The Cult

Following a succession of name and stylistic changes, The Cult emerged in 1984. Picking up the pseudo-mysticism and Native American obsessions of the Doors, the guitar-orchestrations of Led Zeppelin, and the three-chord crunch of AC/DC, while adding touches of post-punk goth rock, the Cult gained a dedicated following in their native Britain with mid-'80s singles like "She Sells Sanctuary" before breaking into the American metal market in the late '80s with Love Removal Machine.

In 2012, The Cult - vocalist Ian Astbury, guitarist Billy Duffy, bassist Chris Wyse, and drummer John Tempesta (joined on tour by rhythm guitarist Mike Dimkich)—released Choice of Weapon. The album was written by Astbury and Duffy, and produced by Chris Goss (Queens of the Stone Age, U.N.K.L.E. Masters of Reality) and Canadian-born Bob Rock (Metallica, Bush, The Cult's Sonic Temple).

Primal Scream

Primal Scream's career could in many ways be read as a microcosm of British indie rock in the '80s and '90s. Bobby Gillespie formed the band in the mid-'80s while drumming for goth-tinged noise rockers the Jesus and Mary Chain, who were the exact opposite of Primal Scream—the latter specialized in infectious, jangly pop on its early records.

After a brief detour to punky hard rock, the group reinvented itself as a dance band in the early '90s, following through on the pop and acid house fusions of the Stone Roses and Happy Mondays. With the assistance of producers Andrew Weatherall and Hugo Nicholson, Primal Scream created the ultimate indie pop and dance fusion album, Screamadelica, in 1991. Screamadelica broke down boundaries and changed the face of British pop music in the '90s, helping to make dance and techno acceptable to the rock mainstream.

Instead of following through on the promise of the album, Primal Scream retreated to Stonesy boogie for their 1994 follow-up, Give Out but Don't Give Up. When that record was greeted with indifference, they returned to dance-rock fusions with 1997's Vanishing Point, which re-established the group as a major force in British rock.