Matthieu Hartley
{{Short description|British keyboardist}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=August 2021}}
{{Use British English|date=March 2012}}
{{Infobox musical artist
| name = Matthieu Hartley
| image =
| caption =
| image_size =
| background = non_vocal_instrumentalist
| birth_name =
| alias =
| birth_date = {{Birth date and age|1960|2|4|df=y}}
| birth_place = Smallfield, Surrey, England
| instrument = Keyboards
| genre = {{hlist|Punk rock|post-punk|gothic rock|alternative rock}}
| occupation = Musician
| years_active = 1979–present
| label =
| past_member_of = {{Nowrap|Lockjaw (1977–1978)
The Magazine Spies (1978–1979)
The Cure (1979–1980)
Fools Dance (1983)}}
| website = [http://www.thecure.com/ www.thecure.com]
}}
Matthieu Hartley (born 4 February 1960) is an English musician, best known as the keyboardist for The Cure from 1979-1980.
Biography
Hartley was born in Smallfield, England, near Crawley, and was a childhood friend of future bandmate Simon Gallup. Hartley and Gallup were both members of the punk bands Lockjaw and the Magazine Spies in the late 1970s.{{Cite book |last=Price |first=Simon |title=Curepedia: An A-Z of The Cure |publisher=William Morrow |year=2023 |isbn=978-0-06-306864-3 |location=New York, NY |publication-date=2023 |pages=174–175}} These bands often played alongside early versions of the Cure.{{Cite web |last=Walsh |first=Carmel |date=2023-02-03 |title=The Formation Of The Cure (Part Two): From Easy Cure To The Cure To Cult Hero And Back - Memories And Memorabilia From Crawley - God Is In The TV |url=https://www.godisinthetvzine.co.uk/2023/02/03/the-formation-of-the-cure-part-two-from-easy-cure-to-the-cure-to-cult-hero-and-back-memories-and-memorabilia-from-crawley/ |access-date=2024-02-11 |language=en-US}}
Near the end of 1979, The Cure needed a new bassist following the departure of founding member Michael Dempsey, and recruited Gallup for the position.{{Cite news |year=2016 |editor-last=Uncut |title=The Cure |work=The Ultimate Music Guide |pages=14–17}} Gallup suggested adding Hartley as the band's first full-time keyboardist to broaden their sound.{{Cite web |last=Buskin |first=Richard |date=December 2004 |title=Classic Tracks: The Cure 'A Forest' |url=https://www.soundonsound.com/techniques/classic-tracks-the-cure-a-forest |access-date=2024-02-11 |website=www.soundonsound.com}}
Hartley was a full member of the Cure for their 1980 album Seventeen Seconds and the ensuing tour. During this period he contributed to the brief Cure side project Cult Hero.Price, p. 76-77. He left the band later that year due to disagreements with group leader Robert Smith, and dissatisfaction with the minimalist keyboard requirements in Smith's songs.{{Cite web|url=https://thequietus.com/articles/29839-the-cure-faith-review-anniversary?fbclid=IwAR0SZHgK2CnHOG82g8_ICqKwoI27yiemn4uNw4ix-7yFrmxkjYybc3TWTO0|title=You Gotta Have Faith: The Cure's Third Album, 40 Years On|website=TheQuietus.com|accessdate=2021-04-12}}
After leaving the Cure, Hartley remained friends with Gallup and was an early member of the band that became Fools Dance. He released a solo album under the name Matthieu in 1987, and in 2005 joined the psychedelic rock band The Speak.
References
{{Reflist}}
{{TheCure}}
{{Authority control}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Hartley, Matt}}