The Crucial Three

Introduction

The Crucial Three were a short-lived band that existed for approximately six weeks in early 1977. They are nevertheless notable on account of the individual success of all three founding members: Julian Cope formed The Teardrop Explodes and has enjoyed a long and successful solo career as an author, photographer and singer, Ian McCulloch formed the very successful Echo & the Bunnymen, while guitarist Pete Wylie formed Wah! Heat (and various subsequent incarnations of Wah!) and enjoyed major chart success with "The Story of the Blues". In those early days, McCulloch sang, Cope played bass, and Wylie played guitar. A drummer, Stephen Spence, also joined at some point in their brief life.

The image is taken from this site:

Pete Wylie is a Facebook friend and responsible for some amazing songs. I also knew of him through a work colleague Dave Homan when I worked at Littlewoods. Julian Cope with the Teardrop Explodes and various solo projects has released some amazing songs, and how Ian McCulloch with Echo and the Bunnymen were not as big as U2 I do not know.

I was thinking of doing three playlists but was not sure how to link them together but I have done a couple of pieces on Pete Wylie.

Pete Wylie

I won't include any of his songs here, but you can listen in on these two pieces that I wrote that feature his amazing music:

Ian McCulloch

Here are a few favourites from Ian with Echo and The Bunnymen. He has been a major influence and played with various spin-off bands, but juts check out these songs.

"The Cutter"

I was working in Liverpool in the early eighties so these bands were coming up and this was the first Echo and The Bunnymen song that grabbed me with that twisted eastern main riff, and McCulloch's voice. This is just majestic.

I have included two versions as the transformed one is still awesome.

"Bring On the Dancing Horses"

Another magnificently beautiful song that is a favourite of my daughters Juliet and Kirsty, so I had to include this one. The strings enhance this amazing piece, like many of their songs you never want this to end.

"Seven Seas"

The starts with an almost discordant acoustic sequence and then Ian's voice carries the song through space as the music fades in and out, with some perfect images brought out in the lyrics.

"My Kingdom"

A Salvation Army pipe organ brings us into another sparse piece carried once again by Ian's voice into a magnificent chorus before fading back to the verse.

Julian Cope

After The Crucial Three, Julian Cope came to prominence with The Teardrop Explodes and then as a solo artist and related bands. He is also a successful author of musical forms and ancient pagan history and their architectural remains. This is often reflected in his music.

The Teardrop Explodes - "Reward"

i remember being in a pub down on Newcastle's Quayside with my friend Dawn Salt, she asked me if I could guess her favourite record. I put this on the jukebox and was right the first time. It is something we both remember today and I always share it with her on Facebook on her birthday.

"World Shut Your Mouth"

Loud and in your face and I loved this when it came out and I still do. Even the title takes no prisoners.

"Charlotte Anne"

A gentler piece from Julian but still an essential listen.

"Try, Try, Try"

A brilliant song of lost love. I have been listening to this a few times today.

I hope you have enjoyed these songs by these still amazing artists.

Julian Cope In Print