Saint Etienne (band)
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Saint Etienne is a British pop group, nominally led by Sarah Cracknell (born April 12, 1967, Chelmsford, Essex). Ex-music journalists Bob Stanley (born December 25, 1964) and Pete Wiggs (born May 15, 1966) are the other members of the band. They are named after the famous French football team, AS Saint-Étienne, European Cup runners-up in the 1970s.
Saint Etienne are one of the bands who defined the indie dance genre, fusing the production values of the dance-pop that emerged in the wake of the Second Summer of Love with the clever lyrics and self-aware production of indie music.
Their early recordings were packed with generic house music clichés, such as standard TR-909 drum patterns and Italo house piano riffs, but they soon found a more original sound. They began to shift towards a more atmospheric type of electronica in 2000 with the release of Sound Of Water, dividing their fanbase.
Their best known songs are the cover of Neil Young's classic Only Love Can Break Your Heart (on which Moira Lambert provided vocals), Nothing Can Stop Us (which was Sarah Cracknell's first contribution as lead singer) and the anthemic He's on the Phone. The album Finisterre was released in 2002.
In November 2004, they released their first US compilation of greatest hits, called Travel Edition 1990-2005.
13 June 2005 has seen the release of the band's new album, entitled Tales From Turnpike House. It was preceded by a single for the track "Side Streets".
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Discography
Albums
1990s:
- Foxbase Alpha (1991) #34 UK
- So Tough (1993) #7 UK
- Tiger Bay (1994) #8 UK
- I Love To Paint (Fanclub - 1995)
- Continental (Japan Only - 1997)
- Good Humour (1998) #18 UK
- The Misadventures Of Saint Etienne (Japan Only - 1999)
- Built On Sand (Fanclub - 1999)
2000s:
- The Sound Of Water (2000) #33 UK
- Interlude (US Only - 2001)
- Asleep At The Wheels Of Steel (Fanclub - 2002)
- Finisterre (2002)
- Tales From Turnpike House (2005) #72 UK
- Dirty Laundry (Fanclub - 2005)
Compilation Albums:
- You Need A Mess Of Help To Stand Alone (1993)
- Too Young To Die - The Singles (1995) #17 UK
- Fairytales From Saint Etienne (Japan Only - 1995)
- Casino Classics (1996) #34 UK
- Smash The System (2001)
- Travel Edition (US Only - 2005)
Singles
- "Only Love Can Break Your Heart" (1990) #95 UK
- "Kiss And Make Up" (1990) #80 UK
- "Nothing Can Stop Us"/"Speedwell" (1991) #54 UK
- "Only Love Can Break Your Heart" re-release (1991) #39 UK
- "Join Our Club"/"People Get Real" (1992) #21 UK
- "Avenue" (1992) #40 UK
- "The Fred EP" (with Flowered Up and Rockingbirds) (1992) #26 UK
- "You're In A Bad Way" (1993) #12 UK
- "Hobart Paving"/"Who Do You Think You Are" (1993) #23 UK
- "I Was Born On Christmas Day" (1993) #37 UK
- "Pale Movie" (1994) #28 UK
- "Like A Motorway" (1994) #47 UK
- "Hug My Soul" (1994) #32 UK
- "He's On The Phone" (1995) #11 UK
- "Sylvie" (1998) #12 UK
- "The Bad Photographer" (1998) #27 UK
- "Tell Me Why (The Riddle)" (Paul Van Dyk featuring Saint Etienne) (2000) #7 UK
- "Heart Failed (In The Back Of A Taxi)" (2000) #50 UK
- "Boy Is Crying" (2001) #34 UK
- "Action" (2002) #41 UK
- "Soft Like Me" (2003) #40 UK
- "Side Streets" (2005) #36 UK
External links
- Official Website (http://www.saintetienne.com/)
- Saint Etienne Heaven (http://www.saint.etienne.net)