Look at any list of the greatest punk records of all time, and you will almost always see "I'm Stranded" by the Saints. The Saints were no ordinary punk band and it could be argued that aside from their classic "I'm Stranded," most of their output sounded very little like the punk records on that all time list. You can credit frontman Bailey for pushing this band into new areas of sound from record to record.
Chris Bailey passed away on Saturday. Listen to some Saints records today.
15 comments:
Sad to hear Chris Bailey is gone, though the last time I saw him (on an old Rockwiz episode - an amusing Aussie music game show, well worth finding) he was already looking on the way out. Here's a clip from the episode Bailey was on in 2008. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lR15ezowU40
I only got to see the Saints on the All Fools Day tour. They were fine, but the folk-rock played was a fair way away from the albums with Ed Kuepper on guitar. I suppose the split with Bailey was acrimonious since Kuepper started a band called The Aints which played noise rock, including a version of Coltrane's Ascension. Bob Mould might have listened to this for inspiration when recording his Black Sheets of Rain album.
- Paul in DK
Ed Kuepper's post-Saints output is miles better than Chris Bailey's, and definitely worth checking out. But together, Chris and Ed were magical. I blame my hearing loss on those first Saints records. This is sad news.
Eternally Yours is such a great record
I loved All Fools Day. I believe Springsteen covered Just Like Fie Would.
I'm glad you also posted something from All Fool's Day. All I saw all day were references to ( I'm ) Stranded.
Another sad loss.......
Grew up in England....saw then early on.
Last 30 years have resided in Brisbane (Saints territory!!)
Good article here, which might give you some Australian context. They changed the face/sound/approach of music in Oz.
https://www.theguardian.com/music/2022/apr/11/chris-bailey-of-the-saints-the-voice-that-tore-across-the-world-and-changed-the-face-of-brisbane
and as Anonymous said, watch RockWiz . Especially the earlier shows. I think you would be entertained! Anachronistic and trailblazing show... Go Julia Zemiro!
Thanks Sal. Utterly ignorant of The Saints, despite hearing them namechecked over the years. Nick Cave had a lovely tribute on his website/email newsletter, which I highly recommend. https://www.theredhandfiles.com/chris-baileys-amazing-voice/
Oh this is awful. Chris Bailey (and the Saints) have been among my absolute heroes for years. What a great career he had, and how nice he seemed. Condolences to all who loved Chris.
For a stupendous 17 minute video of the early Saints, go here: https://pitchfork.com/news/chris-bailey-the-saints-singer-and-songwriter-has-died/
Adding one more voice in support of Chris Bailey's music after the split with Kuepper, and the All Fools Day album in particular. When my wife and I were dating, AFD was an album we listened to over and over. "Just Like Fire Would", "Big Hits On The Underground", and "Temple Of The Lord" were our favorites.
The title track, "See You In Paradise" and "How To Avoid Disaster" are also great songs. All Fools Day ain't The Saints as we knew and loved them; without Ed, it's a Chris Bailey solo album in all but name. But he's in great voice, and his songs are thoughtful and witty. It's no surprise that Springsteen and Nick Cave took notice. I would disagree that the Laughing Clowns were "miles better".
If you see a copy of AFD in a cutout bin, rescue it! The Saints compilation 77-99 is a great 2CD set, with the original Saints on the first disc, and highlights from AFD and after on the second CD.
Thanks to those who posted links to the articles from The Guardian and Red Right Hand. The Saints were an inspiration not only to countless punk bands, but to songwriters like Cave, Paul Kelly, Robert Forster, and Peter Milton Walsh of The Apartments (who was once a Laughing Clown).
I just remembered that Mark E. Smith also loved The Saints, and The Fall covered "This Perfect Day".
I got to the Saints party late, but I was hooked hard immediately. Played them every day forever, it seemed. RIP Chris Bailey…and Thanks!
Just got in from a week out in the Mojave, so catching up and see...this. I've advocated for All Fool's Day in this blog's comments (relatively recently), so will only add my voice to those not only lamenting CB's loss, but AFD's greatness. My kids were introduced to '(I'm) Stranded' early and it's still a fave, along with Arthur Brown's 'Fire', Ramones' 'Sedated', and Motorhead's 'Ace Of Spades'; they like the noisy, kinda manic ones. Since AFD is an adult album -- musically and thematically -- they'll have to wait a few decades to get into it like their ol' man. It ranks with the Go-Betweens' '16 Lovers Lane' and Nick Cave's 'Kicking Against The Pricks' (two more albums the kids aren't ready for) as the greatest Aussie album of the 80s.
C in California
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