Ian Robert Astbury (born 14 May 1962) is an English singer and songwriter. He is best known as a founding member and the lead vocalist for the rock band The Cult.\n', '

Astbury\'s family moved to Hamilton, Ontario, Canada, from the UK in 1973 when he was 11. He attended Glendale Secondary School. Astbury\'s early musical influences took root in Hamilton where he became an early fan of David Bowie, Iggy Pop and the New York Dolls. But he did not start performing until after his return to the UK.\n', '

In 1979, while living in Glasgow, Astbury was influenced by The Doors\' song "The End", which he heard while watching the movie Apocalypse Now, later describing this as "a religious experience". In 1980, he was in Liverpool, where he was active on the punk scene based around Eric\'s Club. He moved to Bradford in late 1980, where he was a founding member of the positive punk band Southern Death Cult in 1981. Southern Death Cult lasted until March 1983. Along with guitarist Billy Duffy, bassist Jamie Stewart and drummer Raymond Taylor Smith, Astbury formed a new band, Death Cult and released The Death Cult EP. To gain broader appeal, the band changed its name to "The Cult" in January 1984 before appearing on the Channel 4 television show, The Tube.\n', '

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