The Enduring Resonance of Living Colour's "Cult of Personality" Song

Living Colour, a band that defies simple categorization, may not be a household name for younger generations. However, their iconic track “Cult of Personality” enjoys a unique form of recognition, largely thanks to its inclusion in the popular video game Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas. Will Calhoun, Living Colour’s drummer, shared his delight at this unexpected crossover, noting how the song has transcended the traditional rock and roll sphere, reaching new audiences through gaming and television.

Formed in New York City in 1984, Living Colour carved a niche for themselves with their potent blend of politically charged rock, funk, jazz, and metal. They ascended to prominence rapidly, sharing stages with rock legends like the Rolling Stones and Guns N’ Roses. After releasing three albums, the band initially disbanded in 1995, only to reunite in 2000. Fans in Australia and New Zealand were eagerly anticipating their May tour, coinciding with the buzz around their then-upcoming album, Shade.

Despite the years separating Living Colour’s initial peak and the present day, the core themes woven into their music remain strikingly relevant. Calhoun offered insights into the genesis of their most celebrated song, “Cult of Personality.”

“We penned that song back in 1988,” Calhoun reminisced. “The enduring appreciation for it is truly gratifying. It feels as pertinent today as it did then.”

He elaborated on the song’s conceptual roots, explaining, “The four of us share strong convictions about the world, and these often become fodder for discussion. ‘Cult of Personality’ arose from a rehearsal setup session. Our conversation revolved around the very nature of followership. What compels individuals to rally behind figures like Hitler, Gandhi, Dr. King, Medgar Evers, or John F. Kennedy? What is it about their message, their charisma – their very personality – that inspires such devotion? We pondered: is it a uniform phenomenon? Does the same mechanism drive people to follow both a Gandhi and a Hitler? What are the underlying values, the defining traits? How does an individual connect with another’s narrative?”

“That was the fertile ground from which the song emerged. Vernon [Reid, guitarist] laid down a riff, I anchored it with a beat, and almost spontaneously, we had the framework of ‘Cult of Personality’. All this unfolded as we were preparing for a soundcheck.”

Living Colour by Karsten Staiger

Living Colour’s recent work includes an EP featuring a cover of Notorious B.I.G.’s “Who Shot Ya?”, a track slated to appear on Shade, alongside a rendition of Robert Johnson’s “Preachin’ Blues.” When asked about their song selection process for covers, Calhoun paused to reflect.

“We recently tackled David Bowie’s ‘We Are Afraid Of Americans,’ a song I’ve admired for years. Playing it felt incredibly natural. Our cover choices are driven by band consensus and personal resonance. We gravitate towards songs that hold relevance for us, often as a tribute. It’s about honoring artists who have made significant creative contributions.”

“Corey Glover, our vocalist, is an ardent Biggie Smalls enthusiast. He can rap most of Biggie’s hits verbatim. It’s about impact. Contemplate Robert Johnson juxtaposed with Biggie… I cherish Living Colour’s expansive musical palette. There’s no rigid formula. We simply select what appeals to us, experiment with arrangements, always mindful of respecting the original artist.”

While two cover songs were confirmed for Shade, Calhoun assured fans that the album would deliver the quintessential Living Colour sound, albeit updated for 2017. He emphasized the album’s insightful social commentary.

He offered a nuanced correction when questioned about the contemporary relevance of issues faced by the Black community decades prior. His tone was informative, not dismissive, reflecting his deep engagement with the themes the band explores.

“These issues transcend the Black community. They resonate with the Māori community in your region, the Aboriginal community in Australia, Native American communities, and indigenous populations globally. They are not confined to black and white dynamics. Some of our songs address gender, discrimination, chauvinism, bullying – universal themes rooted in our lived experiences. That’s a core appeal of being in Living Colour.”

He further refined the conversation when the question was rephrased to focus on minority groups and the oppressed.

“I challenge the term ‘minority’ when referring to people of color. Academically, globally, people of color constitute the majority. I resist the term ‘minority’ because it homogenizes and diminishes the value of a vast population. Living Colour aims to dismantle this homogenization of culture, even within Black music itself.”

“When Living Colour emerged in ’88, the fact that we were Black surprised many. We, in turn, were astounded, particularly within our own country. Black artists were foundational to rock and roll.”

“Our music is unequivocally for everyone, but we are deliberate in our language, striving for inclusivity. We have a song, ‘Wall,’ with the lyric: ‘The wall between us all must fall.’ These walls – be they of gender, race, skin color, or economic division. Ironically, ‘Wall’ was written in the mid-eighties, and here we are in North America, with an administration contemplating a literal wall.”

“Our music and lyrics possess a persistent relevance. We hope our music connects with people and perhaps catalyzes change. As artists, we aspire to have a meaningful impact on our audience.”

Calhoun’s affable nature shone through. He projected genuine interest and warmth. He responded with encouragement upon learning about the interviewer’s early childhood education work and ANZAC service participation.

His patience was remarkable, particularly given persistent phone connection issues. He declared it his most engaging interview yet – perhaps a testament to insightful questioning, or more likely, persistent technical difficulties.

As a drummer himself, the interviewer expressed admiration for Calhoun’s style, citing extensive viewing of his online drumming tutorials and equipment breakdowns.

Calhoun’s early fascination with electronic drums was rooted in his Bronx upbringing, amidst his older brother’s generation’s pioneering role in hip-hop. Drum machines were commonplace. Witnessing peers program beats, later hearing them on the radio, ignited Calhoun’s own experimentation.

“I didn’t want drums to sound strictly like drums,” he explained. “I envisioned plugging drum machines into effect pedals, rack modules, delays, and reverbs. How could I manipulate the drum sound beyond the conventional drum idiom? What sonic landscapes could emerge from feedback, looping, sampling, and re-sampling?”

“Similar to a guitarist’s approach to sculpting their guitar tone, Jimi Hendrix profoundly influenced me. Jimi operated on a different plane. He was an outlier. He extracted sounds from the guitar in unprecedented ways. I sought that same transformative process for drums. The confluence of technological advancements, coupled with my childhood immersion in drum machines, propelled this exploration.”

“Technological experimentation compels sonic evolution. This quest led me to smaller drums. My Nomad snare was conceived for a brighter tone, a tighter frequency response. I partnered with Sabian for cymbals that could seamlessly integrate with both electronic and acoustic elements.”

This fusion of electronic and acoustic elements intensified during his studies at Berklee College of Music, where he majored in recording and engineering. While drums were his principal instrument, he focused on unexplored territories: microphone technology, console construction, and sound engineering.

“I was a sound fanatic. I needed to decipher the sonic magic of Led Zeppelin records. Their drum sound, the reverbs… Early Columbia recordings… The timeless clarity of James Brown’s recordings. Beyond their musical genius, how did they achieve such sonic excellence in rudimentary 8-track studios?”

Later travels to Mali and Senegal provided immersion in traditional drumming. Berklee offered institutional knowledge, but African sojourns unveiled millennia of percussive wisdom. Like his hybrid drum kit, his style blends scientific and spiritual dimensions.

The concept of ancestral beats captivated the interviewer. Initially skeptical, Calhoun’s compelling explanation of their integration into his playing resonated.

“Ancestral beats are perpetually present in my playing, especially live, where drum solos allow for explicit demonstrations in their traditional form. Even subtly, fragments – a hi-hat pattern, snare or kick drum rhythm – are woven in. These beats possess meaning, acting as sentences with subjects and verbs, a language unto themselves.”

“These rhythms are already embedded in rock, funk, James Brown’s drumming – borrowed and transferred, as is the nature of music. I utilize them extensively, as have countless drummers before me. James Brown’s grooves are often rooted in Nigerian festive rhythms, contributing, I believe, to his universal appeal – celebratory rhythms are inherently loved.”

He articulated the body’s inherent response to vibrations and frequencies. Certain sounds evoke happiness, relaxation, or unease – chalkboard screeches versus ocean waves. Our bodies possess innate reactions to frequencies, lending credence to the idea that specific ancestral drum beats can elicit particular effects.

He extends the vibration concept with a BC2 machine attached to his drum throne. This device transmits vibrations, serving as an alternative to stage monitors, which Calhoun likens to Harley Davidson exhaust piped into a helmet.

With some Living Colour songs nearing thirty years old, the question arose: how does new technology and equipment influence their contemporary performance? Calhoun responded with a hamburger analogy.

Song structures remain foundational, but personal evolution, global travels, and technological advancements inevitably shape his approach.

“A hamburger is a hamburger. Ketchup, mustard, relish – well-done or medium-rare – it remains a hamburger. I view my past Living Colour beats as that hamburger. I don’t want to consume it identically to twenty years ago. I want to vary it, introduce different flavors. A pocket, groove, or feel is a beat, but what nuances, what spices are you adding? Engaging the listener without alienating them, making it resonate with 2017.”

Concluding the conversation, a lighthearted question about the British spelling of “Living Colour” elicited a chuckle. Vernon Reid, the band’s British founder, deliberately chose the “U.” Americans often revert to the simpler “color” out of habit, a minor, amusing point of divergence.

In closing, Calhoun expressed anticipation for his return to New Zealand, eager to experience its landscapes, cuisine, and culture. The interviewer shared reciprocal excitement for experiencing Living Colour live for the first time.

Living Colour AU NZ tour 2017