The Cult

[PJ]

is funny how in this thread only falcon posts..
if anyone had been doing the same thing... the thread would be so closed

[FunkyMonkey]

Ian Astbury from UK group The Cult says giving away music for free is disgusting and bands who do it are selfish and irresponsible.

He's not afraid to speak his mind.

is funny how in this thread only falcon posts..

What I know about The Cult is mostly from reading this thread, so I appreciate all the stuff Falcon posts.

I do more reading than posting here -- but I've added a couple of things. 

[Falcon]

is funny how in this thread only falcon posts..
if anyone had been doing the same thing... the thread would be so closed

Not that my posts in this thread need explaining, but here ya go..

They've been my favorite band for years and have historical ties to the band this site is dedicated. 

I also help administrate their official site..

 

[FunkyMonkey]

THE CULT: More Tour Dates Announced - Apr. 26, 2010

Veteran rockers THE CULT have scheduled the following dates:

May 03 - Auckland, New Zealand, Trusts Stadium
May 05 - Brisbane, Australia, Tivoli Theatre
May 06 - Sydney, Australia, Big Top Luna Park
May 08 - Melbourne, Australia, Palais Theatre
May 09 - Melbourne, Australia, Palais Theatre
May 10 - Adelaide, Australia, Thebarton Theatre
May 12 - Perth, Australia, Metro City
May 14 - Tokyo, Japan, Studio Coast
Jul. 23 - Bilbao, Spain, Rockstar Live
Jul. 24 - Valencia, Spain, Jardines De Viveros
Jul. 26 - Rome, Italy, Rock In Roma
Jul. 28 - Banja Luka, Bosnia & Herzegovina, Kastel Open Air
Aug. 01 - Knebworth, England, Knebworth Park - Sonicsphere Festival
Aug. 03 - Den Haag, Holland, Paard Van Troje
Aug. 04 - Aarhus, Denmark, Train
Aug. 06 - Stockholm, Sweden, Grona Lund @ Tivoli
Aug. 07 - Pori, Finland, Kirjurinluoto - Sonicsphere Festival
Aug. 12 - Szczytno, Poland, Stadion WSPol - Open Mind Festival
Aug. 14 - Landgraaf, Holland, Pinkpop Classic Festival
Sep. 18 - Irvine, California, Verizon Wireless Amphitheater

THE CULT will perform its classic album "Love" in its entirety during its tour of Australia and New Zealand in May.

"The band is redefining the live album experience with the 'Love Live Tour'; nothing is comparable to witnessing THE CULT fully engaged in the live creation of arguably their seminal album," stated THE CULT manager Tom Vitorino. "For fans, this will be the greatest tour yet, and for those just discovering THE CULT, this staging will envelop them in a pure performance experience,"

THE CULT recently finished recording four new songs at a Los Angeles-area studio with producer Chris Goss (MASTERS OF REALITY, KYUSS, QUEENS OF THE STONE AGE) for a brand new EP, to be released this summer. More details will be revealed soon.

http://www.roadrunnerrecords.com/blabbermouth.net/news.aspx?mode=Article&newsitemID=139155

[Falcon]

A new Asbury interview, interesting stuff -thanks to edcult and www.thecult.us

http://www.stuff.co.nz/entertainment/blogs/blog-on-the-tracks/3624698/Win-Tickets-to-see-The-Cult-and-a-CD



I'm not trying to win you back after giving you the week away from my writing. Honestly, I'm not. It just worked out this way. During my "week off" I was lucky to speak to Ian Astbury from The Cult. The Cult play Auckland next Monday, May 3. I wish I could go. But I cannot. I have to think up ways to win back my audience after giving you the week away from my writing...so I'll be busy.

But, very kindly, the promoters of the show have given me one double pass and a copy of the Pure Cult greatest hits CD to give away.

So we'll do that today. One lucky reader - preferably someone who lives in the Auckland area, or who is prepared to pay for their own travel to get to the gig in Auckland from wherever they live - will score two tickets and a CD.

But first, we'd better hear a bit from Ian.

He was in New York when I spoke to him. And tells me straight off, when I ask why the band has chosen the Love album to play in its entirety for this tour, that "Billy [Duffy] had the idea to perform the album at the Royal Albert Hall. It had been a long-standing ambition. We just felt it was that sort of album - one that could stand up to a Royal Albert Hall show. And it's gone from there - taking that idea and we've been pleased with the shows. So they have continued."

Astbury, 47, a Merseysider who had been in Southern Death Cult and then, with Duffy, shortened that to Death Cult before becoming The Cult, speaks in clipped, short sentences. He is smart and appears to answer questions urgently - waiting for more; waiting for spaces to wax philosophical. Waiting for the gaps to plug his other ventures. Until he gets bored. Something that happens a lot.

He laughs at any thought of he and Duffy being compared to other famous guitarist/singer duos like, most obviously Mick and Keef from The Stones or Tyler and Perry from Aerosmith.

"Oh god no - not at all. Billy and I are not married!" And then there's a break off for some laughter. The kind that is not altogether mocking but is certainly designed to give the feeling that any such comparisons are absurd; utterly, utterly absurd.

"I am able to go away and do my stuff and Billy is able to go away and do his stuff - and you don't get that if you feel like you're in a musical marriage. We know the songs together, we wrote so many of them together and that's the common bond. Beyond that we explore different avenues. I'm working a lot with film now - I've got a film in a festival at the moment and I'm exploring both documentary and short film making. And I'm looking at other music outside of The Cult too. But for right now I'm enjoying being in The Cult again."

There's a need for Astbury to prove things. It comes out many times in the space of our taut 15-minute chat.

"For a start, I play guitar as well, I've just not felt the need to play guitar on stage with The Cult. I mean, I wrote The Witch! But I have respect for this material; it is the work of the band The Cult. And I don't need to go off and play it when it's not me and Billy and the band."

He then goes on to detail that he did play a handful of songs from The Cult when on the tour with his first significant post-Cult band (during the first breakup), The Holy Barbarians.

"But again, they were the songs I wrote - so that's fair".

There will be new material from The Cult. Apparently an EP is being readied - part of a series. Just don't go calling it an EP. They have a fancy new name, you see...

"First of all," and it feels like David Brent in performance-review mode here, "check your calendar: it's 2010 mate. 'EP' is old technology that stands for 'elongated play', that's dated. So we're not releasing an EP. We're releasing 'a capsule'."

Astbury explains that this will take the form of new songs and will include "a film aspect, music videos that you can download or purchase on DVD and maybe a T-shirt".

They will also look to release the fancy new capsule on both vinyl - and cassette tape. Yes. Old technology though, isn't it?

"Well yes, but you see this is where the capsule idea comes from - it 'encapsulates' it all. Whatever we decide to release will be available in whatever format for download or over-the-counter purchase. Or to buy at gigs. We need to move with the times."

So, they'll be moving with the times and releasing material on tape?

Astbury chuckles, but only slightly. "Well, I'd like to". I tell him that I've read he has a recent fascination with tape, finding an old Walkman and using it to listen to playbacks of recordings.

"Yes."
...

But the awkward silence doesn't last too long - and when I ask about his involvement with The Doors (Astbury fronted The Doors of the 21st Century; tackling the Jim Morrison role, working with original Doors Ray Manzarek and Robby Krieger during a long hiatus from The Cult).

"Well I can honestly say that I was never much of a front man until I worked with those guys. They taught me so much - things that I have taken back with me and use now with The Cult. I just learned so much from working with those legends."

Of course they must have learnt a lot as they worked with one of rock music's ultimate performers back in the day, right?

"Well, yes of course and we could talk all day about that - but we don't have time. So let's go back to The Cult."

New material will be performed in the second half of the show - there'll be the Love album and then Astbury says there will be a few "brand new songs" as well as "all the hits". He believes the band has never sounded better.

But that is an obvious thing to say - and Astbury times it so that he can add, "I better press on. Good luck!"

[Bansidhe]

Hope to hear new material soon. Be good to hear a couple of new choons alongside the classics when I see them at Soni.

[FunkyMonkey]

So, they'll be moving with the times and releasing material on tape?

Astbury chuckles, but only slightly. "Well, I'd like to". I tell him that I've read he has a recent fascination with tape, finding an old Walkman and using it to listen to playbacks of recordings.

He's kinda got him there -- so they're releasing "a capsule."

[Falcon]

With IA's latest collaboration w/Slash, thought I'd track down a cool guest spot he did in the early 2000's with Zen Mafia..

Groovy tune, Astbury appears near the end - good stuff.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Faci10M0XB8

[FunkyMonkey]

With IA's latest collaboration w/Slash, thought I'd track down a cool guest spot he did in the early 2000's with Zen Mafia..

Groovy tune, Astbury appears near the end - good stuff.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Faci10M0XB8

That was unexpected -- and the best part of the video.

[FunkyMonkey]

IAN ASTBURY Says THE CULT Will Release A 'Capsule,' Not An EP - May 2, 2010

Simon Sweetman of Stuff.co.nz recently conducted an interview with vocalist Ian Astbury of THE CULT. A few excerpts from the chat follow below.

On he and guitarist Billy Duffy being compared to other famous guitarist/singer duos like Mick Jagger and Keith Richards from THE ROLLING STONES or Steven Tyler and Joe Perry from AEROSMITH:

"Oh god, no ? not at all. Billy and I are not married!

"I am able to go away and do my stuff and Billy is able to go away and do his stuff ? and you don't get that if you feel like you're in a musical marriage. We know the songs together, we wrote so many of them together and that's the common bond. Beyond that we explore different avenues. I'm working a lot with film now ? I've got a film in a festival at the moment and I'm exploring both documentary and short film making. And I'm looking at other music outside of THE CULT, too. But for right now I'm enjoying being in THE CULT again."

"For a start, I play guitar as well, I've just not felt the need to play guitar on stage with THE CULT. I mean, I wrote 'The Witch'! But I have respect for this material; it is the work of the band THE CULT. And I don't need to go off and play it when it's not me and Billy and the band."

On THE CULT's forthcoming EP, which will take the form of new songs and will include "a film aspect, music videos that you can download or purchase on DVD and maybe a T-shirt":

"First of all, check your calendar: it's 2010, mate. 'EP' is old technology that stands for 'elongated play', that's dated. So we're not releasing an EP. We're releasing 'a capsule'."

On how THE CULT will look to release the fancy new "capsule" on both vinyl and cassette tape, which may be deemed to be "old technology" by some:

"Well, yes, but you see, this is where the capsule idea comes from ? it 'encapsulates' it all. Whatever we decide to release will be available in whatever format for download or over-the-counter purchase. Or to buy at gigs. We need to move with the times."

On his involvement with THE DOORS (Astbury fronted THE DOORS OF THE 21ST CENTURY; tackling the Jim Morrison role, working with original THE DOORS members Ray Manzarek and Robby Krieger during a long hiatus from THE CULT):

"Well, I can honestly say that I was never much of a frontman until I worked with those guys. They taught me so much ? things that I have taken back with me and use now with THE CULT. I just learned so much from working with those legends."

Read more from Stuff.co.nz.

http://www.roadrunnerrecords.com/blabbermouth.net/news.aspx?mode=Article&newsitemID=139469

[Falcon]

A new Duffy interview:

http://www.fasterlouder.com.au/features/23405/The-Cult.htm

THE CULT
by doubtfulsounds

It is likely that many people will stereotype The Cult with the image of mid 80s rock pose bombast, all denim and leather, long hair and Marshall stacks that saturated the video channels of the time. That was the era of Electric, an album that took them to the masses and was the point at which their sound changed dramatically from the dark and swirling psychedelic post punk that characterised their first two albums ? Dreamtime and Love.

After breakups, meltdowns and reformations the band are looking in fine health after the release of their eighth album Born Into This in 2007 and recent touring where they have been playing their classic 1985 Love album in full, followed by a selection of favourite Cult songs from the rest of their albums.

Ahead of their Australian tour this May, Billy Duffy happily looks back on the record that first broke them internationally and set them on course to be one of the bigger rock bands of the 80s.

?It all started when I had this idea a number of years ago to play the Albert Hall, I thought we should play the Love album there. I approached Ian [Astbury] about it. We weren?t actually playing together as a band, we were on a hiatus, he was singing with the Doors and I saw him and we chatted about for the first time ? that was about 5 years ago. Eventually it just came together and we did it and it was good and people want to see it,? Duffy explains.

?When the band got back together we did a new album and it came together after that, it seemed like the right time and everyone felt good about it. It wasn?t over-thought it was just an organic thing which is the best way. People say its the 25th anniversary but I don?t really know and don?t really care. It?s more like a celebration of the band?s music for the fans and we wanted to keep it on the down low and we really did that. We didn?t do interviews or have people there to review the shows, the fans just got wind of it and it snowballed,? says Duffy, sounding genuinely excited about the project.

The band has been so impressed with the format and reaction to Love live that they aren?t ruling out applying the same treatment to more of their albums. ?This has proven quite successful so we might do it again, there?s always the Electric album. Love is pretty special to us though, it is a very honest, pure and organic place for The Cult. It just felt the most natural to do that record, it?s certainly my favourite and felt the right way to start,? says Duffy.

Looking back at those early albums and placing them in the musical context of the times it can be strongly argued that Duffy?s guitar playing was one of the more unique styles of the time, avoiding the harsh and basic distortion of punk and eschewing the choppy militarism of post punk rhythms. ?I was just trying to find something that wasn?t punk rock, you take a bit of Ennio Morricone, spaghetti western guitar and mix it with echoey stuff. I was into John McGeoch from The Banshees, I was really into the Psychedelic Furs and obviously The Edge, he was amazing with that echoey sound. Geordie from Killing Joke had some good stuff going on too. It was a bunch of those influences and I just tried to do my own thing. I was always leaning more to the rock, I grew up listening to Free, Thin Lizzy, Bad Company, just slightly pre-punk and then it got blown away by Steve Jones and the Pistols and The Clash. That was my melting pot of influences,? states Duffy.

Of course that rock sound really came to the fore when the band abandoned the recordings for their third album and decamped to New York to recreate the songs as Electric. ?We did the Love album and it was kind of critically hammered, particularly in England. I think the journalists were scared that hippies were back, but everywhere else it was pretty warmly received. That album became more of a global outlook and we really weren?t that concerned with appeasing the press in England. We toured a lot and went around the world and tried to do the next album with Steve Brown and we couldn?t work it out, we couldn?t make that transition and it ended up being The Manor Sessions/Peace album. Some of the songs are the same and some were OK but overall it didn?t feel right so after spending an enormous amount of money we shit-canned it and ran off to New York and re-recorded it in 19 days with Rick Rubin. Rick and George Drakoulias who co-produced the record, made it leaner. Rick said the best thing ? he reduced The Cult. We had a slightly overblown album with too much going and on and we were mired down in it and he stripped it all away and got it back to its essence,? explains Duffy.

?People often say why don?t we do more like Electric but we don?t normally write like that. Electric happened because we went through a process. Maybe Lil Devil was written like that but everything else evolved into that. It was a one off thing. I don?t think we could write like that again and plus I couldn?t drink and take drugs and party like I did back then. I was living it and Ian was really living in it. When we were in New York making that record and the tours before and after it was the real deal. We toured, Guns N Roses opened for us, we opened for Billy Idol, it was the 80s and it was full on, game on,? recalls Duffy.

Fast forward to 2010 and the good news is The Cult have been back in the studio recording new material with Chris Goss (Masters Of Reality, Kyuss, QOTSA) producing the sessions. ?We?ve just done four tracks with him, we?ll probably do some more, we seem to have a good relationship going on. It?s good, Chris is a very talented guy and so far its been very enjoyable and the new stuff is good,? says Duffy.

The Love Live tour will be a chance to see The Cult as a more balanced representation of their true selves. Love was their sound on the cusp of the band going over the barricades and the encore, with songs like Love Removal Machine and Fire Woman, will no doubt satiate those fans who embrace and relish all incarnations of The Cult.

[Falcon]

Thanks to arenak and www.cultcentral.com for the following.

Josh Rouse Tames The Cult

You would never guess that singer-songwriter Josh Rouse was a fan of hard rockers The Cult, but he's quick to admit it, and in this week's Mashup Monday, the folky Nebraska native does "an almost Flamenco" version of the English band's "Wild Flower."

"When I was 14 or 15, I really liked the Cult," says Rouse, whose new album "El Turista" hit the Independent Albums chart in March. "I actually had a bleached Levi's denim jacket with the sleeves cut off and a gothic drawing of the Cult album that I did with a magic marker on the back."

The original "Wild Flower" hit the top 40 of the Mainstream Rock Tracks chart for the Cult after the group's album "Electric" was released in May of 1987.

Story & video:

http://www.billboard.com/column/mashupmondays/josh-rouse-tames-the-cult-1004088199.story#/column/mashupmondays/josh-rouse-tames-the-cult-1004088199.story

[Falcon]

The Cult & STP @ Fall Frenzy Festival, Arizona - Sept 17th
 
Presale starts tomorrow @ 10am

https://www.etix.com/ticket/online/performancePasswordOnlineSale.jsp?action=selectPerformance&cobrand=luckymanonline&performance_id=1249480

password: FRENZY
(presale tix get u "front of the line" for the show that day)

http://www.arizonafallfrenzy.com/

http://blogs.phoenixnewtimes.com/uponsun/2010/05/arizona_fall_frenzy_2010_annou.php

Thanks to edcult and www.thecult.us for the above.

[Falcon]

"She Sells Sanctuary" from Aukland, NZ 5/3/10

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

[Falcon]

Another Duffy interview promoting the Aussie Tour:

http://yourgigs.tumblr.com/post/552752664/the-cult-to-sell-love-sanctuary-in-australia

[FunkyMonkey]

May 03, 2010 ? The Cult - Live at the Waitakere Events Centre, Auckland, New Zealand 3.05.2010

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EVaBHEe78fg

[Falcon]

New Billy Duffy audio interview promoting the Melbourne shows can be heard here:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=R-LGZ76FeZk

[mrlee]

anyone else find it slightly irritating how the press/critics often seem to write that Love is their only important album n make it as if they sold out after that.

I totally disagree and think they went from strength to strength on the next two albums, i think they were one of the best rock bands of the decade, especially out of england. Its a shame the band lost its way in the 1990s.

[Falcon]

The press (British for the most part) have always had a "LOVE"/hate relationship with The Cult.

General consensus from Ian and Billy is that the Brit jounalists never forgave them for moving to America and "abandoning" England so to speak.



 

[Falcon]

Vids from Brisbane 5/5/10, Duffy is in rare form throughout

Rain:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ezm58j-IbYc

She Sells Sanctuary:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hX1pjdnaAsc

Electric Ocean:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hpTTcrvUyHQ

Fire Woman:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=D95eBrK2qQI

Wild Flower:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_F0IMQplD0o

Love Removal Machine:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=V8xG7AKLlDk

Thanks to gerrycan/youtube for the above