Melody Maker – 26 July 1997 – Echo & The Bunnymen / Ian McCulloch Cover – Gene, Eric Cantona, Phoenix Festival

Original vintage British Melody Maker weekly music newspaper dated 26 July 1997, featuring Ian McCulloch of Echo & The Bunnymen on the front cover.

This issue celebrates the return of Echo & The Bunnymen, with a major cover story about the band's comeback and McCulloch's views on the contemporary music scene, including Oasis, Radiohead and the Spice Girls.

Also advertised are features on Gene, Eric Cantona and the 1997 Phoenix Festival, including The Charlatans, Black Grape and Orbital.

An excellent period collectible for fans of post-punk, alternative rock, Britpop and British music journalism.

Front Cover – Echo & The Bunnymen

The cover is dominated by a large colour photograph of Ian McCulloch, lead singer of Liverpool post-punk and alternative rock band Echo & The Bunnymen.

McCulloch is pictured wearing a dark jacket and holding a large cigar in his right hand.

His left hand is raised towards the camera, making a two-finger V-sign, with a silver-coloured ring visible on one finger.

He looks directly towards the camera with a confident expression.

The portrait has a warm orange and brown colour scheme, contrasting with the dark clothing and background.

The huge orange-and-black Melody Maker masthead stretches across the top of the cover.

Across the lower half, the band name appears in enormous yellow and red lettering:

ECHO & THE BUNNYMEN

The main cover headline reads:

"The best comeback in the world...ever!"

Below this is the additional headline:

"Oasis, Radiohead, Spice Girls... Mac The Mouth takes on the world!"

The cover captures McCulloch's famously outspoken public persona and the excitement surrounding the band's return during the Britpop era.

The photograph is credited on the cover to Pat Pope.

Echo & The Bunnymen – The Comeback

Echo & The Bunnymen emerged from Liverpool's post-punk scene and became one of the most influential British alternative rock bands of the 1980s.

Their music combined atmospheric guitar arrangements, dramatic vocals and distinctive songwriting.

The group became particularly well known for recordings such as:

• The Killing Moon

• Lips Like Sugar

• Bring on the Dancing Horses

• The Cutter

• Seven Seas

• Rescue

By 1997, Echo & The Bunnymen had reunited, with Ian McCulloch and guitarist Will Sergeant returning to the band's distinctive sound.

Their comeback coincided with the release of the album Evergreen in July 1997.

This issue of Melody Maker captures the band at an important moment in their career, as they returned to the British music scene during a period dominated by Britpop and alternative rock.

The front-cover feature presents McCulloch discussing contemporary music and the band's renewed ambitions.

Ian McCulloch and Contemporary Music

The cover specifically advertises McCulloch's opinions on:

Oasis

One of Britain's biggest bands of the 1990s, whose success helped define the Britpop movement.

Radiohead

The alternative rock group whose landmark album OK Computer had been released in June 1997.

Spice Girls

The internationally successful British pop group whose popularity dominated much of the contemporary music press.

The combination of these artists makes the issue particularly interesting as a snapshot of the British music scene in the summer of 1997.

Gene – Hong Kong Feature

The upper-left corner of the cover features a small colour group photograph of British indie rock band Gene.

The headline reads:

"KOWLOON IS NOW? GENE make history in Hong Kong"

The photograph shows the band members grouped together, with several wearing dark clothing and one wearing a hat.

The feature concerns Gene's activities in Hong Kong, reflecting the international reach of British indie music during the 1990s.

Gene were associated with the Britpop and alternative rock scenes and were known for their melodic guitar sound and the distinctive vocals of Martin Rossiter.

This is an interesting addition for collectors of Gene memorabilia and contemporary British indie music journalism.

Eric Cantona – Football and Popular Culture

The upper-right corner of the cover features a small portrait of Eric Cantona, the former Manchester United footballer.

The photograph shows Cantona looking towards the camera against a warm-toned background.

The headline reads:

"OOH! AAH! ROCK STAR! The ultimate CANTONA scam"

This is a particularly unusual cover feature, combining football celebrity culture with the irreverent style of Melody Maker.

Cantona was one of the most recognisable figures in British football during the 1990s.

His appearance demonstrates the newspaper's willingness to cover subjects beyond conventional music journalism.

An interesting crossover item for collectors of Manchester United, Eric Cantona and 1990s popular culture.

Phoenix Festival 1997 – Major Festival Coverage

The bottom section of the cover prominently advertises:

PHOENIX FESTIVAL

Followed by:

"Avon it large with THE CHARLATANS, BLACK GRAPE, ORBITAL and more"

The headline refers to the 1997 Phoenix Festival, a major British music event featuring alternative rock, indie, electronic music and other contemporary performers.

The Charlatans

The Charlatans were an established British alternative rock band, known for combining guitar music with organ-driven arrangements and influences from the Madchester scene.

Their appearance in the festival coverage is particularly relevant to collectors of 1990s British indie and alternative music.

Black Grape

Black Grape were formed by Shaun Ryder and Bez following their involvement with Happy Mondays.

The group combined alternative dance, rock, funk and hip-hop influences.

Their appearance reflects the continued popularity of the Manchester alternative music scene during the late 1990s.

Orbital

Orbital were among Britain's most influential electronic music acts.

Known for their live performances and innovative electronic sound, they became closely associated with the British festival and dance music scenes.

Their inclusion illustrates the range of artists represented at the Phoenix Festival.

The festival coverage makes this issue particularly appealing to collectors interested in historic British live music events.

Additional Cover Feature – Oasis Competition

The banner running across the top of the newspaper reads:

"WIN SIGNED OASIS SINGLES"

This advertises a contemporary reader competition connected with Oasis.

The headline is especially interesting given the enormous popularity of Oasis during 1997, shortly before the release of their third studio album, Be Here Now.

The competition is advertised on the cover; no signed singles are shown in the supplied photograph and none are included as part of this listing.

Historical and Collectable Interest

This issue was published during a particularly significant period in British popular music.

The summer of 1997 saw the continued commercial dominance of Britpop alongside the growing influence of alternative rock and electronic music.

Echo & The Bunnymen's comeback connected the influential post-punk generation of the 1980s with a new audience of 1990s music fans.

At the same time, bands such as Oasis, Radiohead, Gene and The Charlatans were shaping the contemporary British music landscape.

The Phoenix Festival coverage also provides a valuable snapshot of the live music scene, bringing together guitar bands and electronic performers.

The combination of Ian McCulloch's striking front-cover photograph, the Echo & The Bunnymen comeback feature and the contemporary music references makes this a particularly interesting original publication.

Especially suitable for collectors interested in:

• Echo & The Bunnymen memorabilia

• Ian McCulloch interviews and photography

• The Evergreen album era

• British post-punk and alternative rock

• Original Melody Maker newspapers

• Britpop and 1990s indie music

• Gene and Martin Rossiter

• Oasis and Radiohead

• Eric Cantona and Manchester United memorabilia

• Phoenix Festival history

• The Charlatans, Black Grape and Orbital

• Vintage British music journalism

Publication Details

Publication: Melody Maker

Full Publication Date: Saturday, 26 July 1997

Main Cover Artist: Echo & The Bunnymen

Featured Musician: Ian McCulloch

Cover Photographer: Pat Pope

Main Cover Feature: Echo & The Bunnymen Comeback

Additional Featured Artists: Gene, Oasis, Radiohead, Spice Girls, The Charlatans, Black Grape and Orbital

Other Featured Personality: Eric Cantona

Festival Coverage: Phoenix Festival 1997

Original Cover Price: 85p

Country of Publication: United Kingdom

Language: English

Format: Large-format weekly music newspaper

Era: 1990s / Alternative Rock / Post-Punk / Britpop / Indie

Condition: Pre-owned vintage condition

SKU: NP011

Condition – Important Information

This is an original newspaper from July 1997 and shows visible signs of age, previous handling and storage.

The supplied photograph shows the front cover.

Front Cover

The main cover photograph remains attractive, with Ian McCulloch's portrait clearly visible.

The large Echo & The Bunnymen headline, Melody Maker masthead and smaller cover features remain readable.

There is some general surface wear, including light creasing, rippling and handling marks.

Paper Discolouration

The newspaper has visible age-related yellowing and toning, particularly around the outer white margins.

The paper has an aged appearance consistent with its original newsprint format.

Some uneven discolouration is visible around the edges.

Top Edge

The upper edge is slightly uneven and shows general handling wear.

There is a noticeable bend or crease towards the upper-left corner.

The top margin also shows some waviness and minor corner softening.

Left Edge / Spine

The left-hand edge shows visible handling wear and creasing.

There are several small irregularities along the folded edge.

Some light marks and localised paper wear are visible along the margin.

Right Edge

The right-hand edge shows noticeable waviness and general wear.

There are small bends and irregularities along the paper edge, consistent with previous handling.

The upper-right area is slightly curled.

Bottom Edge

The bottom edge remains generally presentable but shows light creasing and unevenness.

There is some minor wear around the lower corners, particularly towards the right-hand side.

Surface Marks and Creases

Light horizontal creases and rippling are visible across the cover.

There are minor surface marks and signs of previous handling.

The main printed photograph and headlines remain clearly visible despite these imperfections.

Writing and Other Imperfections

No obvious handwritten annotations are visible on the photographed front cover.

The complete interior page count and condition of every internal page have not been independently verified.

Overall Condition

Pre-owned vintage condition with visible age-related yellowing, light creasing, surface rippling, edge wear and minor corner bending.

The front cover remains colourful and visually appealing, with the main Ian McCulloch photograph and lettering clearly visible.

This is an original 1997 newspaper and should not be considered mint or pristine.

Please study the supplied photograph carefully, as it forms an important part of the condition description.

Packaging and Postage

The newspaper will be carefully folded and securely packaged inside a protective cardboard box for postage, with care taken to minimise further damage during transit.

An appealing original 26 July 1997 Melody Maker, featuring Ian McCulloch on the front cover, Echo & The Bunnymen's major comeback, Gene in Hong Kong, Eric Cantona and Phoenix Festival coverage.

A desirable addition to collections of Echo & The Bunnymen, Ian McCulloch, Gene, Oasis and original 1990s British music newspapers.

SKU: NP011