Echo & the Bunnymen is an English group formed in Liverpool in 1978 by Ian McCulloch, Will Sergeant and Les Pattinson. Group which will be joined some time later by Pete de Freitas.
The story begins in 1977, at that time McCulloch was part of the "Crucial Three", then of "A Shallow Madness", ephemeral group which will have time to write 4 titles.
The group explodes quickly, some members found "The Teardrop Explodes" and McCulloch then forms Echo & The Bunnymen.
Their first single "The pictures on my wall" was released in 1979. Single with modest success.
Everything changed when their first album "Crocodiles" was released in 1980, a critically acclaimed album that went straight into the Top20 English album. From it will be extracted their first major single namely "Rescue".
A year later in 1981 the album "Heaven up here" was released, with a very honorable journey. "Promise" will be the best single.
It wasn't until 1982 to see their first hit ranked in the Top20 with "The back of love" and 1983 to see their first hit ranked in the Top10 with "The cutter".
Both from the same album "Porcupine", an album which reached a very nice 2nd place in the Top albums. And who will finish Gold Record.
The single “Never stop”, a new success, was released in the process.
In 1984, the album "Ocean rain" was released, considered to this day as the "jewels" of the group and which contains among other things the magnificent and bewitching "Killing moon". As well as the excellent "Silver" and "Seven seas".
Having reached the heights, the group struggled to revive behind and released in 1985 only the single "Bring on the dancing horses".
It took two years and the year 1987 to see the release of the album of the same name as the group, which in turn will be Gold Record and from which will be mainly extracted the single hit "Lips like sugar".
McCulloch will leave the group in 1988, the group will continue without him but will eventually separate in 1993, for lack of success following the departure of this indisputable and undisputed leader.
To discover or rediscover.
Discography (among others ...) :
The pictures on my wall 1979
Rescue 1980
A promise 1981
The back of love 1982
The cutter 1983
Never stop 1983
The killing moon 1984
Silver 1984
Seven seas 1984
Bring on the dances horses 1985
The game 1987
Lips like sugar 1987
People are strange 1987
Enlighten me 1990
Nothing lasts forever 1997
I want to be there (When you come) 1997
Don't let it get you down 1997
Rust 1999
It's alright 2001
Stormy weather 2005
All because of you days 2005
In the margins 2005
Forgotten fields 2009
Do you know who I am 2009
Everlasting neverendless 2009
Meteorites 2014
Lovers on the run 2014
Market town 2014
The somnanbulist 2018
How far ? 2018
Clips :
1979 ... a first title which will go somewhat unnoticed. The basics are good but it is clear that there is still a little work before being able to play in the big leagues ...
1980 ... here comes the first classified title. A particularly favorable change of decade which ideally positions them for the next events
1981 ... the sound of the group, which will become its trademark, really takes shape in this particular title. So we imagine that the best is yet to come ...
1982 ... a track that spins at 100 km/h ... Not necessarily the most successful, certainly but the best is yet to come so no worries to have ...
1983 ... their first notorious success. The group has calmed down, the style has been refined, the quality is necessarily felt. Success is now global !
1983 ... two top hits for the price of 1 ! Excellent vintage than this year 1983 for the group which then became one of the biggest phenomena of the moment across the Channel
1984 ... the WONDER ! What will surely remain as one of their best songs, if not the best and especially the most inspired. MAG-NI-FI-CENT !
1984 ... the previous year was rich in quality titles, this one will even be a slight notch above, that is to say !
1984 ... a third title to end the year in style and above all a third hit which further strengthens the group's heavyweight status. All good little guys !
1985 ... a single title year but what a title ! They sign here the 2nd biggest success of all their discography. A group at the height of its art !
1987 ... after a surprisingly empty 1986 year, the group returns in a certain form. Sufficient form in any case to keep them in the lead
1987 ... sweet appetizing lips, to say the least. New global top hit, that's for the good news. But it will be the last notorious of the group, that's for the bad news ...
1987 ... like an aftertaste of Doors. An amazing title to end the 1980s, a decade that saw them hatch, then explode !
1990 ... Echo And The Bunnymen Season II. After the departure of its leader, the group tries to rebuild himself. Not simple as they say ...
1997 ... it will take 7 years for the group in its new version to finally get their heads out of the water. We were really wondering if it would ever happen ...
1997 ... their 'big' hit of the year. Admittedly, the level of success has nothing to do with the previous decade but we will largely be satisfied
1997 ... a BIG year 1997 which sees them come back in force and align the heavyweight titles. Like what, nothing is never finished ...
1999 ... a nice walk to end the 90s in an ideal way. End of decade and almost end of the adventure. Nearly...
2001 ... they will attempt the transition to the next decade and my faith, the result is not that bad. Certainly, the competition is now light years away but the adventure continues anyway ...
2005 ... the last hit of the group. Almost 25 years after their debut, the group is writing one of the very last chapters in their history. A story that will last a little longer ...
2005 ... not only will it last but above all it will see the group continue to offer titles of more than certain quality. The story is far from over, that's for sure !
2005 ... even if the group has disappeared from the Charts, its level of inspiration is still present. While most groups of their time have already sunk in body and soul, the group continues its adventure as if nothing had happened ...
2009 ... not only does he continue his adventure but above all he believes in it again and again. And he's damn right to still believe it when you see what he continues to deliver ...
2009 ... admittedly they are now more figurative than anything else compared to the young generation but they do not have to be ashamed of their current quality level. Well done gentlemen !
2009 ... already 30 years of career anyway, we can only salute the performance ! And hardly a wrinkle as they say ...
2014 ... and here they are, full foot in their 5th decade of existence, who would have believed it when they started in 1979 ? Not many people, that's for sure ...
2014 ... admittedly Ian McCullosh's voice is not quite what it used to be, but it is still largely at the minimum required level. So we ask for more !
2014 ... we really wonder how far they are going to be able to go. Will 2010 be their last decade in business ? Good question...
2018 ... and here they are again 4 years later, still so determined to never give up. It is therefore easy to imagine that the adventure is not about to end once again ...
2018 ... how far ? This is precisely the title of the song ! A title in the form of a snub to tell the whole world that we still risk finding them the following decade. To be continued ...
Wiki :
Official Website :
Greatest Hits :
Discography :