Robert Smith (IV)

Robert: (on how he proposed to his wife Mary) When we were in Miraval recording the Kiss Me album. She thought I was joking.

Robert (on making videos) I suppose videos are quite fun but I still hate making them. The last one we did for In Between Days was exhausting because I had to wear the camera strapped to me for five hours. We also did one for another single - it was about claustrophobia and Tim Pope (the director) suggested that we illustrate being trapped inside a wardrobe. It was the most uncomfortable 12 hours that I've ever spent. He ended up dropping the wardrobe - with us still in it - into a huge tank filled with 1000 gallons of water. Watching it you'd think is was fun, but all I could think about was dying a slow, painful death. We did Lovecats during the night in this old house which we got into on the pretext of wanting to buy it. We took a film crew and had a party and at some point made the video. We were sat outside the estate agents at six the next morning waiting to return his key. That's what I hate about videos - having to be on call from first thing in the morning. If I had to go to Heaven at nine in the morning I think I'd be quite unhappy. You also have to put so much into them so it looks like you're having a good time, when really you're in a semi-coma wishing you were home in bed.

Robert: (on performing) Five years ago I used to be completely immobile onstage because the music was so intense. I feel a lot more comfortable now, but I'm still not totally natural. I need to lose myself in what's going on. Sometimes I'll get to the end of a song, open my eyes and there's all these faces peering at me. It's quite horrifying.