The Saints (band)

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The Saints
The Saints current line-up performing at the Download Festival, 2005. Left to Right: Chris Bailey, Peter Wilkinson and Casper Wijnberg.
Background information
Origin	Brisbane, Queensland, Australia
Genre(s)	Punk Rock Music[1]
Years active	1974 – present
Associated acts	Kid Galahad and the Eternals
Members
Chris Bailey Caspar Wijnberg Peter Wilkinson
Former members
Ed Kuepper Kym Bradshaw Ivor Hay Algy Ward Roger Cawkwell Chris Barrington Mark Birmingham Janine Hall Ian Shedden Brian James Richard Burgman Arturo "Archie" Larizza Marty Wilson-Piper

The Saints are an Australian rock band, formed in Brisbane in 1974. They are considered to be one of the first and most influential punk groups. Bob Geldof has been quoted as saying, "Rock music in the Seventies was changed by three bands - the Sex Pistols, the Ramones and The Saints".^[2][3]

The original members of the band were schoolmates Chris Bailey (singer-songwriter, later a guitarist); Ed Kuepper (guitarist-songwriter); and Ivor Hay (drummer). Their musical inspiration came from sources as diverse as 1950s rock 'n' roll such as Little Richard and Elvis Presley (an early incarnation of the group was called Kid Galahad and the Eternals)^[3] and 1960s proto-punk bands like The Stooges and MC5.

By 1975, contemporaneously with the Ramones but on the other side of the world, The Saints were employing the fast tempos, slurred vocals and buzzsaw guitar that characterised early punk rock. With the release of their first single "(I'm) Stranded" in late 1976, they beat on to vinyl a host of more widely-known punk acts like the Sex Pistols, the Buzzcocks, and The Clash.

The founding members of the band, other than Chris Bailey, left during the 1970s. During the 1980s, The Saints progressively adopted a more mainstream, classic rock style, and they achieved increasing commercial success in Australia.

[edit] 1976 - 77: (I'm) Stranded

The cover of The Saints' debut album, (I'm) Stranded (1977)

In September 1976, with bass player Kym Bradshaw, The Saints independently recorded and distributed copies of their debut single "(I'm) Stranded". In the UK, Sounds magazine declared it "Single of this and every week",^[4] and the band was signed to a three-album contract with EMI. Later the same year they recorded their first LP, released in February 1977, also called (I'm) Stranded.

In mid-1977 the band moved to the UK, where it became apparent that they and their label had different ideas as to how they should be marketed. EMI planned to sell The Saints as a typical punk band, complete with ripped clothes and spiky hair. The Saints insisted on maintaining a more downbeat image.^[3] Nevetheless one single, "This Perfect Day", showed potential of a commercial breakthrough when it made #34 in the UK; further movement up the charts was frustrated by EMI's failure to press enough copies of the record to satisfy demand.^[4]

[edit] 1977 - 78: Eternally Yours and Prehistoric Sounds

Later in 1977, with bass player Alisdair "Algy" Ward, The Saints recorded a second album, Eternally Yours. This showed the band moving towards a more R&B style of rock, including a brass section on songs like "Know Your Product".

Eternally Yours (1978) The Saints' second release.

Another track on the album, "Private Affair", focussed on what the band members saw as the pigeon-holing, hype and commercialisation of punk:

And now you think that you got a first in fashion

New uniforms we all look the same

A new vogue for the now generation

A new profit in the same old game

We got new thoughts, new ideas it's all so groovy

It's just a shame that we've all seen the same old movies

The Saints continued their musical development with the jazz-blues influenced LP Prehistoric Sounds in 1978; some critics see the 'jazz-punk' sound of Kuepper's next band, The Laughing Clowns, germinating on this record.^[5] Its commercial failure led to EMI dropping the band.

[edit] 1979 - Present: Kuepper's departure

Amidst this stew of frustrated talent and pressure cooker attention, relations between Kuepper and Bailey deteriorated beyond repair.

All Fools Day (album) (1986) The Saints' commercial breakthourgh in the US.

Kuepper, Hay and Ward left the band soon afterwards and Kuepper began pursuing a more avant-garde direction with The Laughing Clowns. He also later released several solo albums.

Bailey continued to use the name of The Saints with a variety other musicians including, briefly, Ivor Hay; in 1984 Kuepper was about to rejoin for a tour but in the end pulled out. Bailey eventually achieved a commercial breakthrough with All Fools Day in 1987 (see 1987 in music), which sold moderately well across most of the world, as did the follow-up, Prodigal Son. Since then, he has continued touring and recording with various incarnations of The Saints.

Kuepper's riposte to Bailey's ongoing use of the name was to call one of his own bands The Aints. Later, Bailey and Kuepper buried the hatchet and, in September 2001, the original line-up came together for a one-off reunion when they were inducted into the ARIA Hall of Fame.^[6]

Chris Bailey and the current incarnation of The Saints released a new album in 2006, Imperious Delerium, undertaking a tour to promote it.

[edit] Discography

[edit] Studio albums

• (I'm) Stranded (1977)
• Eternally Yours (1978)
• Prehistoric Sounds (1978)
• The Monkey Puzzle (1981)
• I Thought This Was Love, But This Ain't Casablanca (1982) (released outside Australia as Out in the Jungle ... where things ain't so Pleasant)
• A Little Madness to Be Free (1984)
• All Fools Day (1986)
• Prodigal Son (1988)
• Howling (1997)
• Everybody Knows the Monkey (1998)
• Spit the Blues Out (2002)
• Nothing is Straight in My House (2005)
• Imperious Delerium (2006)

[edit] Live albums

• Live in Mud Hut ... Somewhere in Europe (1985)
• The Most Primitive Band in the World (Live from the Twilight Zone, Brisbane 1974) (1995)

[edit] Compilation albums

• Best of the Saints (1986)
• Scarce (1989)
• The New Rose Years (1989)
• Songs of Salvation 1976-1988 (1991)
• Permanent Revolution (1991)
• Know Your Product - The Best of... (1996)
• 7799: Big Hits on the Underground (1999)
• Wild About You (2001)
• All Times Though Paradise (4-disc box set) (2005) A collection of the original bands first three albums including two complete live performances comprehensive liner notes as well as many out-takes. Remastered by Don Bartley with Ed Kuepper

[edit] Singles

• "(I’m) Stranded" / "No Time" (Fatal MA-7186 (Australia); Power Exchange PX-242 (UK); Sire 1005) (USA)) (1976)
• "Erotic Neurotic" / "One Way Street" (EMI Harvest SHAR-5123 (UK)) (1977)
• "This Perfect Day" / "L-I-E-S" (EMI Harvest SHAR-5130; also as 12" with bonus track "Do the Robot" HAR-5130 (UK)) (1977)
• "Lipstick on Your Collar" / "River Deep - Mountain High" (EMI 1C 006-82416 (UK)) (1977)
• "Know Your Product" / "Run Down" (EMI Harvest 11673 (UK)) (1978)
• "Security" / "All Times Through Paradise" (EMI Harvest SHAR-5166 (UK)) (1978)
• "Always" / "In the Mirror" (New Rose NEW-3 (France); Larrikin RISS-003 (Australia)) (1980)
• "Let's Pretend" / "Gypsy Woman" (Lost Rec 13093 (Australia)) (1981)
• "Follow the Leader" / "Animal" (Flicknife FLS-215) (1982)
• "Ghost Ships" / "Wrapped Up and Blue" (New Rose NEW-37 (France)) (1984)
• "Imagination" / "The Prisoner" (live) (New Rose NEW-43 (France)) (1984)
• "Just Like Fire Would" / "Storm" (Mushroom (Australia)) (1986)
• "(You Can't Tamper with) the Temple of the Lord" / "East is East" (Mushroom K-21 (Australia)) (1986)
• "See You in Paradise" / "Casablanca" (Mushroom (Australia)) (1986)

[edit] EPs

• "(I'm) Stranded" / "No Time" // B-side by Stanley Frank (split promo EP; Power Exchange (UK)) (1977)
• One Two Three Four (1977)
• Paralytic Tonight, Dublin Tomorrow (1979)
• "Ghost Ships" / "Wrapped Up and Blue" // "Angels" / "Roses" (12" EP; New Rose (France)) (1984)
• Cheap Erotica (1993)

[edit] Charts

[edit] Notes

[edit] External links

Wikimedia Commons has media related to:

The Saints

• The Saints Offical Myspace page
• The Saints Directory
• AMG Artist page
• The Saints: The Most Primitive Band In The World
• http://www.myspace.com/edkuepper
• http://thekuepperfiles.com/
• http://www.myspace.com/laughingclowns