Ian McCulloch: The Ocean

Ian McCulloch of Echo & the Bunnymen talks to the Cleveland Scene about how the ocean influences him:

The sea seems to figure into numerous songs. How much are you inspired by the ocean?
I love being near water. Coming from Liverpool, the pier head, where a lot of the buildings are, is my favorite part of city, though I’m shit scared of the water. I love being on a ferry and standing there and feeling like I own the sea or the channels at least. It’s when people start jumping in that I get nervous. If I can’t see the bottom I’m not going in. But I like the idea of being the masthead of a ship rather than the dealing with the water so much. I love looking at the water. I love the sound it makes when it laps against the shore. I love its movement more than anything. I’m equally in love with the sky. A clear blue sky is brilliant, maybe even more than the sea the way the clouds can just hang there. The ominous sky is the best. But again, I’m not going to be chasing twisters. I’m not the bravest when it comes to the elements. I just like singing about them.

 Echo and The Bunnymen's new album, The Foutain, is available on iTunes.