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  • He looks like Mariska Veres from Shocking Blue

  • geezuz on a stick this USA country needs an enema. A Rock & Roll enema, that only the CULT can provide! A song about a girl, the love removal machine, she must have been fuckin super. I let the one I knew get away, but then women sleep with who they want, men with whom they can. Sigh... I guess I'll go kick rocks!

  • Billy Duff best improvisator.

  • Awesome song as it is, but anyone with a drop of rock in their blood can feel how Rubin kicked it up several notches while recording Electric. The genius was already there, it just needed to be sculpted out and it was.

  • Great version and at the 2: 40 mark that interlude really adds to it.

  • Wow, Rick Rubin totally changed it up for the album.

  • they were probably the coolest thing in the alternative music at the time,alongside jane's addiction.shame they went all ac/dc afterwards.

  • It's a crime that the Peace album never got released - it had this arrangement of Love Removal Machine and a cracking version of Wild Flower as well as superior versions of most of the songs that ended up on Electric

  • Good grief, what's wrong with the people in audience? They hardly move.

  • @b2ferrara

    I lived with a Finnish person one summer. This is completely normal behavior. We're lucky they're not all naked, ignoring the music and taking pictures of each other in the crowd. =|

  • I grew up on Southern, Death, then Cult. I missed this version of Electric, despite seeing the show 4 times in NA. Love these versions and love the final pressings as well. We all have our top 10 'stuck on an island' albums. Electric is among them.

  • Billy looks like Charlie Sheen...hahahaha!!!

    

  • avoid Summer festivals in northern Europe, lights have no effect ;)

  • Adoro The Cult....... Brasil......

  • Ian Astbury = Austin Powers meets Chissy Hynde here

  • What kind of bass is Jamie using??? looks like some kind of Music Man /Fender hybrid

  • @kramerbassplayer I don't know but I wish it was louder in the mix.

    Which is not to say I don't absolutely love this video.

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  • so clean...good performance, great sound

  • The Electric album is the best hard rock album of all time.

    This version is good though.

  • That is one badddd fringe.

  • i did not know Freddie Mercury was the lead singer for The Cult....

  • @crawcoil Oh, you didn't, did you? Freddie was a master of disguise. Ha ha!

  • Such a bright, clean and very moving sound from these guys. Very hypnotic, so under rated. I love this sound so much., very unique personal style and instantly recognizable.

  • Opening guitar riff says it all...PERFECTION

  • The one from the Whistle Test 87 is the best but this is good too

  • This riff became the chorus for Coming Down - Drug Tongue

  • it's the chic from concrete blonde ! ! ! !

  • love it

  • Man this version is great. I wish it made its way on to the Love album. Does anybody know where I can get this on cd or did they just never record this version in the studio????

  • @Red40Wings13 They recorded. You will fin this version in Rare Cult (7CD Collector Set). Its the 3rd CD also named "Peace Album". This album was recorded by The Cult but they didn´t like it so they ask producer Rick Rubin to re-record the songs as you can hear in "Eltectric Album". Also in the early 90s this version was released in a "10 Picture CD Collection" but I cant remember in wich CD it was in.

  • thank you. have the audio, video is wonderful.

  • Brilliant, thanks very much Spiritwalker65, will do.

  • This version (the studio version) can be found on the Cult Rare Cult demos box( very expensive) from 2000, or The Manor Sessions (1988 mini CD),or The Best of rare Cult ,there you can find the Peace remix of this song,there are actually about 4 or 5 different versions of this song.

    Buy the demo box, there you will find the whole Peace album with all the songs as they sounded prior to the album "Electric".

  • Sorry Spiritwalker65, I screwed up my first posting...I prefer this version to the "Electric" album version, sounds so much like it should be on the "Love" album. Do any of you know where to get this version, is it on a CD/album anywhere?

  • Ian looks great here possibly his best look ever

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  • Did you ever consider that Ian might have had abit too much sex with groupies before goin on stage there? And probably feelin abit worse for wear ? ;) Anyway I think its brilliant live and raw ;)

  • cult sucks

  • wow...SO much better than the cock rock Electric version!!

  • ahhh, the manor sessions. love both versions.

  • This is fantastic. The style on "Electric" is catchy and edgy, but wears thin quickly - too distilled and simplistic. I've been listening to the Cult for over 25 years, and the style on Love, which this version is benefiting from, is much more enduring with a minor key complexity in it. This is tremendous - what a pity the Peace album is so hard to come by.

  • it's The Cult alright.... but where's the bite?

  • Once again I am reminded why record companies force bands tohave producers. I love LRM but this version is dreck.

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  • @wickedgrin I stand by my comment and crawcoil I am aware it's live but a turd is turd wether it's memorex or not

  • I wouldnt go so far as to call it dreck, but you are exactly right. This version has no edge or catch to it.

  • sry but i dont like it as much

  • I got a Manor Session CD signed by Astbury !!, when he saw it, 'said: hey, where did you fucking get this cd man???...I'm from Chile...

  • Rare smiles coming from Nigel... He looks great and happy in this vid. Nice version of LRM....

  • owlrun, Nigel Preston was no longer the drummer for The Cult on the Love and Electric tours. This is Les Warner.

    I agree, I love the original versions of the Electric songs :)

  • ian astbury is like renato russo

  • The best part about this version is the Gretsch White Falcon.

  • Yes, this is from the original recording of Electric, which was supposed to be titled Peace - and it kicks more ass than Electric did, IMO

  • I LOVE this!

  • This sounds like She Sell more than the Electric Version.

    it's ok, but the electric version, ROCKS all over.

    Its straight out blues/rock!

  • I love how they have changed throughout the years yet they keep getting better and better. A true rock band.

  • they hardly taped the bassist

  • Now this is interesting. I saw the Cult (somewhere) in Canada when they opened for Billy Idol. The version of Love Removal Machine sounded like the album version: really loud and grungy, almost Zeppelin-like. This version sounds like it could have come off the Love album. I remember that Ian Ashbury saying in an interview that the songs for the Electric album were recorded and mixed different from the way Rick Rubin did it. (On the final version of Electric) I had no idea how far apart they were

  • Yeah... I saw them open for Billy Idol in Los Angeles in 1986. The original versions, recorded at The Manor [hence: The Manor Sessions picture CD with five of the tracks] by the "Love" producer, Steve Brown, made up the shelved album called "Peace".

  • I enjoyed this and like the take on the song, but the album version rocks way harder - and has that badass solo!

  • I love this version!! I wish I could get it on disc!!

  • Wow. Never heard this before. It has such a strong New Romantic / goth-pop feel to it, even more so than anything on Love. I have to say, though, that I'm thankful for Rick Rubin's influence. Even if hard rock isn't your thing, the Cult were sooooo good as a hard rock act. Ian's amazing voice and Billy's guitar sound good, but a little restrained otherwise.

  • Try and find the "Electric: Manor Sessions"

    They all sound much more like Love like this.

  • singer looks like Freddy Meurcury on that one

  • Ian Astonbury is no Freddy Mercury - he is unique

  • Whoaaa. How F'ing coooooooool

  • I like this! I loved electric but I love this even more. Okay, so you guys can see I missed out. Some one explain to me what this was all about. I loved Love and I loved Electric and haven't heard this stuff.

  • Find "The Manor Sessions". It's 5 (i seem to recall) tracks from Electric before Rubin's influence. It's very good. I like both and have most of their stuff.

  • They recorded Electric w/the same prod. as "Love", Steve Brown. i.e. "Electric" songs done in the style of Sanctuary.

    They're known, as others have pointed out, as The Manor Sessions. Several of them were released as B-Sides to the Rick Rubin "Electric" singles.

    They reld some UK picture disc CD singles. 1 w/a pic of Ian, another w/Billy, another w/Jamie. One is "The Love Mixes", another "The Electric Mixes". Discs with extended/reworked mixes. The third is called "The Manor Sessions".

  • Dang I need to get this version. Awsoome guitar !!

  • infinitely better version than the rick rubin garbage.

  • I totally agree with that.

  • several of their songs sound like 'santuary.' at least live they do! still i dig the cult!

  • Horrible version,horrible performance,but cult rocks.

  • ... also the rhythm part of the verse... sounds like it was used on some Rubin Re-mixes of "Machine" if not the album version. OK I'm an obsessoid for The Cult... I admit that.

  • "Sanctuary Machine!" LOL

    This sounds a lot like Rain from "Love" but with more shouting - the studio version of this version is a lot less laid-back. In fact this live performance is just weird.

    So the Rick Rubin version on 'Electric" is just a better song. However Ian's voice would never be the same since the "Electric" tour, all he did is scream and that made his voice a lot darker in timbre. Still a classic Cult era!!

  • Coolest version ever.

    This version is so much better then the Electric version.

    Band looks great 1984-86 era They where GODS!!

    Billy is amazing in this version(he always is to be honest.

  • this is my favorite version of this song too!

  • @Spiritwalker65 Do any of you know on which album this version is or where I can find it?

  • @JMackowiak Hey man just came across your post on here im a huge cult fan, I have 3 verions of this version, as in the way they sing it on here, if your interested in it let me know. I know what you mean I also never liked the electric version of this song.

  • @Spiritwalker65 are you insane ??? better than "electric" ? ehhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh ?

  • dang sounds like the sanctuary song.

  • duffys guitar parts are really amazing in this. totally different vibe but still classic .

  • What a cool version of this song! Never heard it! Its an interesting mix of previous and later sounds... Excellent thanks for posting!

  • I love this version of Love Removal! Just fucking brilliant. Ian looks and sounds amazing here too. The band is fucking groov'n! Love!

  • is this version on any of their albums? i have 2 diff greatest hits cds of theirs and they both have other version .

  • Thank goodness they got away from this sound and went hard rock!!! Electric is an awesome album. If it sounded like this, no one would remember it.

  • I disagree. I like this version better. It seems like a more natural evolution from "Love."

  • Austin Powers and his little-known gothic phase.

  • what a difference a producer can make! Boy! Listening to this and to the Whistle Test footage is like night and day!!! Still, the song is great, regardless of the final arrangement...

  • They look very pretty, don't they? But you hear one of their songs, you heard all of them...

  • ha ha - never has a band been as varied as The Cult - compare the songs King Contrary Man to All Souls Avenue - no band were chameleons as much as The Cult

  • Hey, if you think Spiritwalker, She Sells Sanctuary and any given track on Electric are the same, more power to you. Go listen to Sarah McClachlan - now there's somebody who sounds exactly the same from song to song.

  • I have no idea of who Sarah McClachlan is..I actually liked The Cult, it's just that after so many years (I saw them live in 1986-87, at the time of Love) & with the benefit of hindsight, it seems to me that a lot of their most famous songs are practically the same..it was just an observation & besides why what I think should matter? If you like them, more power to you! Is Spiritwalker theirs? I can't remember! First they were Southern Death Cult, then Death Cult, then The Cult..I've lost track

  • To your credit The Cult did go wrong trying to market themselves as a greatest hits band, but that was them trying to be what they weren't in terms of identity. Their richest legacy often lies on b sides like "The Snake" and "Sunrise". Spiritwalker was their first single and most fans agree, one of their best songs.

    Sarah MacLachlan however you spell her last name is extremely famous for the past 15 years.

  • i think that The Cult had their own style and Sarah Mclachlan has her own like any other band . You hear Zeppelin and you know who it is. (I'm not comparing Zeppelin with The Cult)I could go on and on but I'm sure anyone with an ear for music knows what I mean. I have bands that are my faves. It's their "sound" , it's what makes them stand out.

    Isn't that why we have favorites? It's their distinctive sound that gets me.

  • I'm not sure what you mean by "their sound". "Sweet Salvation" doesn't sound like anything unique to me, whereas "Spiritwalker" does. No one could guess they are from the same band. That's what I found maddening about the sarcastic bitch who was arguing with me here.

  • Shut the fuck up.

    Cult's lyrics is special yes....but it just makes them more awesome!!!

  • shut up

  • I'm not talking, writing if anything, & certainly not talking to you!(Maybe you can't tell the difference between the two). And who are you anyway? The YouTube Gestapo? There's a space for comments & I'm free to make any comment I like. If you got anything of value to say, say it, but don't come & tell others what to do. You seem to have a very underdeveloped idea of freedom, what are you doing listening to R&R? Do you even know what is it about? Judging by your "comment", probably not...

  • sorry are you italian? calabria..

  • Born & lived there as a child. Been in London for 24 years. Why, are you Italian? Anyway, I like The Cult, bought the Love and Electric albums, saw them live in 1987, once spoke briefly with Astbury and Duffy too. Nonetheless those I know of their hits are all very similar to one another, but by that I don't mean that they're no good. It's just my opinion, it's not like I hate 'em & I want 'em dead! I like the guys! Why do people treat others' musical tastes as if they were capital crimes?

  • chameleons?? :))) how true is this !!

  • sanctuary is one of my favorite songs, its continuous flow without solos stills rock more than any more distinctive song you name. And as far as distinctive, this is my favorite version of Removal.

  • i heard their was plenty on antimosity in the band at this time.. watch @ 1:31 when jaime messes up a stroke, which pissed off billy, and also knocked the cool out of jaimes swagger! then @ 1:51 billy signals les to accent the cymbals, and he nails it, smiles at billy as billy turns around with utter disgust! hah! the cult rocks forever. i had the blessing to meet ian in hollywood outside the viper room. i told him it was an honor to meet him and he said im sure it is! he had a belly!

  • Where's Jaime now? Loved the cult for 25 years!

  • jaime disappeared into the abyss of washed up bassists!

  • That's a shame.

  • How the heck did you ever come to those conclusions? They're just jamming the song... nothing more... nothing less...

  • yo just what i heard...i mean watch my points i made...it seems that way...but hey, maybe im wrong.. -peace!

  • Year it sounds so right! But i had to tell you that Les is not the drummer here, look i thougt the same but it's the drummer there has bvlack hair later in Cult... it's a shame that Les didn't stay..=(

  • Ian looks so cute with bangs....lol.

  • i think this version is better than what's on the album along with electric oceon from this same gig,fooking cool! i've got love,sonic temple,dreamtime too,they certainly did some excellent material.i tell you what i've got somewhere on cassette(crikey,do you remember them?!) which i can't find on c.d.,it's a few different versions of she sells sanctuary,including a 'howling mix' etc,would love them on c.d.

    i do like les warner's style of drumming.

  • brilliant drumming,ha,i've got the electric album an all,can't believe i didn't realise this is who it was! I've just done a 'google' on les warner,it seems he's had quite a career drumming with all sorts of bands/artists.

  • Electric is my favourite album, i've got the album cover on my shoulder (tatoo). I think Les is better than Mat Sorum (he's great too), cause Les got a little dirtiness in his play...

  • who is the drummer on this video?, i really like his drumming.

  • Les Warner...he was the greatest drummer in The Cult!

  • before they met rick rubin and became heavy rock

  • wow this sounds really different. Its like the LOVE version.

  • Kind of got the Chrissy Heinz look going on there, The Cult rocks........

  • Ian must have been wasted - this is She Sells Sanctuary. He is singing the wrong song. No matter - I love the Cult!

  • Actually you can do that with many songs, because all them have the same three chords.

  • No no no, this is an other version! And there more other version of this song, it called Extended version. You can find in the Rare Cult Box set.

  • finally someone gives the guy credit, going to see them in seattle here real soon, my 3rd time, the cult rocks.

  • um hello why is nobody mentioning billy duffy, hello one of the most under rated not appreciated guitarist in rock and roll, the cult rocks.

  • Billy Duffy rockith the six string dude!

    Happy now?

  • Heeyyyy!!!

    I was there, lying in the sunshine by the tent that can be seen on the back! They played loud like hell!

  • It amazes me how close Ian sounds like Freddy Mercury. Great upload!

  • ill go with the guy who gives props to the drummer on the love album...it was their pinnacle album.who he great influence on.love removal on they went pretty southern state american rock..great songs without the class

  • Raymond Smith/Mondo was an early drummer, later replaced for a while by the incredible drummer from Big Country, Mark Brzezicki. Read old reviews about Big Country's first album, and listen to it. "No one has heard drumming like this in a long time," were quotes typical of the time. Jamie Stewart was a perfect fit as bassist. The Cult chanted their way to fantastic 80's music. The first couple albums make you feel like smoking a piece pipe and eating buffalo meat around a fire!

  • ...oops, I didn't read this first!

  • this is great!! pity the cult became too big for their own good... america ruined them, imho.

  • Does anyone know how many times the drummer changed. I really dug the drummer who played on the video of "She Sells Senctuary" but i dont think its the same cat.

  • The drummer from She Sells Sactuary is Mark Brzezicki of Big Country... another awesome band.

    By the way I think Ian looks awesome here, Salem would probably burn him at the stake!

  • Actually, there were NO witch burnings in Salem. But...oh well.

  • anyone miss jamie stewart? lol i think this song has a great driving bass line from jamie and i always wish he stuck around so it can be billy ian and jamie instead of just ian and billy, i somtimes wonder if after sonic temple things would be different especially since bassists seemd to come and go after that without anyone noticing

  • I agree with you. JS definitely was a great Cult member. Good bass player and definitelt had that "cult look".

  • I saw them on the Sonic Temple Tour. Jamie Stewart was there. Also the drummer was the guy who would be the main drummer for Guns N, Roses. They ROCKED. It was the loudest concert I heard at the time. (Motorhead was louder.) They threatened to leave the stage because the crowd was nuts. It was dangerous man.

  • Kapi your wrong it is love removal. listen to the chrous him saying "Love removal machine" is a dead giveaway

  • this isn't love removal, its she sells sanctuary.....

  • listen to the lyrics - also SSS doesn't have any rhythm riffs.

  • Dude...get off the dope.

  • amazing video

  • Hey Man!...i'm a very old fan from The Cult...i saw in Bs As '95...and i've never seen before this version on video...i got Manor Sessions CD signed by Ian...but this Vid is a real cult collector stuff!!!...ThXS!!!

  • this version is superior. check out the manor sessions, the rare cult box set, and the white box set.

  • This version is awesome god how I miss this era. These 85/86 concerts were magical.

  • preciosa esta astbury con el flequillito :D

  • These "Original versions" are also found on the 'Manor Sessions' EP released in the 80's.

  • this song is essentially "she sells sanctuary" warmed over - i like the later Electric version a lot better IMO

  • exactly right about that. I just killed myself with that spell. Watching the video . the dude can sang. can he play a instrument.

  • This was an unfinished raw materpiece at that concert, Rick Rubin finished it! But both old and new verions are amazing.

  • Fucking LOVE IT!!

  • i've never heard of this version before..i love it thanks for posting it up! and love album is one of the best album i've heard around.

  • This shows where they were heading before Rick Rubin for better or worse. More of the Love album sound. By 90 they were oipening for Metallica. Weird

  • Guns n Roses opened for Cult in 87, Long Beach Arena.

  • i saw the detroit show in 87. guns n roses was sweet. nobody knew who they were. two months later they were huge.

  • I actually was there at the Provinssirock in 1986 and saw their whole gig live. I remember thinking that Ian's singing wasn't that "sharp". He forgot some lyrics, or didn't bother to sing them. Great gig anyway. I've been a Cult fan since 1984, and still am.

  • I really like the "Love" sound of the band (lofty chorus saturated guitar) vs. the "Electric" (maxed out Marshall balls to the wall sound). Don't get me wrong, Electric is an amazing album and a great sound, but this version is frankly beautiful...

  • ok, sorry. I like this version. I like the one in the album more. Thanks

  • You can get this canned album "Peace" on The Cult "Rarities" box set. I don't care for it much but there a re some decent alternate versions. It has Zap city on it.

  • The cult sonic temple version, are Star me up riff's, from Rolling stones.

  • Similar. Personally I like LRM over SMU, no disrespect to the Stones.

  • This is `The Manor Sessions` Album, but I didnt know they even had the chance to play those songs live.

    In 86-87 the Cure `ruled` worldwide except in the USA,

    the Missionuk too, another `Love` would not have made it happen in the US.A friend who met the drummer`s girlfriend in Ibiza in the late 80s told him the Record Company oblige them to change their sound.

  • Other guitar track is missing, it's shame guitar sounds weak, but still this kicks ass!! I got this whole gig on vhs i recorded it on TV couple years ago. =)

  • Where was this televised? Would love to see the entire concert footage. Any way you'd be willing to share?

  • This is a nice interesting version. The original is much better thou. More powerful. Besitos amigos.

  • U don't get it....  this is the original version.

  • This version sounds more "Cult", I would say... I still like Electric/ACDC style. And this is the best Cult line-up ever.

  • I like this version better. Sonically it flows better. After Rick Rubin got a hold of them they lacked in the rhythm section, and after seeing this line up, they should have stuck with this drummer and bass player. The bass fills in the spaces and same with the drummer.

  • dai è bella anke questa versione! anke se io e il mio gruppo suoniamo la seconda versione

  • never senn this one..wow...one a difference a year makes

  • much fucking better version. what a pitty :(

  • Yeah.. this is them testing out new songs on the Love tour...  the entire 'Peace' album is available on the Rare Cult box set... very expansive and deep sounding... shows you what role a producer can have in a band's life...

  • Pretty cool version....but can't really be compared fairly to the in your face, balls to the wall o