finetune artist: Pale Saints

Indie band formed in Leeds, Yorkshire, England, in 1989 by Ian Masters (b. 4 January 1964, Potters Bar, Hertfordshire, England; bass/vocals), Chris Cooper (b. 17 November 1966, Portsmouth, England; drums) and Graeme Naysmith (b. 9 February 1967, Edinburgh, Scotland; guitar), in response to an advertisement in a music paper. Aided by occasional guitarist Ashley Horner, who eventually concentrated on his other band, Edsel Auctioneer, on a full-time basis, the Pale Saints spent a year playing local venues and perfecting an idiosyncratic array of material that relied heavily on textures and effects rather than traditional arrangements or blatantly commercial choruses. That was not to say that they were unattractive - their first ever London gig in the spring of 1989 brought them a recording contract with 4AD Records. They were signed at the same time as Lush, a band who mined a similar sonic vein but who ultimately enjoyed greater commercial success. The Pale Saints' debut EP, Barging Into The Presence Of God, and the subsequent The Comforts Of Madness, earned the band much critical appreciation and a UK Top 40 placing for the album. Canadian emigrate Meriel Barham (b. 15 October 1964, Yorkshire, England) joined as a permanent guitarist and vocalist soon after. The band continued their decidedly obtuse - if not downright perverse - path into the new decade with tours of Europe and Japan and an elegant cover version of Nancy Sinatra's "Kinky Love", which reached number 72 in the UK charts. The subsequent In Ribbons housed a non-charting single in "Throwing Back The Apple', while Hugh Jones" crisp production gave new impetus to the band's familiar grandeur. Masters departed in 1993, and went on to record two albums as Spoonfed Hybrid with Chris Trout (ex-A.C. Temple) and work with His Name Is Alive auteur Warren Defever. He was replaced by Colleen Browne (ex-Heart Throbs), leaving Barham in charge of lyric writing and vocals on the disappointing Slow Buildings. The band split-up in 1996, with Browne going on to play with Rialto and then the Warm Jets.

Listen to Pale Saints at Finetune.

Throwing Back The Apple
Hair Shoes
A Thousand Star Burst Open
Babymaker
Fine Friend