Both halves are edge of seat readinig about a subject that deservess every intense description and accolade tim can muster -- or anyone. It really is that outrageously feral yet super powerful, thrilling, and explosive, especially the 1-2-3-4 ep (good gawd!) and the live at hope and anchor (just the basement of a london pub) with algy. One quick question: I got to be friends with Bailey starting with a letter Tim Sommer and wrote to him in 1982 begging him to bring his latter Saints lineup to the U.S., and interviewed Kuepper in 89 and 93 on his two u.s. tours. Do you know why Bradshaw departed? Both declined to revisit. Just like, "well, he left." I noticed Bradshaw didn't take part in any of the three aussie reunions after that, the only original missing, so it's even more a burning curiosity. his improvement from the original "one way street" to the 1-2-3-4 version is flat out fantastic. Although somehow their fierce band got even tighter and harsher with algy. seeing algy rip into "love song" with the damned in the summer of 79 around NYC before that 3rd lp was out (but the single at least was, so it was the only MSG post-damned song we'd heard) was like hw was on fire, before the rest of the band came in!
Hey, Jack! I sincerely appreciate your kind words, old friend! I interviewed Kuepper for my book--a three-hour marathon! I just looked at his response when I brought up Algy's entrance, and all he said was "Kym had quit at that point." So, I don't know that we will ever get a satisfactory answer about that. I know Keiron Tyler (I believe) did a huge Saints retrospective for Mojo about 20 years ago, which I may still have. If I can find an answer for you, I will get back to you. And yes--any band with Algy Ward playing bass suddenly became 1000Xmore aggressive!
ha ha, you got the same answer i did. as if the why was of no importance. yeah, let me know if tyler got a deeper answer. i did buy the louder than war cover story a couple years ago, and they too didn't say why, just that he'd left. and you got it on the kind words. i could read your descriptions of my lifelong favorite groups all day. like sugarplums dancing in my head.
Thanks for writing this Tim. The Saints are still one of my favorite bands. In the summer of 1987 they played Tipitina's in New Orleans. The crowd consisted of the bartender, the doorman, Peter Buck of REM, myself and my friend Skul, the singer / rhythm guitarist of local bands Final Academy and also Skinsect. Chris Bailey hit the stage, saw nobody there, and proceeded to play a blistering 90+ minute set. After the show, he invited me and Skul backstage, shared his greenroom beers with us, signed our records and talked to us about the Aussie scene. THAT'S what I call a true artiste 😊
Both halves are edge of seat readinig about a subject that deservess every intense description and accolade tim can muster -- or anyone. It really is that outrageously feral yet super powerful, thrilling, and explosive, especially the 1-2-3-4 ep (good gawd!) and the live at hope and anchor (just the basement of a london pub) with algy. One quick question: I got to be friends with Bailey starting with a letter Tim Sommer and wrote to him in 1982 begging him to bring his latter Saints lineup to the U.S., and interviewed Kuepper in 89 and 93 on his two u.s. tours. Do you know why Bradshaw departed? Both declined to revisit. Just like, "well, he left." I noticed Bradshaw didn't take part in any of the three aussie reunions after that, the only original missing, so it's even more a burning curiosity. his improvement from the original "one way street" to the 1-2-3-4 version is flat out fantastic. Although somehow their fierce band got even tighter and harsher with algy. seeing algy rip into "love song" with the damned in the summer of 79 around NYC before that 3rd lp was out (but the single at least was, so it was the only MSG post-damned song we'd heard) was like hw was on fire, before the rest of the band came in!
Hey, Jack! I sincerely appreciate your kind words, old friend! I interviewed Kuepper for my book--a three-hour marathon! I just looked at his response when I brought up Algy's entrance, and all he said was "Kym had quit at that point." So, I don't know that we will ever get a satisfactory answer about that. I know Keiron Tyler (I believe) did a huge Saints retrospective for Mojo about 20 years ago, which I may still have. If I can find an answer for you, I will get back to you. And yes--any band with Algy Ward playing bass suddenly became 1000Xmore aggressive!
ha ha, you got the same answer i did. as if the why was of no importance. yeah, let me know if tyler got a deeper answer. i did buy the louder than war cover story a couple years ago, and they too didn't say why, just that he'd left. and you got it on the kind words. i could read your descriptions of my lifelong favorite groups all day. like sugarplums dancing in my head.
Thanks, Jack. Coming from the guy who taught me what “music with heart” actually means? That’s high praise. And I truly appreciate it.
Thanks for writing this Tim. The Saints are still one of my favorite bands. In the summer of 1987 they played Tipitina's in New Orleans. The crowd consisted of the bartender, the doorman, Peter Buck of REM, myself and my friend Skul, the singer / rhythm guitarist of local bands Final Academy and also Skinsect. Chris Bailey hit the stage, saw nobody there, and proceeded to play a blistering 90+ minute set. After the show, he invited me and Skul backstage, shared his greenroom beers with us, signed our records and talked to us about the Aussie scene. THAT'S what I call a true artiste 😊