X3's Beast

Comics Continuum has posted a full interview with X3's newest character.

The Unheard Music

Blasting into the post-punk consciousness with a tremendous debut album, the Au Pairs, fronted by lesbian-feminist Lesley Woods, played brittle, dissonant, guitar-based rock. The music was danceable, imbued with an almost petulant irony, and for a while, very hip and well-liked by critics. Unlike many bands of the day, however, the Au Pairs (at least initially) backed it up with searing, confrontational songs celebrating sexuality from a woman's perspective. Also, they took swipes at the conservative political climate sweeping England after Margaret Thatcher's election as Prime Minister. Occasionally, Woods' commitments to sexual and social politics made her sound inflexible. But, at first blush, the Au Pairs were a mighty intimidating proposition, able to take on so much and deliver great music in the process. After a desultory live album in 1983 (Live in Berlin), the band split up, and Woods and her bandmates have maintained a low profile. (Source).

Playing with a Different Sex is one of the great, and perhaps forgotten, post-punk records. Here is the song We're So Cool from that album.

The Cult Seek New Followers

British rockers Ian Astbury and Billy Duffy have reformed the Cult for A Return to Wild, a nineteen-date cross-country tour kicking off March 1st in San Francisco. Three years down the line, Astbury claims that he put the band on hold, after the release of 2001's Beyond Good and Evil, to save it from imploding.

"We were one of the first bands to experience the whole sinking-of-the-Titanic which is the music industry. People were doing horrendous things to friends and co-workers," he says during a break from tour rehearsals in Los Angeles. "So the Cult was put on ice because I didn't want to destroy it."

In the years following, Duffy threw himself into projects, making music as Siddons with Alice in Chains guitarist Jerry Cantrell, as well as acting: He co-stars alongside Korn frontman Jonathan Davis in the upcoming horror film Sin-Jin Smyth. Meanwhile, Astbury took on the duties of the late Jim Morrison, touring with the Doors keyboardist Ray Manzarek and Robbie Krieger as the Doors of the 21st Century. His time with the legendary Sixties rockers -- who were recently forced to disassociate themselves from the "Doors" name after a legal battle with their former drummer, John Densmore -- inspired Astbury to reconsider his creative relationships. "Working with those guys really helped me to finesse myself as a human being," he says. "Because all of a sudden, I wasn't 'Ian Astbury of the Cult' -- but I'm definitely not 'Ian Astbury of the Doors,' I had no delusions of that. I had to look at myself and my own shortcomings and strengths and deal with a lot of internal issues."

Astbury realized "the futility" of putting off a reconciliation with Duffy, and the two began talking again last fall. They went on to re-recruit bassist Chris Wyse, who played on Beyond, and drummer John Tempesta (White Zombie) for this spring's trek. The group, in production for just over a week, already has an eighteen-song set down, including "Wild Flower," "Wonderland" and their classic "She Sells Sanctuary." "It's very exciting right now, because the rehearsals have been going so well and it's authentic," says the singer. "I'm playing the music, and I'm feeling the music. I've definitely been onstage with the Cult and not felt it -- and that's the worst feeling in the world. So this is very gratifying. These songs feel fresh."
Astbury insists, however, that we not call it a comeback. "This run of dates is called A Return to Wild -- not Resurrection, Insurrection, Sonic Interjection, Revival. It's fucking authentically real," he says. The name may be in response to Astbury's recent read of Jack London's Call of the Wild."I like the idea that we're men with guitars, and it is rock but it's not rawwwkkk. It's strong and it's virile and it's kind of like big boys playing with big-boy toys."
(Source)

THE CULT Team Up With INSTANT LIVE To Offer Live Recordings

Instant Live has announced that it will be recording select dates from THE CULT's 2006 tour. Instant Live will be recording the band's set at each of the shows, and the completed CDs will be available for pickup just minutes after the concert ends. For fans that won't be able to make it to any of the shows that are being recorded, a limited number of copies is expected to be made available for purchase at www.instantlive.com. Instant Live, launched in February of 2003 in Boston and now owned by radio and concert promotion behemoth Clear Channel Communications, can reportedly print off dozens of discs - selling for around $15 either at the venue or later - in response to orders from concertgoers. As BLABBERMOUTH.NET exclusively reported, John Tempesta (EXODUS, TESTAMENT, HELMET, WHITE ZOMBIE, ROB ZOMBIE) has been hired as the new drummer for THE CULT. Tempesta made his debut with the group Friday night on "The Late Late Show with Craig Ferguson". Click below to see it for yourself:



THE CULT's upcoming tour, tagged "A Return To Wild", will cover 19 cities launching at the legendary Fillmore in San Francisco and winding up at Nokia Live in New York City. Although the band was offered large venues they opted for more intimate houses. These shows are for CULT devotees and the wickedly curious. "We need to reconnect with our people, our tribe," claimed Duffy. "We need to be among them. We want this to be as intimate as possible. You can't do that in an airline hanger, mate." In addition to playing live shows, THE CULT also plans to "explore the possibilities of making new music in 2006," but no firm commitments have been made, according to a press release. THE CULT's last tour - behind their acclaimed 2001 album, "Beyond Good and Evil" - featured principal members Ian Astbury (vocals) and Billy Duffy (guitar) alongside longtime THE CULT drummer Matt Sorum and bassist Billy Morrison. For a list of upcoming THE CULT shows, visit Pollstar.com.

Source

Today's Dali

William Tell

The South Pole

Want to see what's happening right now at the South Pole? Not a whole lot apparently.

Astronomy Friday

Astronomers looking for extraterrestrial life now have a short list of places to point their telescopes.

Another planet with rings?

Song Of The Week

There was no question which band and song I was going to choose for my first song of the week post...THE CULT - RISE

New Features

New features coming soon: song of the week, "The Playlist" and that long ago promised monthly column written by X...

Alien Lightning

NASA's Cassini spacecraft is tracking an intense lightning storm on Saturn. The powerful bolts are causing the spacecraft's radio instruments to "crackle"--much like the crackles you might hear coming from your car's AM radio when you drive by a thunderstorm on Earth. Visit spaceweather to listen to the sounds of Saturn's lightning.

Glacial Melt!

Greenland’s Glaciers are melting faster than anyone thought. Tremendous amounts of ice and water are falling into the ocean. Greenland's loss increased from 24 trillion gallons of ice in 1996 to 59 trillion in 2005 -- enough fresh water to supply the entire city of New York for about 115 years.

Full story here.

This Week's Dali

Still Life With Moonlight

X-Men The Last Stand

Here are the first posters from "X-Men The Last Stand":

"I'd Like To Buy Some Art"

Thieves apprehended but "The Scream" still missing.

Here is this week's Dali: "Cadaques"

Shark Mouth!

So it's February and we just had a blizzard in New York. I have been thinking about a vacation to a warm tropical island with a great beach...Then I am reminded why I don't swim in the ocean. Only a month and a half into 2006 and Australia has already had half a dozen shark attacks. One attack was fatal, a diver was attacked and one teen was walking in knee high water when attacked! Many beaches are closed in Australia due to hundreds of sharks feeding close to shore. My tropical getaway is looking more like Vegas.

If you are interested, you can check here for up to date Shark Attack information.

Arctic Monkeys - Get This CD!

'Lost World' Found in Indonesian Jungle

Scientists said on Tuesday that they had found a "Lost World" in an Indonesian mountain jungle, home to dozens of exotic new species of birds, butterflies, frogs and plants. Click here for the full story.

Extrasolar Planets

Ever wonder what life is like outside our solar system? Lynette Cook has a few interesting ideas.

iPod News

Is your iPod too loud?

Looks like there are more iPod colors on the way.

Want more iPod accessories? This is sweet!

The Cult Energized For 2006 Tour

After a three-and-a-half year break, veteran rock act the Cult will return to the road this spring. The group, which features core members Ian Astbury and Billy Duffy, is in the midst of auditions and rehearsals ahead of the March 1 North American tour kick-off in San Francisco. Additional international shows are also being considered for later in the year.The Cult was last active in 2002, when it toured in support of the previous year's Atlantic album "Beyond Good and Evil." But Astbury describes the experience to Billboard.com as "soul destroying. After going through that whole major-label experience when the industry was in its death knell, it left a horrible taste in my mouth. I really didn't want to be a part of it any more." Click here for the full story.

Weekly Dali

Fiesta In Figueres

Has Anyone Seen This Woman?