St Etienne - Yay Or Nay

[clandestino]

Except they didn't write it. And it was their best song by a country mile.

Not quite a country mile. "Nothing Can Stop Us Now" is pretty special, and still stands up today.

I'm a St Etienne fan but they weren't on form at all the year I saw them at the Big Chill - the same year as the editor I think. I remember Sarah Cracknell saying "Does anyone else feel tired?" That pretty much summed up that show.

But they're a great band nonetheless. "You're In A Bad Way" is a classic.

Here's my St Etienne story, that I always wheel out at moments like this:

I went to see St Etienne's first gig at Subterranea. It was circa the second single - their cover of "Kiss And Make Up" - so they had Donna from Dead Famous People singing for them. I was with Moira, who sang on "Only Love Will Break Your Heart". And when they played it, Moira sang the song into my ear. She has a gorgeous voice at the best of times, but that was pretty amazing.

 

[clandestino]

I didn't like only love will break your heart but did enjoy the second single (when they were going to have a different singer for each single). From then on I have dipped in and out of them.

I did the sound for them once and they were really really nice which is so unlike almost every band ever when you are doing sound for them.

They were pretty big at the time so I was amazed when they were not cunts (eveyone else I did that day was a cunt, Ian Brown was my favorate because he had not even got on his train in Manchester as we went to record in Brixton. No wait. Moby. He is the biggest cunt. What a cunt. I wish he had missed his train.). For that they will forever hold a place in my heart.

Funnily enough, Moby is one of the nicest guys I've ever dealt with. But I do know people who call him Mopy.

 

[El Jefe]

Not quite a country mile. "Nothing Can Stop Us Now" is pretty special, and still stands up today.

I'm a St Etienne fan but they weren't on form at all the year I saw them at the Big Chill - the same year as the editor I think. I remember Sarah Cracknell saying "Does anyone else feel tired?" That pretty much summed up that show.

But they're a great band nonetheless. "You're In A Bad Way" is a classic.

Here's my St Etienne story, that I always wheel out at moments like this:

I went to see St Etienne's first gig at Subterranea. It was circa the second single - their cover of "Kiss And Make Up" - so they had Donna from Dead Famous People singing for them. I was with Moira, who sang on "Only Love Will Break Your Heart". And when they played it, Moira sang the song into my ear. She has a gorgeous voice at the best of times, but that was pretty amazing.

She did have a lovely voice, that must have been ace. SHe was from Faith Over Reason, wasn't she? I have one of their singles - which has the only version of a Nick Drake song I've ever liked

 

[editor]

SHe was from Faith Over Reason, wasn't she? I have one of their singles - which has the only version of a Nick Drake song I've ever liked

I forgot about them. They were good, as I recall.

I think they were managed by Carter USM's management or on Big Cat Records - we were signed to them at the same time and I remember getting some freebie records.

 

[clandestino]

Yes, their version of "Northern Sky". Such a beautiful voice.

 

[clandestino]

I forgot about them. They were good, as I recall.

I think they were managed by Carter USM's management or on Big Cat Records - we were signed to them at the same time and I remember getting some freebie records.

Yeah, they were on Big Cat.

 

[sam/phallocrat]

I think I've heard of this band.

 

[ethel]

Triple nay. They might have been vaguely alright once but the inspired pile of wanky twee tosh they served up at the Big Chill about five years ago was unforgivable. Awful stuff.

*makes a mental note to play some st etienne at the next offline.

 

[editor]

*makes a mental note to play some st etienne at the next offline.

*orders smelling salts to wake the crowd up after.

 

[ethel]

pft!

 

[Geri]

I've only heard one album but I used to like it a lot.

 

[oryx]

I loved 'So Tough' (especially 'Conchita Martinez'!) but never really heard much of the rest of their stuff.

Has anyone seen 'Finisterre'? I haven't & I'd like to.

 

[upsidedownwalrus]

Yay!

One of the greatest pop bands of all time.

Their cover of "Only Love Can Break Your Heart" is also absolutely top notch.

 

[bluestreak]

Never could get them to be honest. A bit meh.

 

[Orang Utan]

Yay!

One of the greatest pop bands of all time.

Their cover of "Only Love Can Break Your Heart" is also absolutely top notch.

It's a cover?

 

[upsidedownwalrus]

It's a cover?

I assume that's a joke?

 

[Roadkill]

It's a cover?

Yes, it's originally a Neil Young song I think.

 

[upsidedownwalrus]

http://uk.youtube.com/watch?v=AgSp5IJH5_w

 

[Orang Utan]

http://uk.youtube.com/watch?v=AgSp5IJH5_w

yuck - St Etienne anyday

 

[Orang Utan]

I assume that's a joke?

No, that song seems completely theirs - it doesn't sound like a cover at all

 

[danny la rouge]

No, that song seems completely theirs - it doesn't sound like a cover at all

But it very famously is.

And theirs isn't the first well-known cover, either.

 

[upsidedownwalrus]

No, that song seems completely theirs - it doesn't sound like a cover at all

Indeed. Was just surprised that you didn't know it was a cover...

 

[Maggot]

I used to be mad for them, but each time I saw them live they were worse than before. Still like some tunes.

Well, it's the start of a song you've just now made reference to:

London's a very big place Mr Shadrack. A man could lose himself in London. Lose himself in London.

It's a sample from Billy Liar.

 

[sleaterkinney]

LOL @ Clyde. I like them, yep.

 

[Orang Utan]

Indeed. Was just surprised that you didn't know it was a cover...

It's by that Neil Young fella - Dad music innit.

 

[Debord]

Sound of Water is an under rated album - they really benefited from having To Rococo Rot help out. I like they way they used to get people like Douglas Coupland to write tributes to them on their covers.

 

[editor]

It's a sample from Billy Liar.

I'm admiring their taste in films, if nothing else.

 

[Roadkill]

It's by that Neil Young fella - Dad music innit.

That's a contentious statement if ever there was one!

 

[beesonthewhatnow]

Anyone who comes up with a track as brilliantly bonkers as "Let's Build A Zoo" is fine by me

 

[Orang Utan]

That's a contentious statement if ever there was one!

I only mean I'm not familiar with his music at all. Someone keeps playing Harvest Moon at work and it's annoying whiny shit, but that's all I know of him and it's more than enough