DeViCom-Bio: Echo & the Bunnymen

Echo & the Bunnymen f. Sep 1978, Liverpool in England

The origins of this renowned Liverpool, Englang group can be traced back to the spring of 1977 when vocalist Ian McCulloch (b. 5 May 1959, Liverpool, England) was a member of the Crucial Three with Juilan Cope and Pete Wylie. While the latter two later emerged in the Teardrop Explodes and Wah!, respectively, McCulloch put together his major group in September of 1978. Initially a trio, the group featured McCulloch, Will Sergeant (b. 12 April 1958, Liverpool, England; guitar), Les Patterson (b. 18 April 1958, Ormskirk, Merseyside, England; bass) and a drum machine that they christened 'Echo'. After making their first appearance at the famous Liverpool club Eric's they made their vinyl debut in March 1979 with Read It in Books, produced by whizz kid entrepreneurs Bill Drummond and Dave Balfe. This production was sparse but intriguing and helped the group to establish a sizeable cult following. McCulloch's brooding live performance and vocal inflections were already drawing comparisons with the Doors' Jim Morrison. After signing to Korova Records (distributed by Warner Bothers Records), they replaced 'Echo' with a human being - Pete De Freitas (b. 2 August 1961, Port of Spain, Trinidad, West Indies, d. 14 June 1989). The second single, "Rescue", was a considerable improvement on its predecessor, with a confident, driving sound that augured well for their forthcoming album. Crocodiles proved impressive with a wealth of strong arrangements and compulsive guitarwork. After the less melodic single "The Puppet", the group toured extensively and issued an EP, Shine So Hard, which crept into the UK Top 40. The next album, Heaven Up Here, saw them regaled by the music press. Although a less accessible and melodic work than its predecessor, it sold well and topped numerous polls. Porcupine reinforced the group's appeal, while "The Cutter" gave them their biggest hit so far. In 1984 they charted agin with "The Killing Moon", an excellent example of McCulloch's ability to summon lazy melodrama out of primary lyrical colours. The epic quality of his writing remained perfectly in keeping with the group's grandiloquent musical character. The accompanying 1984 album, Ocean Rain, broadened their appeal further and brought them into the US Top 100 album charts. In February 1986 De Freitas left the group to be replaced by former Haircut 100 drummer Mark Fox, but he returned the following summer. However, it now seemed the band's best days were behind them. The uninspiringly titled Echo and the Bunnymen drew matching lacklustre performances, while a version of the Doors' "People are Strange" left both fans and critics perplexed. This new recording was produced by ray Manzarek, who also played on the track, and it was used as the haunting theme for the cult film The Lost Boys (1989). Yes, as many noted, there were simply dozens of better Bunnymen compositions that could have benefitted from that type of exposure. In 1988 McCulloch made the announcement that he was henceforth pursuing a solo career. While he completed the well-received Candleland, the Bunnymen made the unexpected decision to carry on. Large numbers of audition tapes were listened to before they chose McCulloch's successor, Noel Burke, a Belfast boy who had previously recorded with St Vitus Dance. Just as they were beginning rehearsals, De Freitas was tragically killed in a road accident. The group struggled on, recruiting new drummer Damon Reece and adding road manager Jack Brockman on guitar/synthesizer.In 1992 they entered the next phase of Echo history with Reverberation, but public expectations were not high and the critics unkind. The Bunnymen Mark II broke up in the summer of the same year, with Pattinson going to work with Terry Hall, while Sergeant conducted work on his ambient side project, B*O*M, and formed Glide for one single. McCulloch, whose solo career had stalled after a bright start, and Sergeant eventually reunited in in 1993 as Electrafixion, also pulling in Reece from the second Bunnymen incarnation. In 1996 an announcement was made that the three remaining original members would go out as Echo & the Bunnymen once again. McCulloch, Pattinson and Sergeant continued successfully with Evergreen (1997), What Are You Going to Do with Your Life? (1999) and less excellent Flowers (2001).