Pioneering UK electronic dance music artists UTAH SAINTS reissue their eponymous debut album on the 19th of October for National Album Day. Utah Saints are one of the most important acts since the inception of electronic dance music. Early adopters of sampling, they brought the art form—used chiefly in hip-hop in the 1980s—into new realms.
The group, formed in Leeds in 1991, consisted of Jez Willis and Tim Garbutt. Jez, a former fanzine writer, mobile DJ, and rock band bass player, and Tim, a skilled DMC finalist DJ from Harrogate, started collaborating when Jez brought Tim a rough track featuring an Annie Lennox sample. Their innovative use of samplers and turntables quickly became central to the Utah Saints’ signature sound.
Their debut track, “What Can You Do For Me,” incorporated Eurythmics and Gwen Guthrie samples. Pressing 1,000 orange vinyl records, they sent one to Pete Tong at BBC Radio 1, who played it immediately, leading to a slew of record labels vying to sign them. They chose London Records, where Tong was head of A&R. The immediate Top 10 success of this single led to a remix request from Annie Lennox herself for her single “Little Bird”, further boosting their profile.
Their next hit, the Top 5 “Something Good,” sampled Kate Bush’s “Cloudbusting” and remains the only sample usage Kate Bush has ever granted. The song’s iconic stuttering refrain “U-U-U-Utah Saints” became widely recognized. This single’s success prompted the BBC to use it for their coverage of the 1992 Barcelona Olympics. When the label realised it was also going to be a massive hit, they promptly offered the guys an album deal.
The self-titled album went Top 10 in the UK and earned Utah Saints three Top 10 singles (‘Something Good’, ‘What Can You Do For Me’, and ‘Believe In Me’). Recorded at Lion Studios in Leeds, the album skilfully mixed various genres and featured an adventurous selection of covers and samples from artists as diverse as Simple Minds, Human League, Sylvester, and Slayer.
As they developed into a live band in the early 90s incorporating rock, dance and hip-hop elements, playing bigger and bigger shows and conquering the charts, the sampler became their lead singer and turntable scratching acted as their lead guitarist.
KLF’s Bill Drummond described Utah Saints as “the first true stadium house band,” an idea they ran with a year later, supporting U2 on the European leg of their Zoo TV Tour in 1993. Playing these massive gigs paved the way for future rock/rave acts like The Prodigy and the Chemical Brothers.
Utah Saints have rightly earned their place as pioneering figures in electronic dance music, with “Something Good” and “What Can You Do For Me” revisited and re-entered the UK Charts in both the 00s and 10s, respectively. Today, having transitioned to a two-person DJ team, Utah Saints continue to thrive. Their 500+ club nights they have promoted in Leeds and Edinburgh remain a strong part of club history, and they continue to program The Ring stage at Lancashire’s legendary Beatherder Festival.
They will perform on these dates with a headline, sold-out show in London.
UTAH SAINTS – LIVE DATES
Sep 14, 2024, 100 Club, London
Sep 21, 2024, Creative Folkestone Quarterhouse, Folkestone
Sep 27th, 2024, Ibiza Weekender North Devon
Sep 28th, 2024, Eclectic Ballroom Peterborough
Oct 19th, 2024, Sunbird Records Darwen
Nov 9th, 2024, All Back to Minehead w/Fatboy Slim
Nov 16, 2024, Shine on Weekender 2024 – Butlin’s Minehead
Nov 30th, 2024, Love Zoo Unit 13 Nottingham
Dec 13, 2024, Hare & Hounds – Venue 2, Birmingham
Utah Saints reissue their eponymous debut album, out of print since its original release over 30 years ago, on Vinyl 2xLP, 2xCD and DSPs. The album has been remastered and extended including rarities and choice reworks by the likes of David Morales, CJ Bolland and Andrew Weatherall. It will be housed in special limited edition mirror board packaging for National Album Day 2024.
“We’re honoured to be taking part in National Album Day 2024. Our debut album ‘Utah Saints’ was released just over 30 years ago, and we are super-excited for it to be re-issued this October on double vinyl and double CD. National Album Day is such a great event, helping us all to value the arts and creativity – we need ideas more than anything! Thank you to everyone who has supported Utah Saints, in whatever capacity, we value every single one of you.” Jez Willis, Utah Saints
As prelude to the album reissue fellow Yorkshiremen Soul Mass Transit System come through with a bumping speed garage edit of their dance classic, ‘What Can You Do For Me’, upping the BPMs and injecting massive peaks, fills and a monster bass to ignite proceedings.
Album Tracklisting
VINYL
A1 New Gold Dream (81-82-83-84)
A2 What Can You Do For Me
A3 Soulution
Side Two
B1 Believe In Me
B2 Too Much To Swallow (Part 1)
B3 Something Good
B4 I Want You
Side Three
C1 States Of Mind
C2 Trance Atlantic Glide
C3 Kinetic Synthetic
C4 My Mind Must Be Free
Side Four
D1 Highlander (CJ Bolland Mix)
D2 Ohio (DJ Misjah Mix)
D3 Star (Union Jack Mix)
CD
Disc One
1 New Gold Dream (81-82-83-84)
2 What Can You Do For Me
3 Soulution
4 Believe In Me
5 Too Much To Swallow (Part 1)
6 Something Good
7 I Want You
8 States Of Mind
9 Trance Atlantic Glide
10 Kinetic Synthetic
12 My Mind Must Be Free
Disc Two
12 Utah Saints Take on The Theme From Mortal Kombat
13 What Can You Do For Me (Madness Mix)
14 Something Good (051 Mix)
15 I Want You (DJ Tim’s Funky Bliss Mix- Short Version)
16 I Still Think Of You (Perfecto Mix)
17 Highlander (CJ Bolland Mix)
18 Ohio (DJ Misjah Mix)
19 Star (Union Jack Mix)
20 I Want You (Sabres 130)
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