Main content
Sorry, this episode is not currently available

Ian McCulloch

With this year's 6 Music Festival taking place in Liverpool, Matt Everitt chats to one of its famous sons, Ian McCulloch, about the key musical moments of his life.

To tie in with this year's 6 Music Festival taking place in Liverpool, Matt Everitt chats to Echo & The Bunnymen frontman, Ian McCulloch about the key musical moments from his life.

Since releasing its debut album, ‘Crocodiles’ almost 40 years ago, the band has earned a place in guitar music history for forging “grandiose soundscapes out of punk energy and pop poetry” - a distinctive combination of attitude and sound that has influenced many bands that have followed in The Bunnymen’s wake.

In this candid conversation, McCulloch reveals the group’s beginnings, including the shambles of their first gig which that turned out to be the making of them, plus the singer’s struggle with shyness in those early days that remains to this day, despite outward acts of bravado.

McCulloch also share the early influence of The Fall and Leonard Cohen on their sound, the life-changing impact of first hearing David Bowie and then seeing him perform Ziggy Stardust live (including a fascination with his eyebrows), as well as, of course, a deep recognition of how Liverpool’s rich musical heritage has helped shaped the group.

Plus, McCulloch recounts a strange night out with another of his musical heroes, Lou Reed, along with insights into how Echo & The Bunnymen’s much-loved songs, like ‘The Killing Moon’ and ‘Nothing Lasts Forever’, came into existence.

1 hour

Last on

Mon 27 Jul 2020 04:00
BBC Radio 6 Music

More episodes

Previous

Tony Visconti

Next

Tame Impala

See all episodes from The First Time With...

Music Played

  • Echo & the Bunnymen

    The Killing Moon

    • Korova.

  • Echo & the Bunnymen

    Never Stop

  • The Beatles

    All My Loving

    • 1962-1966.
    • Apple.
    • 3.

  • The Beatles

    I Want To Hold Your Hand

    • The Beatles - 1.
    • Apple.
    • 004.

  • Elvis Presley

    Love Me Tender

    • Presley - The All Time Greatest Hits.
    • RCA.

  • David Bowie

    Ziggy Stardust

    • EMI.

  • David Bowie

    Starman

    • EMI.

  • Echo & the Bunnymen

    Monkeys

  • Echo & the Bunnymen

    Pictures on My Wall

  • The Fall

    Pay Your Rates

  • Echo & the Bunnymen

    Bring On The Dancing Horses

    • Korova.

  • Leonard Cohen

    The Stranger Song

  • Echo & the Bunnymen

    Forgiven

  • Echo & the Bunnymen

    Nothing Lasts Forever

    • London.

  • The Velvet Underground

    Sunday Morning

    • Verve.

  • Lou Reed

    I Can't Stand It

  • Lou Reed

    Andy's Chest

  • Echo & the Bunnymen

    Seven Seas (Transformed)

  • La Roux

    Quicksand

    • CD SINGLE.
    • KITSUNE.
    • 1.

  • Echo & the Bunnymen

    The Killing Moon (Transformed)

  • James Brown

    Make It Funky

    • Polydor.

Broadcasts

  • Sun 17 Mar 2019 13:00
    BBC Radio 6 Music
  • Mon 27 Jul 2020 04:00
    BBC Radio 6 Music

Featured in...

The first record I ever bought… by Noel Gallagher, Janelle Monae, Florence Welch, Thom Yorke, Elton John and many more

The first record I ever bought… by Noel Gallagher, Janelle Monae, Florence Welch, Thom Yorke, Elton John and many more

A selection of major artists reveal their first musical purchase.

Podcast

  • The First Time With...

    Interviews with major artists revealing the moments and songs that shaped their careers.