Simon Gallup

Simon Johnathon Gallup (born 1 June 1960) is an English musician who is best known as bassist for The Cure, which he first joined in 1979 and for which he has played through most of the band's history. Gallup is the second-longest-serving member of the band, after vocalist and leader Robert Smith. In 1977, Gallup formed the punk band Lockjaw, which later evolved into the post-punk band the Magazine Spies (also known as Mag/Spys). Those bands frequently played and socialized with early versions of The Cure.

In late 1979, Gallup participated in the short-lived Cure side project Cult Hero. A short time later, original Cure bassist Michael Dempsey left the band, and Gallup was recruited as his replacement. Gallup played on the albums Seventeen Seconds, Faith, and Pornography; and on the second of those he began to play keyboards occasionally in addition to his full-time bass duties.

Departure from the Cure During the tour supporting the Pornography album in 1982, band relations within The Cure became contentious. After a performance in Strasbourg, France, on 27 May 1982, Gallup and Robert Smith got into a fistfight reportedly over a disputed bar tab.

Gallup soon left the Cure and did not speak to Robert Smith again for about eighteen months. Gallup formed a new band called The Cry, which evolved into Fools Dance (with Biddles on vocals) by 1983. That band recorded an early EP featuring Gallup that was not released until 1985. He sang on the tracks "The Ring" and "Happy Families Waiting (At the Skylab Landing Bay)", the only released recordings in which he ever performed lead vocals.

Return to the Cure

In late 1984, Biddles brokered a reconciliation between Gallup and Smith. Biddles later reformed Fools Dance with a new lineup, while Gallup has remained with the Cure ever since. Gallup's son Eden became a member of the Cure's road crew and has occasionally filled in during gigs when his father was unable to appear for personal reasons. In 2019, Gallup was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame as a member of the Cure.

In an unexplained incident in August 2021, Gallup announced on Facebook that he had left the Cure after 37 years, stating that he "just got fed up of betrayal." The Cure made no official statement about Gallup's departure, and he later deleted the Facebook post. In October 2021, Gallup issued another Facebook post to clarify that he is still a member of the band.

Personal life Gallup's older brother David Gallup was the manager for his early band Lockjaw. He has also played Fender Precision, Fender Jazz, Rickenbacker 4001, Music Man StingRay, Washburn AB10 acoustic, Kramer acoustic, custom Dick Knight, Epiphone Jack Casady, and Eccleshall 335 basses live. Gallup uses the following Boss guitar effect pedals: BF-2 Flanger, CE-5 Chorus Ensemble, MT-2 Distortion, DD-3 Digital Delay, and NS-2 Noise Suppressor.

Discography Lockjaw Radio Call Sign, The Young Ones (1977), – 7" single Journalist Jive, A Doong A Doong A, I'm A Virgin (1978), – 7" single

The Magazine Spies Life Blood, Bombs (1980), – Split 7" single with The Obtainers

The Cure

Gallup has played on all albums by the Cure except Three Imaginary Boys (1979), Boys Don't Cry (1980), Japanese Whispers (compilation, 1983), The Top (1984), and Concert: The Cure Live (1984).

Fools Dance Fools Dance (1985) – EP