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Ian Astbury caught up with Kyle Meredith to talk about the rebirth of Death Cult, the proto-era band that gave rise to The Cult, and how revisiting that raw energy has given the group a new pulse. The current “Paradise Now Tour” (get tickets here) sees Astbury fronting both The Cult and Death Cult, and the frontman says it’s more than nostalgia — it’s “going back to zero point.” As he puts it, Death Cult’s return is “our PRP — taking our original DNA, putting it back into us, and revitalizing.” Listen above or wherever you get your podcasts.
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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 — Astbury still thinks in terms of community and connection. “Gathering of the Tribes was about unity, consciousness, communication,” he recalls. “People called it pretentious. I was 26. I didn’t even know how to be pretentious yet.” Now, he’s bringing that ethos full circle, leading both The Cult and Death Cult into a tour he describes as “beatific savagery.” As he puts it, “If not now, then when?”
Listen to Ian Astbury talk about The Cult, Death Cult, and the “Paradise Now Tour” — and more — in the new episode above or by watching the video below. Keep up on all the latest episodes by following Kyle Meredith With… on your favorite podcast platform; plus, check out all the series on the Consequence Podcast Network.
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