Did all you former rebellious mod-rock-kids-turned-9-to-5-cubicle-monkeys have fun at last week's back-to-back reunion shows by The Pixies and The Smashing Pumpkins?
(Don't be offended by that "cubicle monkeys" jab, rockers. I am proudly one of you once-rebellious souls who long ago turned in my black nail polish, eyeliner and super-fly Generra trench coat for a briefcase and a morning commute.)
If all goes well in both those bands' second attempt at symmetry they may someday join The Cult (playing the House of Blues Friday night) as one of the greatest rock 'n' roll resurrection stories of all time.
Like the Pixies and Pumpkins, The Cult were a mainstay of alternative rock radio in the late '80s and early '90s, but they were a band much more directly influenced by the guitar flourishes and gnashing teeth of bands like The Clash and The Stooges. Lead singer Ian Astbury and guitarist Billy Duffy combined their amplified assault with spirituality and a Native American wisdom that gave the impression that their feedback assault was derived from the Earth itself.
It all went swimmingly for these British mystics as they scored big with '80s albums like Love, Electric and Sonic Temple that produced still-beloved anthems like "Rain," "Fire Woman" and the coup de grace — "She Sells Sanctuary."
But by 1995, Astbury and Duffy couldn't stand the sight of each other. It took them four years to figure out that nobody wanted to hear either of them make music without the other, so in 1999 they put the band back together and have been touring and recording relentlessly ever since.
Much like the Pumpkins, The Cult are not content to simply be a live jukebox reliving past glories. In 2001, The Cult 2.0 released one of their (in my humble opinion) best albums, Beyond Good and Evil, which showcased a much wiser, prudent and musically proficient band. Expect to hear some highlights from that album along with 2007 follow-up Born Into This and even a brand new song, "Everyman and Woman is a Star" released in July.
Tip: It's always a good sign when a reunited band has interest in continuing to make new music and not just play the hits for a paycheck.
The Cult, 8 p.m. Friday at House of Blues
Tickets: $27.50-$45.00
