Legendary Liverpool post-punk group Echo And The Bunnymen are set to re-issue their classic album ‘Ocean Rain’ – a copy of which is set to be blasted into space.
Echo And The Bunnymen formed from the creative milieu that centred on Liverpool in the late 70s. Inspired by punk, singer Ian McCulloch formed The Crucial Three with two other future pop stars – Julian Cope and Pete Wylie.
No group containing those three could last forever, with McCulloch departing to form Echo And The Bunnymen in 1978. Cult heroes, the band pushed their way into the charts with the hit single ‘The Cutter’.
Taken from the album ‘Porcupine’, the subsequent tour found maverick manager Bill Drummon sending the band on a tour of Iceland – allegedly to charge them with energy from lay-lines.
Bizarre it may be, but follow up album ‘Ocean Rain’ is regarded as the group’s pinnacle. Released in 1984 it spawned the hit single ‘Killing Moon’ which was later to soundtrack ‘Donnie Darko’.
The band split in 1992, but later reformed to released the successful album ‘Evergreen’ in 1997. Still touring and recording, Echo And The Bunnymen played a sensational set at last year’s T In The Park later being name checked onstage by Primal Scream singer Bobby Gillespie.
‘Ocean Rain’ is set to be re-issued later this year. Due for release on May 30th, the expanded version of the album will contain a live recording plus a DVD documentary on the making of the album.
The first 1000 copies of the new re-issue will be signed by singer Ian McCulloch and guitarist Will Sergeant.
The band are set for another special treat when astronaut Timothy Kopra takes his copy of the album into space with him on June 13th. The NASA astronaut has apparently named ‘Ocean Rain’ as his favourite album of all time.
Echo And The Bunnymen are due to re-issue ‘Ocean Rain’ on May 30th.
