The Wedding Present + more across Manchester Academy.
Ian Astbury : The John Robb interview
Anyone who saw the recent gigs by the Cult will know that the band is on a rejuvenated and thrilling form. Never have they sounded better, but more importantly, never have they felt better. Always a fascinating band, The Cult somehow combine a powerful anthemic rock music that nods to all the classics with an artful twist and a nod to the underground, creating a synthesis of art and rock and with a philosophical edge. They play high-decibel anthems but also remain on the quest that came from post-punk and have recalibrated to this synthesis in the past couple of years, which has added to their innate and thrilling power and dynamics.
Ian Astbury : The John Robb interview
It’s always a pleasure to interview Ian Astbury and go off on lots of fasting, moving, and fascinating tangents, and the conversation saw Ian getting eloquent on so much, including having a longer relationship with Everton FC than Bowie. How is it’s ok to be vulnerable? The power of The Doors and how we are way past Nietzsche. Hyper normalisation and psychedelics, yoga and chakras. Recent Cult album music and graphics…being dislocated by growing up in the UK and USA. Living in LA ‘a place for cultural refugees’. Punk rock and being called ‘That boy is a sexual threat’ Malcolm Maclaren. How to avoid the cliches of Rock n Roll people get caught up in the buffet – ‘when I was younger, I had a nibble’ . How punk changed his life and undying love of Crass. The Clash and punk rock. Music much more multi now savant. His own Nomadic existence and future plans for The Cult and how he has been been painting and maybe making more music and how the Death Cult was a reset and have now been offered more shows
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John Robb – Editor in Chief
That was a mesmerizing interview. The magic man is still there. Ian has blown me away since I saw him the first time at the MTV Music awards! So happy to hear he is still slaying it. ❤️