40 Years of Punk & New Wave 1977: (I'm) Stranded - The Saints

 

(I'm) Stranded - The Saints
Harvest Records
Produced by Mark Moffat and Rod Coe
Released February 1977

Side 1

Side 2

Singles on (I'm) Stranded

 

(I'm) Stranded / No Time

Fatal Records*

September 1976

*Fatal Records was a label the band set up in order to release their debut single. EMI Australia reissued the single and in the UK in 1977 it was issued on Power Exchange Records and Tapes.

It was also issued as a Double A-Sided Split EP

 New Wave EP

A-Side: (I'm) Stranded / No Time - The Saints

A-Side: S'Cool Days / On A Line - Stanley Frank

Power Exchange Records

12th August 1977

(Italian Picture Cover)

Erotic Neurotic / One Way Street

Harvest

8th April 1977

One Two Three Four EP

Lipstick On Your Collar / One Way Street / River Deep Mountain High / Demolition Girl

September 1977

By the release of the EP there had been a change in line up with the addition of Algy Ward on Bass after the departure of Kym Bradshaw.

This Perfect Day single which was released in July 1977 was included on the 2007 CD Release among the bonus tracks and a re-recorded version of the song appeared on their Second Album Eternally Yours.

Side 1: This Perfect Day

Side 2: L-I-E-S / Do The Robot

Harvest

Produced by Ed Kuepper and Chris Bailey

Released 1st July 1977

UK Chart #34

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If you thought for a moment that Punk Rock was just something that was done by the Brits and the Americans, then think again. It was finding its feet in parts of Europe and of all the strangest places on earth, Brisbane, Australia!

The Saints had formed in 1974 but by 1975 they were already playing in a style that would be considered to be "punk rock".

Their debut single (I'm) Stranded was released on their own label Fatal due to the fact that no labels showed any interest in them. Copies were sent to radio stations and magazines in Australia and the UK with one landing on the desk of John Peel. He aired it for the first time on the 29th September 1976 on his show that featured by the way 9 songs from Stevie Wonder's Songs In The Key of Life album - four from Side 1 and the complete Side 2!

This must have been the way they came to the attention of EMI in London who promptly informed their Australian Office to sign the band to a three album deal!

Sounds magazine's reviewer, Jonh Ingham, declared it, "Single of this and every week".

(I'm) Stranded got a UK release on the Power Exhange Records and Tapes label, which was quite bizzare as the label had been on the go for a few years specialised in releasing Black music, particularly Soul Music (they had released the likes of the O' Jays, J.J. Barrie,  The Imperials etc as well as some "novelty" singles).

The album was recorded over the course of two days in December 1976 and  the band relocated to Sydney in early 1977. By May 1977 they had found their way to the UK where they were already butting heads with their label who wanted to promote them as an all out Spikey haired, Torn clothing Punk Band, The Saints meanwhile were dead set against that wishing to maintain a more downbeat image!

For an album and single that didn't do too well it is surprising the impact they have had, particularly in their homeland. In May 2001, Australasian Performing Right Association (APRA) celebrated its 75th anniversary and named "(I'm) Stranded" in its Top 30 Australian songs of all time. In 2007, "I'm Stranded" was one of the first 20 songs stored on the National Film and Sound Archive's Sounds of Australia registry. Their debut album was listed at #20 in the book 100 Best Australian Albums in October 2010.

If you like your rock and roll to be rough and ready and scuzzy then this album is a winner for you! 

A couple of years ago there was a bit of a new interest in The Saints after Bruce Springsteen had recorded one of their songs (Just Like Fire Would) for his High Hopes album. It was a song that that he played live when touring in Australia in 2013 in the hometown of The Saints. He was telling everyone that they should be listening to the band especially this album. So if my recommending of the album is not sufficient enough I think The Boss Seal of Approval should do it!