Echo & the Bunnymen Artistfacts

1978-1992, 1996-
Ian McCullochVocals
Will SergeantGuitar
Les PattinsonBass
Pete De FreitasDrums
The original line-up constituted out of Ian McCulloch, Will Sergeant, Les Pattinson and a drum machine. After only a few months the drum machine was replaced by Pete De Freitas. Sergeant later stated that Echo was the name of the drum machine, but this was just a trick to have the press stop asking questions about the band name. The drum machine did not have a name.
McCulloch used to sing in the short-lived Crucial Three before the Bunnymen were formed. This band lasted only a few weeks.
McCulloch has recorded solo material since 1989, whereas Sergeant has instrumental side projects under the monikers Will Sergeant, Sgt. Fuzz, and Glide.
McCulloch left the band in 1988 to start a solo career. The band recorded one album (Reverberation) with a different singer, Noel Burke from Belfast. The band broke up in 1990 when Reverberation failed to gain success. In 1994, McCulloch and Sergeant regrouped to form Electrafixion. In 1996 Les Pattinson joined them and the Bunnymen were officially reformed. Electrafixion released one album Burned. Pattinson would leave the reunited Bunnymen again after recording one more album.
De Freitas died in 1988 in a motorcycle accident.
McCulloch is a Liverpool FC season ticket holder and has even recorded an anthem for the 2006 FA Cup Final, won by Liverpool by beating West Ham on penalties.
The band is one of the few ever to perform on the remote Outer Hebrides islands off the northwest coast of Scotland. The purpose was to have "A unique band performing at a unique venue."
The sleeve picture for the Porcupine album was shot on a frozen glacier in Iceland, whereas the Ocean Rain cover picture was shot in an underground lake in South England. The cover for Evergreen was shot in Marrakech, Morocco.
McCulloch was married to Lorraine for over 20 years, until they divorced in 2004. The songs "I'll Fly Tonight" and "Silver" were about his happy marriage, whereas the album Siberia contains different songs about their break-up.
The most official book on the band is Turqouise Days, which was praised by McCulloch as the best book ever written on him and his band.
McCulloch is a good friend of Chris Martin of Coldplay, who even did backing vocals on Ian's latest solo release Slideling.
McCulloch suffered from Obsessive Compulsive Disorder (OCD), and several songs contain lyrics that can be seen as references to this.
Especially among fans, there is a sort of rivalry between Echo & The Bunnymen and U2, both bands rising to stardom in the same era.
Sergeant is also an experienced DJ who frequently organizes club nights.
The band used to wear military suits and camouflage suits during their early days, often performing on a stage covered by nets. >>
Suggestion credit:
Gerrit - Belfast, Northern Ireland, for all above
Will Sergeant recalled in his memoir, Bunnyman, how one evening he and his bandmates arrived for a show in Leeds to find a Mini blocking the club's load-in entrance. The Bunnymen bounced the car down the street, only later to discover it belonged to Annie Lennox, lead singer of gig headliners The Tourists. "Annie Lennox in full kill-the-Sassenachs mode is best avoided," said Sergeant.

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