Intermediate
The Killing Moon
5:00
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Browse piano sheets by Echo & The Bunnymen on Zen Virtual Piano. Echo & the Bunnymen are an English rock band formed in Liverpool in 1978. The original line-up consisted of vocalist Ian McCulloch, guitarist Will Sergeant and bassist Les Pattinson, and in 1979 Pete de Freitas joined as the band’s drummer. On “The Killing Moon” the members’ contributions are easy to follow. Its chords were based on David Bowie’s “Space Oddity” played backwards, and its arrangement was partly inspired by balalaika music that Pattinson and Sergeant had heard in Russia. Sergeant recorded the guitar solo separately while tuning up, and it was inserted at producer David Lord’s suggestion. The strings combine Adam Peters’ cello with keyboards played by the producer. One band member calls the song definitely a team effort, even though “Mac” may have come up with the lyrics. The same interview says it was recorded in Bath and Liverpool. For context, the band’s 1980 debut album, Crocodiles, went into the UK top 20, and in 1983 “The Cutter” became a UK top 10 hit while Porcupine reached number 2. Ocean Rain (1984) followed with “The Killing Moon” as its top 10 lead single.
Browse piano sheets by Echo & The Bunnymen on Zen Virtual Piano.
Echo & the Bunnymen are an English rock band formed in Liverpool in 1978. The original line-up consisted of vocalist Ian McCulloch, guitarist Will Sergeant and bassist Les Pattinson, and in 1979 Pete de Freitas joined as the band’s drummer.
On “The Killing Moon” the members’ contributions are easy to follow. Its chords were based on David Bowie’s “Space Oddity” played backwards, and its arrangement was partly inspired by balalaika music that Pattinson and Sergeant had heard in Russia. Sergeant recorded the guitar solo separately while tuning up, and it was inserted at producer David Lord’s suggestion. The strings combine Adam Peters’ cello with keyboards played by the producer. One band member calls the song definitely a team effort, even though “Mac” may have come up with the lyrics. The same interview says it was recorded in Bath and Liverpool.
For context, the band’s 1980 debut album, Crocodiles, went into the UK top 20, and in 1983 “The Cutter” became a UK top 10 hit while Porcupine reached number 2. Ocean Rain (1984) followed with “The Killing Moon” as its top 10 lead single.
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Common questions
The original line-up consisted of vocalist Ian McCulloch, guitarist Will Sergeant and bassist Les Pattinson; drummer Pete de Freitas joined in 1979.
Its chords were based on David Bowie’s “Space Oddity” played backwards, Les Pattinson and Will Sergeant brought balalaika ideas from Russia, and Sergeant recorded the guitar solo separately while tuning up.
One band member calls it definitely a team effort, even though “Mac” may have come up with the lyrics; the same interview says it was recorded in Bath and Liverpool.