THE CURE- PLAY FOR TODAY - THE CURE- PLAY FOR TODAY

What this video is

Released in March 1980 as the second single from Seventeen Seconds, 'Play for Today' arrived at a pivotal moment in British alternative music: the tail end of punk's energy colliding with the minimalist, introspective aesthetics that would define post-punk and early goth. The Cure's lineup had just shifted with Simon Gallup replacing Michael Dempsey on bass and Matthieu Hartley joining on keyboards, giving the band…

Why it matters

A foundational artifact of early UK post-punk transitioning to gothic rock. The video captures The Cure mid-evolution, between the punk directness of Three Imaginary Boys and the bleak atmospherics of Faith and Pornography. As one of the earliest Cure promo clips, it holds documentary value for…

The director

British director and producer active from the early 1980s onward. Won 1 BAFTA Award. Known for An Audience with Victoria Wood (1988), Hale and Pace (TV series, 1986–1993), and Five Alive (1986). Also directed music videos for Iron Maiden, Murray Head, Level…