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Like so many good things, The Saints began by accident rather than design.
Ed Kuepper, guitarist with Brisbane’s original punk heart-stoppers the Saints, had left school and was working in a Brisbane warehouse for Melbourne-based independent label Astor Records. The label operated from the 1960s through to the early 1980s, experiencing early success with pioneering Australian garage bands the Loved Ones and Masters Apprentices.
Working for Astor was a critical postgraduate education for Kuepper. Not only did he get his hands on slabs of deleted singles, it helped him unlock the mystery of the recording process. The Saints were already tearing up their neighbourhood with hot-shot high-energy rock & roll, but for the guitarist, everything that happened between the band’s sporadic live performances and his record collection was a mystery. [extract from wikipedia]
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Those three magic words, Do It Yourself, provided the keys to the kingdom.
Really, though, there was no choice. The Saints weren’t necessarily miles ahead of their time in world terms – the Ramones were getting it together in New York, and when Kuepper first heard the band, he was famously disappointed for feeling beaten to the punch. But Brisbane ain’t New York. Even in Sydney, no record company was game to touch the equally reviled Radio Birdman.
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The Saints' debut single '"(I'm) Stranded" (September, 1976) was voted Single Of The Week by British rock music paper Sounds.
In July, 1977 The Saints scored a Top 40 hit in Britain with "This Perfect Day". The band did not make the Top 40 in Australia until April, 1986 with "Just Like Fire Would".
In 1977 The Saints recorded cover versions of Connie Francis' "Lipstick On Your Collar", and Ike And Tina Turner's "River Deep, Mountain High" for the One, Two, Three, Four E.P. (October, 1977).
In 1978, the press reported The Saints' derogatory comments about the Australian pop scene, and in particular television music show Countdown. As a result, the group was banned from appearing on Countdown.
The cover of The Saints' album Prehistoric Sounds (October, 1978) featured a still from the classic 1951 B-grade science fiction film When Worlds Collide.
Kuepper, Hay and Ward left the band in 1978 but Chris Bailey continued touring and recording as The Saints with a revolving line-up of musicians throughout the 80’s. After releasing a couple of records under his own name, Bailey reformed The Saints in 1996. Once again without any of the other founding members but they have reunited occasionally to perform live.
The only constant factor in The Saints' tortuous history has been lead singer Chris Bailey, with much speculation over the shakey relationship between Bailey and Kuepper. [extract from Soundslike Brisbane.com]
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"ED, DO you hate me?" calls out Chris Bailey, singer with the legendary punk band the Saints. From across the room Ed Kuepper, guitarist with the band, replies quietly: "No, Chris, I love you." "He loves me and I love him," says Bailey. Kuepper adds: "The band didn't split up with a lot of personal animosity going on. It was more a case of moving apart musically which is sometimes presented as though that is not a legitimate reason." They are responding to one of the great myths of the Australian music industry. That the Saints, who, apart from one brief reunion about 18 months ago at the Queensland Music Festival, have been kept apart for 30 years only because Bailey and Kuepper hate each other's guts. It has never been true. Bailey recalls a night in late 1978 - "Back when you were going to become our manager, baby" - an offer the band made and I declined when we all sat in a curry house in the north London suburb of Hampstead. It was pretty much the end of the road for the band. Kuepper and Bailey were heading in different directions. EMI was showing a distinct lack of interest and their manager had returned to Australia. The future looked bleak. Out of that moment evolved Kuepper's remarkable career both as a solo artist
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This rip was taken from vinyl at 192kps and includes limited artwork (thanks to Bruce at madplace blogspot) The concert was recorded at a punk festival at The Hope and Anchor in November 1977, during their first tour of the United Kingdom. The audience, wanting their punk bands to look like a punk band, never really took to the Saints and the response on this record is lukewarm at best but the music is pure brilliance.
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Track Listing
01 - Do the Robot
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03 - Lipstick on Your Collar
04 - River Deep Mountain High
05 - Memories Passed
06 - Run Down
07 - This Perfect Day
08 - Messin' With the Kid
09 - 'Orstralia
10 - Nights in Venice
11 - I'm (Stranded)
12 - Demolition Girl
13 - One Way Street
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Band Members:
Chris Bailey (Vocals, Guitar)
Ed Kuepper (Guitar)
Ivor Hay (Drums)Kym Bradshaw (Bass)
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The Saints Live (61Mb) Link Fixed 06/05/2020
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Actually Sounds made 'I'm Stranded' single of the week twice in three (or four) weeks...Reviewer Jonh Ingham being an Ausssie expat.
ReplyDeleteMade me send off to Brisbane for a copy from Glasgow!
Regards/
Great share mate thanks. Mrs. Ozzie has just discovered The Saints so your in the good books with this one. :)
ReplyDeleteAnother great Aussie band
ReplyDeleteThanks for calling in and providing the additional info Mona.
ReplyDeleteHey Ozzie
ReplyDeleteHope the Mrs. enjoyed the Saints material.
Cheers to all
Add this one happily to the oh-so-short list of live Saints
ReplyDeleteThank a lot for this!!!
ReplyDeleteAn underrated band I'd say! Thanks for all this great new info!
ReplyDeleteVery Great Band, very great RockOnVinyl page. Thank you very much, guys!!! The Punk Rock Will Never Die.
ReplyDelete