As fans of The Cult, it is good to know that there was a modicum of self awareness in Ian Astbury’s self indulgent days while becoming fat and bloated with an incomprehensible baritone. Those days saw Billy Duffy doubling his duties as guitarist extraordinaire and on tour psychoanalyst to the troubled Astbury.
Billy Duffy on the days following their last song (She Sells Sanctuary) written with a British audience in mind. There is a football analogy to their success.
“Sonic Temple put us on another level, ” says Billy Duffy, ” A bit like Watford getting promoted to the Premiership. I think you find your own level, and our level wasn’t quite that. We do still play the odd arena in Canada, but I honestly feel we’re like a very good first division football team. We had a couple of good seasons in the Premiership but we couldn’t take the pressure, and we plummeted down. That’s where we find ourselves. And believe me, it’s not so bad.” (Mojo Magazine, February 2008).
Here is Sun King with its inevitable comparisons to Jim Morrison and American Prayer. Love it or leave it.