Album Essentials: The Cult "Love" (1985)
By Dave Swanson - Summit FM Contributor
It is somewhat amusing how seriously the banter about Year Zero was taken by so many, especially in the UK. The arrival of The Damned, Sex Pistols, Clash, etc. not only signaled the push for a changing of the guard but truly a shift in pop culture—from clothing and music to attitudes and hyperbole. “No Elvis, Beatles or the Rolling Stones in 1977!”according to the Clash. All these “old” rock stars—you know, over 30—had to go. It all seems so silly now, but it was a real thing happening, and bands were distancing themselves from tradition.
However, in short order the punks got bored with themselves and started trying out different styles. Rotten Johnny (aka John Lydon) left the Sex Pistols and formed Public Image Ltd, an animal of a totally different stripe. The Clash branched out into wild experimentation with reggae, pop, funk and more, while The Damned showed off their love for psychedelia. All down the line, these bands were forging ahead, making their own noise that, while starting life in the punk explosion, had long left that behind. Enter the post-punk era, where bands were adopting all sorts of new sounds and styles.
Stiff Kittens would become Warsaw, who would become Joy Division, who would create their own universe and ultimately inspire countless bands immersed in darker sounds. From the majestic psychedelic sounds of Siouxsie & the Banshees, to the ethereal wash of Cocteau Twins, to the commanding funk of Gang of Four and Heaven 17, to goth and beyond—there was a lot going on. A band calling themselves the Southern Death Cult appeared, linking elements of post-punk, goth, shimmering guitars, and howling vocals, all steeped in a stance influenced by tribal and Native American mythology and history, as channeled through the haze of The Doors.
Soon they dropped the Southern part, followed by the removal of Death, to simply be The Cult. After a few singles, the band recorded their debut album, the majestic Dreamtime, which took all those previous influences and condensed them into a more focused pop/rock sound. Their look was changing as well—from the ragged, almost futuristic hippie vibe to a more rock and roll look. Singer Ian Astbury even adopted a glorious Cher–circa 1965 hairstyle, bangs to the fore. With each change, they had moved further away from Year Zero.
By 1985, as the band recorded their next LP, all bets were off as they delivered the masterpiece called Love. From the shimmering opening track, Nirvana, the band’s sound and intent were louder and clearer than ever. The driving rhythm section allowed guitarist Billy Duffy to float on top, providing a much more traditional style while Astbury was channeling his inner Jim Morrison to create a 1985 take on classic rock. Though the guitars owed as much to the style of The Edge and Banshees/Magazine guitarist John McGeoch, there was a sense of tradition being pushed forward. Song after song, the album builds: Big Neon Glitter with its stomping glam vibe; the hard-rocking title track; and the sweeping, hypnotic Brother Wolf, Sister Moon, which could have ridden tandem with something like Rhiannon.Rounding out side one, Rain shows off how a driving riff can truly power a song, making it one of the band’s genuine classics.
Flip the LP over and suddenly The Cult are borrowing a Stooges riff before getting all hippie vibes on Revolution. Then comes She Sells Sanctuary, another monster riff that sets sail into a song that remains the band’s star moment after all these years.
As I mentioned at the start of this long-winded tale, the whole Year Zero thing inspired countless kids to pick up a guitar. It influenced the Southern Death Cult, the Death Cult, and The Cult, but ultimately The Cult would show their true colors with their next album, as they tossed out any traces of punk or post-punk and basked in the classic rock glow of Led Zeppelin and AC/DC–style riffs on the Electric album—another wonderful record with another style in place. It just goes to show, one never knows what will inspire and lead a band down one path or another. From being lumped in with Bauhaus and cohorts at the start, to churning out Status Quo–style riffs, it’s all part of The Cult’s history—and Love is still the pinnacle of that journey.