Ian McCulloch

Musician

Popular As Ian McCulloch (singer)

Birthday May 5, 1959

Birth Sign Taurus

Birthplace Liverpool, England

Age 64 years old

Nationality United Kingdom

#14421 Most Popular

1959

Ian Stephen McCulloch, (born 5 May 1959) is an English singer-songwriter and musician, best known as the lead vocalist of the rock band Echo & the Bunnymen.

McCulloch was a singer-songwriter with the Crucial Three, one of many local bands that sprang up amongst the regulars who patronised a Liverpool club called Eric's in the late '70s.

The other two members were Julian Cope and Pete Wylie who went on to form Wah!.

1970

With their line up solidified, the Bunnymen played in the late 1970s and early 1980s, releasing their critically praised debut album, Crocodiles in 1980, and the heavier, bass-driven Heaven Up Here in 1981.

1977

The band existed between May and June 1977, and never got beyond rehearsals.

1978

In July 1978, along with future members of the Teardrop Explodes – Cope, Mick Finkler and Paul Simpson – and drummer Dave Pickett, McCulloch formed A Shallow Madness.

Again the band did not perform or record, but an acoustic version of the band, under the name 'Uh', played live twice.

The band split up in September 1978.

In October 1978, McCulloch founded Echo & the Bunnymen with Will Sergeant (guitar), Les Pattinson (bass), and a drum machine (allegedly named Echo), making their live début at Eric's in November that year.

1979

In October 1979, the Bunnymen exchanged the drum machine for Pete de Freitas on drums.

1980

McCulloch said that during the early 1980s, Bono told him the Bunnymen could break America but only if they toured there for three months.

McCulloch said: "Three months? I can't spend three minutes in Birkenhead without going daft, let alone America."

1983

They released their third album Porcupine in 1983 with the lead single "The Cutter" finishing in the top 10 of the UK charts.

1984

Ocean Rain followed in 1984.

Shortly before the album was released, McCulloch described Ocean Rain as "the greatest album ever made."

McCulloch later said: "When I sing 'The Killing Moon' I know there isn't a band in the world who's got a song anywhere near that."

1988

In 1988, McCulloch left the group to pursue a solo career under the impression the Bunnymen would be laid to rest, if only temporarily.

When the remaining Bunnymen continued using the name with new singer Noel Burke, the split became permanent with McCulloch referring to the band as "Echo & the Bogusmen".

1990

In 1990, McCulloch released the album Candleland which reflected a more mature outlook on the world, owing to the recent deaths of McCulloch's father and Pete de Freitas, and peaked at number 18 on the UK Albums Chart.

It yielded two Modern Rock Tracks hits, "Proud to Fall" (No. 1 for 4 weeks) and "Faith and Healing".

1992

The album Mysterio was released in 1992 as the public's interest in the former Bunnyman was waning and sold less than its predecessor.

Shortly after, McCulloch left the public eye to devote more time to his family.

1993

In 1993, McCulloch partnered with Johnny Marr of the Smiths, writing an album's worth of material.

McCulloch has credited Marr with helping him regain his lost confidence and rejuvenating his desire to create music.

When it was suggested that Will Sergeant be brought in to work on the songs, the tapes were allegedly stolen from a courier van preventing Sergeant from offering any input.

1994

The rekindling of the relationship between McCulloch and Sergeant led to the formation of Electrafixion in 1994.

The band released the album Burned which peaked at number 38 in the UK and included the top-30 hit "Sister Pain".

The band soon found themselves performing set lists composed of half Electrafixion songs and half Echo & the Bunnymen songs.

1997

In 1997, Echo & the Bunnymen reformed and released the album Evergreen to positive reviews and chart success.

Evergreen made the top 10 of the UK Albums Chart and the single "Nothing Lasts Forever" reached No. 8 on the UK Singles Chart.

1998

In 1998, McCulloch teamed up with the Spice Girls, Tommy Scott of Space, and Simon Fowler of Ocean Colour Scene as 'England United' to record "Top of the World", the official song for Team England in the 1998 FIFA World Cup, although it fared less well than a reissue of "Three Lions".

2002

He enjoyed more success working as a mentor for Coldplay during the recording of their 2002 album A Rush of Blood to the Head.

2003

In 2003, McCulloch released his third solo album Slideling and undertook a solo tour in support of the album.

2006

McCulloch has been a lifetime supporter of Liverpool F.C. In 2006, he took part in recording the team's anthem with the Bootroom Allstars – a remake of the Johnny Cash song "Ring of Fire", and was on the judging panel for the music competition Pringles Unsung.

2010

In 2010, McCulloch featured in a guest role on the song "Some Kind of Nothingness" by the Manic Street Preachers from their tenth album Postcards from a Young Man.

2011

More recently, in 2011, McCulloch said of Bono: "Had he been in Liverpool, he would have been laughed out of the place. U2 have never been liked in Liverpool. We know a fake when we see one."

2012

In 2012, McCulloch released a solo LP, Pro Patria Mori and a live album Holy Ghosts in 2013.

2014

The reformed Bunnymen have since recorded several further albums, the most recent being Meteorites which was released in 2014.

At the height of the Bunnymen's popularity, McCulloch earned the nickname "Mac the Mouth" due to a penchant for witty, blunt criticism of artists he deemed inferior, while proclaiming the Bunnymen's superiority.

Targets of his observations included Bono of U2 and Julian Cope.