The Cult's Ian Astbury Talks New Album, Kitchen Knives, and Fucked-Up Children
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Michael Lavine
Not too many bands have traced the kind of eclectic arc traveled by The Cult. Anchored by the British songwriting team of singer Ian Astbury and guitarist Billy Duffy for three decades, the group has traversed from its UK gothic-rock roots in the early 1980s through a rise to global fame with the iconic college-rock album Love before becoming hard-rock kingpins and MTV favorites after the release of 1987's Rick Rubin-produced Electric.
While The Cult found even greater success with the follow-up effort Sonic Temple in 1989, the band spent much of the '90s in disarray, as the working relationship between Astbury and Duffy disintegrated. The singer would explore other outlets with his band Holy Barbarians and on a solo album before The Cult's first celebrated reunion in 1999. Since then, the group has toured and recorded regularly, while still taking time out for other projects including Astbury's stint as vocalist for The Doors of the 21st Century with Ray Manzarek and Robbie Krieger.
Though Astbury had at one point insisted The Cult would no longer be making albums, the band's brand new release Choice of Weapon is rightfully being hailed as its best in ages. The loquacious singer recently spoke with All Shook Down about recording with two producers and his lyrical inspirations. The Cult performs with The Icarus Line and Against Me! at the Fillmore this Sunday, May 27.





































