The Cult is an English rock band formed in Bradford in 1983 by Ian Astbury under the name Death Cult. The band emerged from the band The Southern Death Cult. Before settling on their current name in January 1984, the band performed under the name Death Cult.
The band members were originally Ian Astbury (vocals), Billy Duffy (guitar), Jamie Stewart (bass) and Nigel Preston (drums). Over the years, there have been various line-ups, with Astbury and Duffy being the longest-serving members and also the band's two main songwriters.
The Cult gained a loyal following in the UK in the 1980s as a post-punk and gothic rock band, with singles such as „She Sells Sanctuary“. They later broke into the mainstream in the US and established themselves as a hard rock band with singles such as „Love Removal Machine“.
Their debut album, Dreamtime, was released in 1984 to moderate success, with the single Spiritwalker reaching number one on the UK Indie Chart. Their second studio album, Love (1985), was also successful, reaching number four on the UK charts. It included singles such as She Sells Sanctuary and Rain.
With their third album, Electric (1987), produced by Rick Rubin, The Cult developed a new, rougher style in the hard rock genre and attracted new listeners. The album also reached number 4 in the UK charts and charted highly in other countries.
After relocating to Los Angeles, where the band spent the rest of their career, The Cult continued the musical experimentation of Electric with their follow-up studio album Sonic Temple (1989). This album marked their first collaboration with Bob Rock, who produced several of the band's subsequent studio albums.
Events in Germany
