Southern Death Cult

B

ritish post-punk/gothic rock band Southern Death Cult in the early 1980s. They are now primarily known for having given their lead singer and parts of the name to the multi-platinum hard rock band The Cult. Despite the similarities in the names, "Southern Death Cult" were distinct from "Death Cult"/"The Cult".

With a lineup of vocalist Ian Astbury, bassist Barry Jepson, guitarist David "Buzz" Burrows and drummer Haq Nawaz "Aky" Qureshi.

The group's name derived from an old term for the Southeastern Ceremonial Complex, a mound-building Native American culture (and the band were also known for their use of Native American imagery); it also served as a critique of the imbalance of power in the English North-South divide. The act would release only a single and a compilation before moving on, with Astbury and new guitarist Billy Duffy came together in April 1983 to form Death Cult and then, after releasing an eponymous four-song EP and a single later in 1983, renamed The Cult.