Pale Saints were a British alternative rock band formed in 1987 by Ian Masters (bass/vocals), Graeme Naysmith (guitar), and Chris Cooper (drums) in Leeds, England. The group began as a jangly indie pop band, influenced by Primal Scream's early sound. By the time they recorded their first EP, Barging Into the Presence of God released in 1989, the band went into a direction that displayed a mix of Ian Masters' choirboy-like vocals along with dark atmospheric and noisy pop tunes, commonly used in the shoegazing genre.
The group's first album, The Comforts of Madness, was released in 1990, and reached the top 40 of the UK Albums Chart. The album's tracks were produced by John Fryer and Gil Norton. The album includes a cover version of "Fell From the Sun" by Opal.
In late 1990, Meriel Barham, the original vocalist of Lush, joined the band as second guitarist and vocalist. Barham contributed backing vocals and guitars to the Half-Life EP, then joined permanently for the Nancy Sinatra cover "Kinky Love", which gave the band a minor hit single as part of Flesh Balloon EP. In 1992 the band recorded their second full-length album, In Ribbons, which was produced by Hugh Jones. Ian Masters left the band in 1993. Former Heart Throbs bassist Colleen Browne joined afterwards.
Sticking with producer Hugh Jones, the group released the EP Fine Friend in mid-1994 followed by their third album Slow Buildings.
The group toured Europe and the United States in late autumn of 1994. Their final studio recording was a version of "Jersey Girl" for the Tom Waits tribute album Step Right Up. Meriel Barham departed in September 1995 and the group eventually disbanded in 1996.
Links to Peel
Peel discovered Pale Saints in 1989 through David Gedge of the Wedding Present, who saw them live and suggested to him to book a session for the band on his show, which they did. [1] The band's popularity with his listeners led them to have two entries at the end of the year's Festive Fifty. After 1991, the group rarely got played, due to the decline of the shoegazing scene, that was at its height between the late 80's and early 90's.
