The end is near?

[Dr Cheese]

yes

Elaborate! What've they done recently that's worth a listen? What's got loads of Will on it? Anything?

evergreen is a good album and the others have their moments (except metorites which i couldn't even finish) and live they are hit and miss but i would say you are over reacting as can you name one/two/five bands that got better with age? it is the natural progression of bands from raw to acumplished to slightly a parody. all othe albums have flaws but the ratio of hits to flaws is diminsihing but that is the standard rule of the law of diminshing returns from bands. i still enjoy songs from all albums and dislike some from all albums (except maybe ocean rain)

You're right of course, it just pains me to see the Bunnymen (I say "Bunnymen" but it's not really is it) descend into the realms of karaoke style tributism.

Anyway it doesn't matter what a grumpy old fart like me thinks, I won't be going to see them again any time soon but they're still recording (sporadically) and gigging which keeps people happy so fair play.

As long as they don't end up like Status Quo ... you know, a cabaret band playing Butlins and such like.

[username]

You're right of course, it just pains me to see the Bunnymen (I say "Bunnymen" but it's not really is it) descend into the realms of karaoke style tributism.

Anyway it doesn't matter what a grumpy old fart like me thinks, I won't be going to see them again any time soon but they're still recording (sporadically) and gigging which keeps people happy so fair play.

As long as they don't end up like Status Quo ... you know, a cabaret band playing Butlins and such like.

i agree and the butlins thing seems scarily possible 'bikes n bunnies' though i'm not sure mac would be a good red coat being uninteligable n all

[Voodoo Billy]

You're right of course, it just pains me to see the Bunnymen (I say "Bunnymen" but it's not really is it) descend into the realms of karaoke style tributism.

Anyway it doesn't matter what a grumpy old fart like me thinks, I won't be going to see them again any time soon but they're still recording (sporadically) and gigging which keeps people happy so fair play.

As long as they don't end up like Status Quo ... you know, a cabaret band playing Butlins and such like.

i agree and the butlins thing seems scarily possible 'bikes n bunnies' though i'm not sure mac would be a good red coat being uninteligable n all

Butlins Bognor Regis in January.

[Mr.Sparkle]

It really is a shame about Ian's vocals going down the shitter over the last 20 years, especially when you hear other bands that are still around from the same time period and the singer's usually sound generally the same as they did years ago more or less.

I think the end is near and I'm fine with that, I don't have much interest in the new album, I guess with the last album I've really began to lose interest, still got that one but didn't like it very much. Seems like the band keeps trying to recapture the old sound but generally fail instead of trying something really different that would suit them better. This new album seems like they've kind of given up, just doing covers of their own songs lol.

I saw them on the Evergreen tour and it was amazing, Electrafixion was also fantastic live but have no desire to see them now, especially given the predictable setlist.

[billythekid]

It really is a shame about Ian's vocals going down the shitter over the last 20 years, especially when you hear other bands that are still around from the same time period and the singer's usually sound generally the same as they did years ago more or less.

I think the end is near and I'm fine with that, I don't have much interest in the new album, I guess with the last album I've really began to lose interest, still got that one but didn't like it very much. Seems like the band keeps trying to recapture the old sound but generally fail instead of trying something really different that would suit them better. This new album seems like they've kind of given up, just doing covers of their own songs lol.

I saw them on the Evergreen tour and it was amazing, Electrafixion was also fantastic live but have no desire to see them now, especially given the predictable setlist.

Agree with you, although I have seen them on more recent tours it is very much hit and miss. In May RAH and Birmingham were good, Liverpool very poor and went to Reading on this one and again shabby. Mac even left the stage at one point someone told me they thought he muttered something about having flu. Has anybody had colds and flu more than him I wonder, as I’ve heard that a few times before.
If he would only accept just how important Will is then think the albums would be much better, instead imo he’s just using the Bunnymen name to front what are basically his solo projects.
I’ve said this before on here but if Mac has all these songs in his head, which he claims he has, why do this album first? And if the two new offerings are the best he can do then maybe he should leave them right where they are! Somnambulist isn’t too bad but the other one just rambles on. As for the setlist, that’s really become a joke, there must be a reason they just rotate the same songs, I seriously wonder if that’s because he hasn’t got the vocals for most of them live. For a band who tours so much and uses every opportunity to do so, there must be a reason they didn’t do Porcupine??

[username]

You're right of course, it just pains me to see the Bunnymen (I say "Bunnymen" but it's not really is it) descend into the realms of karaoke style tributism.

Anyway it doesn't matter what a grumpy old fart like me thinks, I won't be going to see them again any time soon but they're still recording (sporadically) and gigging which keeps people happy so fair play.

As long as they don't end up like Status Quo ... you know, a cabaret band playing Butlins and such like.

i agree and the butlins thing seems scarily possible 'bikes n bunnies' though i'm not sure mac would be a good red coat being uninteligable n all

Butlins Bognor Regis in January.

bunnys and butlins, butlins and bunnys who?

[dodojojo]

As for the setlist, that’s really become a joke, there must be a reason they just rotate the same songs, I seriously wonder if that’s because he hasn’t got the vocals for most of them live. For a band who tours so much and uses every opportunity to do so, there must be a reason they didn’t do Porcupine??

I reckon it's one or combo of these reasons:

1) He can't sing them anymore
2) Laziness
3) He's got some OCD going on about the setlist, much like how he goes on about the original vocals. Maybe he's got something against many of their songs. I know it sounds out there but I mean it's Ian McCulloch so who knows....

Probably overcomplicating it and it's just #1.

[billythekid]

As for the setlist, that’s really become a joke, there must be a reason they just rotate the same songs, I seriously wonder if that’s because he hasn’t got the vocals for most of them live. For a band who tours so much and uses every opportunity to do so, there must be a reason they didn’t do Porcupine??

I reckon it's one or combo of these reasons:

1) He can't sing them anymore
2) Laziness
3) He's got some OCD going on about the setlist, much like how he goes on about the original vocals. Maybe he's got something against many of their songs. I know it sounds out there but I mean it's Ian McCulloch so who knows....

Probably overcomplicating it and it's just #1.

I’d say # 1 and 2, not 3 though!

[fat cherry]

As long as they don't end up like Status Quo ... you know, a cabaret band playing Butlins and such like.

Used to love the quo -though listening to the live radio gig doing the acoustic thing didn't work for me. Just before he dropped off his perch I believe Parfit was preparing to jack it because of that, saying, if its the quo its got to rock.

As for the butlins thing, I seem to remember a few years ago a former official forum manager (is that what they are called Mr Brian) saying the buns would never lower themselves to do anything like the touring 80s revival shows, and we agreed. Having been to one however, it wasn't all that bad, just a bit weird being in a very small audience,watching your band, with the mirror ball spinning over your head.

[fat cherry]

As for the setlist, that’s really become a joke, there must be a reason they just rotate the same songs,
I reckon it's one or combo of these reasons:

1) He can't sing them anymore
2) Laziness
3) He's got some OCD going on about the setlist, much like how he goes on about the original vocals. Maybe he's got something against many of their songs. I know it sounds out there but I mean it's Ian McCulloch so who knows....

Probably overcomplicating it and it's just #1.

Bernard Sumner talks about this in his autobiography. They want a good gig and know we (well not actually US, the rest of them)want a good gig and know from years of experience what gets the audience bouncing. So barny's new order (as opposed to hooky & the light, play a fairly routine set of hits (though maybe they have more actual hits than us) and then throw in a handful of other stuff. Though obv, buns don't always do the last bit, maybe a coupl of songs of the last album nobody bought. And Hooky, as you might expect, disagrees with his former band mates. There is, it seems though a distinct lack of confidence in any new stuff, n'est pas?

[Dr Cheese]

I agree with Mr. Sparkypants, Mac's fucked his voice and can't sing properly anymore and they can't be arsed to relearn any songs outside of the set-in-stone setlist.

I seem to recall around the time of the upcoming Crocs/HUH shows reading somewhere about Will complaining that he was having to relearn the guitar parts on the songs that they never play?

[Crystal Days]

Re-hashing the same old shit for years now, just will not fuck off.

[Crystal Days]

Dr Cheese, obviously.

[Dr Cheese]

Things a bit quiet up Pendle Hill I see.

[Crystal Days]

Things a bit quiet up Pendle Hill I see.

Around Halloween? No chance.