MERSEYSIDE rock legends Echo and The Bunnymen will round off their winter tour with a gig in their home city next year.

The band - whose many hits included Rescue, The Killing Moon and Lips Like Sugar - will play the Liverpool Philharmonic Hall on February 20.

The band's co-founder Will Sergeant told the Globe today: "It's good to come and do a hometown gig, can't think of a better way to round off the tour."

The band's twelfth studio album in five years Meteorites, was released in June. It received worldwide critical acclaim, with Uncut Magazine calling it "Starry-Eyed Anthemic Rock" and The Quietus labelling it "Classic Bunnymen Pop".

Featuring ten new songs written by frontman Ian McCulloch and with Will Sergeant on guitar, it was produced by Youth, who has also worked with The Verve, Shack and The Orb.

Formed in Liverpool in 1978, Echo & The Bunnymen have been responsible for some of the most celebrated singles in all music history.

Many albums include their debut Crocodiles in 1980, the majestic Heaven Up Here in 1981, Porcupine - which was produced by future Lightening Seeds founder Ian Broudie - in 1983.

They were followed by orchestral-rock masterpiece Ocean Rain in 1984, classic comeback album Evergreen in 1997 and the haunting What Are You Going To Do With Your Life? in 1999.

The boys have just returned from a sell-out North American tour and performed Holy Moses on The Late Show With David Letterman.

Their loyal and ever growing following is showing no signs of abating. Will said: "It was great doing the Letterman show, he was a very nice chap. In fact we've done a few US shows, including Craig Ferguson. They're fun to do and get you out there."

As far as Will is concerned the secret of the band's longevity is simple. He said: "Good songs. There are some cracking songs over the years, quality always come to the surface. When we started out we rejected a lot of stuff.

"The music industry has changed a hell of a lot since we started out, it's much more of money-making machine.

"These days we like playing live and I never get tired of playing Killing Moon."

The album ‘Meteorites’ is a key addition to their repertoire and sees them continue to be one of the most seminal British rock acts in modern history.

Will said: "We just want to be remembered as a classic rock band, would love to have the same status as The Stones, but know that'll never happen; we've had some great hits.

"We're just a good band from Liverpool. I don't mind being second to The Beatles, they weren't too bad were they?"

Tickets for their new tour, which opens at Concorde 2 in Brighton on November 25, are from gigst.rs/EATB or 0844 811 0051.