Spray the sound to breathe! Conversation with The Cult Leader Ian Estbery / Day

British rock bands The Cult The spine from the beginning of 1983 in Bradford to the present is the shamanically charismatic, with great voice talent, Ian Estbery at the microphone and Billy Dafia with guitar. Shortly before the concert there was an exclusive opportunity to talk to Aan Estbery – The Cult Founder and songwriter, in his 63 years, is still with music -obsessed, who is looking for surprises or just good music. At one time, Ian refused to serve the cameras with a proud gesture, opening his career gate to cinema actor Vel Kilmer (1959-2025).

In Latvia The Cult will perform for the first time. I have never met you either. Who do we have to prepare? What will you play?

We have eleven studio albums. We will all play something from them. Mostly sound songs from albums Love (1985), Electric (1987), Sonic Temple (1989), something of Beyond Good and Evil (2001). Will be a song Lucifer from Choice of Weapon (2012). The show will be intense, we never give ourselves discounts. Each concert requires a huge return on both psychologically and physically. We have played 67 concerts in the last ten months. About ten concerts will be played in this tour before Riga, so we will be well warmed up. Don’t doubt the concert you are fascinated. It is not regrettable that you came. I promise!

I have no doubt, because accidental audiences who go for everything in a row will not be at your concert – on the evening of June 11, German Harger Veterans also perform in Riga Scorpion and metalists Soulfly with a fee Cavaler – the former all -time famous Brazilian rock bands Sepultura Leaders at the microphone.

Oh! Then you are spoiled in Riga!?

Not quite – it rarely happens that three such events fall into one day. When you started, in the early eighties, in the British Postpank and the Gothic Rock Wave, the classic rock, which was looked at at that time with awe as such holiness, was only a decade of old, but the punks declared it outdated. In 2025, you are already a group of more than a forty year old whose fans have shed but The beatles and The doors The experienced generation has long been retirees whose grandchildren have something fresh again, because at least it was not fell on the nerves of parents who were already fascinated with The cure and Nirvana.

Almost all new is a forgotten old. It can be both good and very bad. Device wars most often resume when a generation comes to power, which has read about them only in history books, and there is not always the truth, but what has been a lasting testimony to the wage. If the little one today turns a huge interest in the grandfather’s record collection, it’s cool – both can even go to the concerts together. The older we become, the more we appreciate the understanding between generations, and each has its own pros.

There is more spontaneity and wild energy in your youth, while time and age give experience, knowledge, understanding of what you do and what you want to leave people. Intelligence gained by being educated in your youth does not disappear throughout your life, but you cannot be the same at the age of 23, 43 and 63. You have to live with the moment of your life you are currently in use and operating with everything you are able to do now, not you could. In 1987, I from the stage of the lens in the audience, but now we are focusing more on what we do on the stage.

You were offered to portray Jim Morrison in the famous Oliver Stone 1991 film The Doors, But you refused. In Wikipedia It is written that you did not like the director intends to portray the hero, and then this role was taken by Welsh Kilmer – let him light fresh sand.

Perhaps I have mentioned the reason for your giving up somewhere (who remembers everything?), But… Wal Kilmer did it great – all due! Oliver Stone was introduced to me back then The doors Manager. When this offer came, it was about 27 years old. I was young and active, the actor did not seem as interesting as music – I had a very active period with The Cult, What did not want to set aside for filming. Who knows – maybe today I would regret that I refused at the time if twelve years later I would not be invited to join the group Riders on the Storm, To speak with The doors Robbie Kruger and Ray Manzarek in the original composition. Between 2002 and 2007, we performed the songs they once created with Morrison. There I was not just an actor who follows the director’s directions dressed in tight leather pants that are easy to unbutton, but I myself with my attitude and understanding, enjoying this fantastic opportunity in the 21st century to feel The doors the magic power of music from the inside, not watching from the sidelines.

In this way, through these rock classics and still great musicians singing in their band, I got a much closer link with Morrison – or his spirit, which I first felt literally physically heard the epic composition The end in the film Today’s apocalypse. Film The doors Captures the whole life of Morrison in two hours on the screen, but my experience with my idols is not time -barred – it will always remain in me. And heat. Someone said Julian Casablanca of The Strokes is like a much better Morrison. What!? Really?

In terms of years, this year’s result is 47:27. Returning to The Cult – You are an English band, but after the success of the second album, record the third went to the US at the legendary producer Rick Rubin, who changed your sound profoundly…

I would not say that he had somehow changed our sound in his direction …

However, it cannot be denied that Rick Rubin’s produced album Electric (1987) You turned into a rock band with a rock band with a stadium power from the current postpank and the gothic rock, where the best of the rock classics will organically converge. LED Zeppelin and AC/DC Features are hard to listen there – in your case it is a compliment, not a reproach.

I have grown in Canada since the age of eleven, where we moved with my family with my family, and American culture dominated. I returned to England at the age of seventeen. When my mom died, my father moved back to Canada, but I stayed, and then it pancakes and later the postpank scene coupled me and no longer let go. At times I didn’t have a house and wandered – I stayed with my friends, bus station or squash. So I personally got out of England in a huge New York, because I felt comfortable there. While trying to record the third album in England, we had already spent a quarter of a million when we realized we wouldn’t. Since I first heard, I became obsessed with early hip -hop and group Beastie Boys, Which record producer Rick Rubin was not a legend at the time – he just started his own very successful producer career.

The sound vision I wanted to achieve in the new songs was already in my head, and Rick had an invaluable skill to materialize it so that the result was what I imagined. We recorded Electric Lady Studio, What was once created by Jimmy Hendrix … Both she and other legends left, never inexticated and unpacked in these rooms also helped. Rick took the guitar in his hands and showed Billy Dafia that it could be played without effects – a simple but ingenious suggestion that would not come to us. Not overloading, but undressing the sound to breathe!

Rick didn’t have an important MTV culture in which musicians have to « work on cameras » – I don’t like to look in the cameras either (also during the interview Zoom Ian Estbery is looking sideways – Ur). Rick took care of what also reaches people without eye light – sound! Rick’s hearing is phenomenally sensitive, and he is very open, immediately without hesitation, a telling tale of what is fine and nothing. He justifies his rating in a understandable language. Rick Rubin is a great psychologist.

In a documentary for Red Hot Chili Peppers the famous album Blood Sugar Sex Magik (1991) I saw Rick Rubin working – lying in the studio on the floor, putting my hands on his chest, listening to his eyes and saying something from time to time. Both Buddhism and the meditation he has practiced since his teenage years have created him. He also managed to highlight Johnny Caes from oblivion in the last decades of his life. Modern music also keeps track of?

From recent findings I have a hopeful group Julie – Rock trio from Los Angeles. The first album came out last year – see what will be next. But I prefer to listen The Velvet Undergorund the first album, something from The Doors, MC5, LED Zeppelin and German stacks groups Can. I like David Bowie’s album Low. I am associated with a lot of hip -hop, too Darkwave and electronics. Sometimes I would like to obey Black Metal – headphones before sleeping when I go to bed. I love what the collective does Sunn o))), – These are not songs, but sound landscapes. Swan The new album will be here – Michael Gira is stunning! I like to buy and listen to vinyl plates – this is the best format for enjoying music. Continue to call the collection? I have more than three thousand records. Nine Inch Nails! Nick Keiv is iconic.

For us in Latvia this summer, Nick Keiva’s concerts will be two days in a row, as the first one was sold out.

Good taste for Latvians! Where was I before? We have played with Nick Keiv when our group still had a longer name – The Dead Cult. Long! Had before Southern Death Cult – Even longer. The time tooth bites off the end of the end. Noticed that none of the ones I mentioned is a pop star? These artists play music that develops you, educates, heals, acting on your psyche and the state of your soul. Musicians, with satisfaction, gain some therapeutic feeling themselves. They do not « play cameras », but from the heart, like swimming in their music, and actually no one is watching you or not.