In Praise of: The Saints

This is due, in no small part, to the gigantic voicecrush I have on Chris Bailey.

No further encouraging advice re: the post-Kuepper era then?

Found this bit of stranded video goodness on YouTube. They must've been an amazing band to see in the mid 70s.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2XQCfk69tFI&feature=PlayList&p=B5D6165CFA6F92B0&index=2

Good luck.

busted out "eternally yours" for the first time in a decade and fucked if it isn't even better than i remembered

is "prehistoric sounds" worth tracking down?

By all accounts, yes. But I haven't heard it. But I have been enjoying Stranded and Eternally a lot lately.

Also, Rocks "You'r So Boring," which is the Saints-est non-Saints song ever.

The Fall's version of This Perfect Day on the Peel session beats even the Saints version

is "prehistoric sounds" worth tracking down?

Oh hells yes. The horns add immeasurably to the punk energy.

The Fall's version of This Perfect Day on the Peel session beats even the Saints version

As much as I love The Fall, I must vehemently disagree with this. It's not even the same song in the hands of MES, it's another Fall song. That's not a bad thing, but in no way does it beat the original.

Listening to "All Fools Day" for the first time in many years. What a *glorious* album! Plucked strings! Flutes! Bailey-as-Van Morrison! Yes, yes, the first three albums are unimpeachable but sometimes you don't want that vibe, and this feels great.

I've not been interested in Mr. Bailey's work since, what have I missed?

Recently Bailey's been working with the French band H-Burns. There's an interview with him here: http://meltingpod.free.fr/?p=237

As a guitarist I can't say how highly I rate Ed Kuepper - absolutely killer sound all the time, super hooks and riffs - up there with the best.

Been reading up on the early days of the Saints, and apparently Kuepper used a PA system as a guitar amplifier. Total hero for me too!

so ed kuepper has dusted off a bunch of old tunes intended for the follow-up to prehistoric sounds and recorded them with The Aints! (punctuation essential)

saw some of these live a while ago and they really worked, definitely felt like a missing link between OG saints and Laughing Clowns

All Times tHrough paradise collects pretty much everything by the Ed Kuepper line ups of the Saints so is pretty essential.
Shame it doesn't have video for the Paddington Town Hall set which may have been why I bought it, does have teh audio though plus a load of their non album & unreleased material.
& seems to go for about £10 or even €10 I think.

If you get it for €10 then you are very lucky.

Not that it doesn't happen, or that it's a high price item. No, I mean - you are lucky. It's great.

Yeah, think I saw it for that price in the short lived record shop that was around from about this time last year to its sudden closing in January. Got some interesting stuff in.

https://rhythms.com.au/clinton-walkers-stranded-gets-reboot/

Clinton WAlker book Stranded on Aussie rock getting reissued in expanded version

Nice. The Saints and the Aussie 70s/80s underground scene had a renaissance in the 00s but has faded away since then, maybe this book will generate further interest.

yeh - on a related note ive been thinking someone really oughtta put together a killer single-disc Laughing Clowns comp especially for vinyl - it’s outrageous that all their stuff is out of print again

I mean maybe that someone is me, I dunno

All Times Through paradise teh comprehensive box set of teh Kuepper years is really good.
I thought it came with video of teh Paddington Town Hall set but I think it may just be audio but good to ahve anyway.

I saw that Stranded thing was coming out next week earlier. THink it just came to me that I'd seen it was due sometimne reasonably soon when i was on Book Depository so checked it. Left a note on teh Birthday Party thread a couple of hours ago.
I have teh inner City Sound but have waited ages for a copy of thsi to get released. Cool

Stranded just dropped through the door today so that's ok.
Only been wanting to read this for ooh longtimer, coupla decades or sumfin.

Awesome. Should likely be a great one

timely revive, it seems Ed Kuepper heard my plea for a good single disc Laughing Clowns comp and has just announced that CD-era best-of Golden Days will be pressed on to vinyl alongside a solo singles comp and an Aints live LP

https://www.nme.com/en_au/news/music/ed-kuepper-announces-three-new-compilations-including-rare-laughing-clowns-vinyl-2897922?amp

I think Ed Kuepper is giving The Fall a run for the title of Most Compilations. My fave is the 3CD "This Is The Magic Mile".

it’s a good one! misses the 1980s stuff though

hopefully these new LPs will also go up on Spotify where Edmund is criminally underrepresented

could also go a nice vinyl reissue of Honey Steel’s Gold, which is selling for daft money these days - was listening to Talk Talk yesterday and felt perhaps Spirit of Eden was an influence on Ed around this time

hopefully these new LPs will also go up on Spotify where Edmund is criminally underrepresented

he has at least three whole Bandcamps though!

(one is just one album, one is a handful of self-releases, and the last Bridegroom album is on Consume)

I think Ed Kuepper is giving The Fall a run for the title of Most Compilations.

I eyeball it as
Laughing Clowns: 3 albums, 3 live albums, 3 coherent best-of type comps
The Aints: a live debut, two albums, an album of self-covers and a live album of Saints covers, plus a reclaimed bootleg, and ONE best-of
Ed Kuepper: 16 studio-ish albums (and lots of EPs), 1 soundtrack and 1 soundtracky comp, one covers album, five albums of self-covers & out-takes, 8 best-of or era-focused comps (plus another one as a bonus disc)... and at least 16 multi-track or reclaimed-bootleg or radio-session comp live albums.

That might actually beat The Fall for how comprehensively his "additional" albums outdo his studio records?

I don't think i was aware taht jeffrey Wegener was a Yong Charlatan before he was a Laughing Clown. Before this morning that is.
Does taht explain why he was the drummer on teh last birthday Party shows, I thought he was simply an availble known drummer but I'm only finding out about those 2 bands in hindsight of knowing he was the drummer on those last shows.
Looks like he was in the Saints for a while too.

always been curious to hear a recording of wegener and the birthday party - I know there are bootlegs around

was just saying the other night that I’d love to see him play again - he was very active around 10 years ago, playing mostly with Ed and the Clowns - but also Louis Tillett, had a nice duo thing with Mick Turner - extraordinary drummer

Chris Bailey has passed:

https://www.facebook.com/TheSaintsOfficial/posts/5097509146962175

bummer

1 of the best to ever do it, as i believe you young people say

hadn't seen it before but this video is beautiful:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=h9M3b9lh-7s

RIP

This is sad, though I haven't been into his work for quite some time. All the post-Kuepper albums are great through "All Fools Day". I've never checked our Chris' solo albums, will rectify that now.

Yeah I was suddenly conscious of never having given his post-Keupper work much time. The feeling of it not being the Proper Saints probably meant I was less inclined to check it out, curious to listen to it with a more generous perspective.

Always liked this clip though, really captures the final years of a certain kind of Sydney pub - and Tracey Pew exuding cool -

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yYA5WdP47Y0

I regret to inform us all that this recent music video can drink and vote

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=X5YP_tsPzmg

Yep that’s the ultimate

The original Saints obv had killer song after killer song - but there’s something about Nights in Venice… I know Ed has talked about how it had a hypnotic surging effect live and I’ve definitely seen him play versions that had that quality - what a tune anyway

That All Times Through Paradise set is so good if one needed to get the Kuepper era material. Has a load of that gig on it plus all the released material plus a lot more bonus.
It was £10 when i got it a few years ago. I did think it had the video for Paddington before i got it but what's there is awesome.

I still need to get that Most Primitive Band In the World set I think . I know sound is not brilliant but would like a copy nonetheless.

In July 1977, punk rock was officially banned from Glasgow so bands had to go to Paisley to play. The Saints played in Paisley Silver Thread Hotel in July 21st, 1977 and my sister has just posted on Facebook this photo of her and other Paisley punks with Chris Bailey.

https://i.imgur.com/JD7GZgV.jpg

sad news. great photo, Tom!

i can usually leave Nick Cave's Red Hand Files but this one is good - https://www.theredhandfiles.com/chris-baileys-amazing-voice/

That's lovely Tom!

great photos from both Tom and Nick

i love Bailey’s 1983 solo album, this is a nice live performance - he looks so nervous!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=U-3cIS-vZms

and i have always loved “Just Like Fire Would” even though it took me a while to give non-Kuepper Saints much time of day

So I don't know shit about this band other than "Stranded" and will probly be dipping into their catalog in a bit, but… Does anyone know whether this band had any interaction with Radio Birdman 45 years ago? were they friends? rivals? are brisbane and sydney so far away from each other that it would be like wondering if Fela and Youssou N'dour knew each other?

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=T3oC_k5heuE

one wasn't a big fan of the other's logo and it caused a bit of friction like

One of the best uses of horns in loud rock ever

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=h9M3b9lh-7s

\m/

Otm. Knew what it was before I clicked and all I could see was the Zing camera icon.