Fan Club News - new releases for Christmas 23

Hello!

It's that time of year again and we have some special treats lined up for Christmas 2023. Some old music and some new - limited edition fan club releases plus news of a new box set. At 5pm GMT next Tuesday 21st November we'll be opening pre-orders for our two Christmas 2023 items here.



First up is a vinyl edition of 'Built On Sand'.

Originally pressed on CD only and mailed to members of the Saint Etienne fan club for Christmas 1999, 'Built On Sand' gathered together 14 previously unreleased nuggets.

Highlights include Suburban Autumn Lieutenant, recorded by Etienne Daho as Le Baiser Francais; a pitch for a new theme to BBC TV's The Clothes Show; Tomorrow Never Dies, another pitch, this time for a Bond theme; and the minimal techno-pop Keep Nothing. There are also outtakes from Good Humor and Sound Of Water, unavailable anywhere else.

Available on vinyl for the very first time, the new Foreign Office issue of 'Built On Sand' arrives in a glossy card sleeve with printed inner bag and digital download card and is pressed on both splatter and black vinyl editions.



'Music For Hermione' will be the only new music released by Saint Etienne during 2023.

Two new recordings composed to soundtrack 'Kingdom Of The Sick', an animated film by renowned artist Andy Holden that accompanied his 'Full of Days' exhibition feature on a special limited edition 10" single exclusively available here. The film paid tribute to the unknown artist Hermione Burton, whose collected work Andy had found in charity shops scattered across Bedfordshire and the exhibition was a highlight of the British Art Show at Manchester's Whitworth Gallery last year.

Sarah appears as the animated figure in the film, and her soft-spoken narration - as well as her inimatable vocals - feature on the A-side, 'Facets Of My Life'. She also narrates on the noirish, jazz-tinged b-side 'Did She Fall Or Was She Pushed'.

The gorgeous artwork is by Andy Holden himself and the music was recorded with the estimable Augustin Bousfield at Saltaire Studios.

Both red and black vinyl editions are very limited and expected to sell out before Christmas. Fingers on buttons!



We'll also be bringing you news of the long overdue 30th anniversary 'So Tough' box-set next Tuesday. A companion piece to the Fox Base Apha and Tiger Bay sets this third in the series will not disappoint. Expect previously unreleased music from the era alongside unseen photography and three newly commissioned essays in a large format 28-page book.

Stay tuned to our Instagram, X and Facebook pages for updates and be sure to arrive early at our shop here next Tuesday, 21st November, at 5pm GMT to avoid disappointment.

Lots of love and early Christmas cheer,

Bob, Pete and Sarah xxx