#91 The Saints in London in 77: No Punk, No Future ? From Eternally yours to Prehistoric sounds: Interview with Ed Kuepper Podcast part 2 New pics from Ed and Chris Live on stage in 2009
In this second part of the interview with Ed Kuepper we started when The Saints arrived in London in 77 in the punk mouvement’s explosion. Ed explains how their musical evolution was bad accepted in that context, by their fans, the medias and at the end by their record company EMI : the song “Know your product” signed the debut of the hostilities because they dared to add a horn section to the band. They released their second album Eternally yours in a progressive misunderstanding until they split the band in 78 after finishing the mix of their third album Prehistoric Sounds.
Ed Kuepper in 77 in London (pic from Ed’s myspace); The Saints in 77 : Chris, Ivor, Kym and Ed (pic from the vine.com.au) Who sang : nice boys don’t play rock and roll ?…:)
I play a lot of songs from these both albums to illustrate Ed’s talk, hoping you will appreciate at least the Saints for what they were at that time : a great and innovative band paying the high price for their freedom and independance in the music industry.
short memento about that period to fix some dates (thanks to Ed !!) :
1970 : Chris and Ed’s first meeting at school in Brisbane
1973 : Chris, Ed and Ivor’s first show at the school party; a few months later they formed the band “Kid Galahad and the Eternals”
1974 : Chris, Ed, Ivor and Kym formed The Saints
1976 : I’m Stranded (the single) recorded in june Brisbane released in sept 76 on Fatal records; (the LP) recorded in october 76 Brisbane and released in feb 77 by EMI/Harvest/Sire
1977 : The Saints’ arrival in London; This perfect day [single] recorded London may 77 [the 2 songs on the b-side were recorded in feb 77 Sydney) One, two, three, four (EP) recorded London june 77; Algy Ward replaced Kym Bradshaw at the bass in June; Eternally yours (LP) : recorded in oct 77 released feb 78 Harvest
1978 : Prehistoric Sounds (LP) : recorded in april 78; the Saints split after the mix !! the album was released in aug/sept 78 in the UK but only in 79 in Australia.
No wonder when Ed formed the Laughing Clowns in 79 he created in 1980 his own label Prince Melon Records. In 2008 he re-launched his label to produce his solo albums and this month he reformed the Clowns for the ATP festival with new shows announced next May in Sydney !!
Chris Bailey on his side re-activated The Saints alone with a new line-up changing many times with the years. For a while now he performed with Caspar Wijnberg at the bass and Peter Wilkinson on the drums, the line-up I met two times for two live interviews in 2005 and I can’t forget the first one with Chris which was my very first “interview” for Meltingpod in April 2005 in Marseille !!
Ed Kuepper and Chris Bailey having fun on stage together again with the Saints’ original line-up 30 years later in Melbourne 10 days ago (pics Carbie Warbie!!) : when I told you 2009 will be an erotic year…:)
Carbie sent me both pics more in exclusive (because he loves Meltingpod I guess) telling me it was a moment of the show where Chris said to the crowd a lot of kind words about Ed until helping him to play guitar noticing Ed was exhausted after the first encore…sweet !
janvier 24th, 2009 at 21:47:44
annie tu es l’historienne des saints. great job !
janvier 25th, 2009 at 17:20:59
Yep, great expose on the Saints, as always! I can see you have put a Bob Nebe’s pic on your page! Megan will be pleased I am sure!!! xoxox
janvier 26th, 2009 at 03:22:39
Yes great pod Annie you have a talent for getting Ed to talk,
really paints a picture of that time and place.
Sandra I just showed this to Megan who thought it very
funny, small world she said.
ciao Bob
janvier 26th, 2009 at 18:34:27
Hey Annie
Another extraordinary podcast. Hearing Ed speaking of the Saints in London is fascinating… not to speak of the school years in Australia. I love your two last questions, lol. You’re terrific.
Now, am I a true fan? You tell me.
Bises
Eric
janvier 26th, 2009 at 20:38:33
Annie!
I haven’t really got myself together yet after hearing “Know Your Product” for the first time ever, this I like the best with music, when I get totally blown away by a song, don’t happens very often…what a masterpiece that song is, it has it all, The Saints best song, and I hear it NOW at first?
And got bad reviews back then? yeah, it’s like Van Gogh didn’t sold a painting during his lifetime…
Very interesting to hear Ed’s memories from London, and so right he is, I considered myself as a punkrocker but I couldn’t cope with that it became a “uniform” everybody looked the same after a while…and sounded the same…
I wish I had been there seeing the shows with The Saints playing with The Ramones, what a bargain, and I also think in some sense in the beginning both bands music was related, but Ramones did the same record over and over all the years (in a very good way) but The Saints wanted to do more, develop, and sadly people is very conservative, record companies very much….oh, I’m babbling away here…haha
Wonderful podcast, you’re awesome Annie:)
Kisses,
Tom
janvier 26th, 2009 at 23:50:23
Hi Annie,
Wonderful podcast as always - I laughed so much over the question about Ed & Chris’ first fight over a girlfriend…or a boyfriend.
I love the Carbie pics too! Yes, Ed sure has been working hard lately, I’m not surprised he was getting tired.
janvier 27th, 2009 at 10:33:43
Thanks to you all for your comments !
Hello Ben and Eric ! happy to read you again ! the old fans appear at the Saints’ call …:)
Yes to be a historian is not easy when you are looking for infos on the internet, a lot of dates are wrong and thanks to Ed I joined recently I fixed some historical details !! The band split in 78 as well as Prehistoric sounds was released that year in the UK and not in 79 !
ahaha ! Tom the Swedish punk ! I copy your comment sent to me on myspace, i’m too happy with it :
“Wow, just had to have a pause, just heard the song “Know Your Product” for the first time in my life, the hairs just stood up on my whole body, one of the five best songs i ever heard, how the hell could I miss that when it was out back then?”…
you know what you have to do now : still order a new album !!
Hello Michaela ! what I love with Ed during an interview, it’s he always answers to all my questions sincerely and very precisely…:)
janvier 30th, 2009 at 14:58:04
I really enjoyed to listen to Ed speaking about London during the 70’s…
Here in South Korea, no hope to listen to this kind of song, rock and punk music… Meltingpod is a good place for me to have my dose of music…
thanks Annie,
Meriadec from Korea
and yes! you are a true rock historian