Text on back sleeve: These tracks were recorded early-to-mid `74, almost a year after the band had formed and almost 2 1/2 years before the release of the first Saints` single in 1976. The recording was made in Ed Kuepper`s parents` garage, except for „Misunderstood“ which was recorded at Queensland University, direct onto a mono cassette-deck and features the second line-up of the band. Before this the Saints were a 3-piece, with Ivor Hay on piano and no drummer.
In a different universe this would have been the first Saints LP. It captures the band near the beginning of its first phase, as opposed to the EMI release which was at the end, and without getting into a debate about aesthetics, this one`s probably better.
Possibly due to the 3 million line-up changes and years of rejection that followed, a bit of spontaneity may have been knocked out of the Saints. Whatever, compared to these recordings, the EMI album sounds, ironically, almost a bit formularized. Certainly, Chris Bailey`s singing doesn’t get much better than the rather spiffing performance contained herein and Ivor Hay`s playing has a panache that maybe wasn’t matched by later bass-players. Laurie`s Deonardo Coleman-style drumming also had a lot going for it.
Anyway, if you like the early Saints, have a listen to to this, lots of love,

Edmund Kuepper

P.S. Thanks to Tony Forde
for the motorbike and Joe Borkowski for the photos.

black wax edition