Pale Saints

Formed in Leeds, England in 1987, Pale Saints was a shoegaze / dream pop band founded by bassist / vocalist Ian Masters, guitarist Graeme Naysmith, and drummer Chris Cooper. Influenced by the British indie pop and C86 scene, the group’s sound evolved into a post-punk direction that blended ethereal atmosphere with noisy, loud guitars. The group’s sound was compared to the then-current shoegaze movement, and they were fully embraced by fans of the genre. Pale Saints released their debut EP, Barging into the Presence of God, in 1989. The EP was a critical and commercial success, reaching number 3 on the UK Indie chart. The group signed with 4AD Records and issued their debut album, The Comforts of Madness, in early 1990. The album hit number 40 on the UK albums chart and was a critical success. Original Lush vocalist Meriel Barham joined the band on guitar and vocals just in time for the release of the Half-Life EP in October of 1990. After the release of their 1991 EP Flesh Balloon, Pale Saints issued their second album, In Ribbons, in 1992, which was another critical success, although it only reached number 61 on the British Albums chart. The group’s grueling tour schedule led to the departure of singer / bassist Ian Masters, although the rest of the band decided to continue as Pale Saints. With new bassist Colleen Browne, the band released their third album, Slow Buildings (1994), which failed to capture the essence of their earlier recordings and was not a success. Pale Saints soldiered on until 1996 before breaking up. Guitarist Graeme Naysmith died on April 4, 2024, at the age of 57.

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