The Cult: Pure Cult: The Singles 1984-1995 (2LP) [BEGGARS BANQUET]

Why you'll love it

This remastered 2LP set comes in a gatefold jacket. When Pure Cult first came out in 1993 it went straight to No. 1 in the UK and double platinum, selling over 200,000 copies.

This edition

• 2LP set
• Remastered
• Gatefold jacket

About the album

Ian Astbury and Billy Duffy reportedly figured a hits album would interest a handful of collectors and devoted fans; the British public had other ideas. Pure Cult first appeared in 1993 as For Rockers, Ravers, Lovers, and Sinners, and in 2000 it was updated as The Singles 1984-1995, the version on these four sides.

It's the whole journey of a band that kept reinventing itself. "Spiritwalker" and "Resurrection Joe" come from the gothic early days, "She Sells Sanctuary" and "Rain" from the swirling psychedelic rock of Love, and "Love Removal Machine," "Lil' Devil" and "Wild Flower" from Rick Rubin's stripped-down, riff-heavy Electric. "Fire Woman," "Edie (Ciao Baby)" and "Sweet Soul Sister" bring the arena-sized Sonic Temple era, and "Wild Hearted Son," "Coming Down" and "Star" carry it into the 90s.

Duffy's guitar is the thread, chiming one moment and crunching the next, with Astbury howling over the top. Few bands covered this much ground in a decade and kept the hits coming. Astbury spent part of his teens in Hamilton, Ontario, so we'll be claiming a small share of the credit, thank you.

Also at Kops: more The Cult on vinyl · browse Rock

Tracklist

Listen

On Beggars Banquet (cat# BBQLP 2026), a reissue of the 2000 compilation.