The Cult

[Falcon]

Sellin' Sanctuary in Minneapolis

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=t1BuEPdMSTU

[Falcon]

Concert Review: The Cult delivers a truly "Electric" night at the Fillmore Detroit

By GARY GRAFF
Of The Oakland Press
Gary Graff on Music; @graffonmusic


DETROIT ? The Cult was ostensibly at the Fillmore Detroit on Wednesday, Aug. 9, to celebrate its 1987 breakthrough album "Electric." But frontman Ian Astbury also took time ? a lot of it during the two-hour show ? to celebrate the city.

Noting that the band has been coming to Detroit "since (bleep)ing 1984, Astbury became the town's latest visiting cheerleader, even making a bit out light out of the area's financial turmoil. "You guys are in a recession? Doesn't (bleep)ing look like it," Astbury noted early in the show, after serenading the Fillmore crowd with Detroit-centric lyrics set to Jay Z's "Empire State of Mind." He also extolled the virtues of the city's musical heritage, name-checking the MC5, the Stooges, Alice Cooper, Eminem, Motown.

"Throw Kid Rock in there, too," Astbury added. "He made it. He's a (bleep)ing hero." The singer also called out for Chris Chelios, pronouncing both him and the Red Wings "bad ass."

It's always nice to hear from somebody who's happy to be here, of course. But Astbury and the Cult were potent enough musically on Thursday night that they hardly had to pander for favor.

Led by Astbury's booming tenor and random sermonettes ? "This is a live rock 'n' roll show. What do you want?!" he noted at one point ? and Billy Duffy's fierce guitar attack, the Cult won the night early with its romp through "Electric," delighting an exuberant crowd with seldom-played tracks such as "Aphrodisiac Jacket," "King Contrary Man" and "Outlaw" as well as charging through enduring favorites such as "Love Removal Machine" and "Peace Dog." "Zap City" from the original, abandoned version of the album was restored in the running order in place of the cover of Steppenwolf's "Born to Be Wild," while "Memphis Hip Shake" was a loose-limbed jam during which Astbury vamped a new set of Detroit-centric lyrics.

Before a very brief intermission Astbury proclaimed that the Cult was going to "kill" the "Electric" recitation with the show's second half ? and he wasn't kidding. Though it eschewed major hits such as "Fire Woman" and "Edie (Ciao Baby)," the Cult still touched on familiar powerhouses ("Rain," "Sweet Soul Sister," "She Sells Sanctuary") alongside deep fare like "Spiritwalker," "The Phoenix" and "Rise." The quintet also dug into its latest album, 2012's "Choice of Weapon," for a few songs ? "Honey From a Knife," "For the Animals" and "Lucifer" ? that certainly held their own amidst their predecessors.

Astbury also invoked the MC5's "Kick Out the Jams" while Duffy played the descending riff of the Stooges' "I Wanna Be Your Dog," while the Cult finished with an extended stomp through "Sun King." Twenty-nine years later the group was clearly as potent as it's ever been, so here's hoping it continues to play these parts for many (bleep)ing years to come.


 

[Falcon]

Audio interview with Ian from 96.1 KRock in Ft Lauderdale earlier this afternoon:

http://stanandhaney.com/promo/

[Falcon]

From BD's newsletter:

Tons of new info, maybe Canada and South America:


"Finally as an update on ?Electric 13? I can say we?re in negotiation to add a Canadian leg to the tour before Christmas and a South American Tour, maybe early 2014.
Best thing to do is keep checking the official band website http://www.thecult.us as we?ll make the announcement there first as soon as the additional dates are confirmed!
So long for now and I?ll be in touch with more news very soon"

And a new "story" from http://www.billy.com

http://www.billyduffy.com/stories/big-bad-fun-on-the-road/?utm_source=billyduffy.com+newsletter&utm_campaign=e064ffd9a3-Falconcomp_Newsletter_2013&utm_medium=email&utm_term=0_b6e4180b74-e064ffd9a3-44441297

[Falcon]

Ian going all Bradford Punk last night in Ft Laurderdale, moral of the story - don't get caught by the frontman texting from the front row.

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

[Falcon]

And a detailed review from last night in Ft Lauderdale:

http://trap.it/#!traps/id/851ff285-1831-4fc4-b2f6-0283cf590d59/jump/6Is8mfVOi002q6IvMape

[Bansidhe]

I really need to get my ticket for Glasgow soon.
Loving that Zap City is in the set now.
Always been one of my favourites that one!

[Falcon]

Ian took over East Village Radio in NYC today, playing Roseland tomorrow night.

Listen here:

http://www.eastvillageradio.com/shows/player/main.php?p=0002&f=Electric_Takeover

[Falcon]

Billy on WBAB today, good stuff as always:

http://www.wbab.com/Player/102088981/

[Falcon]

IA "On the air with Virgin Mobile"

http://m.soundcloud.com/vmlive/the-cult-on-air-with-virgin

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Billy playing a cool benefit in LA

"I'm really pleased that I'm able to join a whole bunch of my pals at this great night... the Cops For Causes ?Heroes helping Heroes? 9/11 benefit. It all takes place at House of Blues Sunset Boulevard and the timing was pretty lucky for me as I've only got a few days off back in LA between the end of the US tour and heading of to Australia for more 'Electric 13' dates with The Cult. If you're in town make sure you come along and support such a great cause!" Billy

[Falcon]

This is an awesome read:

"The Cult On The Inside Story of Electric, Part One"

http://sabotagetimes.com/music/the-cult-the-story-of-electric

[Falcon]

This is an awesome read:

"The Cult On The Inside Story of Electric, Part One"

http://sabotagetimes.com/music/the-cult-the-story-of-electric

And part 2, very insightful:

http://sabotagetimes.com/music/the-cult-the-inside-story-of-electric-part-2

[Falcon]

Listen here:

http://www.mtvhive.com/2013/09/18/ian-astbury-the-cult-matt-pinfield-the-hivecast/

"As bonafide rock and roll legends go, Ian Astbury tends to fly under the radar, at least in the U.S. While the lead singer for The Cult has always maintained an ardent fanbase, the post-punk band never quite received the same attention on these shores as contemporaries like The Cure, Nick Cave and the Bad Seeds, and Siouxsie and the Banshees. As he sits down to talk with Matt in the latest episode of The Hivecast with Matt Pinfield, Astbury discusses why his band has always been treated differently by fans and the press.

?We were going to clubs called, like, Alice In Wonderland in London, where they would play Nuggets, and all the psych-punk bands,? Astbury explains to Matt when discussing how people have made assumptions about how the band changed directions. ?You would stand at the bar, and at the bar was Blixa Bargeld, Nick Cave, Jeffrey Lee Pierce, Robert Smith, Steve Severin, Siouxsie Sioux, The Damned, all standing at the bar, holding themselves up at the bar. It was a tiny club ? and when I say tiny, I mean 150 people. That?s where Naz Nomad and the Nightmares came out of. That?s where the Glove came out of. It was this transition between punk and psych. Psych was the conduit, through Lenny Kaye?s Nuggets, to ?60s punk, into like early Led Zeppelin, Blue Cheer, the Stooges. When you look at Led Zeppelin, those first two albums, they were a punk band. They were violent.? Astbury ends the history lesson by issuing a challenge to those who think that The Cult was the only band to ?abandon? punk in favor of a harder rock sound. ?I?d like to sit down with some of these revisionists,? he says.

Those revisionists would do well to listen to the Hivecast to learn more about UK punk history through Astbury?s eyes."

[Falcon]

This is a great read, some historical shit to say the least.

From Rolling Stone:

" Rick Rubin, Ian Astbury Recall 1987 Sessions: 'New York Was on Fire' "

http://music.yahoo.com/news/rick-rubin-ian-astbury-recall-1987-sessions-york-140053224-rolling-stone.html?utm_source=twitterfeed&utm_medium=twitter

[Falcon]

Looks like Billy's doing a jump up with Joy Division/New Order's Peter Hook this Saturday in LA - awesome.

 
Henry Fonda Theatre
Sat, September 21, 2013 9:00 PM
Goldenvoice & Dublab Present
Peter Hook & The Light
Performing New Order's Movement & Power Corruption & Lies Live with Slaves of Venus

From BD's twitter:

"Looking forward to seeing old pal @peter_hook1 on Saturday @FondaTheatre in LA. I believe he could be lining up a surprise guest "

"I?m looking forward to going to see Hooky, one of my old pals from Manchester, when he brings his show to LA at The Fonda Theatre on Saturday. The last time one of my mates from back in the day hit the West Coast I ended up on stage (I?ve attached a video of that one incase you missed it) so don?t be surprised if it happened this week too ?

[Falcon]

A new message from BD:

http://www.billyduffy.com/news/one-tour-finishes-another-one-starts/

[Falcon]

This is pretty sweet:


DEATH FROM BELOW / THE CULT / SURF CULT

Friday, September 27th, 2013
 

Release: September 27th

TO COINCIDE WITH ALT ROCK BAND THE CULT?S WORLD TOUR OF ELECTRIC 13 , THE CULT HAVE CREATED AN ICONIC LIMITED EDITION SURF BOARD

?APOCALYPSE NOW WAS A HUGE INFLUENCE ON THE ELECTRIC ALBUM. MANY OF THE SONGS SUCH AS LRM AND PEACE DOG FEATURE APOCALYPSE NOW INFLUENCES .

AFTER SEEING APOCALYPSE NOW I BECAME FASCINATED WITH THE SUB CULTURES THAT EXISTED DURING THE VIETNAM WAR , ESPECIALLY THE SCENES THAT FOCUSED ON LT COL KILGORE?S LOVE OF SURFING AND HIS ICONIC SURF BOARD .

SURFER CULTURE DURING THE VIETNAM WAR HAS ALWAYS BEEN A GREAT MUSE TO ME , THE IDEA OF A CULTURE SO FREE AND EXPRESSIVE IN THE VIOLENT AND OPPRESSIVE ENVIRONMENT OF A WAR ZONE IS SUCH A GREAT SYMBOL OF MANS DESIRE TO MASTER HIS ENVIRONMENT AND COEXIST WITH NATURE .

THE BOARD HAD BECOME AN OBJECT OF DESIRE , I ALWAYS WANTED TO OWN ONE . SO WE CREATED THE DFB / SURF CULT VERSION .

CONCEIVED AND DESIGNED BY IAN ASTBURY AND SONYA KOSHUTA , BOARD SHAPER BOB DAVIS ( CARROZZA SURF BOARDS ) . MODELED BY PROFESSIONAL SURFER?S MALIA WARD AND JACQUELINE MILLER . IMAGES BY TIM CADIENTE .

 

[Falcon]

Ian on Triple M Radio in Oz today, his opinions on other artists amongst other things.

Some good, some not so good

Listen here:

http://www.triplem.com.au/sydney/music/news/2013/6/the-cult-electric-australian-tour-dates-2013/

[Falcon]

A new message from BD:


Greetings from down under!

Posted October 2nd, 2013
 
Billy and his Signature White Falcon

G?Day! I?m writing this on a day off in Sydney and it?s weird as I?ve been here nearly a week and only done two gigs, infact of the time I?ve been here I?ve spent over 24 hours flying. This Australian tour is all about airports and super friendly Virgin staff, a lot of hotel rooms and a lot of time alone. This is is totally different from how it was on the ?Electric 13? American tour and how it will be on the British one coming up later this month because on those we?re all together on the tour bus, hardly any time off and a lot more in each others pockets. Even though I?ve had more time off on this leg I don?t tend to get distracted with sight seeing and stuff as for me the gigs are the peak experience and I like to stay focused on them.
 
The set for the two dates so far (Perth and Brisbane) has been slightly different to the one we played in the States as we didn?t have the intermission with the film so played straight through in one extended set. But the film will be back for Sydney and Melbourne so we?ll be playing the two sets again with ?Electric? followed by a ?Choice of Weapon? and Hits set.
 
The last time I was here was for the ?Love Live? tour in 2010, though we had tried to get here during the ?Choice of Weapon? tour but unfortunately things didn?t align so this has become a tour that sort of combines both ?Choice of Weapon? and the ?Electric? stuff.
 
With this tour only being four dates it made sense to hire in a backline for each gig rather than fly the full equipment over here. So far so good and nothing?s blown up yet! The gear I?ve bought with me is stripped down to my core items, for guitars I?ve got my Signature White Falcon, my Gold Top Les Paul and my brand new Custom Shop Les Paul. Then I?ve got my effects pedal board and wireless guitar system and that?s it.
 
The new Les Paul it has a very different sound to the other one, it?s a lot bassier, in fact all my Les Pauls are different and they all have their own characteristics.
 
So I?m just trying it out on a couple of songs in the second half of the set at the moment. To use a football analogy it?s like getting a new player for your team, you don?t put them in from the beginning of the first game. I?m just easing it in. It plays great but tonally it needs to be spot on and with it being different amps every night I don?t want too many variables. But expect to see more of it soon.
 
Just like the States tour one of the highlights for me has been the VIP meet n greet sessions for soundcheck and before the gig. We?ve had load of people turn up for those and they?ve been really loyal and enthusiastic. Actually the whole crowds have been fantastic and full of passion for our music and I love playing here.
 Before signing off I?ve got to say I absolutely love The Cult surf board that Ian has created and that?s just been released while we?ve been over here. I especially like that it?s inspiration came from ?Apocalypse Now? which is one of my favorite films ever!
?Take it easy?
x b
2nd October 2013