Republica 175945 225638317 2008-07-14T17:57:52Z Emeraude 2283104 {{Infobox musical artist <!-- See Wikipedia:WikiProject Musicians --> | Name = Republica | Img = | Img_size = <!-- Only for images narrower than 220 pixels. Set the value as a number without "px". --> | Landscape = | Background = group_or_band | Alias = | Origin = [[England]] | Genre = [[Alternative dance]]<br/>[[Dance-punk]]<br/>[[Techno]]<br/>[[Alternative rock]]<br/>[[Electronica]] | Years_active = [[circa|c]] 1994-1998 | Label = [[Sony BMG]]/[[Deconstruction Records|Deconstruction]] | Associated_acts = [[Flowered Up]] | URL = [http://www.republica.com/ republica.com] | Current_members = | Past_members = Tim Dorney<br>Andy Todd<br>[[Saffron (singer)|Saffron]]<br> Johnny Male<br>Pete Riley<br>David Barbarossa<br> }} '''Republica''' was an [[England|English]] [[musical band|band]] formed in 1994. The height of their popularity spanned from 1996 to 1998. The Republica [[sound]] was described by the band as "[[techno]]-[[Pop music|pop]] [[punk rock]]", although ''[[Melody Maker]]'' took to calling it "[[electronica]]", a label which stuck as a genre category. == History == Republica was started by former [[Flowered Up]] keyboard player Tim Dorney and Andy Todd, and quickly came to popular attention with their first single "[[Ready to Go]]" and its follow-up "Drop Dead Gorgeous". The lead singer, [[Saffron (singer)|Saffron]], was previously a lead vocalist on [[N-Joi]]'s rave crossover pop hit, "Anthem", in 1990. The band's [[Republica (album)|self-titled]] first album was released in July 1996 and reached #4 in the album charts. However, their follow-up 1998 album ''[[Speed Ballads]]'' and its lead single, ''From Rush Hour With Love'', reached only #37 and #20 respectively. The group is rumoured to have dissolved shortly afterwards but has never officially stated this. The last message to fans in late 1999 via their official website stated "Republica are not recording at this time". The band suffered when their label, [[Deconstruction Records]], folded shortly after the release of ''Speed Ballads''. Deconstruction's back catalogue was swallowed up by [[BMG]], who released a ''Best Of'' album. On finding out about the release of ''Ready To Go - the best of Republica'', Saffron promptly posted a statement on her new band's website that said "To all the fans, don't be fooled by this shoddy release. It's completely unofficial, the band had no dealings whatsoever with its release, we were not even informed. The track listing isn't one we'd have picked, the cover photos are so way out of date, poor in quality and overall it won't contribute to us bringing out a brand new album".{{Fact|date=February 2007}} Republica has not released any new material since the release of the "Best Of" album, and, while the bandmembers' pursuit of solo projects would imply the band has split, their official website merely states that they are "not recording at this time"<ref>[http://www.republica.com/ http://www.republica.com]</ref>. During their lifetime, the group attracted much positive press coverage. Emerging after a wave of female-fronted [[rock band]]s (such as [[Elastica]], [[Lush (band)|Lush]], [[Sleeper (band)|Sleeper]], [[Echobelly]] and [[Kenickie]]), it had, like [[Garbage (band)|Garbage]], a notably more aggressive and electronic sound. Saffron was born in [[Nigeria]] and claims [[Portugal|Portuguese]], [[Han Chinese|Chinese]] and [[England|English]] ancestry. Outside of the band, she was also the featured vocalist on [[The Prodigy]]'s "Fuel My Fire", from their 1997 album ''[[The Fat of the Land]]''. More recently, Saffron provided guest vocals on Parka's first album ''Attack of the Hundred Yard Hardman'' in the track "DJ In The Corner". ==Members== * [[Saffron (singer)|Saffron]] - (Samantha Sprackling, born [[3 June]] [[1968]], [[Ibadan]], [[Nigeria]]) - [[vocals]] * [[Tim Dorney]] - (born [[30 March]] [[1965]], [[Ascot, Berkshire|Ascot]], [[Berkshire]]) - [[Keyboard instrument|keyboards]] * [[Andy Todd]] - [[keyboardist]] * [[Johnny Male]] - (born [[10 October]] [[1963]], [[Windsor, Berkshire]]) - [[guitar]] (formerly of [[One Little Indian Records]]'s Soul Family Sensation and Sensation) * [[Pete Riley]] - [[drum kit|drum]]s * [[David Barbarossa]] - [[drum kit|drum]]s (formerly of [[Bow Wow Wow]], and [[Adam & the Ants]]) * [[John Lane]] (Lovett) - [[guitar]] == Former members' later projects == * Saffron recorded the songs "Crusher", "Spirits", and "Beauty Never Fades" on [[Junkie XL]]'s 2003 album ''[[Radio JXL: A Broadcast from the Computer Hell Cabin]]''. * In 2001 Saffron worked with [[The Cure]] on two tracks for their Greatest Hits album and features in the video for "[[Just Say Yes]]". * In 2005, Saffron was working on a new band called Swarm. * Keyboard player Tim Dorney briefly reunited with fellow former Flowered Up band member Liam Maher, but they split up in late [[2002]]. Flowered Up tried to re-form in 2007 but Dorney refused, causing the cancellation of a planned reunion tour. He is currently working as a painter and decorator and working on Contra Mundum with Jonny Male releases in early 2008 on White Label. * The Republica website states that Johnny Male is now part of a band called Cheap Glue, but no more details have emerged. JMale also co-wrote tracks for ''Lipslide'', the 1997 solo album by [[Sarah Cracknell]] of [[Saint Etienne (band)|Saint Etienne]] and "[[Reach (S Club 7 song) |Reach]]" by [[S Club 7]]. He has recently moved to [[Tobago]] where he continues to write songs. == Discography == === Albums === {| class="wikitable" style="font-size:95%" |- !Title !Release date !Label !width="40"|<small>[[UK Albums Chart|U.K. Albums]]</small> !width="40"|<small>[[Billboard 200|U.S. Albums]]</small> !width="40"|<small>[[Heatseekers|U.S. Heatseekers]]</small> !width="40"|<small>[[Media Control Charts|German Albums]]<small> |- | align=left |''[[Republica (album)|Republica]]'' | align=center|[[5 October]] 1996 | align=left rowspan=3|Deconstruction<br>Records | align=center|4 | align=center|153 | align=center|6 | align=center|47 |- | align=left |''Republica - Limited Edition 2 Disk Set (Live Versions)'' | align=center|1998 | align=center|- | align=center|- | align=center|- | align=center|- |- | align=left |''[[Speed Ballads]]'' | align=center|30 July 1998 | align=center|37 | align=center|- | align=center|- | align=center|- |- | align=left |''Ready To Go: The Best Of'' | align=center|27 May 2002 | align=left |Camden | align=center|- | align=center|- | align=center|- | align=center|- |- |} *Note: A U.S. release date was set for ''Speed Ballads'' for Jan. 1999 but Deconstruction records went out of business in late 1998 so this never occurred.{{Fact|date=June 2008}} === Singles === {| class="wikitable" style="font-size:95%" !Title !Release<br>date !Album !width="40"|<small>[[UK singles chart|UK singles]]<small> !width="40"|<small>[[Billboard Hot 100|U.S. Hot 100]]<small> !width="40"|<small>[[Modern Rock Tracks|U.S. Modern Rock]]<small> !width="40"|<small>[[Media Control Charts|GER singles]]<small> |- |align="left" |"Out of this World" |align="center" rowspan=2|1994 |align="left" |''-'' |align="center" |- |align="center" |- |align="center" |- |align="center" |- |- |align="left" |"Bloke" |align="left" |''Bloke EP'' |align="center" |85 |align="center" |- |align="center" |- |align="center" |- |- |align="left" |"[[Ready to Go]]" |align="center" |1996 |align="left" rowspan=3|''Republica'' |align="center" |43 |align="center" |- |align="center" |- |align="center" |- |- |align="left" |"[[Ready to Go|Ready to Go (U.S. Mix)]]" <small>(re-issue)</small> |align="center" rowspan=2|1997 |align="center" |13 |align="center" |56 |align="center" |7 |align="center" |33 |- |align="left" |"Drop Dead Gorgeous" |align="center" |7 |align="center" |93 |align="center" |39 |align="center" |90 |- |align="left" |"From Rush Hour With Love" |align="center" rowspan=2|1998 |align="left" rowspan=2|''Speed Ballads'' |align="center" |20 |align="center" |- |align="center" |- |align="center" |- |- |align="left" |"Try Everything" |align="center" |- |align="center" |- |align="center" |- |align="center" |- |- |} == Audio sample == {{Listen|filename=Republica - Drop Dead Gorgeous excerpt.ogg|title=Republica - Drop Dead Gorgeous excerpt|description=An excerpt from ''Drop Dead Gorgeous''}} == See also == * [[List of alternative music artists]] ==External links== * [http://www.republica.com/ Official website] (Swarm link for Saffron no longer working) * [http://www.republica.org.uk Fanclub Republica website] (appears to be dead) * [http://www.allmusic.com/cg/amg.dll?p=amg&sql=Bor4zefbk7gf2 All Music Guide entry for Republica] [[Category:1990s music groups]] [[Category:Alternative musical groups]] [[Category:British house music groups]] [[Category:English musical groups]] [[Category:British techno music groups]] [[Category:English rock music groups]] [[Category:Musical groups established in 1996]] [[Category:Musical groups disestablished in 1998]] Βio [[de:Republica]] [[fr:Republica]] [[ru:Republica]] [[sv:Republica]]