Echo And The Bunnymen; Classic or Dud, Search and Destroy...

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I'm currently reading 45 by Bill Drummond, and of course The Bunnymen crop up a lot early on. I was way too young to be interested first time round, and have always resisted buying their records since for some reason, though I'm not entirely sure why. It may be to do with Mac's hair.

So? Are they any good? And if so, which bits in particular?

― Nick Southall, Wednesday, 8 May 2002 00:00 (twenty-three years ago)

Complete classic! One of the few things I listened to in high school that I can still pull out and play without feeling silly or sickly nostalgic.

Search: Porcupine, Songs To Learn and Sing - then move around the other albums if you're so inclined.

Destroy: The album w/o Ian McCullough

― paul, Wednesday, 8 May 2002 00:00 (twenty-three years ago)

I'm not quite so sure, last year I had a conversation about Echo and the Bunnymen and ended up digging out and listening to Songs to Learn and Sing for the first time in at least ten years. And being bored to death. Whereas "Lips Like Sugar", which I dismissed when it came out, absolutely sparkles anytime it pops up on VH1 Classics.

― J Blount, Wednesday, 8 May 2002 00:00 (twenty-three years ago)

Brilliant scouse la's!!

Ocean rain is their best without a doubt.

― dubflower, Wednesday, 8 May 2002 00:00 (twenty-three years ago)

Seen Donnie Darko yet? Excellent use of "Killing Moon." Excellent in general, really.

― Lee G, Wednesday, 8 May 2002 00:00 (twenty-three years ago)

Classic!!!
Search out the 4 disc set from last year...
Destroy the post McCulloch era stuff...

― dek1, Wednesday, 8 May 2002 00:00 (twenty-three years ago)

Hasn't this been done before?

Complete and utter classic, and anyone who sez different has compost in their ears.

― Alex in NYC, Wednesday, 8 May 2002 00:00 (twenty-three years ago)

classic; search: Ocean Rain, and seeing them play live. Ian has one of the coolest stage presences. I think right now (2001- 2002) is the best they have ever been live.

― A Nairn, Wednesday, 8 May 2002 00:00 (twenty-three years ago)

Done here.

― Sean Carruthers, Wednesday, 8 May 2002 00:00 (twenty-three years ago)

Before someone deletes this thread: possibly best E&B experience I have ever had = Steady Mike's 2-chord rendition of 'Silver'. More wit and charm in that, somehow, than in the band's (not bad!) catalogue.

― the pinefox, Wednesday, 8 May 2002 00:00 (twenty-three years ago)

Ocean Rain is obviously their best album, but Heaven Up Here is their coolest, in the Rolling Stone sense.

― Curt, Wednesday, 8 May 2002 00:00 (twenty-three years ago)

they were also quite good live circa Ocean Rain. They aren't bad now but the hired rhythm section isn't the same...

― g, Thursday, 9 May 2002 00:00 (twenty-three years ago)

i like the one w/o mccullough, and i no longer like heaven up here much

― mark s, Thursday, 9 May 2002 00:00 (twenty-three years ago)

Thorn of Crowns - classic.
Bring on the Dancing Horses - cheese.

― Dave225, Thursday, 9 May 2002 00:00 (twenty-three years ago)

classic cheese though

― g, Thursday, 9 May 2002 00:00 (twenty-three years ago)

"Lips Like Sugar" is their best single.

― Dan Perry, Thursday, 9 May 2002 00:00 (twenty-three years ago)

"Lips Like Sugar" is decidedly *NOT* their best single, thank you, but rather that incarnation's regrettable death knell.

The Bunnymen's finest single is, was, and shall always be "the Cutter."

― Alex in NYC, Thursday, 9 May 2002 00:00 (twenty-three years ago)

seven months pass...

Just picked up Crocodiles reminded me of Interpol ;-)

Never loved McCullough's preening voice but that was a great band behind him.

― stevo (stevo), Monday, 6 January 2003 20:20 (twenty-two years ago)

Geez... classic. Search the first four albums, or at the very least Songs to Learn & Sing. (I also think that What Are You Going to Do With Your Life? was the best thing they've done since 1984, but oh well.)

They played this outdoor festival in Detroit a couple summers ago. It was VERY weird seeing them play in daylight (and sweating cuz of course Mac and Will were wearing coats). Anyway, last song, Mac sez:

"Some people say this is the best song ever written. [pause] Me, Will,..." Cue "Ocean Rain." I got to talk to him afterward and said, "Well I think it's the best song ever written too" and got a "cheeeers mate." Of course he's blind as a bat and couldn't see me, but it still made me very happy.

― Aaron W, Monday, 6 January 2003 20:41 (twenty-two years ago)

four years pass...

Vaguely interesting Bunnymen-ish news:

Electrafixion - 'Burned' (2 CD)

"Electrafixion were formed by Echo & The Bunnymen stalwarts Ian McCulloch & Will Sergeant along with Tony McGuigan on drums and Leon De Silva on bass. The name came from a merging of Electrocution & Crucifixion. This 2CD expanded version of their debut album contains all the original tracks plus loads of extras to please the Bunnymen faithful. CD1 contains the original album plus the debut 1994 EP 'Zephyr' and the Utah Saints mix of 'Never''. CD2 contains nearly all of their B sides from the many multi format singles they released plus 9 tracks from their Shepherds Bush Empire Show of October 22nd 1995" Released April 2nd. for £9.99.

Not the "Nein Danke" collection I was hoping for, but pretty good anyway.

― PJ Miller, Monday, 26 March 2007 13:06 (eighteen years ago)

_Zephyr_ is great, and from the sessions that Marr co-wrote. The live versions stomp on the studio versions. This is much more interesting than the other re-release of Ian M's two solo albums (the first was pretty damn good the second should be forgotten).

― Mr. Odd, Monday, 26 March 2007 13:08 (eighteen years ago)

two years pass...

RIP Bunnymen keyboardist Jake Brockman

― Elvis Telecom, Friday, 4 September 2009 17:22 (sixteen years ago)

The fact that it was another motorcycling accident, jeez. What a cursed band in many respects.

― Ned Raggett, Friday, 4 September 2009 17:24 (sixteen years ago)

Oh man, this is terrible! RIP.

― I just wish he hadn't adopted the "ilxor" moniker (ilxor), Saturday, 5 September 2009 10:47 (sixteen years ago)

ten years pass...

Holy fuck, this is great...

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4GuvIQZ35vM

― Elvis Telecom, Sunday, 29 March 2020 09:55 (five years ago)

https://m.media-amazon.com/images/I/81-38lqXj2L._SS500_.jpg

Not comprehensive - limited to one LP and issued while they were still actively recording - it's still a great album in its own right where their best material adds up to a concise and cohesive record. I wish they added "Villiers Terrace," but otherwise it's close to a perfect "best of" LP.

― birdistheword, Sunday, 29 March 2020 17:25 (five years ago)

The best 2 disc overview is https://www.discogs.com/Echo-The-Bunnymen-Do-It-Clean-An-Anthology-1979-1987/release/7178363

― Gerald McBoing-Boing, Sunday, 29 March 2020 17:55 (five years ago)

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