Ian Astbury of The Cult has defended Lou Reed and Metallica’s reviled Lulu album in an interview.
Astbury was being interviewed by Rolling Stone, ostensibly to discuss The Cult’s forthcoming album.
But while pondering the ‘authenticity’ and ‘life credentials’ of some critics, both professional and otherwise, he took some time out to defend Lulu.
He said that the album was “something I’ve argued with many people about. You know, everyone’s saying ‘Oh, it’s disgusting, it’s an abomination.’ You know the amount of hate they got for that record. Hate! I think Pitchfork gave it like 1, or 0.
“Lou Reed, he’s a 67-year-old man,” Astbury continued, “His body of work is stellar, he is one of our greatest laureates. If you know anything about Lou Reed, he’s not well right now. He’s deteriorating, his body’s sick, he’s getting frail and fragile. He’s chosen Metallica to be his muscle, to be his armor, so he can come out one more time and make a statement of what’s happening in his internal life, and he’s using this Weimar Republic play, Lulu, to put himself over.
“If you actually listen to the record, there’s some phenomenal moments on it, by anybody’s standards. ‘Junior Dad’ for example, I think is a fucking brilliant piece of music.”
Sounding rather savvy, Astbury also pondered the shamanistic totems of Grinderman and the intimacy of the latest Feist and PJ Harvey albums.
The Cult’s ninth studio album Choice Of Weapon, recorded with Chris Goss (QOTSA, U.N.K.L.E.) and Bob Rock (Metallica, Aerosmith), is due for release on May 22.
