Happy Birthday IAN MCCULLOCH (video)

#ianmcculloch #echoandthebunnymen #rockfile

Ian Stephen McCulloch (born 5 May 1959) is an English musician and singer-songwriter, born in Liverpool and best known as the frontman for the rock group Echo & the Bunnymen.

In October 1978 McCulloch founded Echo & the Bunnymen with Will Sergeant (guitar), Les Pattinson (bass), and a drum machine (allegedly named Echo), making their live début at Eric's in November that year. In October 1979 the Bunnymen exchanged the drum machine for Pete de Freitas on drums. With their line up solidified, the Bunnymen played in the late 1970s and early 1980s, culminating with the release of Ocean Rain in 1984. Shortly before the album was released, McCulloch described "Ocean Rain" as "the greatest album ever made". McCulloch later said: "When I sing 'The Killing Moon' I know there isn't a band in the world who's got a song anywhere near that."

In 1988, McCulloch left the group to pursue a solo career under the impression the Bunnymen would be laid to rest, if only temporarily. When the remaining Bunnymen continued using the name with new singer Noel Burke, the split became permanent with McCulloch referring to the band as "Echo & the Bogusmen".

In 1997, Echo & the Bunnymen reformed and released the album Evergreen to positive reviews and chart success. Evergreen made the Top 10 of the UK Albums Chart and the single Nothing Lasts Forever reached No. 8 on the UK Singles Chart. The reformed Bunnymen have since released four further albums, the most recent being The Fountain which was released in late 2009.

source: wikipedia

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SYNYSTER GATES / AVENGED SEVENFOLD Interview (audio)

 #rockfileradio #a7x #rockfile

April 30, 2014, Avenged Sevenfold returned to South Florida for the first time in six years. I had a chance to sit down with Synyster Gates before the show.

Since I didn't not have a photo pass for the show, I had to take a few smart phone shots for you.

 

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FORT ROCK 2014: Interviews and Pictures (audio)

 

#rockfileradio #fortrock #nothingmore #lacunacoil #bsc #theoryofadeadman #rockfile

Last year’s Fort Rock in Ft Myers, FL was one of the best festivals I have ever been to. Smooth running, it was great for fans and for those of us who were working. This year was bigger and better, the event was sold out by mid-afternoon with nearly double the attendance of last year.

Squeezing through the VIP gate (which had a much longer line than the General Admission gate!), we hit the ground running. Being too late to grab the Kyng interview, I jumped to the next “scheduled” meets…which were still fluid when I arrived. Starting the day with a great interview on Theory Of A Deadman’s bus, I divided time between bands and photo pits. I also recorded chats with Black Stone Cherry, Nothing More, Within Reason and Lacuna Coil.

Since the presenting "terrestrial" stations were busy doing what radio stations should be doing at a festival, the Media Area was shared between me, a video blogger and a couple of online newspaper photographers. The area was welcome relief from the super clear, incredibly hot & sunny day but also gave us several opportunities to just hang and chat with members of Korn, John 5, Cristina, Andrea & Marco from Lacuna Coil, Jason & Zoltan from FFDP, Shim from Sick Puppies, etc.
WAY more fun than interviews!!

Though a haze of sunscreen and water bottles, I caught most of the performances during the day and my favorites included: Twelve Foot Ninja, Nothing More, Kyng, Lacuna Coil, Seether, Theory Of a Deaman, FFDP, Black Stone Cherry and Korn. Tons of killer pics and some great interviews, it was a whilrwind day and I was a “kid in a candy store”. 

 

 

From a radio perspective, these festivals are an amazing source of inside info and exclusives. 

Many thanks to the Promoters/Organizers/Labels/Management who made it possible! Looking forward to next year.

 

 

For more pictures check out Rockfile Radio’s Facebook page. 

More interviews can be found on my Soundcloud.  
This is an expanded version of a report filed for Radio Contraband.

I will also be adding some pictures of Rob Zombie, Korn and Black Stone Cherry
(Soon, all will be archived on RockfileRadio.com, too.)

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