Echo & The Bunnymen

ECHO & THE BUNNYMEN – Masterpiece Album ‘HEAVEN UP HERE’ Is 45

Posted on by JL

Significant longplayers from yesteryear

29 May 2026

Band: ECHO & THE BUNNYMEN

Album: HEAVEN UP HERE
Their 2nd one, released on 30 May 1981,
today 45 years ago (45? Sounds unreal)

It peaked at #10 in the UK, and was their first LP
to chart on the US Billboard 200, at #1984.

In the liner notes for the 2003 remastered version of the album, lead singer 
Ian McCulloch said he constantly had The Velvet Underground‘s What Goes On 
in the back of his mind.

He also stated that the band wanted to record a soul album. In the same liner notes, bassist Les Pattinson said that the band was often lazy and hence had hired rehearsal space at the Ministry in Liverpool.

He said this made them work harder and develop “language” in the rhythm. McCulloch considers Heaven Up Here to be guitarist Will Sergeant‘s album because he was bossy
and a control freak during the recording.

NME wrote: “One of the most superior articulations of ‘rock’ form in living memory.”

TUTV: One of the (many) flabbergasting albums from one of my
all-time favorite bands (on record and on stage). Masterpiece.

KEY SINGLE

ALBUM


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Linktree – All Albums

ECHO & THE BUNNYMEN Can’t Stop Touring – Back In The UK And North America in 2026

Posted on by JL

21 October 2025


Photo by Turn Up The Volume – Leuven, Belgium

Liverpool‘s post-punk rock-pop heroes ECHO & THE BUNNYMEN (1978–1993,
1996–present) are one of those luminary bands that seem to be around like forever.
Oh, and they’re are one of my all-time fav groups. I’ve seen them live 27 times, I guess
that makes me a fan.

Original members, loudmouth and supreme voice Ian McCulloch and guitar
virtuoso Will Sergeant are tour maniacs. I can’t remember anymore when
they were not on the road.

Next year will be no different. They’ll entertain the UK
and North America with More Songs To Learn & Sing.

North America

UK


.
Live performance of one of their greatest songs ever in 1983.

Instagram – Linktree – All Albums

ECHO & THE BUNNYMEN – Their Stunning Debut Album ‘CROCODILES’ Came Out 45 Years Ago

Posted on by JL

Significant albums from yesteryear

18 July 2025

Liverpool legends ECHO & THE BUNNYMEN (1978-1993, 1996-present) released
their stunning debut LP CROCODILES on 18 July 1980, today 45 years ago (same
day and year that Joy Division released their 2nd and final one ‘Closer‘)

Big mouth Ian McCulloch, genial guitarist Will Sergeant, bassist Les Pattinson (who
left in 1998) and drummer Pete De Freitas (who left after their 5th album Ocean Rain,
he died in a motorcycle crash in 1989, only 27) made it clear from the start that they
would become a major band. With this line-up, they scored 5 stellar LPs in a row.

Rolling Stone about Crocodiles: “Echo and the Bunnymen dive straight into the mystic
on their debut album, Crocodiles. Singer-guitarist Ian McCulloch specializes in a sort of apocalyptic brooding, combining Jim Morrison-style psychosexual yells, a flair for David
Bowie-like vocal inflections and the nihilistic bark of his punk peers into a disturbing
portrait of the singer as a young neurotic.

McCulloch trips out on his worst fears: isolation, death, sexual and emotional bankruptcy.
It’s the unnerving contrast between the colliding guitars and McCulloch’s tortured yelp that
gives Crocodiles its dramatic impetus.” Score: 4/5

Singles: Pictures On My Wall / Rescue

– PICTURES ON MY WALL –
Debut single

– RESCUE –
“Is this the blues I’m singing?”

ALBUM


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Back sleeve.

Instagram – Linktree – All Albums

ECHO & THE BUNNYMEN Guitarist WILL SERGEANT Produced New COURTNEY LOVE Solo Album

Posted on by JL

26 November 2024

Last night Echo & The Bunnymen‘s guitarist and multi-instrumentalist
WILL SERGEANT posted this message on the band’s Facebook account.

“From @ Will Sergeant. Evening all my old friend Courtney Love has spilled the beans,
so I think I can now. Been working on her amazing new record. Been a trip, she gave
me complete artistic freedom. Loved every minute, autoharp, electric mandolin, Bulbul
Tarang, baritone guitar plus layers of 12 & 6 string guitars.”

Courtney Love on Tik Tok about the album she already teased this past summer,
the day before Sergeant‘s announcement : “It’s the longest record that’s ever been written in the history of rock, so it better fuckin’ be good, no filler. I don’t do “collabs” — man, I hate that word! However, I have co-written songs with some people on this album. [REM’s Michael] Stipe mentioned our collaboration to The New York Times. I fell down weeping hearing his voice — it’s better than ever! I thought I knew the outcome, but I’m still the grasshopper while Michael is the sensei. There are others I can’t mention; I didn’t intend for any collaborations.

I did ask PJ Harvey to come back — I wanted just one of her great iconic Stones guitar riffs. We have a relationship; I’ve endorsed her over the decades, but she chose not to respond to me. So I wrote her about how fucking rude that was. Her manager tried to smooth things over, but it’s not okay — she hasn’t played rock music in 100 years! Her first five albums are great; after that, she ventured into art space (though I do love the Last Living Rose, which feels like a John Donne poem with… WTF? A tuba?.

Kurt Cobain‘s infamous widow COURTNEY LOVE released 4 albums
with Hole and one solo LP, named America’s Sweetheart 20 years
ago, in 2004.

She also played in 7 movies. Trust me, she’s a great actress.


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CL: Instagram

Album Tracks That Should Have Been Singles – ‘PROXY’ (2009) BY ECHO & THE BUNNYMEN

Posted on by JL

22 September 2024


(Photo by Turn Up The Volume – Leuven, Belgium – 2016)

Band: ECHO & THE BUNNYMEN
Track: PROXY

Album: THE FOUNTAIN
Their 11th LP. It got mixed reviews, although there are several tracks on that
could have been singles. Proxy is my first choice. It’s a get-up-and-go guitar-pop
gem with an irresistible dash and playful piano touches.

E&TB: Linktree

Happy 65 To IAN McCULLOCH – One Of The Greatest Voices In Rock Ever

Posted on by JL

5 May 2024


Photo by Turn Up The Volume

ECHO & THE BUNNYMEN‘s charismatic frontman and songwriter IAN STEPHEN McCULLOCH was born on 5 May 1959 in Liverpool. Happy 65 to one of the greatest voices in rock, ever of one of my all-time favorite bands, on record and on stage (I saw
them 30+ times, so far). They celebrated their 40th birthday as a band 2 years ago.

To celebrate Big Mouth Mac‘s birthday here are 3 Bunnymen knockouts.

– RESCUE –
(1980)

– THE CUTTER –
(1983)

– OCEAN RAIN –
(1984 – Live in Liverpool in 2001)

ECHO & THE BUNNYMEN: Story

ECHO & THE BUNNYMEN Released Their Masterwork ‘OCEAN RAIN’ 40 Years Ago Today

Posted on by JL

Back in time

4 May 2024

Liverpool legends ECHO & THE BUNNYMEN (1978–1993, 1996–present) released their masterwork LP OCEAN RAIN on 4 May 1984, today 40 years ago. It was their 4th album featuring a series of grandiose, melodramatic pop-rock symphonies. A sterling classic with frontman/songwriter ‘big mouth‘ Ian McCulloch at the top of his game. It peaked at #4 on the UK Charts.

AllMusic says: “Ocean Rain emerges as Echo & the Bunnymen’s most beautiful and memorable effort. Ornamenting Ian McCulloch’s most consistently strong collection of songs to date with subdued guitar textures, sweeping string arrangements, and hauntingly evocative production, the album is dramatic and majestic; “The Killing Moon,” Ocean Rain’s emotional centerpiece, remains the group’s unrivalled pinnacle.” Score: 5/5.

Singles/clips: The Killing Moon / Silver / Ocean Rain

– THE KILLING MOON –

– SILVER –

– OCEAN RAIN –
(My favourite. Supreme, spellbinding ballad)

ALBUM

Echo & The Bunnymen: Story – All Albums – Instagram