Along with guitarist Billy Duffy bassist Jamie Stewart and drummer Ray Mondo, Ian (now going by the surname "Astbury"), formed a new band, The Death Cult and later dropped Death from the name.
**The Cult**
The Cult was one of the most successful British rock bands of the late 1980s and early 1990s. With the 1984 release of their first album Dreamtime, The Cult were the darlings of the Indie post-punk scene, their chart topping "Spiritwalker" single having held at number one for three months. Their second album, Love, evoked memories of 1960s psychedelia such as The Doors, and the Pretty Things. It also featured their now classic hit "She Sells Sanctuary", which introduced them to an international audience. On their third album, Electric, The Cult made a radical transformation to hard rock reminiscent of AC/DC and Aerosmith with the help of Rick Rubin. This further broadened their audience as rock began making a comeback in the late 1980s. Guns N' Roses, who were heavily influenced by Electric, opened for The Cult on their 1987 North American tour, before going on to sell millions of copies of their debut album Appetite for Destruction.
Although The Cult went on to greater heights with their mainstream hit single "Fire Woman," (on the follow up 1989 Sonic Temple album), they began to get criticized by many hardcore fans on artistic merits. Soured on the band's more commercial direction, The Cult were now characterized as pretentious and as having sold out, particularly among their British fan legion.
**1990s**
The dent in their reputation was amplified by the loss of many Sonic Temple fans, when their next album (Ceremony, 1991) delivered dissapointingly in the wake of an oncoming grunge fad.
In 1994, The Cult returned with their untitled album and a musical change of pace. Gone was much of their overblown rock trappings, replaced instead by Astbury's growing interest in electronica and introspective lyrics. To support the album they set out on tour, but in Brazil, Astbury's creative differences with guitarist Billy Duffy reached their peak, and Astbury walked out on The Cult.
Inspired by his sudden change in direction, Astbury immediately assembled another group of musicians and began writing new songs. He called the group The Holy Barbarians, and in 1996 the band released an album, "Cream". Although the Barbarians were not a commercial success, they were well received by many who had regained respect for Astbury as an artist.
Personal difficulties and a drive for further introspection drove Astbury away from his new group, as he began working on a solo album (eventually released as Spirit/Light/Speed), to mixed reviews and low sales.
In 1999, Ian Astbury and Billy Duffy regrouped The Cult to head one of the most financially successful tours that year. A new contract with Atlantic Records was inked, and in 2001 came the release of Beyond Good And Evil. Early radio success was being had by the single Rise, until the band had a falling out with Atlantic and they killed any and all commercial promotions and radio play for BG&E. The fight with Atlantic was described by Ian as Soul Destroying and a disillusioned Astbury, brought The Cult onto another hiatus in 2002.
*2000s*
Having long been influenced by Jim Morrison, in 2002 Ian Astbury filled his hero's footsteps by becoming lead singer in an updated version of The Doors, with original members Robby Krieger and Ray Manzarek, known as The Doors of the 21st Century, renamed in 2005 to become Riders On The Storm. In 2003, Astbury also performed with surviving members of MC5 at the 100 Club in London, before finally reforming The Cult with Billy Duffy again in 2006, for a series of live dates and rumours of reissues and another greatest hits compilation in the works.
Touch Me
Ian Astbury Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Now touch me, baby
Can't you see that I am not afraid?
What was that promise that you made?
Why won't you tell me what she said?
What was that promise that you made?
Now, I'm gonna love you
I'm gonna love you
Till the stars fall from the sky for you and I
Come on, come on, come on, come on
Now touch me, baby
Can't you see that I am not afraid?
What was that promise that you made?
Why won't you tell me what she said?
What was that promise that you made?
I'm gonna love you
Till the heavens stop the rain
I'm gonna love you
Till the stars fall from the sky for you and I
I'm gonna love you
Till the heavens stop the rain
I'm gonna love you
Till the stars fall from the sky for you and I
Stronger than dirt
The song "Touch Me" by Ian Astbury is a romantic and passionate plea for physical and emotional intimacy between two people. The lyrics consist mainly of a repeated chorus encouraging the other person to touch the singer, and asking them to fulfill a promise they made. The urgency in the repeated "come on, come on, come on" suggests that the singer is eager for the other person to act on their feelings, to take a risk and make a move towards intimacy. The chorus emphasizes the power of love to overcome any obstacle, symbolized by the heavens stopping the rain and the stars falling from the sky, suggesting that the love shared between the two is strong and unyielding.
Throughout the song, there is an underlying sense of vulnerability and uncertainty, as the singer repeatedly asks the other person to reveal the nature of their promise. They are eager to know what the other person is feeling, to know where they stand in the relationship. This creates a sense of tension and anticipation within the song, as both the singer and the listener are unsure of what the future holds. The song ends on a hopeful note, with the repeated declaration of love suggesting that despite the uncertainty and vulnerability, the love shared between the two is capable of enduring anything.
Line by Line Meaning
Yeah! Come on, come on, come on, come on
Encouraging the listener to take action
Now touch me, baby
Asking for physical contact
Can't you see that I am not afraid?
Showing fearlessness
What was that promise that you made?
Questioning a promise previously made
Why won't you tell me what she said?
Seeking clarity on a conversation
Now, I'm gonna love you
Expressing a strong emotion
Till the heavens stop the rain
Promising unending love
Till the stars fall from the sky for you and I
Promising unending love and devotion
Stronger than dirt
Metaphor for the strength of the love being expressed
Contributed by Logan J. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
Wild Flower
Ian made a lot of people happy keeping this music alive. I prefer The Cult and his solo album, but it was amazingly cool that he stepped up to this challenge and nailed it.
Resurrection Jez
I absolutely love this. Superb!
Ian is pretty much the last of the great frontmen and much underrated
fabi Stone
Like always Ian Astbury made easy every song that he covers
Stampol
best version of this song
DKqwerty
When a cover surmounts the original…
Honeymoons
Not really though
J Frank
You people must be doing entirely too many drugs if you think this is better than the original
Keith Jennings
Rubbish