I saw them at the Fox Theater (in Atlanta, Georgia) with Screaming Blue Messiahs. Ian had flu and had to come back a month later to do the show again. Brilliant!
thats the entirety of my statement Janell meaning mopsies says still listening to them at 54...im saying "Fuck yeah you are"...because they were the greatest "new wave" band of them all
This is in my opinion the most badass, powerful and energetic version of this song I heard live. Fantastic voice, absolute acid sound of the guitar and one of the best drum performance all combined in one of the best song from Echo & The Bunnymen, a Masterpiece. I am lucky to have the vinyl (B side of The Killing Moon 12”). They are my all time favourite band.
They were incredible live, esp. the drummer. Saw them first in 1981 opening for Bauhaus in Hamburg, Markthalle. Never heard them before, my girlfriend and I came for Bauhaus. I am not the one dancing at concerts, but we both did. Again this drummer❤❤❤
@@griffo-griffo hard to believe, but true. Nov. 30, 1981, Hamburg Markthalle. “Englisch für Fortgeschrittene” tour with 4 dates in Germany. It was more a two bands concert, but Echo played first. If you google it, you find the poster for the gigs.
Echo & The Bunnymen made some decent pop hits in the mid-80s but their best work was really in the early years when they were making some hard-hitting post-punk tunes.
That’s definitely subjective. I’m an old fan since ‘80, but objectively I’d say they remained consistent all throughout the first half of the 80’s, or up to and including Ocean Rain, which I’m fairly certain is the tour that this footage was culled from (string section is a bit of a giveaway). That was ‘84. Definitely mid 80’s at that point.
This is Echo at The Royal Albert Hall, 1983 (NOT at the Palladium as someone here thought). Ian sounds INCREDIBLE, and this extended version--not the album version--is not this good anywhere else. "Thank you. Good Night. I'm tired." LOVE "EM!
This whole concert is the band at their absolute zenith. I’m glad they never turned into another U2 stadium type outfit. They would have lost that touch they had. They were so tight as a unit. I’ve always wondered who the kid playing guitar and wore shorts was????
Unless I am mistaken this is the version released on a mini-LP (Or EP?) called 'Echo and the Bunnymen' (korova, WEA 1983). An album with a plain dark blue cover and a tiny photo in the right bottom hand corner of an ice building. The Ep included the tracks 1. Never Stop. 2. Rescue. 3. The Cutter. 1. Back of Love. 2. Do It Clean. I know this because this is the first record I ever bought with my own money. In about 1986. The version on that album MUST be from the performance above!. Had this song so long but this is the first time I've ever seen this videoclip. Thank you interweb and TouYube for making this kind of stuff available. Great Work Echo and the Bunnymen for your fantastic songs. x
+Marty Beedell The live version of this song? I got the cassette "Songs to Learn and Sing" first album I bought of ETB. But if I remember it was the same playlist, cause I always hear " Back of Love" in my head and get ready for "Cutter" played right after. This was before I knew anything about the band.. A compilation album of the hits back in 1986-87 if I remember. Now don't know if I still have the cassette though.
Yeah, like light years better. I pretty well learned just how out of balance the world was/is when I (simultaneously) watched U2’s meteoric ascendancy to megastardom, while Echo cranked out one superior, near-flawless album after another, to lukewarm record sales and until ‘87 here in the states at least, almost no mainstream radio play. That’s when I realized just how out of wack things were.
54spiritedwill54 11 Years on, I’m inclining to agree with you. Definitely of this fantabulous band, I’d only rank this down below some of the live gigs of The Specials. Are you still alive? I’m 53 now.
Will's guitar knocking out sounds YEARS before The Edge was doing it with U2..... I would always say Sergeant is streets ahead of Evans in guitar abilities and innovation..... Les was a better bassist than Clayton and Pete was a drummer in a whole other universe than Mullen Jr (w4nker)
Two words, Fucking Wow! Well thats actually four words as written, but if you disregard the two pre-emptive words of 'two words' at the start of the sentence, that leaves just two wo.......now look what you made me fuckin do! Fuckin Wow.
I was 17 in 1982...and it was as great as it seemed. Fantastic bands, fun fashion, great music press, and no social media bollocks. The anticipation of the next Echo, Smiths, Cure, Church, Squeeze, Elvis Costello, Jam, Psychedelic Furs, R.E.M., etc. record coming out - and hoping you could find a copy (especially living in a southeastern city in the U.S. at the time) was part of the fun. The hair metal aspect sucked (as ever), but for 'alternative' music it was a fantastic era. On the negative side, I'm old now - lol!
Best version best band best frontman best guitarist best drummer - nothing has come close to what these guys were. Listen to this song, what compares to this today - they have 4 genres of music in this one live song. God bless the bunnymen. keep dreaming COLDPLAY you will always be an afterthought these guys did it first.
Pretty much every bit of live footage of them that I’ve seen from the ‘80-‘84 timeframe, not to mention my memories of seeing them live during that period, they were consistently and equally mind blowing each time. There’s a lot… and I do mean a *LOT* of live footage of them uploaded here to YT, and I have yet to see a single bad or mediocre performance, or really anything short of awe-inspiring from them in that ‘80-‘84 period. This incredible performance here is just one of many I’ve seen. Very few bands could touch them live in those days.
Can't stop watching this. McCulloch's stage presence was enormous. How does it happen to a shy skinny kid from Liverpool? Just had it. Alas, the ones that burn brightest, burn fastest. Really hard to sustain it. At some point, you have to drop the rock n' roll indulgences and professionalize it, like Jagger, Bowie, et al, learned to do. McCulloch never reached that point. I saw him on the Candleland tour and he was 30/31 at the time. It was an okay show, but he seemed a bit lost, definitely more subdued. Obviously the Candleland material wasn't really for rocking out but he wasn't the same Mac at that point.
I saw them at the Brighton Concorde 2 during the Flowers tour and they were totally rejuvenated and even the session men were great, particularly the bass player. It didn't last unfortunately. They can't be completely written off but as old men obviously they are not going to be brilliant all the time. Even Mac has admitted he is cutting back on the excesses of his youth so that might help. Also the pandemic might have given his voice a rest-Mark Burgess sounds a lot better now.
I have been lucky to see the band many times over nearly 40 years. They have always been the best in the world. I saw them in Dublin, New York, Brussels, Antwerp, London and recently Dublin again. The original line up with Pete and Les was amazing and the shows they played truly beyond compare. However the later version of the band has had its moments too. A couple of weeks ago I saw them at the sold out Olympia in Dublin. They were amazing! After the sacred Gregorian Chant and dry ice they came on and played Going Up. It was clear straight away that Mac was singing at the top of his game.The crowd went crazy. Classic after classic song all delivered faultlessly with the heft of the extended band line up. Ocean Rain to finish. I cant believe that my favourite band are still alive and gigging. See them while you can!
I agree with your view on this. Gary Mulholland, author of This is Uncool, The 500 Greates Singles Since Punk and Disco, names this concert the one to which he would most like to be transported. I have worn my VHS copy of "Pictures of the Wall" featuring this to death. I can only dream of seeing the whole concert
Though still a decent live act, they just haven’t been able to keep up with their former glory ever since Pete left this plane. He was/is irreplaceable. He set the bar impossibly high.
This was on the B side of The Killing Moon 12" I think. Remember hearing it for the first time and being blown away. Still trying to get that Will Sergeant sound... Certainly the best Bunnymen vid on RU-vid. No doubt. Saw them 2 years ago and they were as good as when I saw them in 1985.
Still got that 12 inch. Saw them two nights in a row in bham on this tour. Two of the best hugs I have ever seen. The beautiful irony of this recording is that a bunch of (perceived) ruffians from the frozen North sold out the fucking Royal Albert Hall! And used an orchestra. In 1983 Thatcher land. Well done, you scouse gits.
Hands down, this version of 'Do It Clean' is the greatest song ever recorded. I had it on the b side of their 12" 'Killing Moon' single. I've seen the video of this entire 1981 Royal Albert Hall show. It is absolutely amazing. They were dead on that night.
I saw the Bunny men in 1987, they were superb. I, as a Liverpool born Welsh man adore their music. Their music is sublime and reflective, so atmospheric, to Liverpool. Constant references to the Sea, in their music . Where as the fab 4, turned their back on the city, as quickly as possible. New beatles statues, reflects this. Their reference to the city's maritime heritage...yellow submarine. Says it all.
Video of this whole concert was up on the band's website about 5 years ago, but it's long gone from there now. I wish I had thought to download and save it then. I have read the 'Uncool' book. Really interesting, and very well written. It made me seek out a lot of the songs which I'd never heard of - mostly U.K. hits which were never big in the U.S.
@@stevetoseland1303I’m guessing what he/she meant to say was that he/she regrets not seeing them at this time, when it was the original lineup in all their youthful glory. As someone who saw them back then as well as having seen the current lineup a few times (getting ready to go see them again this June), there honestly really isn’t much to compare. Though definitely still an enjoyable experience, it’s more like seeing a really good tribute band rather than the real thing. It is what it is.
Wish I knew exactly which year this was. Judging by the inclusion of the string section, I’m going to guess it’s some time in between Porcupine and Ocean Rain. ‘83-‘84. They were definitely peak of their powers at that time. Especially Pete, who’s just giving it all he’s got here. Even when viewing him playing on the small screen of my phone, it still makes the hairs on my arms stand straight up. One of the greatest drummers of all time, easily.
Yes this is the same version on the EP. I have it too! this is one of the best live versions of "Do it clean" ever recorded if not the best. See em' in LA Saturday! ya!!!
