

Ian McCulloch of Echo & the Bunnymen at Coachella 2010
Ian McCulloch of Echo & the Bunnymen
One Cool Bastard
Apr 23, 2010
Photography by Wendy Lynch Redfern
Web Exclusive
After 32 years and 11 studio albums, Echo & the Bunnymen have become rock mainstays, influencing a new generation of synth-worshiping, post-rockers both at home in the U.K. and abroad. Under the Radar sat down with lead Bunnymen Ian McCulloch at Coachella to discuss the band’s legacy, creative process, and taking the show on the road.
Laura Studarus: How would you describe your new album’s sound?
Ian McCulloch: I wouldn’t. It’s just Echo & the Bunnymen. Your job is to describe things. I always find when an interviewer asks me to explain or describe something; it’s just me, that’s the description. Itself, in itself is the description. That’s what I think. I’m not having a go, but it’s a mad thing to answer.
So you’d describe it as part of your sound.
Yeah. It is slightly different from the one before. I don’t know, it’s a good sound.
When you go into the studio, how much do you take your legacy into consideration?
Yeah I think there’s always a good thing after the heights that you’ve reached to try and go higher. Most of our songs are great. I remember saying years ago that “The Killing Moon” is the best song I’ve ever written. And people said, “Maybe you shouldn’t have said that. Because if it is the best song you’ve ever written it can be a block or a barrier to do something better.” Since “The Killing Moon,” “Nothing Lasts Forever” is as good as “The Killing Moon.” It’s newer because the “The Killing Moon” is now 26 years old or twenty-seven years old. It’s kind of grown or established in the wider consciousness as a great song.
Do you feel the way the band has worked together has evolved over the years?
Yeah, it’s changed. It’s evolved. It’s just moved from one song to another. It’s not like the ascent of man. It’s songs that we write. But yeah, I always thought we had a wide spectrum of the kind of song we can write anyway. I think the first album had different types of songs on it. So I don’t see it as changing from album to album necessarily, but as from song to song. I’ve always felt that. I’ve always liked the slower, I guess you could call them ballads, I suppose that’s what they are. But I enjoy them. I enjoy the spiteful rock songs as well. I prefer to sing, as a singer, things like “Idleness of the Gods” or “The Killing Moon.”
What keeps you excited about the musical process?
Self-expression. I supposed getting played; it’s nice to hear stuff on the radio. And people around the world liking it. For me it’s the inception of the song is the most exciting. I haven’t even got the words; I might have a phrase or something, and a melody line. I’ve got loads on the go now, and that’s all I’m singing in my head all day long, the new songs. I think in melody lines now before I pick up a guitar. That’s changed. In the old days, for most of the first 10 years, it would be a chord sequence and I’d fit a tune to it. Which I think I might do more of on the next album. But I can’t stop thinking of melodies. I love that part of it. In the studio I want to go from what I hear in my head straight onto tape. I enjoy playing and stuff but the process of recording isn’t my favorite bit by any means.
You mentioned the next album, are you starting to think more about that?
Yeah yeah. I want to go in the studio at some point in the summer between festival dates or whatever just to get some things down.
With all the festivals on your schedule, what keeps you excited about going out there?
With Coachella everyone says it’s the best one over here. It’s just playing our songs. Our set list goes on for 50 minutes and every song’s a classic. So that’s cool to play to people who wouldn’t normally come and see us. I used to hate doing festivals but I’ve got to enjoy them now. This part of it, I don’t like to stay in the dressing room and wait. But I suppose deep down I’m a bit nervous. We’re all playing to new people!
So when you look at your career to date and what’s to follow, how do you want to be remembered?
I don’t know. As long as I know I’ve lived up to my expectations. When I’m down low, there’s no memory. But I hope people recognize the band as a fantastic important band that was always out on their own. And I hope I’m remembered as having a great voice and being a great lyric writer. And a great melody writer. Simple things I suppose. And a cool bastard as well. That was always kind of important.
(www.bunnymen.com)
Most Recent
- Gabriels on Their Debut Album “Angels & Queens” (Interview) — Gabriels
- Katy J Pearson Shares “The Wicker Man” Soundtrack Cover “Fire Leap” (Feat. Wet Leg and Others) (News) — Katy J Pearson, Wet Leg
- Premiere: Natalie Price Shares New Track “What We Daydream Now” (News) — Natalie Price
- Lorelle Meets The Obsolete, Whitelands @ The Lexington, London, September 20, 2023 (Review) — Lorelle Meets The Obsolete, Whitelands
- The Charlatans and Ride Announce New North American Co-Headlining Tour Dates for January (News) — The Charlatans, Ride, Tim Burgess, Andy Bell, Mark Gardener
Comments
Submit your comment
May 16th 2010
3:34pm
You were always a cool bastard Mac. x
January 1st 2012
7:19pm
If you are willing to buy a car, you will have to receive the credit loans. Furthermore, my mother usually utilizes a secured loan, which supposes to be the most firm.
May 18th 2012
11:33am
I will recommend not to wait until you earn big sum of cash to order all you need! You can get the personal loans or just term loan and feel fine
July 22nd 2012
7:09am
Lots of specialists tell that personal loans help a lot of people to live their own way, because they can feel free to buy needed things. Moreover, some banks give credit loan for young and old people.
January 19th 2013
1:28pm
Do you understand that this is high time to get the business loans, which will help you.
July 10th 2013
8:03am
It’s known that academic papers creating complications worry various students a lot. Nonetheless, this problem isn’t as serious as it supposes to be! Thus, don’t trouble about that and buy written essay.
July 17th 2013
9:49pm
Following my own exploration, thousands of people on our planet receive the credit loans at good creditors. So, there is a good possibility to receive a car loan in any country.
September 5th 2013
4:35am
Speaking quite frankly, it is really tough to make good quality custom research papers without opting for custom writing service. Each student is conscious that generating of any type of college writing needs in-depth knowledge of the subject, therefore, college-going students would sooner buy essay writing.
September 8th 2013
6:12am
Are you still searching for online essay writing help? Quit your search, try this site and buy custom essays and you will never regret.
September 21st 2013
9:03pm
On the Web, graduate could find pre written essay papers, but some of them contained many mistakes, so I want to recommend you superb writing service I have used, where a team of expert writers and editors is ready to aid you, so don’t hesitate and buy environment essays.
January 21st 2014
3:35am
Hi, a best issue I look at here. That is nice that not only the writing service could perform the literary analysis essay.
November 22nd 2014
5:39am
I know this web page gives quality depending articles and additional material, is there any other web page which presents
these kinds of data in quality?