Ian Astbury's Southern Death Cult begat Death Cult begat The Cult. You'd think by now this stalwart British '80s outfit would simply by called Cu by now.
But you can't blame Astbury -- and guitarist Billy Duffy -- for sticking with the moniker under which the band -- with its changing personnel over the years -- scored its biggest success.
From 1985 to 1989, The Cult notched one gold and two platinum LPs in the States, along with a couple Hot 100 singles placements.
The band split up in the mid-90s and again in 2001, but each time Astbury and Duffy revived it just a few years later, making it -- if you ignore the downtime -- one of Britain's longest-lasting post-punk bands.
Earlier this year, The Cult released "Capsule 1" and now has "Capsule 2" coming this week, too.
Catch up with The Cult at The Rave on Saturday, Nov. 20 at 8 p.m. Tickets are $24.50 and $29.50 and The Black Ryder and Carbellion open the show.
Some other gigs on the books this week in Milwaukee include:
Oklahoma City boy Graham Colton comes to town for a Tuesday, Nov. 16 performance at Shank Hall. Colton issued three EPs this year, including the most recent, "Somewhere In Between," released in July. The "Sides" series of EPs collects live tracks, demos and b-sides. Bascom Hill opens the 8 p.m., $15 show.
The Rave hosts Texas' Green River Ordinance on Tuesday, too. The last time the band was in town it was riding its major label debut. Perhaps it's a sign of the times that GRO is now on the road in support of its new self-released, acoustic EP, "The Morning Passengers." Showtime is 7 p.m. and tickets are $10.
Another Texas band is also at The Rave on Tuesday. Close Your Eyes -- which hit the Miramar less than a month ago -- returns to play with A Day To Remember, Underoath and The Word Alive.
The band's Victory Records debut, "We Will Overcome," is out now. Tickets for the 7 p.m. gig are $22.50.
Seizure Chicken and WMSE host Chicago's Chaperone, with Futurebirds and Jonny Corndawg, Thursday, Nov. 18 at 9:30 p.m. at the Cactus Club. Chaperone is touring in support of its rootsy pop debut EP, "Cripple King!"
You can hear a track from it, "Thomas," here.
Thursday is also the night that jazz guitarist John McLaughlin brings his group, the 4th Dimension to the Northern Lights Theater at Potawatomi Bingo Casino. Their latest outing, "To The One," was inspired by John Coltrane's landmark "A Love Supreme."
McLaughlin, who really ought not need any introduction, worked with Miles Davis on "BItches Brew" and was influential later via his work with The Mahavishnu Orchestra and Shakti.
Los Angeles psych rock outfit Darker My Love opens for Delta Spirit at Turner Hall Friday, Nov. 19 at 8 p.m. The band is working its latest disc, "Alive As You Are," about which Uncut magazine raved, saying, "a beautifully realized evocation of the psychedelic, country-tinged fringes of '60s pop" and Filter said is "brimming with personality." Cover is $10.
Stay tuned for a full Delta Spirit feature in advance of the gig.
Born in Brooklyn, N.Y., where he lived until he was 17, Bobby received his BA-Mass Communications from UWM in 1989 and has lived in Walker's Point, Bay View, Enderis Park, South Milwaukee and on the East Side.
He has published three non-fiction books in Italy – including one about an event in Milwaukee history, which was published in the U.S. in autumn 2010. Four more books, all about Milwaukee, have been published by The History Press.
With his most recent band, The Yell Leaders, Bobby released four LPs and had a songs featured in episodes of TV's "Party of Five" and "Dawson's Creek," and films in Japan, South America and the U.S. The Yell Leaders were named the best unsigned band in their region by VH-1 as part of its Rock Across America 1998 Tour. Most recently, the band contributed tracks to a UK vinyl/CD tribute to the Redskins and collaborated on a track with Italian novelist Enrico Remmert.
He's produced three installments of the "OMCD" series of local music compilations for OnMilwaukee.com and in 2007 produced a CD of Italian music and poetry.
In 2005, he was awarded the City of Asti's (Italy) Journalism Prize for his work focusing on that area. He has also won awards from the Milwaukee Press Club.
He has be heard on 88Nine Radio Milwaukee talking about his "Urban Spelunking" series of stories, in that station's most popular podcast.
