The Cure began in 1976 as Easy Cure in Crawley, England, with Robert Smith (vocals, guitar), Michael Dempsey (bass), and Lol Tolhurst (drums), along with guitarist Porl Thompson. Following the darker period, Smith introduced more pop elements into the music, leading to widespread commercial success in the 80s and 90s. The band continued to release studio albums and has maintained a dedicated fanbase and on alternativerock music.