"I don't really think there is much of a San Diego music scene, it's just very local," says Madeline Follin of Cults in a Phoenix New Times article published online Monday, September 12.

"There's a lot of cool bands that are originally from San Diego, but once their band starts doing well, they usually move out to L.A. or New York. There's not really much besides kids playing in their garages. In New York, it's a lot more competitive and you're driven to actually get things done rather than jamming everyday. You actually want to put something out there."

Ryan Mattos, aka Brian Oblivion (who once fronted a Slayer cover band) and Madeline Follin (whose stepfather co-founded White Zombie) are the male-female duo known as Cults. Having met in 2009 at a Willowz concert, when Oblivion was tour manager for the Willowz (featuring Follin’s brother), their first digital three-song 7-inch released via Bandcamp.com earned them a Best New Music rave from Pitchfork. Their lo-fi sixties surf pop girl-group sound of has earned much acclaim on other music blogs as well.

Follin is said to have landed a recording contract while still a pre-teen, singing with her stepfather’s band Youth Gone Mad (who recorded her with Dee Dee Ramone). In addition, Follin appeared in a video for another of her brother’s bands (Guards) and sang on a track by Dom called “Bowl Cut.”

In summer 2010, the lo-fi girl groupies took filmmaking classes while spending time in NYC. Around the same time, Lily Allen flew the band to England to discuss signing them to her new record label, In The Name Of. In May 2011, they released a full-length on Allen’s label called Go Outside, engineered by Shane Stonebeck (M.I.A., Vampire Weekend, Sleigh Bells).

Their 2011 UK tour wrapped up August 30 in Tunnels, Aberdeen.