Ian McCulloch

On This Day 05/05/1986 Echo And The Bunnymen

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On this day, 5 May 1986, rock band Echo And The Bunnymen played Cardiff’s Top Rank with support provided by the Blue Orchids

Formed in Liverpool in 1978. The original line-up consisted of vocalist Ian McCulloch, guitarist Will Sergeant and bassist Les Pattinson. By 1980, Pete de Freitas joined as the band's drummer.

Their 1980 debut album Crocodiles went into the top 20 of the UK Albums Chart.

After releasing their second album Heaven Up Here in 1981, the band's cult status was followed by mainstream success in the UK in 1983 when they scored a UK Top 10 hit with "The Cutter", and the album which the song came from, Porcupine, hit number 2 in the UK.

Ocean Rain (1984), continued the band's UK chart success with its lead single "The Killing Moon" entering into the top 10.

After releasing a self-titled album in 1987, McCulloch left the band and was replaced by singer Noel Burke. In 1989, de Freitas was killed in a motorcycle accident.