Press, pg. 34; the younger sister of Robert Smith. Thompson and Smith are married and have four children.

Discography

;The Cure
* ''Three Imaginary Boys'' (1979) (Disc 2 of 2004 deluxe issue only)
* '' The Top'' (1984)
* ''Concert'' (1984)
* '' The Cure Live in Japan'' (1984) VHS
* ''The Head on the Door'' (1985)
* ''Standing on a Beach'' (1986)
* ''The Cure in Orange'' (1986), VHS
* ''Kiss Me, Kiss Me, Kiss Me'' (1987)
* '' Disintegration'' (1989)
* '' Mixed Up'' (1990)
* ''Entreat'' (1990)
* ''Wish'' (1992)
* '' Show'' (1993)
* ''Paris'' (1993)
* '' Galore'' (1997)
* ''Greatest Hits'' (2001)
* '' Festival 2005'' (2005), DVD
* '' 4:13 Dream'' (2008)

;Gonjasufi
* ''Callus'' (2016)
* ''Mandela Effect'' (2017)

;Page and Plant
* '' No Quarter: Jimmy Page and Robert Plant Unledded'' (1994)
;Robert Plant
* '' Dreamland'' (2002)
;Shelleyan Orphan
* ''Humroot'' (1992)
;Babacar
* '' Babacar'' (1998)

References

External links

Official site

{{DEFAULTSORT:Thompson, Pearl
The Cure members
1957 births
Living people
English rock guitarists
English new wave musicians
English multi-instrumentalists
People from Wimbledon, London