the saints '73-'78

_{Katelyn Slyer photo.} 

Wollongong duo Chimers is hitting the road in Australia, in support of their new album “Through Today”, which is out on November 8 on Poison City Records in Australia and 12XU in North America.

It’s the second album for husband-and-wife Padraic and Binx  following their self-titled debut in 2021 and they’ll play their own shows in four states and as special guests to Party Dozen (Sydney in October) and The Saints ’73-’78 (in November).

 
Take a look at the photo. There they are. The original Saints, outside their Brisbane share house, Club 76. Now a posh real estate agent's rather scrappy-looking digs, the house still stands. 

Queensland does have a heritage register: the Saints' Petrie Terrace share house should surely be on the list, but it's not. Queenslanders, make it happen!

It's mid-winter in Adelaide, and I'm reflecting on the passage of time. As I get off the bus, I pass the new and improved Her Majesty's Theatre on the corner of Pitt Street and Grote, adjacent to the shop I worked in for a year nearly 30 years ago. A few doors up Grote, toward Victoria Square, was the one building I worked in periodically over 22 years, The Antique Market, run by Dean Donovan and his wife, Kathy.

Quite an awkwardly-designed building, after Dean sold all the stock in 2018, it was sold, remodelled and occupied for a few years, then finally emptied and demolished; today a huge hotel or somesuch is heading upwards with a great deal of clamour, gusto and grunt. 

The Saints ’73-‘78
Kim Salmon and The Surrealists
Enmore Theatre, Sydney
Friday 22 November, 2024

Words: THE BARMAN
Photos: MURRAY BENNETT

Polarising was the Word of the Night. You could have argued that there was no way Mark Arm would successfully replace the late Chris Bailey in a reconstituted version of the Saintsand if you did, you probably didn’t go to the show anyway.

It’s a truth that Arm’s yowl is as far removed from the patented snarl of Bailey as Brisbane is from Seattle. If you didn’t take Arm at his word that he wasn’t trying to fill the original singer’s shoes, you were never going to dig this show. He clearly isn’t Bailey and didn’t try to be.

^{Latter Day Saints: Chris Bailey (right) with drummer Peter Wilkinson and bassist Caspar Wijnberg, in Amsterdam in 2006. Elisabet Corlin photo.}

Here's some more news on long-rumoured posthumous recordings from late Saints singer Chris Bailey.

In an Instagram post today, Church Street Studios engineer Sean Carey flagged that the recent digital single, “Break Away”, comes from a forthcoming album, “Long March Through the Jazz Age", It is the first release of new material since Bailey's passing in 2022.

Recorded by Sean Carey in Church Street Studios, Sydney, Bailey is on vocals, guitar and bass and is aided by long term drummer, Pete Wilkinson and guest Davey Lane (You Am I) on guitar.

“I FEEL YOUNG, I HAVE FUN, I'M NOT DONE!"

1. This year I've been back writing songs. To have Mick Medew as a collaborator is fantastic. Hope you've enjoyed them on our second album, “In The Zone”.

2. I've seen some amazing gigs this year. Here’s the highlights. Human League!!Halfway's 20th anniversary of “Any Old Love”. (I was asked up on stage to play harmonica on one song, but I danced instead). Dave Graneyand Clare Moore and Adele Pickvance at The Bearded Lady.  Glycereens at our single launch. Radio Birdman, Sabrina Lawrie, Salt & Steeland Sarah Stockholm at Stranded, Loves a Blur as part of the Going Nowhere Fast exhibition and book launch. The Worm Turns at PFR Lounge (plus I got to meet Ildi Babu). The Melancholics single launch. The Saints ‘73-‘78at The Princess Theatre. The Donnybrooks at Lismore.

3. The 23rd March is a special day for Mick Medew and me, because that's when we saw Stuart McLaughlin drumming in Sarah Stockholm's band. We both looked at each other and said. “I like his style; he could suit us”. I approached Sarah and she said, “Go for it! He’s got his own studio too!” Turns out said studio is five minutes from us. Stuart was keen. We asked Mick's former bass player, Lois Andrews to join, and she said Yes too!! The Mick Medew and Ursula 4was born and April 1 was our first rehearsal. We’ve since played four gigs and we are looking forward to next year's shows in Newcastle, Sydney, Ipswich and good old Brisbane.

4. On the 24th of January we got a new fridge! The door actually closes and seals the cold air in!! How about that??!!!!