Echo & the bunnymen: Classic or Dud?

Just listening to the box set on CD1 right now.

Sounded vaguely Doors-ish or even Love-ish or just generally Elektra-ish, at any rate.

I'm going to be the Porcupine newbie here, but I found a nice cheap copy and I'm listening to it for the first time. What the fuck HAPPENS in "Porcupine" about 1/2 way through? Awesome!

I like Porcupine just fine, but it's probably my least favorite of the five, original 1980s albums. Still a good one, though.

What the fuck HAPPENS in "Porcupine" about 1/2 way through?

The drugs kick in.

I like Porcupine just fine, but it's probably my least favorite of the five, original 1980s albums. Still a good one, though.

Really? God, that's such great news to hear. I've only heard Songs to Learn and Sing and Porcupine, and I couldn't be more instantly obsessed. I've had so many experiences with being introduced to bands with the best possible entry point (aka, Jesus and Mary Chain, Psychocandy)) and being disappointed afterwards with further exploration.

What the fuck HAPPENS in "Porcupine" about 1/2 way through?

The drugs kick in.

ah ... so THAT'S what the "pork of the porcupine" was really all about then!

> I like Porcupine just fine, but it's probably my least favorite of the five, original 1980s albums.

there's not a lot to dislike about those first 4.

very cheap double cd best of just released
http://www.amazon.co.uk/Killing-Moon-Best-Echo-Bunnymen/dp/B000WTNDQ2

but buy the original lps anyway.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/radio2/musicclub/doc_ericsliverpoolclub.shtml

"Steve Lamacq presents a celebration of Eric's, the Liverpool club that helped establish Merseyside as the UK's musical epicentre at the end of the 1970s.

During a brief period of time in the late seventies, the club witnessed the birth of a whole new Liverpool music scene, one that would travel far and beyond the city.

With Echo and the Bunnymen playing their first ever gig at the club as support to the Teardrop Explodes in November 1978, Eric's has earnt its place in rock 'n' roll history as the angsty younger brother to the Cavern."

(this was over the weekend but is listenagainable)

also, this friday on bbc4, 2 liverpudlian Rock Family Trees, the merseybeat years and the early eighties. "Contains some strong language."

recently went to liverpool for the first time in search of eric's and brian's and the like. and found nothing. eric's is now vivian westwood's (was slap bang next to the old (and new) cavern in matthew street. was all knocked down and rebuilt as appartments & shops. only mention i saw of E&tB was at a poster of liverpudlian bands in hmv...)

I'm in NYC now, having flown here to catch the Bunnymen doing the entirety of the Ocean Rain album with a ten-piece "orchestra". They also did an earlier set of stuff from across their career.

Anyway, I want to give thanks to the wonderful European man at the gig who spontaneously and rather passionately hugged me in the middle of "Thorn of Crowns" and said "this song is amazing isn't it?"

Also want to give a shoutout to Deeznuts, for even though I was at my worst drunkenness-wise when I last posted that "Thorn of Crowns" You Tube clip here, he remembered it and said he really liked that song, too.

I'm playing Killing Moon on my iPod now.

The SOUND OF THE GUITAR.

I really think Silver is their finest ever moment. Those strings! that will sergeant guitar! the 'did he
slip in a rude word there?' bit
so much mightier than the cutter, good as that is, but it's really just a good riff and some choppy guitar
but not much melody. even killing moon can't top silver.
never stop is another overlooked single, the best thing on porcupine

"Boney Maroney??"

Go to sleep.

Yes, I shall soon, indeed. But what business is it of yours?

i was just watching this before i posted earlier. mac for home secretary, circa 83

> never stop is another overlooked single, the best thing on porcupine

except it isn't. was only added to the re-releases.

Yeah I was gonna say...Never Stop wasn't on a regular LP of theirs...

To me that's when the Bunnymen started really getting good was when that song came out.

But it's possible I have my timelines a bit skewed. Anyway, I found the Radio City Music Hall NYC performance on You Tube of Thorn of Crowns...it's not quite as energetic or animated as you might imagine (was Mac just extremely pissed?) but if you were there at the venue to shout and jump around like I was, you wouldn't care:

Nice performance! It looks to me like Ian is doing his best Jim Reid impersonation, though.

...Never Stop wasn't on a regular LP of theirs...

forgot that, have just dug out my copy to remind myself. the other side of that single, heads will roll, is
on the album. i always felt never stop should have been. i agree it was their first stunning record, much
as i like the first 2 albums and songs like Over the Wall

"looks to me like Ian is doing his best Jim Reid impersonation"

Jim Reid started out as a McCulloch impersonation.

LOL

Okay, get ready folks, new dbl CD reissue of Ocean Rain due Oct 21st has a gig from 1983 as the second disc.

"Some fine singles but with Interpol's stronger rhytm section they may be rendered totally redundant if the new breed make enough albums."

Oh boy.

Wait, so.. Bimble, did Echo actually play "Never Stop" at the RCMH show? I love that song too & always thought it would sound absolutely fanfuckingtastic played live with string section.

No, they didn't play Never Stop at the gig I attended, but it is on the '83 gig that comes with the new Ocean Rain reissue.

I love Ocean Rain and all that sails in her.
But it has to be said that reciting a list of vegetables bears as much relation to psychedelia
as sticking pencils up your nose and placing yer underpants on yer head bears to madness

I've got the Peel Sessions and presumably, you don't.

Definitely more goth than you lot.

Go fuck a giraffe in the sunlight of the desert, folks. You don't get any more goth than Echo & Bunnymen Peel Sessions.

OVER THE WALL

Oddly enough, I don't. But I soon will.

I can't help it, that Peel Session song "No Hands" is the gothiest thing ever. Beautiful and amen. Listen to the bass. I'll never recover. That is absolutely the most beautifully goth thing I've ever heard. Oh my god, make it stop. That is going to fuck with my head all night.
Too much goth. Too much.

Echo & Bunnymen Peel Sessions, people. This is where the living is. Breathe the fresh air.

Do you know why I'm cooler than you? Because I have them doing New Order/Joy Division's "Ceremony", that's why. Out cooled you all, too late.

I've got McCulloch joining NO for 'Ceremony' at the Festival of the Tenth Summer, 1986. That's got to count for something!

Last time I saw Ian Mac, was at an 808 state gig where he was featured vocalist.

haha that track ("Moses") is probably my favorite thing he's done

last time i saw IM he was singing Pale Blue Eyes with edwyn collins (and A N Other?) as one of a few support acts for the cocteau twins (which also include jim and william reid doing acoustic songs) (brixton academy, er, nov 1990)

Last time I saw him was Electrafixion. D'oh!

he was singing Pale Blue Eyes with edwyn collins (and A N Other?)

Roddy Frame, I believe.

you are right. who else played, do you know? google got me lots of links to that same cocteau's gigography but no details.

I like how you're asking Ned, Deano.... I mean, you were there. I suppose if you remembered maybe you weren't.