Ian McCulloch on how Bunnyman turned funnyman to help Coldplay

Apr 20 2008 Edited By Billy Sloan And Mickey Mcmonagle

Echo Star's Gags Help Coldplay To Finish Hit Album

ECHO And The Bunnymen star Ian McCulloch has revealed Coldplay gave him a job - because they loved his silly dancing.

Singer Chris Martin faced a struggle to match the success of Coldplay's first album Parachutes until Mac paid them a surprise visit at their studio.

He had them in stitches with his jokes, so they signed him up as a producer for second album A Rush Of Blood To The Head.

Mac said: "They were working on the record and I walked into the studio and did this little David Bowie dance.

"It stopped them in their tracks - they were laughing their heads off.

"We made friends right away and had a great time. Chris knows how to write those great, haunting lullaby ballads.

"I just thought, 'You talented b****** - but you're not Scouse and can't play footie properly'.

"I got on with the whole band great.

For some reason he put me as part of the production team. I now know why, because I put them at ease when they were struggling with the old thing of doing the second album after the massive success of the first.

"I helped them to relax and gave them advice. Not particularly the right advice but what I would have done."

Martin credits McCulloch as a major influence and the pair collaborated on songs for Ian's solo album Slideling and one for new Bunnymen album The Fountain.

They hope to meet up soon to give each other sneak previews of the Bunnymen record and Coldplay's latest album.

McCulloch said: "I would not be surprised if we work together again, although he has a new family and lives in New York a lot of the time so it's difficult to get hold of him to sort it.

"We have meant to get together over the last few months but because of one thing and another we've not done it.

"But we want to play each other our new albums, compare and contrast them and see what happens from there."

Echo And The Bunnymen release The Fountain later this year with single Think I Needed Two due out on July 14 - the day after they play at T in the Park in Balado.

This year marks the band's 30th anniversary and McCulloch reckons they are marking the occasion with their finest record yet.

He said: "It is exciting - it is probably the best thing I've ever done in my life.

"Obviously I have loads of love for the older stuff but this one sounds almost like a debut album with a lot of hard rock.

"I hate using the word rock, it's not right for us. It's more vibrant and hardish.

"I think we will always be of the moment because so many bands have either been inspired by us or blatantly ripped us off, which makes us current.

"It's the same with the Velvet Underground."

The Fountain has been produced by Scots songwriter John McLaughlin.

McCulloch said: "I met John years ago and we always talked about working together - it was always going to happen.

"Together we have come up with this powerful-sounding record. It's in the production but the sound also - we've been writing songs that mean things.

"The first single will be out out July 14 so we can hang out in Scotland after T.

It's my ancestral, spiritual home.

"I've got my crocodilian spike back, that way I write lyrics about everything but nothing specific."

The Bunnymen are also playing a series of gigs where they will perform classic album Ocean Rain backed by a full orchestra. Ian hopes to bring the incredible act to Glasgow next year.

He said: "I want to do a Barras show for The Fountain just because I love the place and if the Ocean Rain gigs go well I'll maybe do that in the SECC next year.

"I just want to play in Scotland as much as I can."