Spinner

Ian McCulloch: 'U2 Are for Teenagers'

Echo and the Bunnymen's Ian McCulloch has once again singled out U2 for a tongue-lashing, branding the Irish megastars' music as "flag-waving" and "immature."

McCulloch has regularly stated his aversion to Bono and friends and appears to love using the press to express his disdain. Last year he referred to them as "spud peelers" whose ambition was to join music's elite stars like Bob Geldof, Sting and "all them c---s who no one really likes."

This time around, while he was slightly less vitriolic, McCulloch continued to ridicule U2 for appealing only to a younger, less-mature fan base and being nothing more than a commercial enterprise. "Bands all say they want to be as big as U2, but weirdly no one ever says they're influenced by them," he told New York magazine. "That's because there's nothing there, really."

He continued, "They've got good tunes, and you can see that it works on 14-year-olds. But I can't see mature people or kids, who are looking for something, something deep -- something that you just know it's art and it's going to change your life -- caring. For U2, it's always flag-waving and 'Yippee.'"

Not that McCulloch's jealous of course. Echo & the Bunnymen begin a UK tour of mid-sized theatres in December, while U2 have recently concluded a tour of the world's biggest sports stadiums.

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103 Comments

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Ian

Ye would just hate to go to a U2 concert. What a bunch of wankers. 'Bono met the Pope'. So fucking what! Are they really saying that no-one can criticise their precious little rock stars, who send them home bent on changing the world. Get yer lighters out, boys and girls, it's 'With or Without You' again.

April 03 2010 at 4:21 PM Report abuse rate up rate down Reply
ad

I love both bands.
But they play in a different league.
U2 is mainstream, most of Echo isnt.
Comparing them is pointless.

February 07 2010 at 11:01 AM Report abuse rate up rate down Reply
Scotty

Ian is over and he knows it ! he's looking for publicity. So all you U2 haters keep playing your 80s cd's of echo and getting high on remembering your parachute pants and member only jackets and how it was.I just saw EATB on the charts list "NOT" !!! Bono-Edge-Larry- Adam keep rocking and making Music for all ages,keep up the great work Brian,Steve and Daniel this fan of all music here , loves the diversity since 83 at Stony Brook U when I saw the four Irishmen start and conquer the music world!!!!

January 08 2010 at 10:02 AM Report abuse rate up rate down Reply
kim

Bono doesn't need Ian McCulloch to like him...he likes himself enough for everyone! Bono is the most self-important, pompous, narcissitc, portentuous blow hard i have ever seen.
Ian feels his own importance as well, but musically, Echo and the Bunnymen have been more influential than U2..hell, U2 was once an opening act for the Bunnymen. U2 had better management, thusly they are better known. However---there is not a better album out there than the Bunnymen's Heaven Up Here, unless it's the Bunnymen's Ocean Rain. Their latest effort, The Fountain, failed to impress me, but I bought it and am flying across the Atlantic next week to see them in concert and I didn't even bother to buy tickets to see U2 when there were here in the US...so that tells you something of how the Bunnymen stack up against U2 in my book.

December 12 2009 at 11:52 PM Report abuse rate up rate down Reply
ineedanapp

Ian needs to quit smoking...especially during shows. His live vocals SUCK.

December 01 2009 at 4:23 PM Report abuse rate up rate down Reply
Mark J

Why's Ian dissing U2 when HIS band name
has the word 'BUNNY' in it!!?!

November 30 2009 at 9:31 PM Report abuse rate up rate down Reply
nechamah

Hmm-- I guess it is true; I've been a teen, possibly immature, too, for over 30 years now and I love u2. And I second tub's comment and I'll help.

November 30 2009 at 2:16 PM Report abuse rate up rate down Reply
TommyTrojan

echo and the bunnymen - put out 2nd rate music and lyrics that no one cares to listen to and then call other people's music purile - what an arse - you know where you can find musicians 'influenced' by echo and the bunnymen; working at Euro Disney, in Fantasy Land, because they don't exist ....

November 30 2009 at 2:08 PM Report abuse rate up rate down Reply
LuAnn

Speak for yourself Ian ! I am soon to be 55 years old and have recognised U-2 as a global success from day one. Not only do they rock to their their own unique sound, but they utilize their extreme talent to touch the world with great humanitarian efforts. God bless the boys! I am, have always been, and certainly will always remain, a rock solid U-2 affectionado! My love goes out to the boys!

November 30 2009 at 2:06 PM Report abuse rate up rate down Reply
GRAYDOG


U2 ARE WITHOUT DOUBT THE MOST FINANCIALLY SUCCESSFULL BAND WITHOUT A SHRED OF TALENT OR CREATIVITY SINCE THE BEACH BOYS. BONO IS A POMPASS ASS, AND WORLD CLASS POSER. I CARE NOT FOR POLITICS OR WHO'S GOT AIDS, OR STARVING IN SOME THIRD WORLD SHIT HOLE.U2 FANS HAVE TO BE MENTAL PYGMIES OR DEAF.WHAT GIVES THEM THE RIGHT COME TO THE USA, AND PREACH ABOUT SAVING THE WORLD ? MOST OF THESE COUNTRIES JUST NEED TO GET UP OFF THERE ASS, AND MAYBE TAKE RESPONSIBILITY FOR THEIR OWN LIVES AND FUTURES. GET OFF YOUR SOAP BOX BONO, NOBODY GIVES A RAT'S ASS WHAT YOU CARE ABOUT.

November 30 2009 at 2:01 PM Report abuse rate up rate down Reply