From: owner-seven-seas@smoe.org (seven-seas-digest) To: seven-seas-digest@smoe.org Subject: seven-seas-digest V2 #902 Reply-To: seven-seas@smoe.org Sender: owner-seven-seas@smoe.org Errors-To: owner-seven-seas@smoe.org Precedence: bulk seven-seas-digest Friday, November 28 2003 Volume 02 : Number 902 ---------------------------------------------------------------------- Date: Fri, 28 Nov 2003 12:13:41 -0600 From: "Martha Smith" Subject: seven-seas sundayherald.com Glasgow http://www.sundayherald.com/38168 Echo Sounder Music: Still going strong after 25 years: how do the Bunnymen do it? It's all down to my je ne sais quoi Ian McCulloch tells Leona Gillan IAN McCulloch has been "belting towards" Echo And The Bunnymen's 25th anniversary tour since early summer. "We wouldn't be touring if it wasn't for the fact that Warners were remastering five albums," he cackles, "and I thought, 'Bloody hell, it's our 25th anniversary!' Even though we had nine years off for bad behaviour." The years the Liverpool legends have clocked up might have come as a shock but Mac needs no excuse to party . It was inevitable that these shows would be whipped up into something special. "It just seemed right that we would do something to commemorate the anniversary, and also to kind of go along with the first five albums being remastered. I've always thought the first four were the best ever made. They're just suits of a pack of cards. I've always thought that, even when we were doing them: Crocodiles was clubs; Porcupine was diamonds . no maybe Heaven Up Here was diamonds; Porcupine was spades ." And Ocean Rain was hearts. " That's probably why the fifth one [Songs To Learn And Sing] was so hard to make, and to make it as good as the other four, or even to fit in ." So far this year, the band have toured Australia, Japan, Brazil, America and Europe . "Then the Big Three," says Mac with relish. "Liverpool, Glasgow and London. Particularly Barrowlands and the [Liverpool Royal] Court. I've always said Barrowlands is the best venue in the world. " Mac has long designated Glasgow his "second city in Britain" after his beloved Liverpool, and, as one of his favourite places to come out and play, there was no question that it would be on the touring schedule. And when he pronounces it "Barrowlands", he makes a point of pulling himself up: "I know it's 'Barrowland', but 'Barrowlands' is the way we've always said it. It makes it sound ." Bigger? "Something like that. I can never put the 'go' in Glasgow, I always get home days late with more stuff to do, but basically I'm trying to recover to face getting on the train! "But it's more with Glasgow than Scotland. Whenever we played Edinburgh, it was always weird. You wouldn't think it's a different audience, but I suppose that's why they have the Fringe Festival, their emotions seem to be on the fringes, whereas Glaswegians wear their hearts on their sleeves. It's home from home." He's also chuffed Liverpool has been nominated European City of Culture in 2008. "Glasgow turned itself around after having it [the city was European City of Culture in 1990] - not that it had to, it was still a great city . It's great the best two UK cities have been given it." Even with all the remastering and delving deep into their back catalogue, Mac insists he doesn't get nostalgic: "I can't remember everything to look back to . It's all a bit of a haze. Sometimes I'll see a photo and think, 'I wish I had that kit on again'." How does he feel about the future? "I don't like necessarily being closer to the average age that you die at, but I look forward to tomorrow, and it's always been like that. I don't think I've ever been nostalgic. Obviously I remin isce, I like anecdotes, but only to generate a new one." So with 25 years' worth of material to choose from, what's going to be on the set-list? "We will do a lot more of the tracks we haven't played for ages, more Heaven Up Here, probably more Porcupine. Maybe the darker songs that are lying round." Without getting misty-eyed, the tour has forced Mac to appraise the Bunnymen's place in rock history, darkly persuasive and hugely influential. Recently, it's helped to have such high- profile fans as Chris Martin of Coldplay, but even at the height of their fame, the Bunnymen seemed to be born outsiders. "It's just what I've always wanted to do. We were never tucked into a kind of age, it was never about rock'n'roll rebellion, it was always about thought and feeling and those kind of things. Timeless. That's why the music has stayed timeless. I suppose the fact that I've still 'got it' helps. If I thought I didn't have the je ne sais quoi I think I'd jack it. But it seems to be getting better." As ever, he is completely earnest in his self-aggrandisement and forces you to ride along with his cast-iron belief that the Bunnymen are the best band in the world. "On-stage, especially doing my solo thing, I've turned into more of a performer, more of a singer. To me, it's improving. It's always another challenge. "The idea of the 25th anniversary tour, that's to do the best shows we've ever done, then use that as a platform to do the best album we've ever done. I've never really put a time limit on how long it runs. Till I drop dead." Echo And The Bunnymen play Glasgow Barrowland on Friday. Their first five albums have just been re-released by Warners 23 November 2003 ====================================== http://www.bunnymenlist.com ====================================== ------------------------------ Date: Fri, 28 Nov 2003 10:20:16 -0800 (PST) From: Andrew Ironside Subject: Re: seven-seas I just wish the NME would put out a special issue on EATB like they did for Punk, Radiohead, Rolling Stones, and Lennon. __________________________________ Do you Yahoo!? Free Pop-Up Blocker - Get it now http://companion.yahoo.com/ ====================================== http://www.bunnymenlist.com ====================================== ------------------------------ Date: Fri, 28 Nov 2003 23:52:40 -0000 From: "looloo" Subject: seven-seas :-))))) ok see some of you soon catch up with the rest of you the other side of the weekend !!!!! YAY!! looloo ====================================== http://www.bunnymenlist.com ====================================== ------------------------------ Date: Fri, 28 Nov 2003 20:49:50 -0300 (ART) From: =?iso-8859-1?q?Javier=20Griedassov?= Subject: seven-seas Echo in Brazil Recording Hi. I am interested in the CDR. How could make to have it? Thank you very much by you consideration by EATB. Greetings. Javier Carlos Coelho wrote: Hi there everyone! I'll be in the Echo gig here in Brazil next tuesday, the 18th. Will be taking my set of mic and minidisc to get it recorded. If it comes out alright, I'll be more than happy to make copies in CD-R to all the ones interested. Drop me a line if you want a copy! (carlos.a.coelho@uol.com.br) Cross your fingers! Carlos. ====================================== http://www.bunnymenlist.com ====================================== - --------------------------------- ?Buscas un auto? Encontralo en Yahoo! Autos !Mas de 4000 clasificados todos los dmas! Usados - 0 km - Vendi el tuyo ====================================== http://www.bunnymenlist.com ====================================== ------------------------------ End of seven-seas-digest V2 #902 ********************************