It’s Robert Smith’s birthday today — he’s 52 — and to commemorate the occasion, we present this U.K. television performance from 1984 that finds The Cure playing a trio of songs from what’s now one of the band’s most overlooked records, ‘The Top.’

This round of tidbits includes stories about The Cure covering Paul McCartney for a new tribute, Johnny Marr quitting The Cribs, the history of The Untouchables’ 1985 album ‘Wild Child’ and rock critic Greg Kot’s 10 favorite Wax Trax! releases.

Since the announcement last month that MTV plans to revive its ‘120 Minutes’ franchise as both a new monthly TV show and a quick-hit web series, the music-averse network has begun populating its MTV Hive website with performances by the likes of The Cure, Pixies, The Jesus and Mary Chain and World Party.

This French TV report from sometime in 1987 features footage and interviews with both The Cure and Depeche Mode in the studio, as they work on their breakout albums ‘Kiss Me, Kiss Me, Kiss Me’ and ‘Music For the Masses,’ respectively.

Duncan Sheik will reinterpret a dozen ’80s alternative and synthpop classics this June with the release of ‘Covers 80s,’ which will include new takes on old favorites by The Cure, Depeche Mode, New Order, Love and Rockets, The Smiths and more.

Following his smash turn guesting with Crystal Castles last year, Robert Smith of The Cure tries his hand at electronic music again, this time lending his distinctive vocals to Northern Ireland dance act The Japanese Popstars for their track ‘Take Forever.’ Hear a teaser here.

David Bowie next month will release a new live album recorded at his 50th birthday celebration in New York City in 1997, a 25-song set featuring guest appearances by The Cure’s Robert Smith, Lou Reed, Sonic Youth and the Pixies’ Frank Black.

Our latest roundup of stuff includes a stream of the NME’s seminal C86 cassette, plus a swanky photo gallery featuring Dave Gahan, Nick Cave, Bryan Ferry and more; some live video by The Church; and a look back at The Cure circa 1991.

Further evidence that Robert Smith may be revving up for an active 2011: The son of bassist Simon Gallup posted on Facebook that he was in the studio with The Cure last week, news that lit up fan sites and forums over the weekend.

Hey, what do you know: Turns out exactly two years have passed since Slicing Up Eyeballs: The Legacy of ’80s College Rock launched, and here we are — 1,276 posts and 1.7 million pageviews later — still chugging along.

Today’s roundup of interesting stuff, featuring a look at The Cure’s ‘Disintegration,’ a new R.E.M. interview, a downloadable 17-song intro to The Fall, and a look back at New Order’s rare cover of the reggae track “Turn the Heater On.”

Check out the official music video for Crystal Castles’ re-recording of ‘Not In Love’ featuring The Cure’s Robert Smith on lead vocals.

Three weeks ago, we launched the inaugural Slicing Up Eyeballs Readers Poll in an effort to gauge what this site’s frequenters think are the year’s best new albums and reissues. Now, with hundreds of ballots cast, the results are in.