Saint Etienne - ProfilesArchive

About Me

Biography
Here is what someone had to say about us...When they come to write the dissertations, and all the deconstructions and doctorates are done and dusted, I hope the point is not lost. For how Saint Etienne subtly smashed the system was by mastering the art of being all things to all people. Rather handy it was too, as their name gave an entree to any strata of society.So, when colleagues cornered you and asked the dreaded question: So what music DO you like? the words Saint Etienne were a godsend. Everyone seemed to know or have a soft spot for them. And when eyebrows were raised at arms aloft, shirt off antics, it was okay to say: Oh, I’ve been at it since K-Klass learnt to spell. You should come up and see my Saint Etienne 12s some time.And if the headz behind the record shop counter in the discreetly logoed limited edition tee shirts looked down their noses at the Etienne vamping it up on the Radio One roadshow, they would drool into their goatees at the 45s Bob and Pete played down the Social. Then when the coffee bar philosophers gathered to put down the party people, it was good to state that present company excepted, no one could do more with a feather boa than Sarah. So the debate would continue about whether she was thee role model for the emerging Fabians jet set, flitting between Prada and Primark, the Third Way and Home And Away. And when the light was only provided by a scented candle and the talk turned to books, we would declare for Douglas Coupland and never resist mentioning his sleevenotes for the gorgeous Good Humor set and then speculate on what his favourite song was.So, when homely souls said the Etienne were quintessentially English, it was easy to agree and say not even The Clash dropped as many London references. And one day someone would light out for the territory and trace the routes (roots!) of their lovers rock (though strangely not the Purley and Shirley of the south west). Then when the rootless internationalists claimed the Etienne as their own, it was only right to second this, pointing to Italian house piano magic and French disko bleeps and beats, Swedish flair and German adventuresomeness. And, yes, the mythical America of sitting around a Palm Springs pool swapping stories of dead pop stars and fallen footballers, with the Aphex Twin’s ambient works playing and the sun rising.Whoops! I couldn’t resist inventing a Saint Etienne moment there. For really, home alone, that has been the power of their pop. They could be whatever you wanted them to be and take you wherever you wanted to go. That’s not as easy as some would have you think, and that’s called magic.

My Interests

Music:

Member Since: 10/29/2004
Band Website: saintetienne.com
Band Members: Sarah Cracknell, Bob Stanley, Pete Wiggs.Producer and confidante: Ian Catt ([email protected])Manager and foreman: Martin Kelly ([email protected])
Influences: John Barry, The Kinks,The Bee Gees, Joe Meek, Goffin/King, Mann/Weil, Carter/Lewis, Gamble/Huff, Blondie, The Fall, Broadcast, Denim, Billy Fury, Russ Titelman, Basil Kirchin, Ennio Morricone, Orchestral Manoeuvres In The Dark, The Human League, To Rococo Rot, The Mascots, Wimple Winch, Thor's Hammer, Ruth Copeland, The Sweet, Slade, Chinnichap, Roger Nichols, Paul Williams, The Association, Phil Ochs, Loudon Wainwright III, John Fahey, The Miracles, Holland Dozier Holland, Larry Banks, Curtis Mayfield, Pet Shop Boys, Serge Gainsbourg, Michel Polnareff, Dion, Del Shannon, Roy Orbison, Lou Christie, Paul & Barry Ryan, Scott Walker, Laura Nyro, Derrick May, Juan Atkins, Todd Rundgren, Burt Bacharach, Sandy Denny, Anne Briggs, Ellie Greenwich, Paris Sisters, Macca, The Monkees, Elvis, Phil Spector, the Beach Boys.Richard Brautigan, William Saroyan, Kenneth Patchen, Richard Yates, Shena Mackay, Nik Cohn, Anthony Lane, Daniel Farson, Geoffrey Fletcher, Patrick Hamilton, Julian Maclaren-Ross, Max Beerbohm, Anita Loos, PG Wodehouse, Beau Brummell, Beau Nash, Berthold Lubetkin, Walter Gropius, Le Corbusier, Tristan Tzara, Andre Breton, Robert Desnos, Guy Debord, Francis Picabia, Jess, Kurt Schwitters, Jeremy Deller, Julian Opie, Mark Perry, Jon Savage, Paris '68, SLA, Archigram, Free Cinema, John Steed, Emma Peel, Francois Truffaut, Billy Wilder, David Lynch, Sophia Loren, Harpo Marx, Stan Laurel, Schultz, Larry David, Chris Morris, John McEnroe, Miloslav Mecir, Roy Race, Thierry Henry, Paul Walsh, love on the terraces, bonhomie in public houses, the look and the sound of a seven inch single, maybe on Decca.
Sounds Like: International pop music from London, England
Record Label: savoy jazz
Type of Label: Indie

My Blog

dublin tonight

Well, I hope I'm proved wrong, but it looks like Boris Johnson will be mayor of London tonight. Never again will anyone in this country have the right to look at America and ask 'how the fuck did they...
Posted by Saint Etienne on Fri, 02 May 2008 04:27:00 PST

spanish moss

Saw it hanging from trees in Savannah GA on me hols, but I wonder if you get it in Spain? Well we're going to drag ourselves away from the new series of Curb Your Enthusiasm and find out for ourselves...
Posted by Saint Etienne on Fri, 07 Mar 2008 07:24:00 PST

Sarah interview with Pop! Justice

With The Journey Continues clogging up the airwaves Pop! Justice, the site we affectionately call Smash-Hits-On-Sea, has got Sarah Cracknell on the blower. And - strike a light - the cat is truly ou...
Posted by Saint Etienne on Thu, 24 Jan 2008 06:58:00 PST

coals to newcastle, and greece

We'll be celebrating the return of 'Wor' Kevin with an evening of Etienne festivities at Newcastle's tichy but exquisite Star And Shadow this Friday. Films, football, followed by records being spun by...
Posted by Saint Etienne on Thu, 17 Jan 2008 03:29:00 PST

At last! The Saint Etienne fan club box set

The much "vaunted" boxed set of Saint Etienne rarities - Boxette - is now available. It contains I Love To Paint (1994), Built On Sand (1999) and Asleep At The Wheels Of Steel (2001). All of these wer...
Posted by Saint Etienne on Mon, 17 Dec 2007 04:12:00 PST

this is tomorrow screenings

Greetings chums. Yes. We've been on our summer holidays, desperately waiting for summer to arrive. I discovered the joys of Riga, Latvia, so a hearty "hullo" to any Latvian supporters. I am in love wi...
Posted by Saint Etienne on Wed, 05 Sep 2007 02:57:00 PST

Greek sadness

Sorry, but due to reasons totally beyond our control the two shows in Greece have been put back to the winter. As soon as we know the new dates we'll let you know. Sarah had already bought a new swim ...
Posted by Saint Etienne on Wed, 04 Jul 2007 10:32:00 PST

48 hour party people - admission free!

Saint Etienne's TURNTABLE CAFE takes over the Westminster Pavilion this weekend, inside the freshly re-opened Royal Festival Hall. Saturday night sees Brummie psych-pop girls POPPY AND THE JEZEBELS he...
Posted by Saint Etienne on Thu, 07 Jun 2007 02:23:00 PST

Greeks bearing gifts (we hope)

A bumper crop of Etienne news for you!First, we are putting together a boxed set of all the fanclub releases, with new artwork (courtesy of Lora 'Turnpike House' Findlay) and a few extra goodies, for ...
Posted by Saint Etienne on Tue, 15 May 2007 12:41:00 PST

mervyn day screening

What Have You Done Today, Mervyn Day?Wednesday 25th April 6.30pm RioNamed after a 1970s West Ham goalkeeper, What Have You Done Today, MervynDay? is a dreamy snapshot of the Lower Lea Valley and is ...
Posted by Saint Etienne on Mon, 16 Apr 2007 06:13:00 PST