The Cult "Electric 13"

[killingjoker]

Just heard that The Cult are touring their "Electric" album later this year with the Electric 13 tour.
I love that album, it's a belter, and it reminded me what a great (and somewhat underated IMHO band they are). However, reading up on quite a few gig reviews there seems to be a bit of bad blood concerning Ian Ashbury being cited as a bit of a surly primadonna and getting generally heppy with some of the fans. Is this true? Are The Cult really worth seeing or am i gonna be disappointed? Bearing in mind this is one of my all time favourite albums. From the fantastic gatefold sleeve, through to the head banging tunes on the vinyl. Should i go see them?

[Patch1875]

Your right great album, only seen them once and that was supporting G'nR might check them out myself.

[killingjoker]

To be honest, calling Ian Ashbury a bit highly strung is a laugh compared to a certain Jaz Coleman...

Have been taking part in the Planet Rock competition for tickets. No luck. They go on sale friday but i hate gigs that are during the week.

[touching cloth]

Tickets live, just booked with a bunch of old school friends to re-live our youth and pretend we aren't middle aged middle class types. We all saw them back in the day, expecting them to be a bit old and wrinkly, but should be a fun night either way.

[darreni]

I saw them play Love Live at the Albert Hall a couple of years ago & they were superb. Brought Mark & Jamie on at the end to play She Sells Sanctuary as the original line up.

I'll be seeing them at the Barrowlands in October too.

[Asterix]

I did some work with Billy Duffy years back - great bloke. It did seem that IA was an 'interesting' person though.

Anyway, I had a good old play of the White Falcon, which was nice.

[Turn7]

Was looking at this last night, Im not sure Id pay £40 though.

Saw the Sonic Temple gig at Wembley arena way back when.

[vixen1700]

Saw them as The Southern Death Cult back in the day.

Electric was a great soundtrack to the late 80s.

[Rollin]

Got my tickets. I've seen them a few times. The last time was the worst in 2011, but they've been superb for all the others.

[Evil Jack]

I saw them on the original " Electric" tour. Astbury was doing the same "abuse the audience" routine back then too. I think its just part of his act TBH. Don't worry about it, should be good gig. expensive though, I'll give you that...

[wal 45]

Evil Jack said:

I saw them on the original " Electric" tour. Astbury was doing the same "abuse the audience" routine back then too. I think its just part of his act TBH. Don't worry about it, should be good gig. expensive though, I'll give you that...

I went to the Wembley gig on that tour back in late 1987, for me Electric was where it all went wrong after the brilliance of the first 2 albums. Live they were a bit too "rock" for me at that stage of their career but if that is your thing they were a good live band. Worked with a guy who knew Astbury back in the pre SDC days and it sounds as if he has never changed!

[davidd]

Asterix said:

I did some work with Billy Duffy years back - great bloke. It did seem that IA was an 'interesting' person though.

Anyway, I had a good old play of the White Falcon, which was nice.

Lucky bugger

[petemurphy]

preferred love album but still tempted - £40 is a bit harsh though

[SeldomSeenKid]

Booked tickets for the Glasgow date, will the fourth time I've seen them. Really looking forward to it. Billy Duffy is worth the price alone!

[davey68]

Saw them on the original electric tour, great gig. Saw them on the ceremonial stomp tour too. Was really thinking of electric 13 but thirty odd quid is a bit OTT. Wonder what other stuff they will play in the setlist? Just early stuff from love/electric?

[Asterix]

davidd said:

Asterix said:

I did some work with Billy Duffy years back - great bloke. It did seem that IA was an 'interesting' person though.

Anyway, I had a good old play of the White Falcon, which was nice.

Lucky bugger

He produced a number of tracks on our album. There are many cool elements to this but what I loved at the time is that he owned, and may still do, a share in a vintage guitar shop in Fulham. So when we went through pre-production on some of tracks, he'd rock up with 50's & 60's Goldtops, Standards and Strats for me to muck about with. Some of them made it to the recordings, a couple were bought. I hate to think of the values of some of these now... This is back in the late 90's.

He also had some cracking amps. I had a handwired JCM 2000, as we had a deal with the factory - That coupled with his Matchless DC-30 (where we split the signal so the Marshall was doing the dirty work with the Matchless clean, low in the mix but providing a sonic/harmonic extra) was superb.

I have to say I love Billy and I'm extremely grateful for his patience and tutoring. We haven't spoken for a while but after many a year I often think about how he helped me progress through my (relatively short lived) musical career - he's a good guy. Forty quid? I'd be there in a flash. The guy is a legend.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_F0IMQplD0o&fea...

The master.

ETA - He showed how the producer could get you to think how your songs could be approached - Rick Rubin told them to break every single song down to the barest minimum - that's how 'Electric' happened.
Billy made us do the same and changed the arrangements so they were far more impactful than we'd ever imagined - he tightened us up big style.

Edited by Asterix on Monday 20th May 20:57

[darreni]

davey68 said:

Saw them on the original electric tour, great gig. Saw them on the ceremonial stomp tour too. Was really thinking of electric 13 but thirty odd quid is a bit OTT. Wonder what other stuff they will play in the setlist? Just early stuff from love/electric?

When they did Love Live, the set was split in two, the full album, then a second set of faves from other albums, ending with a second rendition of sanctuary.
Thirty quid is fk all, what else does that buy these days?
As previously mentioned, Billy is worth the price alone just to hear the riffs ringing in your ears for days afterwards.

[motorizer]

Seen them twice, once they were good (not amazing, just good)
the other time they were crap
Ian Astbury does seem a bit of a tit...
Him giving a girl sat on someones shoulders a telling off for removing her top is possibly the least rock n roll thing I've ever seen on stage at a gig