Ian McCulloch Plays 'The Killing Moon' (Acoustic)

[@samuelplacensia753]

The first time I ever heard this song was when I was 15 years old in 1992. I was walking home from school and it was a cold and rainy friday afternoon in L.A. listening to KROQ. And then this wonderful and amazing melancholy beautiful song started to play. I was so blown away by the melody and the beautiful lyrics and how this song just built it self up to this wonderful musical journey. I’ll never forget that day. It was one of the best of my life. That one moment in time is frozen in my memories. The cool rainy weather, the smell of the wet trees, the dark clouds above, the lightning flashes, the rain pouring down on my head, my breath visible in the cold, and this Killing Moon playing and speaking to my soul. It was like God himself was singing to me.

[@zfilmmaker]

Prior to the release, I was already a fan, I waited three hours in line at Tower Records to buy Ocean Rain on CD the day it released. The first time I heard it was on the radio and later on my Sony CD Walkman.

[@colinbottger2259]

It was not L.A. for me but Buchholz in Northern Germany in 1987 but the feeling was as intense. And….you are a great writer

[@AchillesWrath1]

He wrote this song by inverting the chords to David Bowie's Space Oddity

[@dmoon9037]

@Samuel Placensia thanks for laying that memory out there, now it radiates

[@TiffanyT-LaDolceVita]

Epic memory. Thanks for the visual.

[@content-death]

still one of the best songs ever written.

[@juliearvaniti7336]

It' s my favorite song !

[@michaelforde4373]

He is still the master of 80s melancholy with a serious sense of style

[@reygerman5435]

Oh yeah

[@suiciniv14]

Like, he would've been the 2nd one if Ian hasn't took his own life... though I agree with you

[@herbalT13]

Gotta add Robert smith on there. Robert , Ian and Ian were the top 3 imo.

[@bradhenderson7100]

that was the trademark of 80s music with a dash of style

[@IanMcCulloch-ej7yh]

Hey there. I hope you’re well and safe. Thanks for the love and support you’ve shown to me, seriously blown away by this gesture love of yours towards my career, on behalf of myself and my team I want to say a very big THANKS TO YOU, hope you won’t stop being a genuine fan of mine?

[@StratsRUs]

Imagine writing this and then hearing it being recorded so perfectly.

[@keith-leecastle6700]

One of the greatest voices ever. I’ve loved The Bunnymen since 1981.

[@IanMcCulloch-ej7yh]

Hey there. I hope you’re well and safe. Thanks for the love and support you’ve shown to me, seriously blown away by this gesture love of yours towards my career, on behalf of myself and my team I want to say a very big THANKS TO YOU, hope you won’t stop being a genuine fan of mine?

[@MilesShade]

Fantastic song… Pure emotion One of the best voices of the 80’s

[@chalkystring]

I backpacked alone across Europe in 1990 with a yellow Sony sport walkman and just a few cassette tapes due to space limitations. One tape was Echo & the Bunnymen. Changed that Texas girl forever and helped make me the woman I am today.

[@eahannan]

And where is she now, and how's the back packing ?

[@GulliversCovers]

Had this Yellow WM too, '99 I was in South Korea, the tape I had was Gin Blossoms. Unforgettable!

[@orsolaandrian4719]

He lost his voice a bit..but we were listening to that in 80s .beautiful ..poetic song then and I was 15 ❤

[@orsolaandrian4719]

The back packing ? Probably a bear run off with it..ah ah 😅

[@orsolaandrian4719]

That's what changed..😅 no food no echo

[@madave4787]

I've been listening to this since I was 14 or 15 and I am turning 50 this month.

[@stebeatle4965]

I put songs to learn and sing on the other day , I ended up listening to the whole album on loop all day, what an album, his non sensicsl lyrics are genius . A real poet, can only come third to his fellow Scousers john and Paul as a song writer , brilliant xxxx

[@getcostello]

.. as he comes back in around 02:28, it just rips my heart wide open.

[@nigelheathcote6084]

Update, you didn’t disappoint fella , absolute legend ❤

[@enriquegilbenavides6160]

Mcculloch será recordado siempre por su inmensa calidad artística y talento musical... Gracias Ian!!!

[@storkonstage]

Such an epic song. Remember this from the 80ties 90ties. And then there was Donnie Darko. And since that time this song never lets me go. What a wonderful version. I will bring on the dancing horses! Romantic McCulloch!✨

[@TheBeautyBoxLife]

This song is truly MAGIC... takes me back to my teenage self in 1984. The evolution of The Killing Moons meaning makes it truly One of the BEST.

[@dishonorme]

Gorgeous song 🖤

[@GulliversCovers]

Enjoyed this much! Covering this soon enough. Ace post! Thanks NME!

[@jonnybgoode007]

Thank You so much. This was the first song I heard from this Band and I was Mesmerized by the Brilliance of it. I've been a fan ever since. Was Fortunate to see Them in August of 2014 in Detroit. Thanks, again. :)

[@javierowo]

Don't you ever just wake up along a mountain side and ride yer bike back into town to get back home?

[@joseortiz4631]

Donnie Darko

[@jameswinspear996]

Javier owo how I found this song 😂

[@markleslie8811]

With some warmer close then Donnie though

[@culturelab9679]

I fucking wish

[@javierowo]

@@jessicalawrence2867 wake up

[@Ojb_1959]

A friend and I saw them on The Riverboat President in New Orleans while cruising The Mighty Mississippi 2/28/84. It was such a cool night in more ways than one. I wish I had a time machine for that one but the memory of it is as perfect as the band was that dark winter night. 🌘🎼🎭🎼🌒

[@charliechod]

absolute class performance

[@georgioskarapanagiotidis6642]

Legendary Ian. So underestimated

[@nicolaswilliams8984]

Oh poor guy, he's actually lost his voice a little, that's a shame, i would say support the 2018 tour and give im all the support you can cause he's getting out there working hard with a new tour for us.

[@jimsmint]

dude, it's the same guy, just without enormous studio production.

[@dermot51]

Voice is gone then again he's sixty still an excellent version all the same

[@BG-jh2pz]

Was amazing live at Sefton Park hometown gig a lot of emotions in the crowd

[@dragooz8859]

I saw them in '18, Toronto - he and the band were amazing!

[@jayapted1492]

I agree, but all of the great voices lose a little something as they age.

[@lizza6379]

I love it so much

[@nickwilson5512]

Great version! All this time and I didn't realise he was blind! I guess you learn something new every day

[@zoharawolf4554]

Pffft, well you're half-right. He's always preferred dark or tinted lenses for appearance reasons, but he definitely needs the prescription part of those lenses....he's as or more blind than I am without my glasses and I can't legally drive without mine. 😜 Shortsighted folks, unite!

[@guitarchoonz]

he lost his sight in the Kandahar provence

[@colinjwilliams6149]

Nick Wilson blinded by his own coolness. Happens to all of us post 50

[@shawnschroeder549]

He's NOT blind. Jeez.

[@colindowden1430]

@@shawnschroeder549 He actually is blind, just seen a story in the guardian newspaper in which it mentions him being blind

[@shaunhennessy603]

Raw and real as fuck! Love it👍 Happy hopping Mr bunnyman😎

[@michelecanhamfree4693]

Beautiful

[@deafdave6468]

A living legend!!

[@PJL7095]

Watching this… all I could think was that’s one lucky plant hanging out in Ian’s personal studio. Bet that plant will never die.

[@laertejose2075]

Que diferença, nem parece o mesmo dos anos 80!

[@iangardiner8303]

Sublime thanks Mac X

[@nigelheathcote6084]

Can’t wait to see you tomorrow at rock city, been so long ❤

[@zochbuppet448]

all in the Family...old Killing Joke poster in the background.

[@Tchaikovsky1612]

2018 still here

[@lbender980]

OMG - so amazing

[@WassupFootballFinest]

Love it 2nd favourite song ever. 1st is Kingdom of Rust by Doves then 3rd it's Still ill by the smiths

[@Nahvalr_]

***** You have to be taking the piss you ignorant knob, he's not trying to claim it as his own

[@buzzman3638]

+tommy webb 😂😂 are you fucking kidding

[@ianmair5447]

one of all time favourite's class# makes me proud to be a scoucer

[@qcradio6210]

So awesome...

[@dr.franciscotorresmarquezc7352]

Beautiful 👏👏👏

[@royferguson3909]

I needed to hear this today

[@JoaoPaulo-xe6ul]

Wow! Ian McCulloch, the best between some celebrities rock. Forgive my mistakes grammar.

[@juicylucy5797]

Love the Mahogany, Ian. Goes really well with your voice. 💖

[@neiloshodges2816]

I was expecting better but the fact remains he wrote this amazingly great song

[@loudmouthnewyorker2803]

Sad he's a shell of the voice he was. Sounds like young kids trying to copy him. Lacks the depth he used to wrap you in.

[@impossiblewhopper539]

Tough crowd

[@loudmouthnewyorker2803]

@@impossiblewhopper539 True but I still remember the days when Ian ruled. Was just listening to Ocean Rain CD in the car tonight and was just blown away by how great he was. No he's just dragging his legacy around like Linus does with his blanket, tattered and old.

[@Kiteattackkilo]

Dude he's like 90 cut my man some slack

[@tazz7830]

@@Kiteattackkilo 90?? Wtf you talking about? Lmao

[@GoodMrDawes]

Awesome

[@mayjailer7777]

this is my favourite song in the world

[@RodrigoBranco]

I learnt to play that song watching this video.

[@tetsuosoprano7382]

I searched “the killing moon acoustic cover”. To do the same thing. Wasn’t expecting such a clear video from the man himself.

[@kylesmithington7016]

Can someone clarify for me what chords he is playing? I'm asking that to someone that has a really good ear and can tell if he is using his thumb to mute notes or make them bass notes such as A/F etc.

[@eriklamar8101]

+Kyle Smithington The Chords are Bm - G (intro) Em-C (verse) G-Cm (chorus) Bm-A-G-eD (bridge) Yes, i mentioned one F# thumb bass note in intro section on Bm, but i suggest he uses thumb for muting purposes mostly because he playes easy chord shapes (no bare or etc.) Excuses for my English :)

[@pauloeduardosantos1586]

Sou um iniciante do violão. Já vi e revi esse vídeo várias vezes pra tentar tocar igual ele. Mas tá sendo um sacrifício viu. O violão parece que não me obedece kkkkk

[@mateusnunes5056]

Perfect!!!!

[@lebasigj]

so beautifuuuuuulllll !

[@OsvaldoGuarani]

So Good! Very Very Very nice!

[@jgocobachi]

Thank you....I was trying to figure out the bridge. I cover this song in your honor

[@mrbazzabee4013]

Bridge is loosely B minor and G Maj....that's what I use anyway. but God knows what he's using here....

[@maineroad7429]

The one the finest ever written. .

[@franciscoramoncleriguesrov7187]

B R A V O ,,, Chapeauuuu ... sooo good my god. Thank you thank you for beatyful song... bunymen in my heart... COOLOVEMUSIC this is my firma garantía . Valencia spñ

[@Ayog06]

Legend

[@Numis1]

The tempo is a faster than I like, but he is a master! Great tune!

[@PJL7095]

I’m sure Ian knows & plays it at the correct tempo

[@KaBooMx]

Yeah.. there's something a bit sadder with the non acoustic speed

[@gunofapreacherman1340]

I always thought his career took a bit of a nosedive after he split Peters & Lee up. To this day, everybody still makes a bee line for the dance floor when the disc jockey plays “Welcome Home”!!! 😎

[@tintomara6209]

And the worst part was,he was never even really blind!

[@exqsit]

😂😂

[@russellnewton6660]

Still a great band live, MAC is a great front man, one of the best.

[@Xymox1966]

Great Song!!!!!!!!!!!

[@paulwilliams7070]

Ian is a legend musical genius killing moon the cutter

[@slomojoe9395]

Sweet!

[@lucia-jk1ki]

💕💕💕

[@ricardoramos3754]

Maestro.

[@daikuone]

Ian, What are those monitors?

[@janebraun4482]

Cool as ever to me!!

[@johnmacom6267]

I like the thumb over back G bass.

[@leemoore9933]

old school.

[@aventurasnocondominio7370]

where is echo and the bunnymen?

[@りったん-h1g]

1983年当時、エコー&ザ・バニーメンは素晴らしかった。レコードのジャケットは何人ものアーチストに真似されました。

[@McGrogansSchool]

Live the life. Walk the walk. C

[@standardofexcellence]

Song reminds me the cure meets danzig having a baby while bono narrates the story of how they met. He should be thankful to e and b that u2 has a career

[@Ale-nj3gr]

Great Mr. Lip's.

[@kittenclawsguitarvideos6147]

haunting voice.i see you avoided the evil bm bar chord.

[@nealmceneaney3771]

We won it 6 times!!!!!

[@songshed9345]

Great song. End of!

[@dionesiocalibo351]

The Killing Thumb....

[@MarcioBanfi]

COM AH BANDA FICA MELHOR ~~~~

[@memzepper6096]

What time does …

[@PaulMichaelR]

Hmmmmmm I thought it was played differently from that but cool I wasn't far off 🎸

[@tintomara6209]

Love the Killing Joke poster on the wall Mac,but I can't seriously imagine you ever having been a fan.

[@thecutter199]

One year late, but i believe this is youth's place because he was the producer for the bunnymen's meteorites album at that time.

[@tintomara6209]

@@thecutter199 Ah, that would make sense then!

[@billymallon1282]

How cool is macca la

[@geoffjoffy]

He's 55 years old there. Still looks very youthful, like he were mid-30s.

[@anjajacob5789]

Oh , was habe ich diesen Titel geliebt und liebe ihn immer noch , singe ihn gerade Karaoke , sorry . 😊

[@jnixa1010]

Sounds so different. His voice, I mean. I don’t hear that British accent as much, and the depth is gone.

[@loudmouthnewyorker2803]

He's in the wrong octave and trying too hard. He used to sing with so much more texture and depth. Sad he's washed up.

[@RebeccaLynnMusic]

@@loudmouthnewyorker2803 No he's not in "the wrong octave". You know not of what you speak. Washed up? You are saying far more about yourself than you are of him. Quite rude.

[@loudmouthnewyorker2803]

@@RebeccaLynnMusic Oh really? Listen to him back in his heyday and what's he's trying to pull off here. He can't reach the notes he wrote himself. I saw them live in 1987 at Jones Beach Theater and they nailed it. Now Ian is a shell of himself. Look up Ocean Rain from 1984 here on KZbin and then the 2001 Liverpool show, Two different singers. The former singer was full of raw talent and the latter a blown tire. You know not what you speak.

[@RebeccaLynnMusic]

@@loudmouthnewyorker2803 I don't think you know what an octave is. Read my comment. I did not remark on the current quality of his voice. However, I did point out that you don't seem to know what an octave is, and that you are rude for no good effect. Who feels better now? Go listen to older recordings, then, and appreciate the guy. If he were dead would you be insulting, too? Why not just appreciate the composer?

[@loudmouthnewyorker2803]

@@RebeccaLynnMusic Oh I see what you mean. He's tone is completely messed up and all the cigarette smoking killed his voice. So we're in full agreement he's washed up. Exactly what I said.

[@AlkalineTrooper]

I really don't get the hype behind Martin guitars, maybe the strings are just a little dead on this one but it sounds awful.

[@TheVenerozo]

It's a mahogany guitar... better if you play some blues.

[@cosmicbilly]

Laurence Nettel lmao says that while watching a KZbin video

[@dermot51]

Mac is no better than a street musician but Will Sergeant is a genius guitarist and fantastic arranger

[@scottjudge4314]

Not the Martin guitar at fault here mate! Mac is playing like a beginner👎🏼

[@billybigtime2808]

It’s the player not the guitar trust me

[@necr0z0mbie7]

Didnt this song come to him in a dream or something.. or is that another band?? Lol

[@calebbausman]

The song is about his hair inevitably losing its fight against gravity

[@glueh]

When I first saw this I was hella impressed but now, after learning it I see the mistakes B-)

[@akio2730]

Actually this is the only song I remember of his band ...

[@mc12866]

I'm cured I can see

[@sutats]

Donnie Darko brought me here.

[@surfpsych]

➰🔊💦 so good

[@synthwave.melancholy]

Donnie Darko, The Girl Next Door.

[@todaywiththeCJB]

I remember when he walked off because someone was talking!

[@ardijan706]

+todaywiththeCJB Lol, well they shouldn't be talking in the middle of a concert they paid to see. I can't blame Ian, really. It's like talking at the cinemas. It's rude to the other people, rude to the band, and if you're going to see a band you love...just enjoy it. Even worse when some git pulls out their phone for a chat, which I hear someone did at an Echo concert once.

[@dermot51]

Seen him do this before and its usually when his voice is in 'rag order' hes a contrary cunt anyway. I met him backstage at Vicar Street in Dublin about ten years ago and thought he was a twat he just cant seem to relax and turn off that bullshit rock persona but Will was a gentleman and very down to earth and to me the true heart behind the sound..."watch the guitar"

[@Ferociousweasel]

He’s my boyfriend (real)

[@josecarmoalves8877]

Hank moody?

[@dermot51]

Why is he wearing sunglasses in a well lit indoor environment... anybody?

[@strangetimes4342]

dermot51 he’s blind

[@yelnickmcwawa5858]

Such a stupid question

[@dermot51]

Then whats the answer twat

[@leemoore9933]

you never and i mean never question a rock star why he wears shades, hell they wear them to bed for god sakes.

[@lucasglatthardt5368]

Anyone else felt some Liam Gallagher vibes?

[@sage1682]

Thought this was cover by Tim Burton

[@agentdouble-osoul158]

Only one Ian…

[@RhythmGuitarMan]

Heartbreaking... and not in a good way. So sorry Mac.

[@paulcolbourne5555]

Thank god he saved some money