This episode begins with recent Bunnymen news and addresses some listener comments. We read an insightful letter about "Pictures on My Wall" from friend-of-the-podcast All Those Things. We then plunge into a discussion about the band's first single, its release, its reception, and its cover art, which includes a brief detour into the music of Lori & the Chameleons. We then delve into the mysterious inscription on the seven inch single, which reads "The Revenge of Voodoo Billy". This leads to an exploration of ghost stories and hauntings of Liverpool. Finally, Will Sergeant sets the record straight in the conclusion of our interview with the legendary Bunnyman himself.
Courtney and Shane humbly present a musicological listening companion to the song “Ocean Rain”, the title track off the 1984 masterpiece album by Echo & the Bunnymen. They locate the song within the canon of nautical ballads, provide a theoretical analysis of the composition, breakdown the production, and basically play parts of the song over and over again, while they talk over it. Cheers!
In this episode, we explore what is arguably Echo and the Bunnymen's most mysterious song, "Read it in Books." Many questions surround this enigmatic song, including: Who wrote it? What is the actual name of the song? And, most perplexingly, why does nobody know the answer to these two questions? We set about getting to the bottom of these seemingly unsolvable queries in our typical circuitous manner. We begin the episode by comparing two versions of the song, recorded by two different bands, sung by two different singers, both of whom claim to have written it. We attempt to chisel away at this infamous stalemate by exploring the song's origins, its nuts and bolts, and how such a dispute may arise. After poking at it from every possible angle we come to understand that it is not one song, but many songs. In fact, it is every song ever written. Join us as we interrogate the very notion of authorship, inspiration and authenticity. Also, Nirvana.
In Episode 19, we are graced with another knowledgable and insightful guest. Courtney had the opportunity to interview a real-life time traveler, Alison Renner, who contacted us out of the blue to discuss some of the subject matter we’ve explored in earlier episodes. It was immediately clear that Courtney was communicating with someone with a true understanding of the Liverpool scene. Over the course of the interview Alison reveals her time bending gifts and offers to take us into the past as we continue our odyssey.
We are so grateful the Bunny gods brought us together through this modern medium of podcasting and we are excited to announce that Alison has agreed to share her time traveling gifts with us, by transporting herself into the Liverpool scene at various points in its history to give our listeners a firsthand glimpse of all the goings on.
Alison Renner is a collector of antique photographs and a lover of the Liverpool scene. As a child, she spent an unusual amount of time sitting by the radio and writing down band names for her future self to find once she had mastered the art of time bending. In one of her notes she wrote the words "THE WILD SWANS" and this band became a portal as she was shot across the Ley Lines into the the dream city of Liverpool where she seems to have taken up residence. When she speaks of this moment in history, she speaks as someone who has lived alongside the individuals who inhabit this scene. She is someone who has lovingly combed through lyrics, interviews, and the small print of liner notes many times over.
In this episode, Alison answers all Courtney's eager questions about the Liverpool scene and gives a sweeping overview of the period we are focusing on in the city's musical history. The inhabitants come to life as she situates each individual's contributions and motivations within the larger context of the scene. We try to cover it all: the genesis of bands, the burgeoning feuds, the lasting bonds, the uninvited American, the collective mourning, we touch on all of it.
You can find Alison Renner on instagram @odpeacock
If you are brave and interested in mysteries and unexplainable phenomena, listen to STRANGE FAMILIARS podcast on iTunes, Googleplay, and all the other podcasty places.
Check out their website at STRANGEFAMILIARS.COM
And check out the STRANGE FAMILIARS shop on Ebay where many of Alison's haunting antique photographs are listed.
In this episode, we play clips of the following songs--
"Charlotte Anne", by THE TEAR DROP EXPLODES (1988)
"Young Manhood", by THE WILD SWANS (1988)
"The Coldest Winter For A Hundred Years", by THE WILD SWANS (2011)
"My Town", by THE WILD SWANS (2011)
"The Culture Bunker", THE TEARDROP EXPLODES (1981)
In this episode, we dive deep into the eel infested waters of the human psyche and wash up on an island shore where a single magnolia tree grows. We explore the cosmological locus of Echo & the Bunnymen via Jungian archetypal theory, psychoanalysis and astrology. As we embark on our second season, we are honored to have Shannon O'Neill, MA, LPC-S, LCAS, CCS as our very first guest on the podcast. She expertly guides us on this mythopoetic quest, penetrating mysteries, illuminating secrets, and yielding many a shining diamond of wisdom. Not to be missed!
Shannon O'Neill is a private practice psychotherapist and clinical supervisor living in Asheville, NC. She has a Master's in Depth Psychology from Pacifica Graduate Institute. She is trained in the Archetypal Psychology tradition of Carl Jung and neurophysiology of Somatic Psychology. You can learn more about her practice, including classes and workshops on her website.
https://somaticpsychology.com
