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Ian Astbury and Billy Duffy's creation, The Cult is one of the most unpredictable and creative music bands out of England in the past 25 years.
New wave, goth, metal, rock and alternative. These are just a few of the categories the band fall into. But the band really defies being categorized. Instead, they are simply The Cult - unlike any other band out there and in a category all of their own.
Enjoy the following Cult lens, written by Chris Harris (editor of The Cult fanzine "Sanctuary," from 1989 to 1995). The intent is to give you a unique perspective on the band for new and old fans alike.
The Cult On The Web
- Official Web Site For The Cult
- Recently launched, with Ian playing an important role in the design and content of the web site (look for his postings under the name 'Astbury'). Not perfect, but there's definitely enough here to keep Cult fans mesmerized.
- Cult Central
- Created by Canadian Cult fan Jon Taylor, Cult Central was *the* place to go to for Cult news and carthasis for all of the years when the band was no more. Jon's site was the glue that kept many Cult fans together, and the band should be greatly indebted to him for his perseverance and loyalty.
- TheCultWeb.com
- Another source of fantastic coverage of The Cult including an active forum, weekly chats, Cult radio station, and much more.
The Cult's Albums (1984-2001)
Beyond Good and Evil
Amazon Price: $13.96 (as of 11/28/2009) 
The Cult
The Cult's self-titled album personifies the band in so many different ways. From the 'black sheep' metaphor on the cover, to the most personal and creative songs the band ever recorded on one album, this record should have been the band's finest hour. However, everything went disastrously wrong. For the first time ever, the critics loved the album but the record sales were pitiful. Most of the blame could be directed at the changing music industry, which went into a slump around this time. Despite the dark clouds, the band underwent a world tour but The Cult imploded in Brazil and the band broke up. Nevertheless, the album is a masterpiece with Ian opening himself up like never before with personal lyrics about sexual abuse, drugs and the death of his friends. Billy, meanwhile, stepped outside his comfort zone and pushed his music into new directions. Favorite: "Star."
Amazon Price: $11.98 (as of 11/28/2009)
Ceremony
Without a doubt, the band's worst album. Why? One reason is that it's the only album by the band that wasn't a departure from the previous one. Instead the band succumbed to the pressure to follow up "Sonic Temple" with a similar formula. That said, "Earth Mofo" and "White" shine.
Amazon Price: $11.98 (as of 11/28/2009)
Sonic Temple
Amazon Price: $13.99 (as of 11/28/2009)
Electric
This album was definitely The Cult's turning point and biggest gamble in their history. If it failed, it could have ended The Cult's career. But it was a spectacular and ballsy success that made it a memorable summer of 1987 for music lovers. A lot of thanks had to go to Rick Rubin and MTV (the Love Removal Machine video got heavy rotation). That said, the album drove a lot of Cult fans away (especially those who couldn't transition from the Love days). The record itself has very few flaws and the music still stands the test of time. Favorite: "Love Removal Machine."
Amazon Price: $13.99 (as of 11/28/2009)
Dreamtime
Amazon Price: $10.99 (as of 11/28/2009)
Back-Issues of "Sanctuary," The Cult Fanzine (1989-1995)
- Sanctuary, Issue 16
- Find out why Rick Rubin was dropped as producer from the album that became "The Cult," reviews of Cult bootlegs, books, cassette singles discography, backstage passes and much more.
- Sanctuary, Issue 14
- Discover news about Pure Cult and how it did in the charts, rare releases from the "Love" era, seven inch singles discography, article by bass player Jamie Stewart, bootleg reviews, Ian's favorite singles of all time, and interesting quotes from Ian & Billy.
Order Cult T-Shirts
The Cult "Electric" Tshirt
Amazon Price: (as of 11/28/2009)
List Price:
THE CULT - Beyond Good And Evil - Black T-shirt
Amazon Price: (as of 11/28/2009)
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Inside The Cult: The Best Links
- Cult Collectibles from Esprit Records
- Although expensive, Esprit Records from the UK typically have the best range of Cult collectibles for sale including rare and out-of-print items.
- "Sin-Jin-Smyth": Movie Starring Billy Duffy
- As well as having a small role in the film, Billy is contributing to the score and is the music supervisor. Check out the official movie site at http://www.snapkickproductions.com/sin-jinsmyth/
The Cult On Video
- Southern Death Cult: Fatman Promo Clip
- The earliest known video recording of Ian that I've seen, fronting the Southern Death Cult for a promo video of "Fatman."
- Rain (live in concert), 1985
- "Rain" never sounded so good. Is this a clip from the concert that MTV played over and over in the mid-to-late 80s?
- She Sells Sanctuary video
- Hands down the best song The Cult has ever recorded. More than 20 years after it was recorded, it still stands the test of time. The video was perfect, too. Enjoy.
- Wild Flower (live) from The Late Late Show With Craig Ferguson
- The band's first live TV appearance in what seems like eons.
The Gaffer's Other Sites
- English Premier League Lens
- Tons of Premiership soccer news all on one page.
- EPL Talk Web Site
- My latest endeavour. It's a web site focusing on soccer fans who follow the world's most popular sport league, the English Premier League.
- EPL Talk Magazine
- Online quarterly soccer magazine (must-read).
- EPL Talk Podcast
- The voice of The Gaffer. The podcast features weekly interviews with famous soccer celebritis.
by The_Gaffer
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