Echo & the Bunnymen are playing Coachella April 16

[In The Margins]

http://www.vcstar.com/news/2010/apr/13/ ... artner=RSS

Ian McCulloch was in the zone, Echo & the Bunnymen were rockin’ and the crowd at the venerable Arlington Theatre in Santa Barbara was transfixed. But faster than you could say “What’s a Bunnyman?,” frontman McCulloch fell backwards into the blackness.

Despite being down a man, the band kept playing, edging to the edge of the stage, peering into the dark abyss of the orchestra pit, gradually slowing down before stopping altogether, leaving an awkward silence and an unfinished song. After a few minutes, a wobbly McCulloch was helped back onto the stage and quipped, “I meant to do that.’’ The crowd laughed and the show continued.

That was in the ’80s. Fast forward a few decades and Echo & the Bunnymen are not only still around, but are one of the many reasons to attend this year’s Coachella Valley Music and Arts Festival in Indio, a three-day epic of old and new music — almost all of it good — that begins Friday, April 16, in Indio.

If you like music, you have to go. Vampire Weekend, Grizzly Bear, LCD Soundsystem, the Specials, the Avett Brothers, the Cribs, As Tall as Lions, Grace Jones and Passion Pit are just a few of the acts worth checking out — and that’s just on the first day.

Echo & the Bunnymen, still fronted by McCulloch and powered by his guitar god pal, Will Sergeant, are also first-day attractions. McCulloch, all the way from Scary Olde England, discussed the latest.

What’s the latest in Echo world?

Well, we’re obviously playing Coachella and then taking a tour all over America, including a couple of mad places. We’re playing a casino and I think we’ve got the night off before to blow all our money.

How’s your latest album, “The Fountain,” doing?

It’s a different way of doing things. It’s not like the old days when Warner Bros. would send you off to play pretty much everywhere in the world in a very short period of time and burn your brain out. You might get immediate and bigger results like that, but that way of releasing a record and promoting it — even in those days — was arduous. It can be fun, but not when it’s back to back.

Last time I saw you guys was in the ’80s in Santa Barbara. You had your back to the crowd when you fell off the stage. The band kept playing for a few seconds, then stopped. After a few nervous moments, you clambered back up on the stage and said, “I meant to do that.’’ Remember that one?

I didn’t fall off. It was more like Icarus. I had quite a lot to drink and who knows what else? But it wasn’t that. I used to do this thing every night where I turned around and danced. I didn’t have me glasses on, so I couldn’t see a thing. That night, I forgot that the stage was a third of the size of the ones we had been playing on, so I went (head over heels) into the pit and I ended up with a blood clot in me leg.

Hate when that happens.

I think we had two more dates in Oakland or somewhere, and I was prescribed all the wrong quick treatments. Me leg was twice the size when I got back to Liverpool, and I was in agony. But me wife said, “Your manager said you did two shows, so it can’t be that bad.’’ And I said, “Yeah, I’m an actor the show must go on.’’ So I went to the hospital and the doctor told me, “You need to get this out. You have a blood clot.’’ Later, I wrote this song, “Proud to Fall,” on my first solo record and it was kind of about that because I remember at the time people were saying, “Oh, he’s just faking it.’’ But I could’ve died.

The weird thing was that the band kept playing for a while, then they all moved to the edge of the stage looking down into the dark orchestra pit.

Yeah, they lifted me out like the Phoenix. It wasn’t the most graceful of moves. They came down and asked me if I was OK and I said, “Yeah, I’m just so embarrassed — you don’t fall off stage.’’ Anyway, they lifted me up and I carried on.

And you pulled it off. You said something funny.

I’m glad you found it funny. I said, “I was supposed to do that’’ or something like that.

Right. You totally played off it and everybody laughed. Well, that was then and this is now. Besides that one, what was your strangest gig?

My memory is terrible. I have a great memory for the great things, not necessarily in detail, but I know which gigs are in my Top 10 and I have nightmares of the worst gigs that never happened. I have one where the microphone stand is six inches high and I couldn’t do anything about it. The roadies were just standing there and I’m thinking, “Something’s not right.” There’s strange venues, too. We played the city square in Florence once. I don’t know if any other bands have done it, but we were asked by the council or something. It was a special, free festival with the Ponte Vecchio just behind us, so we’ve done things like that. Fights are usually the things that stand out as well — those strange town-square altercations. They always seem to end up in a town square in Europe.

These are alcohol-related stories?

Yeah, it’s usually when you say the wrong thing in a strange language in a strange tone, but anything can spark it off. But as far as strange gigs? Will has a memory for that stuff.

Where did you meet Will?

It was in Liverpool. There was some party going on in some bar in early summer of 1978. Actually, we’d met earlier in the ladies’ toilet a year before, I think. I used to go into the ladies’ because the men’s was six inches deep in whatever and in the ladies’, I could wash me hands properly and they had mirrors in there so I could have a look at me hair. I think there used to be mirror in the gent’s toilet, but it was a punk kind of club so it got smashed.

So after thirty-plus years together with a few breaks, do you think you two might stick with it?

Yeah. I think Will is the best guitar player in the world.

He is pretty darn cool, no doubt about that.

Yeah, I think he’s one of the most underrated guitar players. Even when it’s got a power and frenzy, it’s still got a Will kind of beauty to it. He never does anything corny.

Why do you suppose the British press is so mean? Have you guys, pretty much, escaped all that?

No, everyone goes through it. Some of them hate everything, but I’m a charmer, so I can convert them. Charm can go a long way.

When did you guys become legends?

I don’t know what comes first — icons or legends. I think it’s “icons” first. I think it happened when we reformed in 1997. Now there’s so many songs to choose from, even though some would say that 1981 was the peak live experience with the Bunnymen. You know, it was the best live band on the planet, but sometimes I’d leave the stage depressed because I thought the audience didn’t get it. I wondered why they weren’t reacting more, even though they were clamoring for an encore. Now with “Seven Seas” or “Killing Moon” or “Silver” or “Ocean Rain,” the set list is that much stronger.

How did the “Ocean Rain’’ album in 1985 change things for you guys?

At time, people were saying that it was the ultimate, a masterpiece. Doing those songs 25 years later with orchestras and stuff, with the reaction we got and the crowd just singing the album all the way through, was just special. It’s better now than it was 25 years ago. The first “Ocean Rain” show we did in 2008 at the Albert Hall was fantastic and emotional and stuff, and then we played at Radio City Music Hall in New York and it was the most joyous show, almost rapturous. I felt that I belonged on that stage and in that album and I felt like I was watching it from a cloud. I felt so young and youthful and felt like the album was ahead of its time, but always of its own time. It was peaceful and I’ve never felt that. I felt like I’d been killed or something and I’ve never felt that before.

All the Echo albums after “Ocean Rain’’ are good. There are no bad ones, which is a good thing.

My favorite is probably “What Are You Going to Do with Your Life?’’ It’s probably the most complete record I’ve ever done. It’s very personal to me and I love the words.

What’s the best and worst thing about being in a cool rock ’n’ roll band?

The best thing about being in the coolest rock ’n’ roll band is being in the coolest rock ’n’ roll band. The worst thing about being in a cool rock ’n’ roll band is being in one which is not Echo & the Bunnymen.

All right, man, that should be more than I need to know. Be careful at Coachella. It’s a huge stage.

Yeah, it’s going to be fantastic. We go on at 8:30, just as the sun is going down. Come backstage and say hello. It’s always nice to put a face with the voice. I could show you me leg scar.

[black francis]

That's a great interview. No U2 or Coldplay references, witty. Sounded like he's at peace if that can be gathered from an interview. Maybe fatherhood at 50 is the way to go.

[withahip]

I thought it was a parody.

[Mr. Brian]

Clever interviewer. Intentional or not, notice how this:

What’s the latest in Echo world?

Well, we’re obviously playing Coachella and then taking a tour all over America, including a couple of mad places. We’re playing a casino and I think we’ve got the night off before to blow all our money.

How’s your latest album, “The Fountain,” doing?

It’s a different way of doing things. It’s not like the old days when Warner Bros. would send you off to play pretty much everywhere in the world in a very short period of time and burn your brain out. You might get immediate and bigger results like that, but that way of releasing a record and promoting it — even in those days — was arduous. It can be fun, but not when it’s back to back.

Is followed by this:

Last time I saw you guys was in the ’80s in Santa Barbara. You had your back to the crowd when you fell off the stage. The band kept playing for a few seconds, then stopped. After a few nervous moments, you clambered back up on the stage and said, “I meant to do that.’’ Remember that one?

I didn’t fall off. It was more like Icarus. I had quite a lot to drink and who knows what else? But it wasn’t that. I used to do this thing every night where I turned around and danced. I didn’t have me glasses on, so I couldn’t see a thing. That night, I forgot that the stage was a third of the size of the ones we had been playing on, so I went (head over heels) into the pit and I ended up with a blood clot in me leg.

In other words, it was in the plans all along!

[In The Margins]

I got the impression that The Fountain wasn't selling so well because they don't tour as much as they did when Warner was running the show.

I'd love to hear Will's recounting of the Santa Barbara show. "I'm playing along and really grooving and I look up. Where's Mac? He was here a while ago. So I continue on thinking, he'll just reappear and then we hear some little whimper noises coming from the pit in front of the stage, so we all went over to take a look. There he was. Laying on the ground, with his guitar still strapped on, still playing it. He yelled out, 'Throw me the mike. I can sing from here.' I was tempted."

[morty]

Ian sounds sober in that interview.

There is no slagging of other artists and praising of himself.

Maybe the new responsibilities are bringing about a reality check.

I hope some serious fans from this forum will be attending some US shows and can tell us if this sober sounding Ian reflects positively in the shows.

It would make such a difference to hear some good reviews.

[withahip]

Alcoholism and drug addiction don't just suddenly disappear. And the ciggies.

But like you Morty - it would be great to see he overcome all that as much for the music as just for him.

[Joe-eatb]

Great interview, Ian sounds great and positive. I really like how he said Will is the greatest guitarist in the world and he is so underrated. I hope they KICK ASS on this mini tour.

[Dr Evil]

Great interview, Ian sounds great and positive. I really like how he said Will is the greatest guitarist in the world and he is so underrated. I hope they KICK ASS on this mini tour.

For a moment I thought I'd somehow logged into the BOF! Seriously though, Mac actually sounds sober in that interview, though not everyone shares his views on WAYGTDWYL or The Fountain. The band has had more resurrections than Lazarus, so despite my scepticism, they can never be written off. I think Mac goes though a cycle of self-destruction and just at the brink, pulls back and surprises people.

[fat cherry]

How’s your latest album, “The Fountain,” doing?

It’s a different way of doing things. It’s not like the old days when Warner Bros. would send you off to play pretty much everywhere in the world in a very short period of time and burn your brain out. You might get immediate and bigger results like that, but that way of releasing a record and promoting it — even in those days — was arduous. It can be fun, but not when it’s back to back.

well he doesn't really answer the question there does he. its like he's standing for parliament or something.

[Frank The Bunny]

well he doesn't really answer the question there does he.

I noticed that myself

[black francis]

I thought that was the diplomatic way of "not doing so hot"

Did have a government ring to it though.

[In The Margins]

I thought that was the diplomatic way of "not doing so hot"

Did have a government ring to it though.

Sounds like a press release, and incredibily lucid.

He "answered" the question by not answering it. Not so well.

[DivaDiana77]

I didn’t fall off. It was more like Icarus. I had quite a lot to drink and who knows what else?

Oh no, looks like this interview won't be going up on the other site. He admits he drinks and does "who knows what else."

[kelley]

but will the icelandic ash cloud hovering over the atlantic cancel their flight...?!