Pearl Thompson

Pearl Thompson
Pearl Thompson in 2015 featuring new paintings
Background information
Birth name Paul Stephen Thompson
Also known as Pearl Thompson, Porl Thompson
Born (1957-11-08) 8 November 1957
Surrey, England
Origin Wimbledon, Surrey, England
Genres Post-punk, gothic rock, new wave, alternative rock, psychedelic rock, lo-fi, experimental
Occupation(s) Singer-songwriter, musician, poet, artist
Instruments Guitar, bass guitar, synthesizer, keyboard, piano, saxophone, kazoo, banjo, vocals
Years active 1976–present
Associated acts The Cure
Page and Plant
Shelleyan Orphan
Quietly Torn
Babacar
Malice
Easy Cure
Exotic Pandas
The Glove
Swanson's Daughter
Gonjasufi
Website 113percentstrange.com

Pearl Thompson (born Paul Stephen Thompson on 8 November 1957 in Surrey), previously known as Porl Thompson, is an English musician best known for being a member of The Cure. Though friends had long used the name "Pearl", Thompson legally changed his first name to the female name "Pearl" in 2015.[1][2]

Career

Thompson was part of the original lineup of The Cure (then known as Easy Cure),[3] (alongside Robert Smith, Michael Dempsey and Lol Tolhurst) when the band was first formed in 1976, but had left to go to art college by the time they released their debut album Three Imaginary Boys.[4] He rejoined the band in 1983, playing saxophone, and helped record the album The Top. During the Top tour, he played keyboard as well as guitar and saxophone, and also performed with The Glove when they appeared on television.[5]

Thompson performed on four more Cure studio albums (The Head on the Door, Kiss Me, Kiss Me, Kiss Me, Disintegration and Wish) and four live albums (Concert, Entreat, Paris and Show) as well as the videos The Cure in Orange and Picture Show. He also appears on the remix album Mixed Up and the deluxe issue of Three Imaginary Boys.

He left the Cure in 1994 to play with Jimmy Page and Robert Plant of Led Zeppelin during the Page and Plant tour of 1995, and also played with Babacar, the band formed by Boris Williams following his departure from The Cure. Later, Thompson formed another project called Quietly Torn.

He continued working with Robert Plant and joined the singer's group for the 2002 release Dreamland. In 2002, Thompson also had an exhibition of paintings in Cornwall, UK & Canada entitled "100% SKY".

Thompson officially rejoined The Cure for a third time in June 2005, and recorded the live DVD The Cure: Festival 2005, appeared on their 13th studio album, 4:13 Dream, toured with The Cure for their 2007-2008 4Tour.

Thompson and designer Andy Vella are the co-founders of Parched Art, which has produced many of the record sleeves found on the Cure's albums, many of which Thompson drew or painted.

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

In 2013, now known as Pearl Thompson (the legal name was changed in 2015), he collaborated with Gonjasufi, other various artistic projects and charities such as WAR CHILD that Thompson, along with other renowned artists donated their own custom-made Caparelli guitar for auction.

In March 2015, Pearl had his first US painting exhibition of abstract landscape paintings at Mr MusicHead Art Gallery on Sunset Boulevard in Los Angeles, California, entitled: "...Through the eyes of birds." The work was inspired by remote Malibu canyons and desert landscapes.[3]

Early 2016, Pearl relocated to the Mojave desert, designed the artwork for Lol Tolhurst's autobiography "Cured" with a limited edition of thirteen laser cut books that display textured handmade silver stars.

Pearl is also featured on the album Callus by Gonjasufi, released in August 2016.[6]

Thompson is noted for being reclusive and private about his personal life, and is primarily now dedicated to painting.[7]

Discography

The Cure
Gonjasufi
Page and Plant
Robert Plant
Shelleyan Orphan
  • Humroot (1992)[8]
Babacar

References

  1. ↑ (8 March 2015). The Cure Star Legally Changes His Name As He Leaves The Music World For Art, Contact Music
  2. ↑ (23 September 2014). Ex-Cure star to exhibit art for the first time, Express
  3. 1 2 Riefe, Jordan (5 March 2015). The Cure Guitarist Pearl Thompson's Art Goes on Display, Hollywood Reporter
  4. ↑ Ten Imaginary Years - ISBN 0-946391-87-4
  5. ↑ "The Glove: Information from". Answers.com. 2006-08-08. Retrieved 2014-07-15.
  6. ↑ Patrin, Nate (18 August 2016). Gonjasufi - Callus (review), Pitchfork
  7. ↑ Davroy, Gabrielle (10 April 2016). Let's Talk About Sex : Porl Thompson The Cure, RTBF
  8. ↑ "Humroot by Shelleyan Orphan @ARTISTdirect". Artistdirect.com. Retrieved 2014-07-15.
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