The Cult

[Falcon]

A new article with Billy Duffy - tons of info including news of upcoming US TV appearances on Jimmy Kimmel and the Late Late Show with Craig Ferguson.

http://www.hailsandhorns.com/featuresandinterviews/the-cult-interview-with-billy-duffy-by-kelley-simms/
 
The Cult ? Interview with Billy Duffy ? By Kelley Simms
TONY SHRUM APRIL 30, 2012 0

Born out of the UK post-punk explosion and formed in Brixton, London in 1983, THE CULT has evolved into one of the most intriguing and influential rock groups that has ever graced the stage. The band?s countless headlining gigs, millions of albums sold and a desire to create their own unique rock ?n? roll art makes them a global entity. With their 10th and latest release, Choice of Weapon, THE CULT has fused their trademark elements from their previous releases into the quintessential CULT sound. Speaking from his home in LA, the so politely-British and eloquently-spoken guitarist Billy Duffy filled me in on the new release, his punk rock origins, his working relationship with vocalist Ian Astbury and the band?s current touring plans.
 
The new album, Choice of Weapon, has a great mixture of elements from your previous albums which gives it that definitive CULT sound. What was the band trying to achieve with this release?
 
When we get together to write songs, we never have an agenda. We never sat down and said, ?What kind of record is this going to be?? They?re always going to be mine. They?re always going to be guitar-orientated rock records. We?ve never been the kind of band where we tried to create any kind of Golden Era. We just try to write the best songs we can and that?s sort of how we?ve navigated our career. It?s easier for us that way. It?s possibly a little challenging for the fans because we tend to kind of bounce around a little bit. It?s just the only way we can operate.
 
Me and Ian write together. It?s not Ian songs and Billy songs. They?re all just Ian and Billy Cult songs. When we get together, we write what we write. Obviously when you pick a producer, you have a certain idea and feel about the certain producer and he has a take on what he?d like to try and do with The Cult to help contribute. All those factors played into it. I am beginning to get the feeling, like you say, in this album, there?s a lot of those classic Cult elements that really connect with people ? the album that the fans wanted you to make. It?s pretty much an unashamedly rock ?n? roll album. It?s nice when you?ve been around awhile and it?s your tenth album, to be able to generate some enthusiasm and have an edge to it.
 
Speaking of yourself and Ian?s writing partnership, reports of you and his relationship has been tumultuous at times throughout the band?s career, but how was the working relationship between the two of you while writing for this album?
 
It was good. It was spread out over a couple of years. Quite a bit of the album from Ian?s perspective was written in New York. He was living in New York and I was living in California. We got together ? this is the very initial songwriting sessions, they have developed over the years. We did some in New York, some in Los Angeles and did a little bit in the desert in California. Some of his lyrical content was very urban and Manhattany.
 
When we got together, it was a different thing because you have to get back together and read each other?s emotional and spiritual temperature. It was interesting because it wasn?t like we were writing while we were on the road or were seeing each other a lot. It was random meetings where we culled our kind of music, which was exciting. We captured some magic, we hoped, and then we didn?t see each other for awhile. Finally, we started to accelerate when we had a few of these sessions and started getting the music to the band guys. Ian relocated back to California and the whole thing came together. We brought in Chris Goss (QUEENS OF THE STONE AGE, MASTERS OF REALITY, KYUSS). That was the first roots of it when Chris Goss got into the album properly.
 
Speaking of the production, the album sounds great. How was it to have Bob Rock back producing? What did he offer or suggest during the recording and what things did he contribute?
 
Basically, the record was produced by two people. We started working with Chris Goss ? the foundation of this album was built with the band and Chris Goss. Bob Rock came in when we reached a point where we kind of got stuck, for whatever reason we lost the mindset to get the album finished. We did a lot of work. Bob just came in with an overview. This is the fourth album he?s worked on with the Cult. He came in with fresh ears and a very almost military-work ethic. He?s got a very professional, efficient way of getting the best results and he knows me and Ian very well.
 
So he managed to come in with some objectivity. I think there was too much time spent trying to make the Cult not sound like the Cult. When you asked the question about the Cult elements? Well, a lot of those elements were missing. And I think Bob came back and reminded us of who we are and how to combine the kind of boundary-pushing we did with Chris Goss. To dig deep and do something different so we don?t just keep making the same record year after year. So we weren?t challenging ourselves as a band or as writers. I think it would have been a very different record if Bob had produced it alone. And it would have wound up different as a Chris Goss record. I guess, we had a lot of cake and Bob came in and put on the icing and fleshed it up and put it on a platter.
 
With Choice of Weapon being the band?s first new studio album in five years, why did it take so long?
 
It just takes a long time. We?ve been doing it a long time. I don?t want to put out a mediocre record, if I can avoid it. I think we wanted to be sure that we got the best songs we could together. It?s like a long boxing match to get everything together. It had been two years of sporadic songwriting sessions to develop the songs from the initial sketchbook stage. Obviously, it?s a very different music business. I don?t particularly want to go on about it, the way the whole music business works. it?s very different these days. It ain?t what it was. So you have to also kind of navigate around that.
 
You played in a lot of different punk bands at the height of the movement. How was growing up in the whole scene at the time, especially in England?
 
I was around. I kind of did play in a couple of bands. I was more like a fan. I did play in a band in 1978, but in my opinion, punk was pretty much dead by 1978. The Pistols broke up and we were already looking to evolve from that. It was an incredible time to be in the UK. That era really left an indelible impression on people like myself and Ian. We?re obviously rock fans, but punk for us was pretty incredible to live through in the UK. I?m sure it was a lot like living through the Haight-Ashbury, West Coast American ?peace and love? movement. You have to have kind of been there. It?s definitely still in the DNA of the band. There?s definitely a small amount of punk rock attitude running through the Cult, and Ian has a lot of it.
 
It?s sort of like and attitude than a point of view. More than what trousers you wear or putting a safety pin through your ear, it was really more about an attitude. Punk rock gave me and Ian the opportunity. It was a game-changer for England. I know it was kind of different in America. It made it possible to think that you could actually be in a band and get nationally known. Because up to that point, bands had their own jet and lived in castles and did concerts to a 100 million people, when they felt like it. But punk rock brought it back down to more of a street level and I think I really appreciated that. It was a world-changng event. The music in itself ? some of it was good, most of it wasn?t, but it was a very important time and it?s in the Cult?s DNA. But that?s a very good question that you asked. Living through punk in England did indelibly leave an imprint on me.
 
During The Cult?s four-year hiatus starting in 1995, was the band officially broken up or were you confident the band would be back?
 
We basically just wore out. It was an accumulative effect being full-on since 1983, me and Ian. Since we first sat down in a room with a guitar and wrote the first very few songs we ever wrote. We?d been fully at it till 1995. It was like 12 years of constant work. The public didn?t see it on tour. There was very little time to be individuals. And once we?d achieved some success ? with success comes money and with money comes the ability to turn around and say, ?No, I don?t want to do that. I want to sit home and play with my new toys that I bought.?
 
One of our managers at the time said to me and Ian once, ?Now you got success and rewards, how are you going to navigate the motivation?? Of course, we never even thought about it. We just got up everyday and it was just full-on The Cult. We had a great run from 1985 to 1991 with success. Everything got better and better and bigger and bigger and we kind of just peaked. I think the world got overblown on the whole Guns ?N Roses Use Your Illusion. They were on that mega-world tour, and then all of a sudden, grunge happened. Then we could see what was coming. We didn?t really step aside, but we decided that we needed to reevaluate. I met Ian in LA and we sat down and kind of just said, ?Ok, we?re done.? It was kind of amicable. Up to that point, I had no idea that we?d ever play. I had no idea in the ?90s that we?d ever happen again.

[Falcon]

con't..

During that time, Ian was playing with the Doors project and you kept busy with Circus Diablo and Cardboard Vampyres with Jerry Cantrell. Was that therapeutic for you to keep busy and do something other than the Cult?
 
Yeah! That was great. It was a little different for me. Ian had a pretty good job with the Doors gig, which was great for him. I was looking around for stuff to do. When the Cult stepped away I just wanted to hang out with my friends and play music for fun, which is what Circus Diablo and Cardboard Vampyres with Jerry was. I did a band in the UK called Colorsound with the singer from The Alarm. Financially, I?m ok. I don?t need to do it for money. I?m very fortunate. It really did draw out my musical power playing with other guys and getting away from the Cult and how all that works. It was great and I learned a lot. I still try to do that, try and play with other guys and have fun with it. I?m at an age where I really just want to enjoy myself as much as possible. I try to suppress my inner angst a little bit and just have fun with it, if I can.
 
How was your experience as a cast member on the reality TV series Married to Rock and what?s your thought on the whole Reality TV and having your life out there baring all?
 
From my perspective, it was a social experiment. I did it because I knew the other guys in the show. I wouldn?t have done it with different guys. I think we all felt some sense of mutual support and respect. When you look at Billy Idol, Guns ?N Roses, the Cult and Janes Addiction, that?d be a pretty good gig. Those are my friends. It was really about the women. It was driven by the women. I think it was Duff McKagan?s wife Susan who originally had the idea for that kind of show. It?s very different that I did it as the guitarist in the Cult rather than the singer in the Cult. I think it just got my mug on TV and it got the awareness of the Cult out there.
 
I wasn?t terribly comfortable. I like to remain fairly enigmatic as a person. I don?t have Facebook or Twitter. I don?t have MySpace. I like to keep myself kind of private and I like to just sort of pop up and say what I have to say and then keep out of the way. The people who did the show was the same people who did the Kardashian show and they?re very professional. I never really watched an episode. I think they made me look like the snotty, English dick guy ? a Simon Cowell, if you will. That?s what they thought I?d be like. But I enjoyed working with the people and the production company. It got a little frantic in the house because the women really get off on that. They were into it. The girls were dressing up ? the wives and non-wives. To them it?s brilliant. But for us guys, we have real jobs as well. It?s a little different for us. They?re talking about doing another one. I don?t know how I?d feel about it if it happened.
 
What?s your touring plans and what?s the future hold for the Cult?

The album drops on May 22nd and we?ll be touring right then. We?ll be doing a couple of TV shows like Kimmel and Craig Furguson. Then U.S. tour for a month. Then we?ll be doing all those European festivals that everybody does. Then we?re going to come back to the States and hopefully do some stuff in August. Basically, June is the U.S. July is the Europe festivals. August, probably back in the States again, hopefully. September, doing something back in Europe ? arenas in the UK again. We?re going to be bringing the record to a town near you at some point.

[Falcon]

A couple of more promo things for "Choice Of Weapon"

[Falcon]

The Cult will be appearing on the nationally syndicated radio show "ROCKLINE" May 23, taking calls and answering questions.

www.rocklineradio.com

Check your local listings for an affiliate.

[Falcon]

The Cult will be appearing and performing an outdoor mini concert on ABC's  Jimmy Kimmel Live, Friday May 18.

Gotta love all this exposure, it's a good time to be a Cult fan about now.

[BurningHills]

The Cult will be appearing and performing an outdoor mini concert on ABC's  Jimmy Kimmel Live, Friday May 18.

Gotta love all this exposure, it's a good time to be a Cult fan about now.

Oh hell yeah!

[Falcon]

Hell has officially frozen over, I'm quoting Nikki Sixx on The Cult.

From @NikkiSixx

"New CULT is grimy, slimy, sexy and just what we need at radio.Its called "For the Animals"

[Falcon]

http://www.rockconfidential.com/inside/2012/05/the-cult-choice-of-weapon/

The Cult ? Choice of Weapon

After a releasing the uninspiring Born into This The Cult have returned. I?m surprised that The Cult has released a full-length album since singer Ian Astbury vowed that they ?wouldn?t do this? again. Astbury rambled something like ?the format is dead? or something to that affect and they?d only release ?capsules? from here forward. So in 2012 singer Astbury and guitarist Billy Duffy, together since 1983 (with a couple of sabbaticals in between), have released their 9th album entitled Choice of Weapon.
 
The Cult have come full-circle with Choice of Weapon as it is their most consistent in years. The album combines sounds of The Cult past, present and future. I must say this is the strongest line-up to date, featuring Astbury, Duffy, drummer John Tempesta (Testament, Exodus, White Zombie) and bassist Chris Wyse. Tempesta and Wyse shine on Choice of Weapon as one of the most pretentious rhythm sections I have heard in a while. This is no doubt due in part to The Cult reuniting with producer Bob Rock, who is known for cranking out some ?big? sounding albums. In addition to Bob Rock, The Cult brought in their friend Chris Goss (Masters of Reality) to co-produce the album. No need to fear about having too many cooks in the kitchen while the recording of this album took place! Choice of Weapon is a seamless album it flows very well, the sound is stripped down, bombastic and most importantly the songs are extraordinary.
 
Right out of the blocks The Cult sets the tone with the opening track ?Honey from a Knife? which is a rockin? track that can go toe to toe with ?Rise? from Beyond Good & Evil. ?Honey from a Knife? screams ?play me live? as does the first single ?For the Animals? both of which will have you burying the gas peddle to the floor board and quite possibly earning you a hefty speeding ticket. In addition, the aforementioned could be placed side by side from classic cuts from Electric and you?d mistaken them for bonus cuts?not filler, but bonus cuts. ?The Wolf? has a vintage Cult sound that?s reminiscent of something from the Love sessions, clearly it isn?t but that?s just how strong Choice of Weapon is. The ballad ?Love>Death? is among one of the best The Cult has ever done?bar none. ?Lucifer? is refreshing take on psychedelic rock and another in the line of the standouts on the album.
 
Ian Astbury is in top form, he?s stepped it up not only as a singer on Choice of Weapon but as a lyricist. Billy Duffy unleashes a series of blazing solos and tremendous riffs of which songs are based around. The Cult is alive and well; they are revitalized, fusing classic rock ?n? roll and modern rock?brilliantly. You can add Choice of Weapon to the list of fine works by The Cult like Love, Electric, Sonic Temple and Beyond Good & Evil. Now we anxiously await the guys to take this album on the road and break in the new material.

[FunkyMonkey]

Hell has officially frozen over, I'm quoting Nikki Sixx on The Cult.

From @NikkiSixx

"New CULT is grimy, slimy, sexy and just what we need at radio.Its called "For the Animals"

Maybe you'll get lucky and he'll review the entire album.

[Falcon]

Hell has officially frozen over, I'm quoting Nikki Sixx on The Cult.

From @NikkiSixx

"New CULT is grimy, slimy, sexy and just what we need at radio.Its called "For the Animals"

Maybe you'll get lucky and he'll review the entire album.

I'm not sure Sixx could do an entire album review without talking about himself or overblowing the importance of his own band.

[Falcon]

I'm sure Ian and Billy are saddened by the Beastie Boys Adam Yauch's passing today, they've been friends since late 1986 when The Beastie's "Cookie Puss" inspired Ian and Billy to go to New York to have Rick Rubin remix the original version of Love Removal Machine.

The Cult was the first "rock" band to use Rubin, they ended up re recording what was known as the "Peace" album into what became their US breakout record "Electric" - mainly because of "Cookie Puss".

While that record was being redone, The Cult, Beasties and LL Cool J were all recording at Electric Ladyland
studios in NYC.  Ian and Billy have often talked about walking in their rehearsal space only to find the Beasties
using their instruments.

In 1999 after 4 years of being apart, The Cult's first gig back was at the Tibetan Freedom Concert at the request of Yauch.

I wouldn't be surprised if MCA get's a shout out tonight at The Cult's show in Birmingham, AB...

[BurningHills]

http://www.rockconfidential.com/inside/2012/05/the-cult-choice-of-weapon/

The Cult ? Choice of Weapon

After a releasing the uninspiring Born into This The Cult have returned. I?m surprised that The Cult has released a full-length album since singer Ian Astbury vowed that they ?wouldn?t do this? again. Astbury rambled something like ?the format is dead? or something to that affect and they?d only release ?capsules? from here forward. So in 2012 singer Astbury and guitarist Billy Duffy, together since 1983 (with a couple of sabbaticals in between), have released their 9th album entitled Choice of Weapon.
 
The Cult have come full-circle with Choice of Weapon as it is their most consistent in years. The album combines sounds of The Cult past, present and future. I must say this is the strongest line-up to date, featuring Astbury, Duffy, drummer John Tempesta (Testament, Exodus, White Zombie) and bassist Chris Wyse. Tempesta and Wyse shine on Choice of Weapon as one of the most pretentious rhythm sections I have heard in a while. This is no doubt due in part to The Cult reuniting with producer Bob Rock, who is known for cranking out some ?big? sounding albums. In addition to Bob Rock, The Cult brought in their friend Chris Goss (Masters of Reality) to co-produce the album. No need to fear about having too many cooks in the kitchen while the recording of this album took place! Choice of Weapon is a seamless album it flows very well, the sound is stripped down, bombastic and most importantly the songs are extraordinary.
 
Right out of the blocks The Cult sets the tone with the opening track ?Honey from a Knife? which is a rockin? track that can go toe to toe with ?Rise? from Beyond Good & Evil. ?Honey from a Knife? screams ?play me live? as does the first single ?For the Animals? both of which will have you burying the gas peddle to the floor board and quite possibly earning you a hefty speeding ticket. In addition, the aforementioned could be placed side by side from classic cuts from Electric and you?d mistaken them for bonus cuts?not filler, but bonus cuts. ?The Wolf? has a vintage Cult sound that?s reminiscent of something from the Love sessions, clearly it isn?t but that?s just how strong Choice of Weapon is. The ballad ?Love>Death? is among one of the best The Cult has ever done?bar none. ?Lucifer? is refreshing take on psychedelic rock and another in the line of the standouts on the album.
 
Ian Astbury is in top form, he?s stepped it up not only as a singer on Choice of Weapon but as a lyricist. Billy Duffy unleashes a series of blazing solos and tremendous riffs of which songs are based around. The Cult is alive and well; they are revitalized, fusing classic rock ?n? roll and modern rock?brilliantly. You can add Choice of Weapon to the list of fine works by The Cult like Love, Electric, Sonic Temple and Beyond Good & Evil. Now we anxiously await the guys to take this album on the road and break in the new material.

It needs to be May 22 like...now.

[Falcon]

I wouldn't be surprised if MCA get's a shout out tonight at The Cult's show in Birmingham, AB...

From The Cult on Adam's passing:

"RIP ADAM YAUCH he was a brilliant and beautiful man . Check the Video from back in the day who knew Tibet would have us cross paths again .... Around minute 3:50"
 
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Qm36_q2HXaA

[Falcon]

http://musicinvancouver.blogspot.ca/2012/04/ian-astbury-cult-interview.html

Ian Astbury (The Cult) Interview

 MUSICinVancouver got to talk with Ian Astbury of The Cult this week in preparation for the band?s newest album. Titled Choice of Weapon and due to be released on May 22nd, this will be The Cult's ninth album. According to Astbury, the album honours existing fans and embraces new ones because ?even though it?s raw rock ?n? roll [...] it?s also a very fresh, current sound.? Describing Choice of Weapon as ?cohesive, resonant, deep, rich, brutal, sexual, cinematic? Astbury insists that the album gives Cult fans what they deserve while still managing to ?break new ground,? something which he thinks is ?evident in the songs.?  While noting that he hopes people will ? identify with the record and take something from it that maybe enhances their life experience? Astbury concedes that it isn?t about appealing to the masses. He draws inspiration from many sources including his travels, philosophical teaching, and other musicians. His only real goal is to ?tell [his] story, experiences, events and observations.? The most important thing for someone to take away from their new songs is to ?pay attention to your life; that life is sacred, that life is fleeting.? He urges everyone to ?jump in? and ?live life to its fullest potential.? And for Astbury this means working on developing his art, since his ?life is music.?

Even though the band has been working hard on the album, Astbury still has time to imagine future collaborations, including artists from different genres coming together to create a ?contemporary opera.? Collaborations are one of many experiences which Astbury believes ?can only enhance [his music].? Whether from new people, situations, or self-knowledge, Astbury admits he has gained ?a wealth of experience? that he believes allows him to evolve as an individual and as a musician. All of this experience has gone into Choice of Weapon, an album that Astbury finally finds deserving of his fans.





MUSICinVancouver interviewed Ian Astbury from Toronto and he seemed happy to be reminded of Vancouver:



Oh, you?re in Vancouver? Fantastic. I was living in Kitsilano for about a year.
Did you like it out here?

I love it. Vancouver?s a very well kept secret. Let?s see, we?ve made two albums in Vancouver as well. It?s beautiful.
Great music scene too.
Yeah, absolutely.

What are the main messages that you?d like people to take away from your newest album, Choice of Weapon?

I think my intention when I was writing this wasn?t so much to create a statement, like a social, political statement or anything like that. My main intention was to reflect observations and experiences. So however that?s interpreted, I mean it?s not essential that you take something away from it. I mean, it?d be really cool if people identify with the record and take something from it that maybe enhances their life experience. But the main intention for me was to really kind of tell my story, experiences, events and observations. So maybe schematically a message-pay attention. Pay attention to your life, that life is sacred, that life is fleeting. That there is no permanence, everything is constantly evolving and with that realization how do you live your life to its fullest potential. Maybe don?t wait, jump in.

Do you hope to reach a new audience with your latest album or is it geared more towards existing fans?

Well there was no real intention of a particular audience in mind it was about trying to encapsulate the lyrical ideas and the musical ideas in a form that was cohesive and resonant and deep and rich, brutal, sexual, cinematic. We wanted to get into that get into the animalism of what it was. But in terms of where we?d like to see it reach, we would love to see it reach as many people as possible. We?d love to see it go beyond our core audience. But we do consider that people have been longtime Cult fans and I think that?s why we really took a lot of time with this record. I went around saying Cult fans deserve better after we made our last album. The last album wasn?t fully realized. I really felt that Cult fans deserve something of a value if not beyond that of the trilogy of albums we made in the 80s and the early 90s. So it was really essential for us to make a record that was fully realized. So hopefully there?s something there for everyone.

Given that you have a loyal fan base, do you think you have more freedom to experiment with your music?

Well, the freedom is yours when you create. When you go into the studio it?s really down to you to determine how far you want to go with it. You?re really your own master in the studio. It?s really up to you. In terms of what the culture projects on you. Being in a post-modern hard rock band that?s been around for twenty-odd years, in the 21st century, in 2012, you?re kind of at the bottom of the food chain again. We?re actually the underdogs. Predominant culture is pretty much hip hop, pop. The kind of music we make and are associated with is considered to really belong in the 20th century and with all respect to that statement I think we?ve made a record that is very progressive, very of its time, relevant, and we?ve certainly employed techniques. We?ve evolved as a band, I?ve evolved as an individual. We certainly have an awareness of contemporary culture, current events and I think all of that?s integrated into the record. Certainly the choices that we?ve made reflect what we do. We are engaged with the world in its present state but not trying to replicate a bygone period. We don?t call it in the rearview mirror, we?re not a nostalgia act, we?re not trying to replicate the band?s past and we?re trying to forge ahead and break new ground. And I think it?s evident in the songs, especially things like "This Night in the City Forever", "Life is greater Than Death". Even "For The Animals," even though its a raw rock ?n roll song that would fit right into the New York scene in 1975 right alongside the New York Dolls, it?s also a very fresh, current sound. So we give it a lot of consideration.

[Falcon]

con't

How has your song writing process evolved throughout your life?

I think initially when you start out you?re kind of a dilettante. Your energy and your earnestness makes up for your lack of musical ability and your lack of language and ability to articulate but over the years you get better at your craft and you get better at how to put yourself over. And you get more self-knowledge, you learn about yourself more, you know how far you can go, what your limitations are, what your strengths are. So with that kind of self-knowledge you evolve. I think if you listen to that awareness you can be capable of great results.

How has your life affected your music?

They?re entwined. They?re not separate. There?s no duality. My life is my music and my music is my life. They?re very integrated in that way. And the lyrical content-I?m speaking about observations and experiences that I?ve had firsthand. It?s inseparable. The clothes I wear on stage are usually the clothes I wear during the day. The things I say in the music and in interviews and when I?m performing are the same things I have in conversation with friends. It?s just seamless.

What keeps you inspired to continue writing music?

Probably being inquisitive. I?ve always been inquisitive since I was a kid. I always want to know how things work. I like getting to the molecules of things, getting to the molecular structure. I?m inspired by what other artists do. I?m inspired by traveling. I?m inspired by books and films. I?m inspired by meeting new people, being in new environments and situations. A lust for life. All these aspects inspire me. Buddhist teachings, philosophical teachings. People like Joseph Campbell, Terence McKenna. There are many teachers, many philosophers I?m inspired by. And I love the ones that have been through a bit of a life. People who are growing and evolving through their 30?s, 40?s, 50?s-a full life realizing that it?s not over at 27. You have to keep going, you keep growing. There?s no need to stop. The only time to stop is when you have nothing to say, then stop, do something else. I?ve done that. I?ve walked away from this for a while and reenergized then came back.

And did that time away help you evolve as a musician?

Absolutely. It?s really important to have perspective. It?s really important to clear your head and take a walk, take a break, go travel, have another experience, work with other musicians. Those experiences can only enhance the core which in this instance is Choice of Weapon. So much has gone into this record energetically. A wealth of experience has been drawn from my work with The Doors or working with film or traveling to places like Tibet, being around indigenous elders, living in cities like New York-all this has materialized in this record.

You mentioned one of your past collaborations with The Doors, but are there any other musicians you?d like to work with?

Yeah, I?d love to work with Crystal Castles. I love the song Violent Dreams which is incredibly beautiful. I?d love to work with some hip hop artists. I?m a great admirer of RZA, you know, Wu-Tang Clan. I greatly admire Salem. I greatly admire David Bowie. I?d love to be part of an ensemble. Maybe a cast of various performers and singers and create an opera, a contemporary opera. I think it?d be really cool to have an ensemble of some incredible singers. The idea of working with someone like PJ Harvey and even Feist or even Lady Gaga and then working with people like Trent Reznor, Atticus Ross and James Lavelle from UNKLE who I have worked with in the past. But the idea of Chris Goss who?s one of our producers, working with these people who are incredible artists and creating something to go over the idea of being an ensemble. I really love collaborating with other people. It?s more fun.
-

Thank you for reading our post on Ian Astbury of The Cult! If you'd like more info about the band or their new album Choice of Weapon visit their official website and make sure to download the single "Lucifer" for free!


-Elysia Stutt

[Falcon]

Ian with an audio interview from Rock Legends can be heard here:

http://musiclegends.ca/interviews/the-cult-interview/

[Falcon]

Setlists from the Birmingham and Memphis festival shows this past weekend:

Lil' Devil
Honey From A Knife
Rain
Nirvana
Lucifer
Embers
Fire Woman
The Wolf
Wildflower
The Phoenix
For The Animals
Spiritwalker
She Sells Sanctuary
Love Removal Machine

[FunkyMonkey]

Rain - Birmingham, AL May 4th

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7MMxUiRwmzw

Fire Woman - Birmingham, AL

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Yvurr4HO0UE

[Falcon]

"Wild Flower" from The Beale Street Music Fest in Memphis:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xmMyR5xIC-0

[Falcon]

More info on the Jimmy Kimmel Live! appearance Friday, May 18th:

?Jimmy Kimmel Live!? airs at 12:00AM ET and PT/11:00PM CT. Fans are invited to attend the taping ? go to www.1iota.com for information on obtaining tickets.
 
For the telecast, The Cult will perform a track from their new album, Choice of Weapon, due out May 22, as well as one of the band?s classics. In addition, the band will play three more songs that will be made available exclusively on the ?Kimmel? website.