Great Australian Albums - The Saints: (I'm) Stranded

The punk rock revolution that changed music forever

The Saints' single "(I'm) Stranded" burst out of Brisbane, Australia in 1976 as one of the landmark recordings in the punk rock revolution that changed music forever.

In the mid-1970s, Queensland was under the thumb of a corrupt and politically repressive government, and the number one enemy of the state was young people. It was in this environment that singer Chris Bailey and guitarist Ed Keupper met and bonded over a love of music. The Saints brand of loud rock was shunned by the local music industry so the group took it upon themselves to record their first single, (I'm) Stranded. They sent the record to media in the UK and within weeks, The Saints were the darlings of the international music press. EMI records in London signed the band the first time an Australian artist had been approached directly from overseas. The Saints recorded their debut LP (I'm) Stranded for EMI in two ear-shattering days. Within six months, the Saints were in London at the epicentre of the punk revolution. The group's individualistic, Australian scepticism alienated them from the fashion-conscious punk rock scene and the band imploded in the UK. However, their legend has lived on and their legacy is Australia's independent music industry which grew directly out of The Saint's bold move. The extraordinary story of The Saints and making of (I'm) Stranded is retold by Saints' songwriters Chris Bailey, Ed Keupper and the musicians they inspired, among them Brad Shepherd (Hoodoo Gurus), Robert Forster (the Go Betweens), Damien Lovelock (Celibate Rifles) and Rob Younger (Radio Birdman).