Best known as the longtime frontman for the Cult, singer Ian Astbury was born on May 14, 1962 in Merseyside, England. The son of a career merchant naval officer, he led a peripatetic childhood, finally settling in the Yorkshire area in 1981; there Astbury formed the goth-rock outfit the Southern Death Cult, which following a series of roster shifts and name truncations emerged as simply the Cult in 1984. His main influence is Jim Morrison since an early age and had a massive impact on his writing and vocal style as well as his image. He joined the Doors of 21st Century featuring Ray Manzarek and Robbie Krieger of the Doors where he performed the Doors classics until the 2013 death of Ray Manzarek and has released several live recordings with them.