"Astbury explains that performing those early post-punk songs again has been both healing and grounding. "That kid was a coyote," he laughs, reflecting on his younger self sleeping in bus stations and sneaking into Clash gigs - even sharing a "jazz cigarette" with bassist Paul Simonon at one show. "I was a street kid, and I lived on instinct. That's still how I work - from my gut.""
"That same instinct drives his critique of modern music culture, where he laments a lack of danger: "Artists are terrified now. Everyone's frozen." When Kyle points out that Coldplay recently won the MTV VMA for Best Rock Artist, Astbury groans, "We can't bang on Coldplay - they are what they are. But the danger's gone. Where's the risk?" Even as he pushes forward musically - hinting at dark wave, Berlin-inspired sounds for The Cult's next record -"
Death Cult has been revived to restore original DNA and inject raw post-punk energy into current performances. The Paradise Now Tour features both The Cult and Death Cult, with the frontman leading both bands. Revisiting early songs has provided healing and grounding, reconnecting with streetwise, instinctive roots. The frontman criticizes contemporary music culture for lacking danger and risk, citing mainstream success that reflects safety over risk. New material hints at dark wave and Berlin-inspired sounds while maintaining a community-oriented ethos from Gathering of the Tribes. The tour is presented as urgent, "beatific savagery."
Read at Consequence
Unable to calculate read time
Collection
[
|
...
]