A rock band used a Sussex pub to announce their first album in 16 years.

The Cure put a framed poster on The Railway pub in Crawley, where the band played their first gig, to reveal new album Song of a Lost World.

Guitarist, lead vocalist, songwriter and only continuous band member Robert Smith is from Crawley and the town is where the band formed.

The poster recently appearedThe poster recently appeared (Image: Sussex News and Pictures)

The band’s founding members were school friends at Notre Dame Middle School in Crawley, having first performed together at an end-of-year show in 1973.

In 1976, while at Crawley’s St Wilfrid's Comprehensive School, lead guitarist Marc Ceccagno formed a variant of the original band called Malice.

The following year, Malice became known as Easy Cure – after a song written by Laurence Tolhurst, who was on percussion.

In 1978, Easy Cure played their last gig at the Montefiore Institute Hall in Three Bridges, before becoming The Cure.

The Cure released their debut album Three Imaginary Boys in 1979.

Since the poster’s appearance the band has been teasing the album’s release further afield.

Posters have been appearing on billboards in major cities including Rome and New York.

The band also released a video clip on social media of the album’s artwork projected on Blackpool Tower.

Smith, who is 65, was born in Blackpool.

The Cure put their hands in cement at Hollywood's Rockwalk in Los Angeles in April 2004The Cure put their hands in cement at Hollywood's Rockwalk in Los Angeles in April 2004 (Image: AP)

Fans were sent postcards confirming the album’s release date of November 1 and a secret website and Whatsapp channel have also been created as part of the campaign.

Earlier this month, The Cure keyboardist Roger O’Donnell revealed he had been diagnosed with an “aggressive” form of blood cancer.

O'Donnell's announcement came after previous band member Andy Anderson, died aged 68 back in 2019 having also been diagnosed with cancer.

In 2019, The Cure band members were inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame.