As the music gods would have it, many of us have our favorites. They share in our ups and downs, our moments of happiness, sadness, and gladness. They are our sonic heroes that guide us through this journey called life. For many, one band that echoes in those chambers of that upward spiral of sonic heaven is an English band from the ‘80s – Echo & The Bunnymen.
Best known for their melodic sounds, witty lyrics, and Sinatra-style crooning that even impresses the likes of Morrissey, Ian McCulloch and the rest of his Bunnymen are still playing for the masses.
After all, when you sing to the beat, “First I’m gonna make it and then I’m gonna break it ‘til it falls apart. Hating all the faking and I’m shaking while I’m breaking your brittle heart,” we kinda get them, and they kinda get us. Thanks to bands like Echo, it’s not always a cruel world.
With their signature sound in tow, fans became enamored immediately with early songs “Seven Seas,” “Never Stop,” “The Cutter,” “The Killing Moon,” “Lips Like Sugar,” “People Are Strange,” “Bedbugs and Ballyhoo,” and “Bring on the Dancing Horses.” Echo & the Bunnymen became of staple of new wave and the alternative rock worlds since their formation in 1978.
Echo & the Bunnymen were once described as “the bridesmaids of rock.” With heavy hitters of the era such as U2, The Cure, Depeche Mode, and Simple Minds – who are all still performing – it is somewhat of a back step for this band to not get the credit they deserve for their music catalog. That is the price of greatness when you are compared to these bands.
Then again, if the measurement of success is a band’s influence on their fans and society in general, then yes, Echo & The Bunnymen do deserve to be at the top of that pedestal. On the flip side, and on a purely commercial level, the other argument has merit and therefore that is the bucket we see Echo in today. It is a fair argument to weigh, it’s being a victim of your own success.
Bottom line, ask McCulloch, and he’ll tell you that the only thing that matters is you as a person constitutes as “success.” For that alone, they have endeared themselves to fans worldwide.
“I only ever wanted, since the age of 13, to be the best singer of the best band in the world“ – Ian McCulloch
With touring the way it was over the past few years, hiccups of any kind could derail any across-the-pond acts, which was the case last year for the Cruel World festival. However, everything appears back on track for Echo and his World Famous Bunnymen to appear at this year’s sold out Cruel World.
This year’s lineup is every bit larger-than-life. Appearing will be Siouxsie less her Banshees, Iggy Pop, Love and Rockets, Adam Ant, The Human League, Gary Numan, Gang of Four, Modern English, ABC, The Motels, Animotion, The Vapors, and of course, Echo & the Bunnymen.
It will be the who’s who of epic bands from back in the day. It will be an electric atmosphere, so get your tickets to see the greatest show on earth. OK, maybe it’s not Ringling Brothers, but it is Ringling Brothers adjacent.
