Southern Death Cult

Southern Death Cult were a British post-punk/gothic rock band 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". Southern Death Cult formed in 1981 in Bradford, Yorkshire, 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), but it also served as a critique of the imbalance of power in the English North-South divide.

Links to Peel
Southern Death Cult did their only session for Peel's show in May 1982, well before they released a single or album. It is not known how Peel discovered the group, but he or John Walters may have seen them support another goth band and decided to invite them for a session.

In his 08 July 1988 (BFBS) show, after playing the Moya single, he described how they went downhill after changing their name:

"'Never actually discovered what Moya meant: probably something pretentious like the Etruscan goddess of parts of the body. That was Southern Death Cult, before they found fame by shortening their name and making awful records.'"

Sessions
1. Recorded: 1982-05-21. Broadcast: 10 June 1982. Repeated: 06 July 1982, 30 December 1982
 * Fat Man / Today / False Faces / Or Glory

Other Shows Played

 * The Southern Death Cult - Moya
 * 13 December 1982: Moya (7" - Moya / Fatman) Situation Two
 * 13 December 1982: Fatman (7" - Moya / Fatman) Situation Two
 * 16 December 1982: Fatman (single) Situation Two
 * 27 December 1982: Fatman (single) Situation Two
 * 1983
 * 05 January 1983 (BFBS): Moya (7" - Moya / Fatman) Situation Two
 * 05 January 1983 (BFBS): Fatman (7" - Moya / Fatman) Situation Two
 * 09 January 1983 (BFBS): Fatman (7" - Moya / Fatman) Situation Two
 * 15 May 1983 (BFBS): Fatman (7" - Moya / Fatman) Situation Two
 * 1988
 * 08 July 1988 (BFBS): 'Moya (7")' (Situation Two)
 * 1993
 * Peel Summer 1993: Fat Man (7") Situation Two