I recently spoke with Crispian Mills of Kula Shaker. Raised in a film family (his mother is Hayley Mills), Crispian grew up on music and cinema where he has spent his life as an artist & filmaker. He formed Kula Shaker in 1996; the debut, K, became one of the UK’s fastest-selling debuts of the ’90s. The band's sound mixes 60s psychedelia with elements of Indian music. The name, suggested by Mills after his first trip to India, was created in honour of one of the twelve Alvars (saints of south India), the ninth-century Indian emperor and holy man, King Kulashekhara. In Indian culture, the name Kulashekhara is thought to be lucky or auspicious. Indeed it has been bolstered by hard work and respect for craft.

We talked about his early years, time in India, the perils of early success, spirituality, and why making art is a timeless human endeavor.

Kula Shaker’s latest and upcoming releases include the single “Good Money” (September 2025) and the album Wormslayer (due January 30, 2026), described by the band as a “kaleidoscopic storm of psychedelia, celestial harmonies, and cinematic scope.” They’re mid-tour with The Dandy Warhols now; the final U.S. date is in San Francisco tonight before they head back to the UK into early 2026.

ICYDK: Dylan Hundley is an artist & performer. She is the co-creator and lead singer of Lulu Lewis & the creator of all things at Darling Black. She co-curates & hosts Salon Lulu, which is a New York-based multidisciplinary performance series. She is also a cast member of the classic New York film Metropolitan.