Let's Hear It For The Boys...

Echo And The Bunnymen - The Back Of Love

You know, people often come up to me and say, "Mikey, who is your favourite popular music beat combo rhythm section?" and I always reply, "Well, that's a tough one, but I guess I'd have to go for Pete and Les." And to this they always say, "Pete and Les? Pray continue, you interest me strangely."

Pete de Freitas and Les Pattinson. Ye Gods, do you know how difficult it is to get a rhythm section to not only come up with a fantastic locked groove but then - and this is the really tough bit - to damn well play it without pointless deviation?

James Brown's people did it out of fear and it shows. Tooooo tight for me, I like my soul from Memphis. And The Doors template that the Bunnymen ran with always had a bit too much starch to really roll. But Pete and Les made it work. They made it really work.

Evidence: Track 2 of Porcupine, The Back of Love. First Bunnymen song I ever heard, stuck on a crappy tape after Joy Division's Walked In Line, which I was supposed to be learning for a gig that never happened.

The recording level was way too high so Will's guitar was distorting and Ian sounded totally hysterical. Great. I instantly grew a floppy fringe, bought a combat jacket and started shuffling.

Two decades later, the fringe is gone and I can't find the shop that sells the jackets any more although I have seen several young people wearing them lately. What the hell, I'm still shuffling.

Dur dur dur dur dur dur dur dur I'm on the chopping block….



Buy - Echo And The Bunnymen - Porcupine [Bonus Tracks]
Buy - Echo And The Bunnymen - Crystal Days 1979-1999
Visit - Echo And The Bunnymen

Mike.