Ian McCulloch on Bono/U2

[financeguy]

And Ian McCulloch of Echo and the Bunnymen, number two question from Courtney, or statement says, "Tell Ian that I was with U2 in New York City and that Bono said 'Ian was always better than me. We just had better management.'"
Hahaha...(laughs) yeah, that's exactly what I've been telling people. That is fantastic! I don't believe this! Can't these people tell the world? That's lovely again from him. After all the things I've said about him, what a gentleman! I'd love to have a drink with Bono, if I could get him to shut up for five minutes, he might learn something. What a dude to say that. I mean he will still embarrass me from time to time, but he's got a really good band I think, you know, and again hats off to him. Or cowboy hats off to him.

It's interesting that Bono said that because one of the questions I had for you was why was U2 more successful than Echo and the Bunnymen and I guess that kind of answers it right there! Better management!
Totally. Because this came up recently. And probably a much better record company to be quite fair. We did everything right. We were the coolest group on the planet. But Bill Drummond, I mean he was a cool maverick manager, but at some point he should have said, early on, "we're going to get a manager because I don't know what I'm doing." And you know that's why we went to Iceland because we were maverick, you know. And it was just, kind of, we didn't realize what was going on. Paul McGinnis, from day one, he obviously saw U2 and thought poor rock band, but these guys can be massive. Bill Drummond saw us, thought we were the best group he had ever seen, or that there had ever been. And thought we could be massive, but if we aren't who gives a fuck. (laughs) That's been the nature of it, ever since. I kind of like it cause at the end of the day we don't have as many millions as U2's got, but I don't know whether I'll ever use them. All I knows is that I'd be still going to the football on a Saturday, still liking pubs to drink in.

Nardwuar vs Ian McCulloch - Page 2 of 4

 

[Mrs. Garrison]

Echo and the Bunnymen

 

[Vlad n U 2]

Hm, interested to see no more of the "sodden mountain goat" insults.

 

[financeguy]

This is from 2001. The sodding mountain goats quote is more recent. Mac doesn't like U2 at all, he just doesn't hate them as much as he lets on.

 

[65980]

It's interesting that Bono always metions Echo & the Bunnymen when he talks about bands that were U2's contempories (note to the young'uns on here -- Coldplay are not U2's contemporaries!). Clearly, he likes them or at least they made an impression on him. I admire that, because Ian McCulloch takes every opportunity to bash U2.

"Killing Moon" was a nice song, but everything they did was about 1/10th as good as McCulloch thinks it was.

 

[Vlad n U 2]

This is from 2001. The sodding mountain goats quote is more recent. Mac doesn't like U2 at all, he just doesn't hate them as much as he lets on.

Oh, my mistake.

 

[An Cat Gav]

Whatever criticisms he has about Bono, no matter how justified some of them may be, he's still a much bigger wanker himself.

 

[toscano]

The mountain goat comment was from 1983.....

 

[No spoken words]

I'll always like Echo's music, but I love U2's music.

And Bono typically takes the high road.

 

[Scorpionac]

I don't know anything about Echo and the Bunnymen, but for him to think they did everything right? Just their name makes me giggle. Like this:

 

[purpleoscar]

Bono is aware of envy from other musicians and he probably feels some sympathy because there often is some element of luck though I think U2 actually powered to the top on sheer effort and desperation at times. It's hard to believe they still have energy to work this hard on new material now. This is a good lesson to new bands:

- WORK HARD
- THE DRUGS DON'T WORK

Here's another band that probably has some envy from time to time:

'There's a lot of life left in us old geezers yet...'

Last time they played the same venue, "Bono sent over a note saying hello and being generally polite, I sent one back saying 'and you are?'" he laughs at the memory.

All these guys know that U2 is a great band and they get over it eventually.

 

[Mrs. Garrison]

Here's another band that probably has some envy from time to time:

'There's a lot of life left in us old geezers yet...'

oh yeah...im going to see DM in Dallas on 8/29! Ive never seen them before so im pretty excited

 

[digitize]

DM and U2 generally get along pretty well, no? They're both excellent bands, at any rate.

 

[rjhbonovox]

Ian Mcullock was/is a dick. Always has been always will be. He's often quoted as saying he is the greatest singer ever. But basically hes pretty run of the mill or crap in my opinion. What gets me about guys like him is its as if he's making such ground breaking music himself but basically has he ever done a song that can be called great......errrr no not really.

 

[toscano]

Ian Mcullock was/is a dick. Always has been always will be. He's often quoted as saying he is the greatest singer ever. But basically hes pretty run of the mill or crap in my opinion. What gets me about guys like him is its as if he's making such ground breaking music himself but basically has he ever done a song that can be called great......errrr no not really.

Mac's tongue is firmly in cheek almost 100% of the time.

And yes, they have made some albums/songs that indeed CAN be referred to as being great.

Heaven up Here and Ocean Rain especially.

 

[Vlad n U 2]

- WORK HARD
- THE DRUGS DON'T WORK

Yep, the most important lesson to learn when starting a band. Drugs are a big no-no and everyone who is sane should understand that. And no slacking off ... work your sorry asses off!

 

[BVS]

Sex(with your wife)

Hugs

&

Rock and Roll


just doesn't have quite the same ring to it...

 

[Axver]

Who buys U2 records anyway? It's just music for plumbers and bricklayers. Bono, what a slob. You'd think with all that climbing about he does, he'd look real fit and that. But he's real fat, y'know. Reminds me of a soddin' mountain goat.

 

[The Sad Punk]

Mediocrity is never so dangerous as when it is dressed up as sincerity.

 

[Axver]

... damnit, why doesn't my signature have a third quote?

 

[blueeyedgirl]

Ah another Echo thread, it must nearly be spring!

Anyways, like U2 emerged from a vacuum fully formed. They were one of many like minded bands of the post punk era. I've been spending too many hours trawling youtube looking for all the bands of my youth, fuck where was Youtube when I needed it in the 80s!!!

Echo and the Bunnymen, Teardrop Explodes, Comsat Angels, Gang of Four, the Fall, the Chameleons!! Fuckin hell, the Chameleons, adored them, couldn't buy their records cos they were all on import and no fucking shop had them. They should have been huge.

U2 got huge cos they worked hard, had good management, understood they needed to graft in America to make money, had a record company that kept pouring money into them, and losing it. Not necessarily cos they were/are more talented than anyone else.

YouTube - The Chameleons - Up the Down Escalator

 

[U2girl]

 

[blueeyedgirl]

Another Chameleons fan, woohoo!!!!!!

(I've just found a shitload of The The songs on utubey, Matt Johnson )

 

[toscano]

Comsat Angels



Saw 'em open for U2 on the October tour...great band

 

[digitize]

Sex(with your wife)

Hugs

&

Rock and Roll


just doesn't have quite the same ring to it...

Sex (with your wife)

Hugs

&

Brian Eno