THE CULT will enter the studio next month to begin pre-production on the group's first album since 2001's "Beyond Good and Evil". A fall release is expected. Also planned for release is a DVD of the band's November 13, 2006 concert at Irving Plaza in New York City, tentatively due in April.
THE CULT's current touring lineup includes principals Ian Astbury (vocals) and Billy Duffy (guitar) alongside bassist Chris Wyse, drummer John Tempesta (ex-WHITE ZOMBIE, TESTAMENT, EXODUS, HELMET) and rhythm guitarist Mike Dimkich. New THE CULT European tour dates are being booked for June, with many more shows to follow in the fall and winter.
Despite the renewed THE CULT activity, Astbury retains his membership in the current version of THE DOORS, known as RIDERS ON THE STORM, while Duffy's other band, CIRCUS DIABLO, plans to release an album later this year.
DIO "PEOPLE DESERVE TO HEAR THOSE SONGS PERFORMED AGAIN"
Last Wednesday Jan 17th, Artisan News conducted a short interview with Ronnie James Dio.
On the name HEAVEN AND HELL:
Ronnie (watch video at this location): "They're gonna call us SABBATH anyway. It doesn't really matter. We can call it HEAVEN AND HELL or the BOYS ON THE BLOCK. It doesn't matter. That's what we were, that's what we always will be. I think they're trying to make a definitive line between them being inducted into the Hall Of Fame. It kind of ended that era again. They've been doing Ozzfest for the last four or five years. So now it's something a bit more fresh. It's still the same band we were when we were SABBATH with Ronnie Dio. We're back again. The name doesn't matter really. Everyone's still gonna think it's just what we were, SABBATH with Ronnie."
On whether it was good to work with his old SABBATH mates:
Ronnie (watch video at this location): "Absolutely. Absolutely, it's gonna be a joy. They're such monsters, and they're such bashers. From Vinny to Tony to Geezer and to me, we only think about one thing, 'Check this out!,' but then we do the nice thing like 'Children of the Sea' and 'Sign of the Southern Cross'. It's gonna be a great show with songs that people deserve to hear again and we deserve to play again."
