Electric Peace

In 1985, The Cult enjoyed breakthrough success with the single “She Sells Sanctuary” and the album Love, establishing them as a new breed of Alternative rock band.

When it came to recording a follow-up, the band booked into The Manor studios in Oxfordshire with Steve Brown producing the album. By the end of October 1986 the album was recorded, the masters assembled and it was given the title Peace. However, the band was not happy with the final results, which seemed too polished. Appreciating the rawness of Run-D.M.C.’s “Walk This Way”, the band contacted producer Rick Rubin to re-mix the lead track, “Love Removal Machine”. Rubin agreed to work with the band but only on condition that the track was entirely re-recorded. The result was a sparse, dry, riffing version that captured the sonic excitement the band were looking for. Enthused by the results, the decision was made to abandon the expensive Peace recordings and re-record the entire album in New York with Rick Rubin. The new tracks would become The Cult’s third album, re-titled Electric, and a multi-million seller.

Tracks from Peace were used as single B-sides and some of the alternative versions were issued on an early CD – The Manor Sessions, but it wasn’t until the limited and quickly sold-out Rare Cult box set in 2000 that fans got to hear the full album correctly sequenced.