When Echo & the Bunnymen released ‘Crocodiles’ on 18 July 1980, they announced themselves as one of the most striking new bands of the post-punk era. Dark, moody, and shot through with Ian McCulloch’s apocalyptic brooding and Will Sergeant’s icy guitar, the debut climbed to No. 17 on the UK Albums Chart and landed on countless best-of-the-decade lists in the years since. Beneath its eerie woodland cover, though, sits a handful of odd decisions and behind-the-scenes stories. Here are five facts worth knowing.
The Band Started Out With A Drum Machine Instead Of A Drummer
When Echo & the Bunnymen formed in 1978, the lineup was just McCulloch, Sergeant, and bassist Les Pattinson, with a drum machine handling the beats. After signing with Korova, they were persuaded to bring in a real drummer, and Pete de Freitas joined the fold. Their first single “The Pictures on My Wall” was even recorded before he arrived, then re-cut for the album with him on drums.
The Whole Album Was Recorded In Just Three Weeks
Despite its rich, atmospheric sound, the recording of ‘Crocodiles’ took only three weeks. The process apparently bored bassist Les Pattinson, who admitted he didn’t enjoy all the drop-ins and edits involved. There was, by his account, a lot of standing around waiting between takes.
A Famous Pop Star Was Nearly Hired To Produce It
Before the band’s manager Bill Drummond and his partner David Balfe took the reins, there was serious talk of bringing in American singer Del Shannon, the man behind “Runaway,” to produce the record. In the end the production stayed in-house with Drummond and Balfe. Ian Broudie had already handled the single “Rescue” separately.
The Cover Almost Featured Burning Stakes
The eerie nighttime photos were shot by Brian Griffin in the woods near Rickmansworth, and the band originally wanted burning stakes in the frame. They scrapped the idea once they realised it carried unfortunate KKK connotations and settled for moody lighting instead. McCulloch loved the result anyway, declaring the cover better to look at than the Mona Lisa.
Two Songs Were Cut Over Imaginary Swear Words
“Do It Clean” and “Read It in Books” were left off the original UK LP because Warner Bros. managing director Rob Dickins mistakenly believed they contained obscenities. Once he realised his error, the tracks were restored for the US version released that December. UK fans got them as a limited-edition single instead.