Songs to Learn & Sing - Echo & The Bunnymen

Attitude is born not manufactured. And, at the risk of sounding like an grumpy middle aged man, there is just not enough gobby pop starts in the charts these days; pop stars who just can't help but open their mouth and express an opinion, often even though one has not be sought. Always ready to say something controversial or arrogant. Go on - name me one pop star who fits this description? See you can't. At least not one who is a genuine gobshite. Sure there will be some who fake it - adopting a sullen rock attitude when eyes are upon them or if the cameras are rolling. Phony attitude that comes across more like a petulant child than a true opinionated, loud mouthed bone fide pop star. You can't manufacture it. You have it or you don't.

Miles Hunt, Liam Gallagher and Paul Weller all have it in spades. Love them or loathe them they are definitely worth a listen. Quotable and unpredictable. Ian McCulloch is probably the leader of the gang and over the years has taken the sound bite to unparalleled levels. Motormouth McCulloch. And the pop world is much better for him. Here are just a few selected quotes;

"I'm not a great mingler – I think most bands are rubbish."

"We've never had that gimmicky 'how you doing?' attitude to playing live because, to be honest, I'm not that arsed. I'm more concerned with how I'm doing."

"From when Oasis first started I thought, 'Thank Christ someone has picked up on that simple technique of saying they're the best thing on the planet and just fronting it.' Liam is a part of a great ancestry of lippy, insecure bastard frontmen."

On working with Chris Martin: "I remember one day at the studio he turned up in a T-shirt and trainers, but with his socks pulled right up to his knees! I felt sorry for him. He hasn't got a clue when it comes to style."

On highbrow culture: "It's not to be feared. And it's all laced with humour. Shakespeare wrote for the man in the street. Instead, we get Simon Cowell peddling this hopeless dirge in the name of talent TV."

By comparison, current pop stars are boring. Either trying too hard to impress or feigning disinterest and detached coolness. The result of talent shows and a get famous quick culture.

Apart from a few of his solo singles, this is the only Echo & The Bunnymen album I own, which in itself is a terrible admission. And it just happens to be a greatest hits compilation, bought on the back of the single "Bring On The Dancing Horses". I'd love to say that I've been a fan since the beginning and that I have all of their classic 80s albums. But I'd be lying. So I have to make do with this compilation album. Not at all cool. I can only begin to think what Motormouth would have to say about that. Not that I would dare ask him....... but I'm sure he'd have an opinion!