The Saints

Founded in 1974 in Brisbane, Queensland, Australia, The Saints was the most influential punk and alternative rock band from the land Down Under. While they were barely acknowledged in the US, they were extremely influential in Europe and Australia. The group was founded by Chris Bailey (vocals, guitar), Edmund Kuepper (guitar), Kym Bradshaw (bass) and Ivor Hay (drums, organ). Not able to secure a record deal in an industry dominated at the time by heavy metal, The Saints created their own Fatal Records label and released “(I’m) Stranded”, their debut single, in 1976. The song was critically acclaimed and dragged the band into the spotlight. “(I’m) Stranded” has since become one of the defining singles of the punk era. The Saints, who would undergo numerous line-up changes during their career, signed to EMI and recorded their debut album which was also titled (I'm) Stranded. The next album, Eternally Yours, was released in 1978 and was their commercial breakthrough in England thanks to their Number 34 hit “This Perfect Day.” That same year, The Saints released the album Prehistoric Sounds, which was a seismic shift in sound and included a horn section on some tracks. Three years later, The Saints reached Number 85 in Australia with their album, The Monkey Puzzle. However, the next two, Casablanca (1982) and A Little Madness to Be Free (1984) were not commercially successful. All Fools Day (1986) and Prodigal Son (1988) were only moderate hits, although they did attract attention in the US. The band took a hiatus and Chris Bailey, the band’s leader, and only constant member, pursued various solo projects. He resurrected The Saints in the mid-90s – with no other original members - and released the album Howling in 1996. The Saints released several more albums up through 2012’s King of the Sun but didn’t achieve significant commercial success. Chris Bailey died on April 9, 2022, at the age of 65.