LISTENING IN: A ‘Canadian’ Cult classic

By MICHAEL BAGINSKI/ Readers (and pretty much anyone who has ever met me) will have heard me reflect on many unique and sometimes unusual two or three degrees of separation from Rush, including most notably having gone to the same high school as Geddy and Alex (though not at the same time). That particularly includes my wife, who has her own connection to a great (sort of) Canadian band – The Cult.

Jodi attended the same high school as the band’s lead singer Ian Astbury in Hamilton, Ont. (her sister was there at the same time). I say “sort of” Canadian band because Astbury was actually born in Britain and founded the band in the U.K. after spending his teenage years here, which naturally inspires us to claim him and the band as one of our own.

Astbury and guitar partner Billy Duffy were a sensation in the mid ‘80s with songs like “She Sells Sanctuary,” “Love Removal Machine,” and “Fire Woman” amongst a stellar set list that was extensive enough to spawn a Greatest Hits album.

For his part, the charismatic Astbury (who claimed spiritual kinship with high school friends from the First Nations reserve near Hamilton, which he channeled on stage) was so highly regarded as a frontman that he was recruited by the remaining members of The Doors to replace the irreplaceable Jim Morrison in a resurrected version of that band. (He also resembled Morrison and was asked to portray him in the Doors movie, but turned the part down).

Eventually Astbury and Duffy reunited (they were the only constant members of the band), and they are still active today.

Hard to choose, but my ultimate Cult classic is “Lil’ Devil” from the great 1987 album, “Electric.” This one’s for Jodi.