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Music giveaway gimmicks 'selfish, irresponsible'

Ian Astbury from UK group The Cult says giving away music for free is disgusting and bands who do it are selfish and irresponsible.

Astbury, who has led the English rock band since their formation in 1983, says the digital age had made things very difficult for musicians - and some are only making the problem worse.

"Whoever was irresponsible enough to decide that music was worth nothing and decide to give away the music, that was a very selfish move," he said.

"When I look at a 17-year-old kid who's starting out in a band and is hearing, 'You know what kid? Your music's worth nothing.' I think that is disgusting.

"I thought it was irresponsible what Radiohead did (letting fans decide what they wanted to pay for their 2007 album In Rainbows). People watch what they do and they copy it.

"I don't see U2 giving their music away for free. They're smart boys."

Astbury says a better option is to give audiences more value for money.

The Cult are planning to put out four new releases this year - EP-style 'capsules' packaged with original short films, conceptual photography and modern art.

Astbury also believes the concept of the album has been "cannibalised" with the growth of digital music sales.

He hopes to renew appreciation for it on The Cult's tour of Australia in May.

They plan to play their celebrated 1985 album Love in its entirety.

Astbury says the record has even more relevance for them some 25 years after it was released.

"We made a record when we were in our early 20s that in some ways was kind of beyond our life experience, because we were dealing with very archetypal themes - love, sex, death, spiritualism, materialism," he said.

"Now we have more experience in those areas and we're more like elders. We've had those experiences and we put that into the music.

"So the way we perform it, it has a real weight, an emotionality to it, that we didn't have when we were younger."

Thanks to Thanos

Love Live Tour | Official Press Release

Written by Sacred Soul

Saturday, 16 May 2009

The Cult announced today the launch of The Cult - "Love" Live Tour, with confirmed dates in the U.S, Canada, and Europe.

The "LOVE" album is viewed by fans and world-wide media as The Cult's pre-eminent release.
From the immediately recognizable opening notes of "She Sells Sanctuary", through Billy Duffy's psychedelic guitar strains on "Phoenix", to the resolve of Ian Astbury's haunting baritone on "Brother Wolf, Sister Moon", the Cult created an album that maneuvers as a tour de force.

The Cult "LOVE" Live Tour will showcase the band's alternative roots as musicians and performers, and is sure to electrify new fans and devotees.
Performing in diverse venues from the grand scale excitement of London's, Royal Albert Hall, to the thrill of Los Angeles' Nokia Theater, to the intimate setting of Paris' Le Bataclan, the band will fulfill the ultimate dream of Cult lovers across the globe, performing the unimaginable; a once in a lifetime opportunity to witness one of alternative rock's most important records, "LOVE" performed in its entirety, live onstage.

"The band is redefining the live album experience with the "LOVE" Live Tour; nothing is comparable to witnessing The Cult, fully engaged in the live creation of arguably their seminal album. For fans this will be the greatest tour yet, and for those just discovering The Cult, this staging will envelop them in a pure performance experience," stated Cult manager, Tom Vitorino.

The Cult will be delivering spectacular production, along with the intense performances that fans have come to expect.
The evening's finale will include an encore of The Cult's greatest hits, spanning the bands' storied career.
The band has been working closely with their art / design team creating an arresting set, with dramatic effects, using state-of-the art technology.

Fans will be able to enjoy special access tickets in certain tour stops, along with "LOVE" Live exclusive merchandise available at www.thecult.us.
The band also has plans in the pipeline for delivering live select track audio and video streams, downloads, and hi definition video/audio capture for full show releases of select tour stops.
Continuing their historic creative partnership, Ian Astbury and Billy Duffy began writing together this winter, and have since recorded several songs at The Sunset Marquis Villa Recording Studios, in Los Angeles, CA.
Their highly anticipated new tracks will be the follow up to The Cult's 2007 release, the critically acclaimed, "BORN INTO THIS".
As of press time, the band is keeping options open to drop new tracks in conjunction with the tour.

Comments (2) add comment

mandy vingerhoets said:

The best two concerts of the year
No doubt about it smilies/tongue.gif

December 16, 2009

DJ Cooper said:

This is excellent news! I'll definitely be at the Sept. 2nd Chicago show! If my job/money situation gets better I'll try to make the Minneapolis & New York shows, too.

Sounds like it'll be a really cool psychedelic experience. I'll try to get some images and sounds from the show, if I can.

May 16, 2009

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Last Updated ( Monday, 18 May 2009 )