Billy Duffy Of The Cult Says New Album Could Be "Trashy"

Before his newfound infamy as one of three judges in the Bodog Music Battle Of The Bands, Billy Duffy was renowned as the straight-rockin' guitarist for a little old band called The Cult. Weathering a sea of trials and tribulations since 1984, the quartet have recently seen a respectable resurgence in popularity. According to Duffy, it's made the perfect breeding grounds for a new album, their first since 2001's Beyond Good And Evil.

"We've got some ideas down, circulating," he admits, refusing to commit to a release date. "Each album gets its own life and while it's early to really tell with this one because it's in the formative stages, it still feels trashy and sort of ramshackle, which I like. [Singer] Ian [Astbury] isn't singing with The Doors anymore and I think that's lifted his spirits for a Cult record, too."

Having worked with the likes of legendary producers such as Rick Rubin and Bob Rock, one might wonder just how "ramshackle" a Cult record could really get. However, Duffy's old school British punk roots would define him as knowing the true essence of "trashy."

"I've been around," he says smugly. "I still remember being in a band around 1981 where we were on tour and there were more people in the van than there were seats. We had to fashion one out of luggage so that it at least looked like we weren't breaking any laws. I was also there to see The Sex Pistols when Glenn Matlock was still in the band. At that point, though, there was no definable 'punk.' The Pistols were playing in the same venue as AC/DC. It didn't matter."

With the success of last year's Cult tour, one might expect Duffy and crew to be chomping at the bit with all of the other cash-grabbing reunion tours and albums spewing forth. He's quick to point out that, despite it being one of their better years, the band are still quite humble about things.

"We played 70-odd shows last year. I didn't like being in those amphitheatres, personally. I like theatres. But there's the dilemma of if you've earned the right to sleep on a tour bus, do you stay in the van out of spite? If your music has reached enough people to offer you comforts, that's a good thing. You have to let yourself enjoy your earnings sometimes." To that end, while Duffy is happy to be creating a new Cult album, it's certainly not with the intention of regaining anything other than the opportunity to enjoy his craft. He's even quick to downplay his entire career.

"I always felt The Cult was fleeting. We were a bigger middle-level band but we were happy with that. When we got big for a couple of years, it didn't feel very comfortable. We made the best of it and gave it a good kick, but in retrospect, Ian really didn't like it. We still have a punk rock take on things in our hearts [and] keep it street-level."