Cult of Personality is a great rock song from a great album, Vivid. Back in the day, I played the hell out of this album. Keep going with Living Colour. You won't be disappointed. Yes, HOF worthy, for sure.
Us 'older' crowd loved this song when it came out. It was all over Mtv and rock radio. At the time it was more of a history lesson. The past few years this song has come into a new light. Much of it we are witnessing today. Thanks for reacting to this one! 7:20
Living Colour were ahead of their time…they should have been bigger. I remember when this came out it blew up everywhere. People were in awe.. yes there was Hendrix but that was in the sixties… when they hit the scene they were a breath of fresh air. in the era of all the hair metal bands…. that was really stagnant at that time..these dudes could rock …. Corey Glover the lead singer had a fairly significant role in the Oscar winning movie ..”Platoon” right before the band came together. My buddy knew the guitarist Vernon Reid..said he was pretty intense serious guy…I think if they hit the scene five years later it would have been better for them.
It is Hall Of Fame worthy without a doubt! It's like your first at bat in the majors and getting a walk off grand slam! Their debut album had so many good songs on it "Desperate People", "Open Letter To A Landlord", "Funny Vibe", "Middle Man", "What's Your Favorite Colour", "Which Way To America" and "Glamour Boys"! That's just their first album and all those songs are fire🔥
Living Colour had a unique way of taking sensitive subjects and presenting them without angering people, through music. This song is filled with historical references, like the opening from Malcolm X. One of the best rock bands of the 80's and 90's that never got the credit they deserved.
Before I learned the actual lyrics, I used the think at the end he was saying "I'm in the ghetto...I'm in the ghetto.." Ha ha. He is really saying "I'm in the cult of...I'm in the cult of...: :-)
Hello JMBOY, I am sending you the link to a video from French television in 1991. It was a live show and it was that evening precisely that I discovered this amazing rock band LIVING COLOUR... I quickly purchased their album “Time’s Up” Two years later their album “Stain” was released. I really recommend these two albums!!! They are very rich musically, very open... Top musicians: Vernon Reid: guitar Will Calhoun: drums Muzz Skillings: bass (until 1992) Doug Wimbish: bass (since 1992) and Corey Glover on vocals (actor, in 1986 he played in the Oliver Stone film “Platoon”) Today they are in their sixties but still on stage (last December they were in concert in Paris) Personally I just bought the two albums I'm talking about to give them to my three little nephews (13 years old, 15 years old and 17 years old) who are starting out in music (guitar and drums) so they won't just listen to Led Zeppelin , Pink Floyd or Muse, but also Living Colour... Today they have become reference musicians! ua-cam.com/video/MO5WZi0O0RU/v-deo.html (Love Rears Its Ugly Head) ua-cam.com/video/eAuyzIgCgb4/v-deo.html (Cult Of Personality) Sorry for low video quality...
One of the great bands of all. Such a great song, with so much deep meaning. Vernon Reid is certainly one of the great guitarists of all time. So glad you loved them. I hope you try Letter to a Landlord, or pretty much anything from that first album of theirs.
HIGHLY underrated rock band of the late 80's and 90's. Loved their stuff. Cult of Personality is a term that's been used for a good long time, but still very much the case today. People fall for it every time.
As young white kids heading to the beach to go surfing this was our number one rip. That guitarist inspired me to play. Corey Glover, the lead singer, was in the movie, "Platoon" with Johnny Depp ad Charlie Sheen. Great stuff man!
Too many people out there today believing that 1 and 1 makes 3. I aways liked this song for the sound when it came out but now listening that message rises up to the top too 🔥🔥🔥
Thanx for repost, same comment, lol. One of our first all black rock groups. which was an amazing break thru at the time. They werent how ever, the first black rockers. Such a great song with tons of meaning no matter what time period were in. Love the vocalist Corey Glover's and guitarist Vernon Reid's energy. Thanx so much, take care, Peace
Hey bro!!! I saw them live. You can't imagine how good they are!!!! They're amazing!!! Greettings from Argentina. This is hard rock. But they play funk, jazz , blues, everithing.
Living Colour has always been great and they’ve always been social conscious. The Cult of Personality has always been a huge drive in political movements. They have another great song from this album called “Open Letter To A Landlord”, about gentrification. But my favorite song by them might be “Love Rears It’s Ugly Head”. Corey Glover just nails the vocals perfectly, and the music is just amazing!
AHHhhhh... Welcome to the PARTY, Brother!!!! I know you're STILL new in the ROCK GENRE.. but, THIS particular TRACK ROCKS F#@KIN' HARD, SO... THANK YOU for doin' THIS TRACK. Check out LIVING COLORS catalog if you wanna gain their perspective on ANTI-ESTABLISHMENT (read: THE GOVERNMENT'S LUST FOR UNLIMITED POWER on the Citizens they're supposed to FIGHT FOR)... & their charismatic lead Vocalist, & their band members. Not too SHABBY for a ALL BLACK ROCK BAND!!!! By the way, THIS was their DEBUT ALBUM, which opened the world's DOOR of musical opportunity to a WHOLE NEW AUDIENCE (they rose to fame BEFORE "Rage Against The Machine", "Nirvana", & most of the late 1980's - 1990's ROCK BANDS)!!!! I look forward to seeing your reactions (I subscribed too!!!).... Peace, Love, & Liberty. Happy New Year 2024. MIC DROP 🎤.
It's entirely possible it wasn't recommended because people thought you might watch wrestling and had heard it already. CM Punk was using Cult of Personality as his entrance music before his hiatus and they released a remastered version of it to coincide with his WWE return.
The Band: Cory Glover - Lead Vocals, Vernon Reid - Guitar, Muz Skillings - Bass, Will Calhoun - Drums. Check out there friends King's X: ua-cam.com/video/J2SYPzKzD94/v-deo.html
I’m 61 and have to admit that this was one of the best club songs back in my misspent youth, lol. And we all danced like this…best way to workout and sober up on Ladies Night! 💃
Webster's Defines a Cult of Personality as, "a situation in which a public figure (such as a political leader) is deliberately presented to the people of a country as a great person who should be admired and loved". I remember seeing the song Middle Man from the same album on 120 Minutes on MTV when I was 12 (in about 1985)... It's still one of my all time favorite albums of all time... If you check out any other songs by them, have a listen to Middle Man (from the same album)... and when you're ready to really shake it up check out a band called Skindred with their song "Rat Race" or "Nobody"
A group of excellent musicians. I played this record to death. I love Vernon Reid but Muzz Skillings just drives the rhythm section. Someone here mentioned the song "Letter to a Landlord." Also "Elvis is Dead" with a guest rap by Little Richard.
They’re still touring & headlining! Their first 3-4 albums are perfect, their newest one too. Please react to Type, Pride, Love Rears its Ugly Head, New Jack City
THE band that snapped me out of being a 15 year old Nazi asshole! Becaude you CAN'T be racist when you hear THIS good of a song! 💯 I thank this band ever day for making me a better person. 💯
This is a killer song. As a kid I would watch this video every time it came on. I'm drawn to much heavier music but between the message and that goddamn solo at the end. Just filthy. I never had the tape or CD to know if it was just for the video. Maybe someone in here can tell me. That pause at the end with the FDR sample then abruptly going back into the riff but faster is fucking genius. Was that on the album?
Fell in love with this song and this band when this song first came out. The song speaks...all people have to do is listen...and that bass guitar and those drums are HARD hitting! Love love love it!
Saw them live 3 times in the 90s in the UK. Cool band. Only bad moment was when a fan stage dived and was wearing cowboy boots and stirrups, landed on top of me, one of them embedded itself in the top of my head. 🤕
Saw Living Colour open for The Rolling Stones back in 1989, and about six months later Lead Singer Corey Glover checked into the hotel I was working at in Florida, on a temp basis. We talked for a couple of minutes, and then I told him L.C. was better than The Stones, but he said no way, I said yes way. I still believe it. Vernon Reid is what you call OUTSTANDING. Corey was also in the movie "Platoon", from around the same time, maybe a year before or after.
Great reaction to such an awesome song. I still remember the first time I heard it. I was totally blown away and I wasn’t really big into rock songs at all at the time.
LOVE this song!!! Vernon Reid shreds that guitar!!!
Vernon Reid is ridiculously underrated..
I think he’s in the top 25 of all time
And every note intentional. Crazy
The message is incredibly spot on for the political climate right now ...
Cult of Personality is a great rock song from a great album, Vivid. Back in the day, I played the hell out of this album. Keep going with Living Colour. You won't be disappointed. Yes, HOF worthy, for sure.
Open Letter to a Landlord! So many great songs in this album! Your reaction was terrific
Vernon Reid one of the killers in the guitar world.
Us 'older' crowd loved this song when it came out. It was all over Mtv and rock radio. At the time it was more of a history lesson. The past few years this song has come into a new light. Much of it we are witnessing today. Thanks for reacting to this one! 7:20
Ignore the time stamp. Just my goof. 🙄
Vernon absolutely SHREDDED his guitar! Bomb song and reaction..........
This is not hyperbole when I say this is your best reaction so far. Thanks for being so genuine.
A song that was way ahead of it's time and yet 100% still relevant today.
They have another song that I really like called "Open Letter (to a landlord)". Give it a listen.
Living Colour were ahead of their time…they should have been bigger. I remember when this came out it blew up everywhere. People were in awe.. yes there was Hendrix but that was in the sixties… when they hit the scene they were a breath of fresh air. in the era of all the hair metal bands…. that was really stagnant at that time..these dudes could rock …. Corey Glover the lead singer had a fairly significant role in the Oscar winning movie ..”Platoon” right before the band came together. My buddy knew the guitarist Vernon Reid..said he was pretty intense serious guy…I think if they hit the scene five years later it would have been better for them.
No media killed them, not the people.
It is Hall Of Fame worthy without a doubt! It's like your first at bat in the majors and getting a walk off grand slam! Their debut album had so many good songs on it "Desperate People", "Open Letter To A Landlord", "Funny Vibe", "Middle Man", "What's Your Favorite Colour", "Which Way To America" and "Glamour Boys"! That's just their first album and all those songs are fire🔥
Living Colour had a unique way of taking sensitive subjects and presenting them without angering people, through music. This song is filled with historical references, like the opening from Malcolm X. One of the best rock bands of the 80's and 90's that never got the credit they deserved.
Before I learned the actual lyrics, I used the think at the end he was saying "I'm in the ghetto...I'm in the ghetto.." Ha ha. He is really saying "I'm in the cult of...I'm in the cult of...: :-)
Loved this song when it came out but appreciate the lyrics so much more today... it's so relevant today!!
Hello JMBOY,
I am sending you the link to a video from French television in 1991.
It was a live show and it was that evening precisely that I discovered this amazing rock band LIVING COLOUR...
I quickly purchased their album “Time’s Up”
Two years later their album “Stain” was released.
I really recommend these two albums!!! They are very rich musically, very open...
Top musicians:
Vernon Reid: guitar
Will Calhoun: drums
Muzz Skillings: bass (until 1992)
Doug Wimbish: bass (since 1992)
and Corey Glover on vocals (actor, in 1986 he played in the Oliver Stone film “Platoon”)
Today they are in their sixties but still on stage (last December they were in concert in Paris)
Personally I just bought the two albums I'm talking about to give them to my three little nephews (13 years old, 15 years old and 17 years old) who are starting out in music (guitar and drums) so they won't just listen to Led Zeppelin , Pink Floyd or Muse, but also Living Colour... Today they have become reference musicians!
ua-cam.com/video/MO5WZi0O0RU/v-deo.html (Love Rears Its Ugly Head)
ua-cam.com/video/eAuyzIgCgb4/v-deo.html (Cult Of Personality)
Sorry for low video quality...
One of the great bands of all. Such a great song, with so much deep meaning. Vernon Reid is certainly one of the great guitarists of all time. So glad you loved them. I hope you try Letter to a Landlord, or pretty much anything from that first album of theirs.
HIGHLY underrated rock band of the late 80's and 90's. Loved their stuff. Cult of Personality is a term that's been used for a good long time, but still very much the case today. People fall for it every time.
As young white kids heading to the beach to go surfing this was our number one rip. That guitarist inspired me to play. Corey Glover, the lead singer, was in the movie, "Platoon" with Johnny Depp ad Charlie Sheen. Great stuff man!
Corey, the singer was also in the movie Platoon with Charlie Sheen , Johnny Depp and many other greats.
"We want to talk right down to earth in a language that everybody here can easily understand" - _Malcom X_
You are NOT wrong about this song, it's a masterpiece.
Great band. I saw them live back when they were touring with the Rolling Stones. Just as good live on stage as in the video--if not better.
Saw them on the same tour in 1989 with The Stones. I thought Living Colour was better than The Stones. For real.
I saw The Stones in Dallas simply because Living Colour was the opening act. They were amazing. I also came away a Stones fan... 😋
I saw them as well, better than the stones?, come on@@bobschenkel7921
This will always be one of my FOREVER Jams!
I agree - one of the best ever!!! It’s been on constant rotation in my world since it hit the airwaves in ‘88. ❤️☮️
Vernon Reid is a beast on the guitar!
One of the most iconic songs ever!!! And still so relevant and badass today!
The whole album is fucking banging. Listen to ALL of their songs on the album. Gonna blow your mind. No lie. o7
Absolutely EPIC song! One of the greatest EVER! ❤ Try "Open letter to a landlord", or"Love rears its ugly head"!
Hey JM They are still touring , go check them out live if they come near where you live.
Huge song for them , It's really too bad they didn't go on to another record
They are still touring and sound great!! ❤
Too many people out there today believing that 1 and 1 makes 3. I aways liked this song for the sound when it came out but now listening that message rises up to the top too 🔥🔥🔥
I only know this song as it’s CM Punk’s theme song
Sexual Chocolate lead guitar.
Vernon is a beast. I wish I could afford the pedals he uses! LOL!
One of my favorite songs. Vernon Reid is a monster on guitar.
Thanx for repost, same comment, lol. One of our first all black rock groups. which was an amazing break thru at the time. They werent how ever, the first black rockers. Such a great song with tons of meaning no matter what time period were in. Love the vocalist Corey Glover's and guitarist Vernon Reid's energy. Thanx so much, take care, Peace
Damn, that studio is NICE!!!!
A perfect song for MAGA America.
Hey bro!!! I saw them live. You can't imagine how good they are!!!! They're amazing!!! Greettings from Argentina. This is hard rock. But they play funk, jazz , blues, everithing.
Living Colour has always been great and they’ve always been social conscious. The Cult of Personality has always been a huge drive in political movements. They have another great song from this album called “Open Letter To A Landlord”, about gentrification. But my favorite song by them might be “Love Rears It’s Ugly Head”. Corey Glover just nails the vocals perfectly, and the music is just amazing!
When they came out it was awesome. They bridged cultures with the same messages we all had and rocked so hard. ❤🤘
AHHhhhh... Welcome to the PARTY, Brother!!!! I know you're STILL new in the ROCK GENRE.. but, THIS particular TRACK ROCKS F#@KIN' HARD, SO... THANK YOU for doin' THIS TRACK. Check out LIVING COLORS catalog if you wanna gain their perspective on ANTI-ESTABLISHMENT (read: THE GOVERNMENT'S LUST FOR UNLIMITED POWER on the Citizens they're supposed to FIGHT FOR)... & their charismatic lead Vocalist, & their band members. Not too SHABBY for a ALL BLACK ROCK BAND!!!! By the way, THIS was their DEBUT ALBUM, which opened the world's DOOR of musical opportunity to a WHOLE NEW AUDIENCE (they rose to fame BEFORE "Rage Against The Machine", "Nirvana", & most of the late 1980's - 1990's ROCK BANDS)!!!! I look forward to seeing your reactions (I subscribed too!!!).... Peace, Love, & Liberty. Happy New Year 2024. MIC DROP 🎤.
This song applies to the MAGA movement of today, as much as it did to the individuals named in the song itself
As opposed to the brain dead tard in power
It's entirely possible it wasn't recommended because people thought you might watch wrestling and had heard it already. CM Punk was using Cult of Personality as his entrance music before his hiatus and they released a remastered version of it to coincide with his WWE return.
Vernon Reid 🔥🎸 you nailed the meaning of this song - easily one of my favorite of all time. Playlist since college in the early 90's.
The Band: Cory Glover - Lead Vocals, Vernon Reid - Guitar, Muz Skillings - Bass, Will Calhoun - Drums. Check out there friends King's X: ua-cam.com/video/J2SYPzKzD94/v-deo.html
This album.is great. The opening line is from Malcolm X in this song.
they were an awesome band
I remember cranking this in hs when this came out and it knocked a bottle of cologne off my dresser. 🤘
fun fact - singer Corey Glover was in the movie "Platoon" opposite charlie sheen. I think he played Francis
GREATEST REACTION EVER! That brought tears to my eyes! This is exactly how I reacted to this song in 1988!
I’m 61 and have to admit that this was one of the best club songs back in my misspent youth, lol. And we all danced like this…best way to workout and sober up on Ladies Night! 💃
Webster's Defines a Cult of Personality as, "a situation in which a public figure (such as a political leader) is deliberately presented to the people of a country as a great person who should be admired and loved". I remember seeing the song Middle Man from the same album on 120 Minutes on MTV when I was 12 (in about 1985)... It's still one of my all time favorite albums of all time... If you check out any other songs by them, have a listen to Middle Man (from the same album)... and when you're ready to really shake it up check out a band called Skindred with their song "Rat Race" or "Nobody"
You want to check out another band like this...Mothers Finest. You'll have to dig, their best jams aren't pc...if you get my drift.
Love, love, love this song. They are SO talented, it’s a shame they didn’t do more. Simply amazing song.
Now you know.
A group of excellent musicians. I played this record to death. I love Vernon Reid but Muzz Skillings just drives the rhythm section. Someone here mentioned the song "Letter to a Landlord." Also "Elvis is Dead" with a guest rap by Little Richard.
They’re still touring & headlining! Their first 3-4 albums are perfect, their newest one too. Please react to Type, Pride, Love Rears its Ugly Head, New Jack City
I agree with everything you said. They're incredible.
THE band that snapped me out of being a 15 year old Nazi asshole! Becaude you CAN'T be racist when you hear THIS good of a song! 💯
I thank this band ever day for making me a better person. 💯
and the coolest thing is...... they still sound killer now. Check out some of their recent live footage.... theyre on fire!!
Vernon Reid is such an underrated guitarist.
Saw these guys open for The Rolling Stones in Minneapolis in 1989. Their guitarist Vernon Reid is a special talent.
Great song. Great band. Listen to Open Letter to a Landlord. It will make you cry.
maybe you're being biased and you're sucked into a cult of personality to say it's the best rock song ever.....lol
I remember when this came out, it was like nothing I heard before! Vernon Reid is BAD ASS! No one else compared for me till I heard Tom Morello!
This is a killer song. As a kid I would watch this video every time it came on. I'm drawn to much heavier music but between the message and that goddamn solo at the end. Just filthy. I never had the tape or CD to know if it was just for the video. Maybe someone in here can tell me. That pause at the end with the FDR sample then abruptly going back into the riff but faster is fucking genius. Was that on the album?
When Living Colour plays most metal bands go to school.
The walls between us must fall.
A one hit wonder. That's why. Good song. I remember when this came out. Stay safe.
Fell in love with this song and this band when this song first came out. The song speaks...all people have to do is listen...and that bass guitar and those drums are HARD hitting! Love love love it!
Saw them back in 89 opening for the Rolling Stones, tell you 1+1 makes 3 is I believe Is believing all the lies you're told by government etc.
You've got to look into CM Punk's return to WWE video here on UA-cam. Punk has used Cult of Personality for years as his entrance music.
Dude I haven’t even THOUGHT of this song in years much less heard it. Thanks!
They turned the world of rock upside down.....this aint no Mowtown!
Seen this group and they rock. I hope they are still tearing it up! Peace
i bought this cassette when this came out, played the hell out of it.
If you like blues. Check out Bobby Rush I Ain't Studdin Ya
Rage Against The Machine 'Bulls on Parade'
Saw them live 3 times in the 90s in the UK. Cool band. Only bad moment was when a fan stage dived and was wearing cowboy boots and stirrups, landed on top of me, one of them embedded itself in the top of my head. 🤕
Saw them open up for the Rolling Stones back in 89 in Houston.
Saw Living Colour open for The Rolling Stones back in 1989, and about six months later Lead Singer Corey Glover checked into the hotel I was working at in Florida, on a temp basis. We talked for a couple of minutes, and then I told him L.C. was better than The Stones, but he said no way, I said yes way. I still believe it. Vernon Reid is what you call OUTSTANDING. Corey was also in the movie "Platoon", from around the same time, maybe a year before or after.
If you like this song then you should check out more 80’s hard Rock and Metal. Guns N Roses is a great band.
Great reaction to such an awesome song. I still remember the first time I heard it. I was totally blown away and I wasn’t really big into rock songs at all at the time.
Describes magats, 25 years before they were a thing..,
Also you should check out a band named lord of the lost, fantastic band from Germany. Song you should check out is one last song.
I always thought this song was by Lenny Cravitz!
Any similarities on the lyrics of this song with today's reality is just pure coincidence /S
Metal goes even harder. My personal favorite is Jinjer.
If you need to have 5 flags hanging off your truck or boat for a political figure you might be in a cult of personality.
Sounds like the attitude of many MAGA.
"I'm not here to make friends... I'm here to make money"
This song rocks HARD! Just like JMBOY. Peace homie
Well I agree. Cult of Personality is an amazing song.
We loved these guys!!!! The message however is NOT what they wanted us to hear.
I forget there are people who don't know who Corey Glover(the singer)is
Such a great band! I watched this video over and over back in the day.
Such a great band! I watched this video over and over back in the day.
Great reaction. Great band. Dig their song Open Letter To A Landlord