In the 1990s from under the great UK chart war between Blur and Oasis stepped Saint Etienne a highly influential and often overlooked pop trio that is almost completely unknown here in America.
Bio:
In the early 90s, two twentysomethings from the suburbs of London (Bob Stanley and Pete Wiggs) and one from the fringes of Windsor (Sarah Cracknell) set their sights on fulfilling pop music’s potential. They were fired up by the inclusive rush of rave culture, and the way that genres could now bubble together, thanks to cheap music technology. From day one, this involved blending club bass lines and indiepop with samples from 60s records, old reggae tunes, mid-century British films, decimalisation training records and French football commentary. (This essentially describes their debut album, Fox Base Alpha.)
Discover more hot tracks by Saint Etienne at Saint Etienne Mixtape on Spotify!
Let's let the music speak for itself:
Like A Motorway is one of my favorite electronic dance songs of all-time!
Saint Etienne have a knack for unearthing and reinventing lost songs. Take their brilliant version of Who Do You Think You Are?, which began life as a one-hit wonder for the long-forgotten Candlewick Green, who won Opportunity Knocks in 1973. But this, from 1994’s Tiger Bay, is Saint Etienne’s masterpiece. The melody is that of the traditional folk song Silver Dagger, most famously sung by Joan Baez, which tells the story of a mother who won’t let her daughter marry. The pulsing motorik rhythms and the modern-world simile of its title (life was “like a motorway”, for this girl, “dull, grey and long till you came along”) make it perfect for the post-industrial, post-rave generation. - The Guardian (UK)
And let's not forget Sarah Cracknell's solo projects:
Cracknell's career started with the Windsor-based indie band The Worried Parachutes in 1982. Following the demise of the band she released a solo single Love Is All You need in 1987. She then formed a new band Prime Time with partner Mick Bund who released a handful of singles. She then appeared on the dance track Fingertips by Lovecut DB in 1990.
Let's let the music speak for itself:
Like A Motorway is one of my favorite electronic dance songs of all-time!
Saint Etienne have a knack for unearthing and reinventing lost songs. Take their brilliant version of Who Do You Think You Are?, which began life as a one-hit wonder for the long-forgotten Candlewick Green, who won Opportunity Knocks in 1973. But this, from 1994’s Tiger Bay, is Saint Etienne’s masterpiece. The melody is that of the traditional folk song Silver Dagger, most famously sung by Joan Baez, which tells the story of a mother who won’t let her daughter marry. The pulsing motorik rhythms and the modern-world simile of its title (life was “like a motorway”, for this girl, “dull, grey and long till you came along”) make it perfect for the post-industrial, post-rave generation. - The Guardian (UK)
And let's not forget Sarah Cracknell's solo projects:
Cracknell's career started with the Windsor-based indie band The Worried Parachutes in 1982. Following the demise of the band she released a solo single Love Is All You need in 1987. She then formed a new band Prime Time with partner Mick Bund who released a handful of singles. She then appeared on the dance track Fingertips by Lovecut DB in 1990.
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