Other than front-man Ian McCulloch, original post-punks Echo and the Bunnymen might not be all that spaced-out but they're about to contribute to the extraterrestrial experience on June 13.
The band have acknowledged that NASA astronaut Timothy Kopra wishes to take a copy of his favourite album, 1984's Ocean Rain, into space with him. The prestige is rare, with Echo and the Bunnymen now slotted to join the ranks of music legends like Louis Armstrong and Chuck Berry (who were included onboard Voyager 2 when it shot into the Great Black, circa 1977) as the select few with "the right stuff" to get blasted into space.
In conjunction with the honour, Echo and the Bunnymen will release a box set of reissues on May 30, which includes a live version of Ocean Rain recorded in November at Liverpool Arena, as we previously mentioned. It also boasts a DVD documentary and booklet. McCulloch and guitarist Will Sergeant will be signing the first 1,000 copies ordered.
As if that wasn't enough, the band are currently recording their next album, The Fountain, slated for release in September. What a lot of activity for a band that haven't done much since their last effort, 2005's Siberia.
Kopra is scheduled to visit the International Space Station.
The band have acknowledged that NASA astronaut Timothy Kopra wishes to take a copy of his favourite album, 1984's Ocean Rain, into space with him. The prestige is rare, with Echo and the Bunnymen now slotted to join the ranks of music legends like Louis Armstrong and Chuck Berry (who were included onboard Voyager 2 when it shot into the Great Black, circa 1977) as the select few with "the right stuff" to get blasted into space.
In conjunction with the honour, Echo and the Bunnymen will release a box set of reissues on May 30, which includes a live version of Ocean Rain recorded in November at Liverpool Arena, as we previously mentioned. It also boasts a DVD documentary and booklet. McCulloch and guitarist Will Sergeant will be signing the first 1,000 copies ordered.
As if that wasn't enough, the band are currently recording their next album, The Fountain, slated for release in September. What a lot of activity for a band that haven't done much since their last effort, 2005's Siberia.
Kopra is scheduled to visit the International Space Station.
