Billy Duffy Interview - Sweetwater's Guitars and Gear, Vol. 103

Mitch Gallagher sits down with Billy Duffy from The Cult for a special interview, at the Roland/BOSS A&R office in Los Angeles.

[@CraigArndt]

The great feeling you get when the band you’ve been following since the late 80s are really good, really real guys. Billy Duffy and Ian Astbury are two genuine people.

[@nwmstudios]

Billy Duffy is such an interesting person to listen to and loves to tell stories, marvellous interview to let Billy loose.

[@sgt.thundercok4704]

I love listening to Billy Duffy. So humble and real.

[@dr_tomK]

Billy Duffy is both a great guitarist and a great person. Love listening to him.

[@kilts4u2]

The secret of a GOOD interviewer is to introduce a topic and then sit back and let the subject do the bulk of the talking. To that extent Mitch Gallagher does that here to a tee. I've listened to Billy on several interviews and he's humble on every one of them. What a great dude. Not to mention a fabulous guitar player. One of my favs.

[@MetalMan73100]

Almost every journalist in today´s media could learn a lot from Mitch Gallagher. Contemporary journalism is too much about socalled journalists promoting themselves.

[@gearViewmirror]

Nicely said!👍🤘🎸

[@ChrisWoodBandit]

i was thinking the same thing i hate when some jackleg is interviewing someone and interupting them. This guy did brilliant.

[@seanmcmanamon3773]

Saw them back in 1985 but never heard him in an interview. He comes across very humble and down to earth.

[@planzed463]

The Cult (Billy & Ian) are probably the most overlooked & underrated bands on the planet! Great interview, thank you!

[@sidvanhound]

+1 Watched them at the O2 a week back and they where the support band for Alice Cooper. Support Band ??? They should have been No1

[@planzed463]

@@sidvanhound totally right 👌🏼 ...you lucky devil! I saw them in the 90s last, they were amazing!

[@alanfrehley1373]

Great interview by two people who are excellent at what they do. special mention to interviewer for letting the interview flow nicely.

[@realmusiklover]

First class interview. Nothing better than an interviewer who lets his guest speak. Duffy comes across extremely well here.

[@thatpeterboy]

Fantastic interview with Billy...really down to earth and cool guy :)

[@mitchgallagher2755]

Billy was awesome. Couldn't have been nicer or more accommodating.

[@elmengh]

just found this video, great stuff!! thanks for posting!!

[@fluff2001]

I watch a lot of musician interviews, and this is one of the best I have ever seen ....... Mitch Gallagher is a great interviewer and Duffy is a great interview .. Good Job !!

[@ChrisWoodBandit]

I never woild have guessed what a friendly, hilarious, brilliant story teller he is.on yop of being one of the best ive ever seen at cutting up a rhythm into some crazy off beats and staying deadnuts in time. Thanks for doing this sweetwater fellow as well.

[@marcosbelloperez5263]

Excellent interview, very humble and down to earth.

[@nachobeerhunter8713]

Big fan of Billy when I heard The Cult's album, Electric, as a young teenager. He definitely influenced me in starting to learn guitar.

[@CranfordPark]

I could listen to Billy's stories all day! Don't underestimate what a great job the guy interviewing him does as well. Wonderful video

[@endtyme1345]

Billy its so talkative, humble and handsome and you can notice how he loves Ian when he talk about him...even with their differences.

[@robotgoose225]

Oh my god, i loved this so much. I only really ever saw/heard Billy play guitar, but never heard him speak, until right now. He's been a face in this incredible band...an iconic image! What an amazing guy. He be kinda like ''we did an album'' i think he album was referring to either 'Love', or 'Electric'.... uhh, yeah Billy, we know!!!

[@gedmason6387]

Great guy great attitude great guitar player

[@petekitay]

Billy Duffy is my favourite guitar player - probably of all time - and comes across as a classy and genuine dude in just about every interview I've seen him do. I could listen to this bloke talk guitars and music for hours on end. Good interview here. Thanks for sharing.

[@jamesmichaelfrank]

Pete Kitay but can he play ?

[@dannyinaus]

Billy was my inspiration for playing lead guitar - I started playing in 1982, then the Cult came along and I was hooked. So I probably listened to Electric 4, 352 times, learny every song, and the rest is history. Oh, but it took me 15 years to save up for a Gretsch lol - but it was worth it. As for Boss pedals, we all used them back then because at that time they were the only pedals mass produced, affordable, reliable and sounded great (in my part of the world Australia).

[@nwmstudios]

He is an amazing story teller as well as a great guitarist and songwriter.

[@shannon6708]

I love how random shit comes together and you get an epic band like the Cult!

[@Muesli711]

I could listen to Billy Duffy all day lol

[@chrishuerta5668]

Thanks Billy for putting on a great show in Detoit had a great conversation with you thanks for the pointers

[@bestplans9051]

Billy Duffy is an unsung guitar god!!!!

[@warborn_inc.]

Met Billy twice...great guy....and tremendous talent.

[@dontpanicblink]

what i have found that billy duffy does gives a very good interview every time, he's not arrogant , down to earth and says the right things

[@baronclime6423]

Billy Duffy is up there with all the guitar legends.

[@gabrieljohannson6777]

Comes across like a very humble bloke. Admired Billy Duffy's guitar playing especially his economy of movement. Great interviewer as well.

[@rexhargrove5172]

Who else wants Billy to do a spoken word tour!??

[@Thesongstaysthesame]

Mitch speaks so well and does great interviews. Love them interviews and keep them coming.

[@patrickkowalski8256]

Loved how he referenced Malcolm. We miss ya Mal. Rock In Peace

[@IndustryLeech]

What a fantastic interview. Billy is all class.

[@broken1394]

All class, no action.

[@RobertJones-et7gh]

Excellent interview!

[@Birdsfly11]

Cheers to Mitch and Billy chatting it up. Listened to the Cult since the beginning and love their sound. Saw them about 4 times the past 5 years when they play in Philly. Genuine and a class act! Thanks

[@catasme13]

Awesome interview!!! Thank you so much!!!

[@mrjon75]

Billy is chill, especially considering he's a Rock God! Gotta love the everyman vibe here.

[@FF-so3su]

Great video, great interviewer, great interviewee😊👍❤️

[@pedraw]

Great interview! Thank you Billy Duffy and Sweetwater.

[@sweetwater]

pedraw Thanks for watching!

[@porchestra]

Billy Duffy’s warm and down to earth character can even make this corporate suit and tie guy sound nearly human

[@richardgrenfell5829]

What a great guy. Could listen to him all day

[@danielcole6565]

Billy is a top-notch lad... Met him at NAMM this year (2017), and he was so humble, friendly, kind, down-to-earth, and social. Just as he did in this interview, he shared his story of playing with "Stephen" (i.e. Morrissey), and introducing Johnny Marr to Morrissey.

[@gshock3092]

Awesome person ! Great respect for. Like the Gretchen's he plays love the sound!

[@timaddison707]

This is great interview... accurate portrayal of UK scene at the time.

[@Crinkle65]

I freakin Love Billy Duffy. The authenticity having to be present to make real rock n roll is such a great point. I’m desperately Waiting for the next real deal.

[@broken1394]

Don't hold your breath.

[@PanhandlePrepping]

Duff is pure class... lovely bloke.

[@philc4520]

Magical interview. The most I've ever seen Billy Duffy open up. Very interesting.

[@paololuciano4553]

thanx for your great musi Billy! \m/

[@cmath8577]

Picked up a random 12 inch 45 of "Resurrection Joe" and it was a fresh sharp contrast to the UK Synthpop that dominated in 1983-4. It was refreshing to hear loud guitars over a groove.

[@morbidrockgod]

It was delightful to watch! Thank you Mitch and Sweetwater! Mitch is the perfect interviewer. He let Billy be Billy and do 99% of the talking! Good job!

[@Snwman_]

Great interview, I really enjoyed it.

[@mygic183]

Great interview!

[@scottanderson4175]

Thank you this was an amazing experience as I’m learning how to play guitar I find playing to Cult records extremely enjoyable

[@thebluesman4453]

A huge influence on me personally... Superb interview..!... Thanks...!

[@fuzzboxx3700]

Great interview indeed. Great job guys!

[@FishOnIsMyHandle]

He is/was a marketing genius. He observed, learned what it would take, and he did it. I think it's funny to hear him talk about other bands he looked up to.....some of them can't hold a candle to his work. Cool dude, respectably humble

[@tobbelander4086]

Billy seems to be that easy going guy you could take a beer with and talk about life in general, love that attitude. And of course, a great musician in a fantastic band. Nice to hear the story with names like the Durutti Column, Theatre of Hate and others. Great 42 min!

[@rickattard2339]

Great interview really enjoyed it

[@elink2k1]

When the Cult hit Nashville, I loved them. The guitar tone and the energy was amazing... but the odd thing for me is that I was never interested in the individuals like I had been with Zepplin, Rush, or Van Halen. Maybe it was the time, but I think these guys were just a band (in a very positive sense). In the last 3 days, KZbin has shown me several Billy Duffy videos, and I have to say... this is the guitar hero I should have had from the beginning. He is an amazing and humble guy you want to have a beer and shoot the $#!^ with and maybe have the occasional wild night (wife approved). :-)

[@mrjon75]

Exactly 💯

[@mikeschmelzer9733]

Great interview! Great guitarist!!

[@Zero_thehero]

Wow! Great interview. Billy Duffy is a Riff Monster!

[@michaelyoung2685]

Good that he was into two great bands that never caught on in the U.S. Slade and Status Quo If the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame was real they both would be in there.

[@MrChristoferJohnson]

So great to hear these stories. Love and Electric shaped my life!

[@Firebrand1967]

Same here.

[@bluespig1]

Refreshingly honest & that humble quality a lot of us post war babies. Great guy is Billy, deserves everything he has worked for.

[@brasileironaeuropa]

Essa cara é uma lenda do rock

[@haledakabani7]

Great guitar player. love it.

[@stan5585]

Every interview with Billy has been great. Nice job Mitch!!

[@mitchgallagher2755]

Thanks!

[@corssheehan8566]

Love The Cult , Slade and Lizzy . Great interview

[@d.williams9894]

Billy is always a good interview and very approachable guy... met him in LA/Hollywood about 92-93?? just on the street outside the WhiskeyAGoGO after a "Four Horsemen" gig...he was just talking to someone else, I stopped to tell him I liked his music... he chatted with me a minute or so and then went back to his first conversation...NO attitude or pretense at all... The ONLY other very approachable "RAWK STAR" I ever met like that was LEMMY!!!...always nice and talkable in clubs and bars... Guys like Billy and Lemmy (and Werner Hodges/Jason-Scorchers) that have that "moody/standoffish" atmosphere are actually THE most approachable I have found... The LOUD and handshaking "CenteroftheParty" guys tend to play off everybody and not say very much after all... check out Billy Duffy and Billy Morrison videos on riding Ducati up the West Coast from a few years back... just youtube search.....

[@markgrice8088]

Billy Duffy is one of the greatest guitarists of all time , massive respect xxx

[@broken1394]

Him and Brian May. 🤘

[@craigcoughlin1834]

Great interview

[@davewojcik1854]

Mitch great job!

[@kjschneider669]

Love Billy!, Great interview from Mitch, awesome!

[@mitchgallagher2755]

Thanks!

[@marknorris3769]

fantastic interview , i am always impressed how intelligent and sincere and transparent he seems to be

[@jamesmichaelfrank]

mark norris Seems... that is a gray area.

[@octavioassis3945]

Awesome.... awesome.... Billy seems to be a very nice guy

[@U2HL]

Great interview...besides he's an incredibly talented guitarist,he's so humble,funny too...Love ya Billy...you rock...love your white Falcon Gretsh😍love the Cult!❤🎵🎶🎸

[@iker6438]

I love you Billy 🎸

[@bullet0657]

boss pedal art must have.

[@andycampsall3832]

No way…. I had no idea Billy grew up in Wythenshawe I moved there 3 years ago 🙂

[@Stratblooz]

The Cult must be the coolest bandname ever !

[@blackmore4]

Definitely up there with the Velvet Underground.

[@justinrisen1929]

Definitely awesome but man i gotta say for me its a tie between Black Sabbath and Iron Maiden lol

[@valerieclifford2864]

went on the west world tour of theatre of hate saw southern death cult supporting in manchester and coventry then went to sdc till they split happy days long time ago .brilliant interview

[@scottwaszak698]

So underrated.

[@gmund317]

I had Slade albums back in the day! Mott the Hoople too...

[@veerchasm1]

Billy is awesome

[@michaellamneck2116]

Wow, never knew the Morrissey connection, very cool story!

[@babayaga1767]

if malcom played angus' parts. brilliant

[@MHM1975]

Billy is such a cool person.

[@broken1394]

Yeahhh sleeps in a fridge.

[@emersoncatelani8429]

Billy is the best

[@ZootSuitCooter]

Funny and true, I was on the rail at The Cult in Houston and Billy didn't toss it, he put his pick in my hand. I still have it. LOL

[@victoriacotton9017]

what a nice guy.

[@maxbo2003]

Class

[@Royquintt-oh1pr]

❤

[@stevenmorello2551]

Great interview. Thanks for posting. Oh, and the interviewer should be a therapist. Great demeanor.

[@sollyharr]

What a cool guy...

[@pa2camp]

this man is the only true guitar hero who does not solo or shread. real talent. every note billy duffy plays, counts. he is prolific. only mars came to mind in his school and again they are from the same school of music

[@infowazz]

i wonder if he ever met David Beckham since they look so similar. As we all agree, great interviewer!!! And great chat with Billy as always. He knows his music inside and out. he could probably hook up all his guitar tech unlike The Edge from U2 lolllllllllllllll.

[@rhemie2114]

Billy is just the best

[@broken1394]

Hes an idiot.

[@fluff2001]

and oh yea, She Sells Sanctuary is a kick ass song and video ........ the opening Duffy discusses is a classic for 80s rock ........The Cult are a quality band today in 2020 ,,,,

[@spookybaba]

And the guy from Bow Wow Wow... Matthew Ashman, also of Adam & the Antz Dirk era.

[@mistervertigo8193]

Billy was born a guitar hero, despite missing out the most important section of his band history!

[@joseph-ow1hf]

Always liked this guy's playing. Plays simple parts.....but if just works. The anti shedder.....which I like. But he is such a cool guy, great story teller. And yeah Mitch does a great job of staying out of the way. And I'm a massive Boss fan. Great pedals for the money, but the Waza stuff takes it up to a whole new level. I have the analog delay and I'd put it up against any high dollar pedal on the market. It sounds great.