The Cult's debut studio album Dreamtime was released in 1984 to moderate success, with its lead single "Spiritwalker" reaching No. 1 on the UK Indie Chart. Their second studio album, Love (1985), was also successful, charting at No. 4 in the UK and including singles such as "She Sells Sanctuary" and "Rain". The band's third album, Electric (1987), launched them new heights of success, also peaking at No. 4 in the UK and charting highly in other territories, and spawned the hit singles "Love Removal Machine", "Lil' Devil" and "Wild Flower". On that album, The Cult supplemented their post-punk sound with hard rock; the polish on this new sound was facilitated by producer Rick Rubin. After moving to Los Angeles, California, where the band has been based for the remainder of their career, The Cult continued the musical experimentation of Electric with its follow-up album Sonic Temple (1989), which marked their first collaboration with Bob Rock, who would produce several of the band's subsequent albums. Sonic Temple was their most successful album to that point, entering the Top 10 on the UK and US charts, and included one of the band's most popular songs "Fire Woman".
By the time of their fifth album Ceremony (1991), tensions and creative differences began to surface among the band members. This resulted in the recording sessions for Ceremony being held without a stable lineup, leaving Astbury and Duffy as the only two official members left, and featuring support from session musicians on bass and drums. The ongoing tension had carried over within the next four years, during which they released one more studio album, The Cult (1994), and called it quits in 1995. The Cult reformed in 1999 and released their seventh album Beyond Good and Evil two years later. The commercial failure of the album and resurfaced tensions led to the band going back on hiatus in 2002. They resumed activity in 2006, and have since released three more studio albums: Born into This (2007), Choice of Weapon (2012), and Hidden City (2016).
According to music critic Stephen Thomas Erlewine, the band fuse a "hardcore punk revivalist" sound with the "pseudo-mysticism ... of the Doors and Uriah Heep and the guitar-orchestrations of Led Zeppelin and The Cure ... while adding touches of post-punk goth rock". In 1985 Astbury said, "Our music is just melodies and guitars. We're like Big Country and U2, only better!".
On August 15, 2020, Duffy announced on his Twitter that the band were recording a new album with producer Tom Dalgety at Rockfield Studios, where The Cult had recorded their debut album Dreamtime 36 years earlier.
The Cult is also the name of a Las Vegas funk group that recorded one album in 1976, an Australian psych rock band that released one single in 1965, a UK punk band that released one 7" in 1980 and a garage rock band (featuring Allan Springfield of Chelsea Beige) that released two singles in 1965 and 1966.
Dirty Little Rockstar
The Cult Lyrics
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Blood stained sleeve your Slimane Dior
You live a lie sold your soul for the paper
You be a slave be a media whore
Snake skin heal and a cold black coal
Shootin saphires up a dead man's arm
Hyenna lurk outside your door
You're passed out on the bathroom floor
Bite your lip
Shake your hip
Taste the whip
You wanna be a Dirty Little Rockstar
I don't see no Dirty Little Rockstar
Chaos breeds under heaven's skyline
Your young hearts are melting only phoenix survive
Stay in the game you sick lil hipster
You get it all, you get it ahead
Shake your hip
Bite you lip
Back the whip
You wanna be a Dirty Little Rockstar
I don't believe no Dirty Little Rockstar
You wanna be a Dirty Little Rockstar
You know we need no Dirty Little Rockstar
You know we need no Dirty Little Rockstar
The Cult's song "Dirty Little Rockstar" is a commentary on the music industry and the persona of rockstars. The lyrics describe a person who has sold their soul to the industry and is now living a life filled with corruption, excess, and addiction. The opening lines, "So you be a Dirty Little Rockstar, Blood-stained sleeve your Slimane Dior," suggest that the person in question is putting on a facade of glamour and success, but there is darkness beneath the surface.
The lyrics continue to describe the person's addiction, with lines such as "Shootin sapphires up a dead man's arm" and "Passed out on the bathroom floor." The chorus urges the persona to accept their reality as a "Dirty Little Rockstar," but the singer points out that he does not see them as such. The bridge shifts the focus to address the younger generation, warning them of the dangers of aspiring to be rockstars and how it is only the resilient who can survive.
Overall, "Dirty Little Rockstar" is a scathing yet insightful critique of the music industry and the idolization of rockstar personas. It highlights the dark side of the industry and the toll it takes on those who buy into the fantasy.
Line by Line Meaning
So you be a Dirty Little Rockstar
You pretend to be a rebellious Rockstar, but in reality, you are just a fraud.
Blood stained sleeve your Slimane Dior
You display your designer clothes without caring about the bloodstains, which portrays the violence behind the fashion industry.
You live a lie sold your soul for the paper
You deceive others by living a false life, selling your soul for money and fame.
You be a slave be a media whore
You have become a slave to the media, always seeking their attention and doing everything to stay relevant.
Snake skin heal and a cold black coal
You wear snake skin attire, which represents the devil on the outside, and you have a cold heart like black coal.
Shootin sapphires up a dead man's arm
You inject sapphires, which represent your wealth and fame, into your veins as if you were already dead inside.
Hyena lurk outside your door
People just pretend to like you, but they will pounce at you once you get in trouble.
You're passed out on the bathroom floor
You have indulged in drugs and alcohol to a point where you have lost control and passed out in the bathroom.
Bite your lip
You try to look seductive and attractive by biting your lip, but in reality, it's just a gimmick.
Shake your hip
You try to impress people by shaking your hips, but it's just a superficial act to seem cool.
Taste the whip
You indulge in BDSM and like to be dominated, which is not a healthy behavior.
You wanna be a Dirty Little Rockstar
You desire to be a rebellious and successful rockstar, but in reality, you are just pretending.
I don't see no Dirty Little Rockstar
The singer sees through your facade and knows that you are not a real rockstar, but just a wannabe.
Chaos breeds under heaven's skyline
The world is full of disorder and chaos, which is hidden under the disguise of harmony and order.
Your young hearts are melting only phoenix survive
Only the strongest people, who rise from their ashes like a phoenix, can withstand the harsh realities of the world.
Stay in the game you sick lil hipster
You try to be different and unique by following the latest trends, which shows a lack of creativity and originality.
You get it all, you get it ahead
You manage to achieve success by any means necessary, even if it means being deceitful and immoral.
Back the whip
You enjoy inflicting pain on others and being in control, which is not a healthy behavior.
I don't believe no Dirty Little Rockstar
The singer does not believe in your illusion of being a rockstar, as they know the truth behind your facade.
You wanna be a Dirty Little Rockstar
You still desire to be a rockstar, even though it's clear that you are not a real one.
You know we need no Dirty Little Rockstar
The artist believes that we do not need fake rockstars, and we should focus on authenticity and genuine talent instead.
Contributed by Parker V. Suggest a correction in the comments below.