The Cult

[Falcon]

A recent interview with Ian, thanks to www.noisecreep.com for the following:

http://www.noisecreep.com/2009/06/11/cult-frontman-ian-astbury-recently-more-impressed-with-theater-t/




The Cult frontman Ian Astbury woke up one day and decided he was going to do everything he had always wanted to accomplish.

"Of course, there's always critics (who say), 'You can't do this.' 'You can't do that,'" Astbury said during an interview with Noisecreep. "Why not? Why not? Who's gonna stop me? I'm going to do it anyway, whether you want me to do it or not. It's not for commercial profit or gain."

Among his many projects: Producing John Patrick Shanley's play "Savage in Limbo" at the Manhattan nightclub The Bowery Electric June 12 through June 28. Shanley is best known for his work "Doubt," which was made into an Oscar-nominated film last year starring Meryl Streep and Philip Seymour Hoffman.

"I have so many more interests outside of performing music," Astbury said. "I have had an interest in theater and film for so many years. A group of friends asked me to help them produce a play and I thought it was really intriguing. Not everybody has thousands of dollars at their disposable to pour into a production, whether it's making a record or a film in a theater or whatever. It's a community of artists that come together to focus on particular material and pretty much around one woman, Apolla (Echino), who is a very close friend of mine."

Echino's acting teacher is Larry Moss, who also works with Leonardo DiCaprio, according to Astbury. "Savage in Limbo" was created after Moss suggested Echino and other students turn their short scenes into a play.

"I have an incredible appreciation for anybody who's doing that kind of work in the world," Astbury said about theater. "It's amazing. As an audience member, you just walk into a show and see it, and go, 'Wow. That was an amazing piece of theater' or 'an amazing piece of performance.' But you don't really take into consideration the amount of work that goes into it. It's an incredible amount of work. But it's incredibly gratifying because it's like a nonprofit venture and it's done out of total passion for the material, total passion for the actor, and total passion for the craft of acting.

"The space we're doing it in is The Bowery Electric, which is an amazing space in the Bowery, a block away from the old CBGB's. I've been coming to New York since 84, so I'm kind of a displaced nomad. One of the things I love the most about New York is the live theater. It's like nowhere else in the world, apart from maybe the West End in London. But New York has such a rich tradition in theater and some of the most exciting performances in theatrical performances. In fact if I was to put it up against music, I'd say I've seen better plays than I've seen actual performances by bands over the past year. Absolutely."

On opening night, Friday, June 12, Astbury will hit the stage with his new acoustic project The Soft Revolt, who also performed at the benefit party on April 9 at The Bowery Electric to raise money to support the production.

"The Soft Revolt is kind of a storefront for me," Astbury said. "It's basically a tag for me for getting up and doing guerilla acoustic sets. Anybody who's around that wants to be a part of it. The Soft Revolt is kind of like an open door. The last time I played with members of Hard Drugs, which is a Vancouver-based band. We did a set, more of an electric set, for the benefit, the original benefit we did for the play about a month ago.

"This is actually going to be like an opening night short set, half-hour, 40-minute set. I'll be playing all different kinds of material, stuff that I really love. I sort of make the set up a couple days before we go in with just whatever comes up: Maybe a couple Cult songs, possibly a Doors song, maybe a Led Zeppelin song, maybe a Patti Smith song, maybe a David Bowie song, maybe a Blonde Redhead song. Things I'm really into. I even tried out some new material last time I played I went into a new song I'd been writing. It's very gratifying."

[FunkyMonkey]

Sonisphere Announce USB Wristbands!

25/06/2009

Sonisphere announce the sale of a new USB wristband so you can experience audio tracks and exclusive video content as soon as you get home from the festival!

The Sonisphere USB wristband gives fans an amazing collection of exclusive audio and video tracks, interviews and choice highlights from across the tour for just ?20.

The strictly limited edition Sonisphere USB will feature backstage videos from the all the tour dates, and access to the ultimate Sonisphere concert video, culminating in exclusive tracks and highlights from the final concerts in the UK.

Each USB wristband will be loaded with exclusive content from the event that day, including live audio tracks and backstage footage, ready for collection when you leave the arena so you can relive the experience as soon as you get home. In addition, there will also be interviews with the best bands and the biggest fans, scrap book mementoes such as photos and set-lists and much more content to access after the event, only to those with the USB wristband.

How it works: USB purchasers will be able to access and download more content after each event through a secure download site. Just plug the USB wristband into your computer and you can access the whole library of high quality backstage and interview videos to download (please note the performance videos will be released after Knebworth only). It?s as easy as that, up to 30 live tracks, interviews, a whole host of exclusive footage and messages from the bands that you can keep .

How to order: You can buy the official Sonisphere USB wristbands before the festival via the festival?s online store www.sonispherefestivals.com/USB. There will also be a limited number USB wristbands on sale at each festival.

http://www.classicrockmagazine.com/news/sonisphere-announce-usb-wristbands/

[FunkyMonkey]

THE CULT/Ex-ROB ZOMBIE Drummer JOHN TEMPESTA Joins TheLiveLine - June 25, 2009

Drummer John Tempesta (THE CULT, ROB ZOMBIE, WHITE ZOMBIE, EXODUS, TESTAMENT) can now be reached via TheLiveLine, a service launched by MEGADETH mainman Dave Mustaine that enables musicians to connect to their audience over the phone. Get updates on Tempesta and leave messages for John by calling (888) 529-5482.

For more information, click here.

http://www.roadrunnerrecords.com/blabbermouth.net/news.aspx?mode=Article&newsitemID=122593

[Falcon]

Ian Astbury has launched a blog on The Cult's official site, take a look here:

http://thecult.us/blog/

It's Ian being Ian - vague but pointed at the same time.

Here's a sample:

HEAVY
 
BD AND I IN NYC STUDIO NU MUSIC/ HEAVY PSYCH WITCH DRONE/ OUTER HEAVEN / DEATH OF A HIPSTER/
MORE TO COME

[FunkyMonkey]

Here are a couple more videos of Ian Astbury from The Bowery Electric that I thought were good.  The Radiohead song surprised me...

Radiohead "Creep"

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7dYFeGYzo7Q&feature=related

"She Sells Sanctuary"

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=epmHvqDEJOo&feature=related

[Falcon]

THE CULT/Ex-ROB ZOMBIE Drummer JOHN TEMPESTA Joins TheLiveLine - June 25, 2009

Drummer John Tempesta (THE CULT, ROB ZOMBIE, WHITE ZOMBIE, EXODUS, TESTAMENT) can now be reached via TheLiveLine, a service launched by MEGADETH mainman Dave Mustaine that enables musicians to connect to their audience over the phone. Get updates on Tempesta and leave messages for John by calling (888) 529-5482.

For more information, click here.

http://www.roadrunnerrecords.com/blabbermouth.net/news.aspx?mode=Article&newsitemID=122593

Take a look and listen to Johnny's profile here:

http://www.theliveline.com/EntertainerProfile.aspx?entertainerId=145694

[FunkyMonkey]

IAN ASTBURY's THE SOFT REVOLT: NYC Footage Available - June 28, 2009

THE SOFT REVOLT, the new acoustic project led by THE CULT frontman Ian Astbury, performed on June 12, 2009 at the The Bowery Electric in New York City on the opening night of John Patrick Shanley's play "Savage in Limbo", which Astbury is producing.

Watch fan-filmed video footage of THE SOFT REVOLT's performance below.

"THE SOFT REVOLT is kind of a storefront for me," Astbury told Noisecreep a few days before the concert. "It's basically a tag for me for getting up and doing guerilla acoustic sets. Anybody who's around that wants to be a part of it. THE SOFT REVOLT is kind of like an open door. The last time I played with members of HARD DRUGS, which is a Vancouver-based band. We did a set, more of an electric set, for the benefit, the original benefit we did for the play about a month ago."

He continued, "I sort of make the set up a couple days before we go in with just whatever comes up: Maybe a couple of CULT songs, possibly a DOORS song, maybe a LED ZEPPELIN song, maybe a PATTI SMITH song, maybe a DAVID BOWIE song, maybe a BLONDE REDHEAD song. Things I'm really into. I even tried out some new material last time I played I went into a new song I'd been writing. It's very gratifying."

Regarding his involvement with "Savage in Limbo", Astbury told Noisecreep, "I have an incredible appreciation for anybody who's doing that kind of work in the world. It's amazing. As an audience member, you just walk into a show and see it, and go, 'Wow. That was an amazing piece of theater' or 'an amazing piece of performance.' But you don't really take into consideration the amount of work that goes into it. It's an incredible amount of work. But it's incredibly gratifying because it's like a nonprofit venture and it's done out of total passion for the material, total passion for the actor, and total passion for the craft of acting."

Video: http://www.roadrunnerrecords.com/blabbermouth.net/news.aspx?mode=Article&newsitemID=122721

[Falcon]

Cult bassist Chris Wyse recently performed with Ace Frehley for an instructional video, other guests included Matt Sorum and John 5

Pics can be viewed here:

http://www.sacredsoul.us/cms/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=222&Itemid=2

Thanks to www.deankarr.com and www.saceredsoul.us for the above

[FunkyMonkey]

Cult bassist Chris Wyse recently performed with Ace Frehley for an instructional video, other guests included Matt Sorum and John 5

Pics can be viewed here:

http://www.sacredsoul.us/cms/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=222&Itemid=2

Thanks to www.deankarr.com and www.saceredsoul.us for the above

Those are good photos.  Anymore info. on the IMV instructional video?  And I don't see the photos on the photographer's site, but maybe I'm not looking in the right place.

[Falcon]

The first two tees from Ian's Astbury's clothing line (LAMFF) can be purchased here:

 http://cart.unionlosangeles.com/index.php?main_page=index&cPath=19

[Falcon]

"Love Removal Machine" from last night (July 4) at El Paso's "Street Fest"

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FmsI3fjhWNc

[Falcon]

A new Astbury interview, very insightful on many topics.

Thanks to edcult for the following:


El Paso Times Blog Article

Cult's Ian Astbury on 'Love,' rock 'n' roll and the death of the album

Ian Astbury's not only the leader of the Cult, he's something of a rock 'n' roll shaman, a cerebral man, a guy with strong opinions about the music he loves and the industry he, well, loathes.

I had a long talk with him on the phone the other day, too late to get anything into the print version of the newspaper, but not too late to run it here.

What follows are some of the highlights from the nearly 45-minute conversation, including his thoughts on the album as an art form ("albums are a dead format," he says), "Guitar Hero" and "Rock Band" as new ways to promote a band's music, reviving their 1985 album "Love" album (which gave us "She Sells Sanctuary") for a tour launching Aug. 18 and his thoughts on artists from Radiohead to Led Zeppelinand Bob Dylan.

The Cult headlines Saturday's main stage at the Downtown Street Fest. They're scheduled to go on around 10:20 p.m., after the fireworks. The show starts at 6:15, with Drive A, then Over the Rainbow(featuring former Rainbow members and Ritchie Blackmore's son on guitar) and Lacuna Coil.
Tickets are $15 in advance at 7-Eleven stores in El Paso and Pic Quiks in Las Cruces, $25 at the gate. Go to klaq.com for details.



Making "Love"

I asked Astbury 47, why he recently told Billboard.com that he most identified with the band's "Love" album, their second, which predated bigger releases such as "Electric" (1987) and "Sonic Temple" (1989).

"I think out of all the Cult albums, it was the one that wasn't made with an agenda in the sense that when the band first formed it was formed out of a love of music. It wasn't sort of a careerist venture. It was never meant to be a job or an occupation. It was just driven by the love of music. As the course of the band progressed and we got to the 'Electric' album, the agenda was to follow up 'Love,' and we got in that cycle of touring and making records.

"Something that's really interesting, being that young and not having that kind of perspective, we didn't realize we were doing anything to run out of energy or run out of fuel. But when you tour he way we used to tour and record and tour an album, it just didn't stop. We did that for 12 years and the wheels just go off and you're putting the pieces back together."


Old vs. new

Astbury said he was "firmly rooted in punk" in the late 1970s, a big fan of the Clash, Sex Pistols andRamones, a time when groups like Led Zeppelin were derived for their money, their excess, their detachment and their success. But the key to the Cult's late 1980s/early 1990s success was a sound that combined classic hard rock with a more contemporary punk fury, which allowed the group to appeal to both camps.

"For me, in the early '80s, the predominant opinion was that groups like Led Zeppelin were taboo. You couldn't mention them, certainly in England you couldn't mention the name of Led Zeppelin. It was considered some sort of primordial tme, but, really, even "In Through the Out Door" was far more progressive than a lot of post-modern record I've heard at 22, 23 years old.

"When I heard that music with really open ears, I was so moved by it, by the depths of it, the scope of it, it confused me as to why there was so much hatred of the punk rock generation toward Led Zeppelin. I understood they were wealthy, unobtainable kind of like icons, but at the same token they were young men and they'd earned that wealth that had been thrust upon them and they dealt with it the best they could. John Bonham didn't make it, which was a real tragedy in Led Zeppelin.

"But in many ways they were far more outrageous, the radical choices they made, than a lot of punk rock bands. They could actually play."

He also raved about Jimmy Page as "one of the most gifted musicians of any era, like a Paganini," but is less impressed with Eddie Van Halen and the waves of fast, technically adroit players who've followed in his footsteps.

"When I think of guitar players, I don't think of Eddie Van Halen. That kind of technical playing doesn't interest me. I'm always more of a fan of Robby Krieger (the Doors guitarist, with whom Astbury toured earlier this decade). In a lot of ways, he's the original punk guitarist. So was Pete Townshend and Ron Ashton."


Too old to rock 'n' roll?

Astbury has developed projects for theater and film in recent years, but says music "will always be my first love," even though he's not happy with the state of the music that has inspired him ever since he bought David Bowie's "Life on Mars?" as a 10-year-old kid.

"Rock 'n' roll now is pretty much in the garbage. It's barely alive. Everybody has taken from it. Nobody has given back. There are a very few who have given back. It's a very selfish occupation. A lot of people never really returned. That's why we have a lot of pastiche and we have a lot of artists who are never involved beyond their sophomore albums. It's a travesty."



The album is dead

I asked Astbury if the Cult, who are without a record label, had been working on material for a new album. The question brought a very blunt answer.

"There will be no new album. I don't think we'll ever see a Cult album. Albums are dead. The format is dead. iTunes destroyed albums. The whole idea of an album. Albums were established in the '70s and '80s and into the '90s, but they've been dead for a long time. Nobody buys albums. It's been proven. It's an arcane format, as much as the 78 rpm or writing sheet music for an orchestra. It's an old form and, for me, it's much more about if we have a great song we really believe in, then we'll record it and release it."

He's not ruling out collecting a bunch of those songs into some kind of album and makes clear that his views are in relation to the Cult more than anyone else.

"For me, the idea of making albums is dead. The idea of spending a year and a half in the studio arguing over agendas and trying to fit into a format that's settled before we started the creative process (is unappealing).

He points to some contemporary artists who are exceptions to that rule: Unkle, Arcade Fire and Radiohead among them. Of Radiohead, he said: "I find their albums highly listenable. I get lost in a body of work. I look forward to it."


'Guitar' zero

He's no fan of the Disneyfication of the music industry and doesn't think video games like "Guitar Hero" or "Rock Band" (which is having a tournament at the Street Fest) are appropriate ways for artists to get their music out there.

"I've been talking to some bands and they'll say, 'Aren't you excited for people to discover your music through 'Guitar Hero'?' No. That's not the way to discover music in a contemporary format that's pop. If you are in the music business, you should consider that as an end result to introduce people to music."


Ian on Bob


One enduring artist that Astbury admires is Bob Dylan who has established quite a legacy doing what he wants, not what he thinks fans expect or record companies can market.

"He's a god. That body of work. 'I'm gonna play 'Like a Rolling Stone,' play 'Infidels' or 'Modern Times,' then 'Blonde on Blonde.' I mean that body of work is ridiculous. Bob Dylan's an exception to all the rules. He's a god to all of it. The fact that he's been around, vital, making great records, f--- agism, he's got far bigger b---- and far more presence."


Cult status

The Cult has been around in one form or another since 1983, save three-year hiatuses in the '90s and the '00s. The constants have been Astbury and guitarist Billy Duffy, who are joined currently by ex-White Zombie drummer John Tempesta, guitarist Mike Dimkich and former Ozzy bassist Chris Whyse.

Astbury describes the current lineup as "very lean, very muscular," though his recovery from recent hip reconstruction surgery has gone slow. "I had destroyed my left hip, had that reconstructed, so I'm coming off pretty much 7-8 months without being able to exercise. I've been walking without a cane for about a week. I am definitely not as mobile as I like to be. But I'm starting the rehab process now, so my mobility will increase."

At age 47, he has no Peter Pan delusions. "I'm in my 40s, so there's no delusion of walking around in tight trousers like I'm 17. It's OK to be 47."

He said the band is approaching recording and touring like "a guerilla unit."

"We choose what we want to do. We have our criteria in terms of we're offered so much work and so many opportunities but those things don't interest me any more. What interests me is going to woodshed, create music that I'm proud of and keep the door open to guerilla gigs," including Saturday's non-tour stop at the Street Fest, which brings the Cult back to a town that has supported them over the years (even if someone flung a bottle at Astbury at the Coliseum back in the '90s).

"We don't have a record deal and I'm completely fine with that. We have a body of work ... but the Cult started as a live band. We still have that and we are engaged in that."

[FunkyMonkey]

The album is dead

I asked Astbury if the Cult, who are without a record label, had been working on material for a new album. The question brought a very blunt answer.

"There will be no new album. I don't think we'll ever see a Cult album. Albums are dead. The format is dead. iTunes destroyed albums. The whole idea of an album. Albums were established in the '70s and '80s and into the '90s, but they've been dead for a long time. Nobody buys albums. It's been proven. It's an arcane format, as much as the 78 rpm or writing sheet music for an orchestra. It's an old form and, for me, it's much more about if we have a great song we really believe in, then we'll record it and release it."

That's an interesting quote, and he is very blunt.

[Falcon]

Thanks to darkhola and www.cultcentral.com for the following on the July 4 El Paso gig:


"sorry, had to make it back to az. that was my first trip to texas and i have to say the people of el paso were very nice. the festival was cool, right dt and packed with people. i was surprised that the whole thing was just straight out heavy rock. Very good local talent in el paso. as for the cult, They sounded great and seemed realaxed. Ian came on stage with his cane but that was the only time i saw him with it. he is definately slowed by his knee and it looked as if it was bandaged with fluid seeping out? not sure, but he was in good spirits. he kept on playfully harrassing chris, spitting water at him, tossing water bottles at him, calling him a rock star. He didn't have to much to say to the crowd other than talking about taking peyote in the desert and slurrrrrring the word Texxxaaasss. As for the setlist, it was something along these lines..."

lil devil
electric ocean
sss
rain
the witch
illuminated
spirit walker
rise
i assassin
dlrs
wild flower
the phoenix
lrm
sss

[Falcon]

"Rain" from El Paso can be viewed here:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tSR9ZoKJgqg

[FunkyMonkey]

IAN ASTBURY Says There Will Be No New THE CULT Album - July 7, 2009

Doug Pullen of ElPasoTimes.com recently conducted an interview with THE CULT frontman Ian Astbury. A few excerpts from the chat follow below.

On THE CULT's "Love" album:

"I think out of all THE CULT albums, it was the one that wasn't made with an agenda in the sense that when the band first formed it was formed out of a love of music. It wasn't sort of a careerist venture. It was never meant to be a job or an occupation. It was just driven by the love of music. As the course of the band progressed and we got to the 'Electric' album, the agenda was to follow up 'Love', and we got in that cycle of touring and making records.

"Something that's really interesting, being that young and not having that kind of perspective, we didn't realize we were doing anything to run out of energy or run out of fuel. But when you tour he way we used to tour and record and tour an album, it just didn't stop. We did that for 12 years and the wheels just go off and you're putting the pieces back together."

On the current state of rock music:

"Rock 'n' roll now is pretty much in the garbage. It's barely alive. Everybody has taken from it. Nobody has given back. There are a very few who have given back. It's a very selfish occupation. A lot of people never really returned. That's why we have a lot of pastiche and we have a lot of artists who are never involved beyond their sophomore albums. It's a travesty."

On whether THE CULT has been working on material for a new album:

"There will be no new album. I don't think we'll ever see a CULT album. Albums are dead. The format is dead. iTunes destroyed albums. The whole idea of an album. Albums were established in the '70s and '80s and into the '90s, but they've been dead for a long time. Nobody buys albums. It's been proven. It's an arcane format, as much as the 78 rpm or writing sheet music for an orchestra. It's an old form and, for me, it's much more about if we have a great song we really believe in, then we'll record it and release it."

"For me, the idea of making albums is dead. The idea of spending a year and a half in the studio arguing over agendas and trying to fit into a format that's settled before we started the creative process (is unappealing)."

On "Guitar Hero":

"I've been talking to some bands and they'll say, 'Aren't you excited for people to discover your music through 'Guitar Hero'?' No. That's not the way to discover music in a contemporary format that's pop. If you are in the music business, you should consider that as an end result to introduce people to music."

On the band's approach to recording and touring:

"We choose what we want to do. We have our criteria in terms of we're offered so much work and so many opportunities but those things don't interest me any more. What interests me is going to woodshed, create music that I'm proud of and keep the door open to guerilla gigs.

"We don't have a record deal and I'm completely fine with that. We have a body of work ... but THE CULT started as a live band. We still have that and we are engaged in that."

Read more from ElPasoTimes.com.

http://www.roadrunnerrecords.com/blabbermouth.net/news.aspx?mode=Article&newsitemID=123219

[Falcon]

We've relaunched the Official Cult Forum at www.thecult.us/forum - the focus will be The Cult in 2009 and the upcoming LOVE/LIVE tour.

Take a look if ya get a chance..

[Falcon]

Cult rhythm guitarist Mike Dimkich will be playing a one off gig with his side band "The Looter" July 31st in Park City, Utah at the Downstairs Club.

http://www.downstairsparkcity.com/calendar.html

Thanks to Mikey for the info.

[FunkyMonkey]

Ian Astbury is Busy With Film Projects

7.10.2009

By: Christina Fuoco-Karasinski

A longtime interest in Native American culture has led the Cult singer Ian Astbury into a career as a filmmaker.

"I have a documentary I'm working on called 'Conquest.' The subtitle is 'Sexual Violence and American Indian Genocide,'" Astbury said during an interview with Noisecreep.

"It's to do mainly with matricide. It's to do with the fact that when patriarchal cultures move in to an area for manifest destiny, certain elements of that is to take over the existing populous. And when you have an indigenous population in the United States, the Native Americans, they knew to go for the women as a way to kill off the people. It bleeds into modern times with what's been going on in reservations and those communities, forced sterilization, sexual abuse and violence in these communities, the culture's been stolen away. Such indignation have been practiced and perpetuated."

Astbury explained there's a long litany of violence perpetuated against women. He said the gender issue comes into play as well in the documentary, based on work by Nobel Peace Prize-nominated author Andrea Smith.

"We live in a patriarchal culture still and we still can't get over the fact that we need to have men leaders," he said. "(The documentary) goes very deeply into the ethnic genocide, the matriarchal elements and then it goes into gender issues of modern day. When 'Sex and the City' is supposed to be representative of feminine power and doesn't disclose any kind of real spirituality or real connection to the fact that we depend on a ball of hydrogen burning at whatever amount of degrees it is to keep us alive everyday or oxygen or this planet which is a feminine aspect. I'm thinking that culture's one of the hugest things we're suffering from. It's like the big white elephant in the room that nobody wants to talk about."

He said he is using the Native American theme to break into these issues.

"America is still the most important cultural leader in the world," Astbury said. "I think America, as collective group, will work together, not excluding anyone, or pointing fingers at anyone. It's not about blaming anybody. It's just like saying, 'Let's see where all are together. Let's look at this. Let's deal with this and let's get this healed or work toward healing it.' It's in production right now."

Also on his plate are two short films, one of which is "Ruins." The film is set on the Pine Ridge Indian Reservation in South Dakota.

"It's about two star-crossed lovers--a young boy and a young girl," Astbury said. "They're in a city, an urban culture, (where) gang culture is being appropriated by a lot of the reservation-dwelling natives. They've completely absorbed that into their culture so you'll see like your mates wearing Tupac T-shirts, gang signs that are (used) with Hispanic and African American gangs in central urban areas. You'll see the same kind of use of gangster rap and colors and all this gang paraphernalia. You'll see that in native areas. The Pine Ridge reservation is rampant with it. So it's a very volatile environment. It's an environment where there's no real way out. The story's about a young woman who wants to break out of that environment. The story's gonna be told in nine minutes. I'm going to write the soundtrack for it, direct it as well as cast it. Hopefully I'll be shooting it in July."

The second short film is "We Defy," a reveal of a special forces unit that has just come out of the combat zone.

"It had just been airlifted out by helicopter and it's about their emotional response after a conflict," Astbury said. "We don't see the conflict. We just see them going through the process, coming apart emotionally. What we reveal about each individual person is how they deal with the pressure--maybe somebody's smoking, somebody's crying, somebody's very reflective. Again it's the same kind of thing: We're shooting this over nine minutes. I'm writing the soundtrack for it. To me, that's my album. I don't make albums anymore. Albums are just a waste of time. People are into trailers and singles."

http://www.noisecreep.com/2009/07/10/ian-astbury-is-busy-with-film-projects/

[Falcon]

Some clips from last night in Lockport:

Fire Woman:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=V01OpGAzhh8


Sweet Soul Sister

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KVJCQIxwf7o