Template:Short description Template:About Template:Use British English Template:Use dmy dates Template:Infobox musical artist

Republica are an English alternative rock band formed in 1994.<ref name="The Great Rock Discography">Template:Cite book</ref> They reached the height of their popularity from 1996 to 1999. The band went on hiatus in 2001 and reunited in 2008.

The Republica sound was described by the band as "technopop punk rock". The current line-up consists of Saffron (vocals), Tim Dorney (keyboards) and Johnny Male (guitar).

HistoryEdit

File:Republica live at San Antonio, TX in Dec 1996.jpg
Republica live at San Antonio, TX in December 1996

1994–1997: Beginnings, debut album and international successEdit

Former Flowered Up keyboard players Tim Dorney and Andy Todd founded Republica.<ref name="The Great Rock Discography"/> They recruited singer Saffron, who was an actress at one point, performing for two years in London's Starlight Express. She also appeared in the video for the Chesney Hawkes' hit "The One and Only" and in the video for N-Joi's single "Mindflux". She was also lead vocalist on N-Joi's hit "Anthem" in 1990.

Republica released the first single "Out of This World" in 1994, followed by the single "Bloke" in March 1995. In April 1996, their single "Ready to Go" became their first to chart on the UK Singles Chart, when it reached Number 43. Their debut album Republica was released in the United States in July 1996 and reached No. 4 in the UK Albums Chart after being released there in 1997.<ref name=uk/> The band added Johnny Male,<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> formerly of early 1990s One Little Indian<ref name="officialcharts.com">{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> act Soul Family Sensation,<ref group="nb">also known as Sensation when their singer, The Shamen's<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> Jhelisa Anderson,<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> left the band<ref>Sensation – Burger Habit 1993 One Little Indian catalogue number TPLP45CD</ref></ref> as an official member on guitar, with "Ready to Go" remixed as more a rock-sounding dance track. This version became their signature single and reached No. 13.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref><ref name=uk/> The fourth single, "Drop Dead Gorgeous", reached No. 7.<ref name=uk/>

The group attracted positive press coverage. Emerging after a wave of female-fronted rock bands (such as Elastica, Lush, Sleeper, Echobelly and Kenickie), they had, like Curve and Garbage, a notably more aggressive and electronic sound. In 1997, they contributed a cover of "Are 'Friends' Electric?" to the Gary Numan tribute album Random. That same year, Saffron performed vocals for the Prodigy's "Fuel My Fire" from their album The Fat of the Land.

1998–2001: Speed Ballads and dissolutionEdit

The band's second album, Speed Ballads, was released in 1998 and reached No. 37 in UK Albums Chart.<ref name=uk/> Its lead single, "From Rush Hour With Love", peaked at No. 20 in UK Singles Chart.<ref name=uk/> 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 and Speed Ballads was never released in the United States. In 2001, Republica went on hiatus. On their official site it was posted the message "Republica are not recording at this time".<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref>

2002–2009: HiatusEdit

In 2002 BMG released the compilation Ready to Go: The Best Of against the band's wishes. After the band went on hiatus, Saffron worked with the Cure, appearing on the single "Just Say Yes" from their Greatest Hits album. She also collaborated with Junkie XL for his 2003 album Radio JXL: A Broadcast from the Computer Hell Cabin. In September 2008, Republica reunited at Windsor at a Contra Mundum concert. They played "Ready to Go", "Drop Dead Gorgeous" and a cover of "You Got the Love".<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref>

2010–2020: Reunion, sporadic performances and new materialEdit

In early 2010, Republica performed a string of gigs.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> They also issued a remixed version of "Ready to Go" entitled "Ready to Go 2010". In June 2010 the remix was released and reached No. 1 on the Upfront Club chart. The track has been produced by Andy Gray and Alan Moulder. In October 2010, the band performed a comeback gig at O2 Academy Islington followed by several dates in Eastern Europe and the Middle East in 2011. They performed at GuilFest in July 2012.

The band released a new EP, Christiana Obey, and also recorded a session for Brentwood radio station Phoenix FM in April 2013.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> A joint 20th anniversary tour with the band Space took place in the spring of 2014. In October and early November 2014, Republica toured the UK in support of the Boomtown Rats "Ratlife" tour and took the opportunity to premiere some new material. Friday 29 May 2015 saw the public debut of more new material when Republica performed at the "Under The Bridge" venue in Chelsea, London, with support from Tenek and Kenelis. A deluxe edition of Republica was released on 28 February 2020 on Cherry Red Records.

2021–present: Damaged GodsEdit

The band released a new single, "New York" in November 2023, from their upcoming studio album Damaged Gods scheduled to be released in the spring of 2025, their first in 27 years, on Armalyte Industries.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> The second single off the album, "Hallelujah", was released 28 June 2024.

In June 2024, Saffron announced that Steve Hewitt, former drummer of Placebo and Six by Seven, had joined Republica as the band's live drummer.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref>

NotesEdit

Template:Reflist

MembersEdit

Current membersEdit

  • Saffron – lead vocals, tambourine, guitar (1994–2001, 2008–present)
  • Tim Dorney – keyboards (1994–2001, 2008–present)
  • Johnny Male – guitar, bass (1995–2001, 2008–present)

Current touring membersEdit

Former membersEdit

Former touring membersEdit

  • Pete Riley – drums (1998–2001)
  • Nigel Champion – drums (2008–2012)
  • Conor Lawrence – drums (2012–2024)
  • Timm Hamm – bass (2013–2015)

TimelineEdit

<timeline> ImageSize = width:800 height:auto barincrement:20 PlotArea = left:100 bottom:100 top:10 right:10 Alignbars = justify DateFormat = mm/dd/yyyy Period = from:03/01/1994 till:{{#time:m/d/Y}} TimeAxis = orientation:horizontal format:yyyy Legend = orientation:vertical position:bottom columns:3 ScaleMajor = increment:3 start:1995 ScaleMinor = increment:1 start:1995

Colors =

id:lvocals value:red        legend:Lead_vocals
id:guitar  value:green      legend:Guitar
id:bass    value:blue       legend:Bass
id:keys    value:purple     legend:Keyboards
id:drums   value:orange     legend:Drums
id:perc    value:claret     legend:Percussion
id:touring value:yellow     legend:Touring_member
id:studio  value:black      legend:Studio_album
id:EP      value:gray(0.6)  legend:EP
id:bars    value:gray(0.95)

BackgroundColors = bars:bars

LineData =

layer:back color:studio
at:07/30/1996
at:10/01/1998
color:EP
at:03/14/2013

BarData =

bar:Saffron    text:Saffron
bar:Male       text:Johnny Male
bar:Pirie      text:Mick Pirie
bar:Hamm       text:Timm Hamm
bar:Dorney     text:Tim Dorney
bar:Todd       text:Andy Todd
bar:Barbarossa text:David Barbarossa
Bar:Riley      text:Pete Riley
bar:Champion   text:Nigel Champion
bar:Lawrence   text:Conor Lawrence
bar:Hewitt    text:Steve Hewitt
bar:Tiernan    text:Alix Tiernan

PlotData =

width:11
color:lvocals
bar:Saffron    from:start      till:11/17/2001
bar:Saffron    from:09/15/2008 till:end
color:guitar
bar:Male       from:03/01/1995      till:11/17/2001
bar:Male       from:09/15/2008 till:end
color:bass
bar:Pirie      from:start      till:03/01/1995
bar:Hamm       from:01/01/2013 till:12/01/2015
color:keys
bar:Dorney     from:start      till:11/17/2001
bar:Dorney     from:09/15/2008 till:end
bar:Todd       from:start      till:03/01/1997
color:drums
bar:Barbarossa from:start      till:03/01/1997
bar:Riley      from:01/01/1998 till:11/17/2001
bar:Champion   from:09/15/2008 till:03/01/2012
bar:Lawrence   from:03/01/2012 till:06/30/2024
bar:Hewitt     from:06/30/2024 till:end
color:perc
bar:Tiernan    from:start      till:03/01/1995
width:3
bar:Todd       from:start      till:03/01/1997 color:guitar
bar:Male       from:03/01/1995 till:11/17/2001 color:bass
bar:Male       from:09/15/2008 till:end        color:bass
bar:Riley      from:01/01/1998 till:11/17/2001 color:touring
bar:Hamm       from:01/01/2013 till:12/01/2015 color:touring
bar:Champion   from:09/15/2008 till:03/01/2012 color:touring
bar:Lawrence   from:03/01/2012 till:06/30/2024 color:touring
bar:Hewitt   from:06/30/2024 till:end        color:touring
width:7
bar:Todd       from:start      till:03/01/1997 color:bass

</timeline>

Side projects and collaborationsEdit

  • Saffron performed vocals for the Prodigy's "Fuel My Fire" from their 1997 album The Fat of the Land.
  • Saffron wrote and performed vocals for Deepsky's "Smile" from their 2002 album In Silico.
  • 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 the single "Just Say Yes" for their Greatest Hits. She also featured in "Just Say Yes" video.
  • 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 worked as a painter and decorator and on Contra Mundum with Male releases in 2008 on the White Label.
  • Male co-wrote tracks for Lipslide, the 1997 solo album by Sarah Cracknell of Saint Etienne. He has also featured in cult band Go Kart Mozart.
  • Todd continued as a songwriter and co-wrote "Reach" by S Club 7, and has also worked with Kylie Minogue. He now operates between his recording studios in London and the Caribbean.

DiscographyEdit

Studio albumsEdit

List of studio albums, with selected details and chart positions
Title Album details Peak chart positions Certifications
UK
<ref name=uk/>
AUS
<ref name=aus/>
AUT
<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation
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}}</ref>

GER
<ref name=ger>German chart peaks:
  • Republica: {{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation
CitationClass=web

}}

  • "Ready to Go": {{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation
CitationClass=web

}}

  • "Drop Dead Gorgeous": {{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation
CitationClass=web

}}</ref>

NED
<ref name=ned/>
NZ
<ref name=nz/>
SCO
<ref name=uk/>
SWI
<ref name=swi/>
US
<ref>Template:Cite magazine</ref>
Republica 4 95 34 47 36 26 9 48 153
Speed Ballads
  • Released: 5 October 1998
  • Label: Deconstruction
  • Formats: cassette, CD, LP
37 45
Damaged Gods
  • Released: Spring 2025
  • Label: Armalyte Industries
  • Formats: TBA
colspan="9" Template:TBA

Compilation albumsEdit

Title Release date Label
Ready to Go: The Best Of May 2002 Camden

Live albumsEdit

Title Release date Label
Live at the Astoria March 2013 Independent

Extended playsEdit

Title Release date Label
Christiana Obey March 2013 Independent

SinglesEdit

Title Year Peak chart positions Certifications Album
UK
<ref name=uk>UK chart peaks:
  • Top 100 peaks: {{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation
CitationClass=web

}} N.B. This site contains 'compressed' chart (exclusion rules applied) peaks for positions 76–100.

  • Top 200 peaks from November 1994 to December 2010: {{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation
CitationClass=web

}} N.B. This site contains uncompressed chart peaks (no exclusions applied) between November 1994 and May 2001.</ref>

AUS
<ref name=aus>Australian (ARIA) peaks:
  • Top 50 peaks: {{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation
CitationClass=web

}}

  • Top 100 peaks to December 2010: Template:Cite book
  • "Drop Dead Gorgeous": {{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation
CitationClass=web

}}</ref>

GER
<ref name=ger/>
IRE
<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation
CitationClass=web

}}</ref>

NED
<ref name=ned>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation
CitationClass=web

}}</ref>

NZ
<ref name=nz>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation
CitationClass=web

}}</ref>

SCO
<ref name=sco>Scottish singles chart peaks:
  • "Ready to Go": {{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation
CitationClass=web

}}

  • "Ready to Go" (remix): {{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation
CitationClass=web

}}

  • "Drop Dead Gorgeous": {{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation
CitationClass=web

}}

  • "From Rush Hour With Love": {{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation
CitationClass=web

}} </ref>

SWE
<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation
CitationClass=web

}}</ref>

SWI
<ref name=swi>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation
CitationClass=web

}}</ref>

US
<ref>Template:Cite magazine</ref>
"Out of This World"Template:Efn 1994 Template:N/a
"Bloke" 1995 81 Republica
"Ready to Go" (original mix) 1996 43 59
"Ready to Go" (remix) 1997 13 40 33 26 25 42 12 40 34 56
  • BPI: Silver<ref name="bpi"/>
"Drop Dead Gorgeous" 7 131 90 30 8 93
"From Rush Hour with Love" 1998 20 21 Speed Ballads
"Ready to Go" (remix with Tomcraft) 2007 For the Queen (Tomcraft album)
"Ready to Go 2010" 2010 Template:N/a
"New York" 2023 Damaged Gods
"Hallelujah" 2024

Template:Notelist

Promotional singlesEdit

Title Year Album
"Holly" 1995 Republica
"Try Everything" 1998 Speed Ballads

Template:Notelist

Music videosEdit

  • "Bloke", 1995
  • "Ready to Go" (original mix), 1996
  • "Ready to Go" (Ben Grosse mix), 1997
  • "Drop Dead Gorgeous", 1997
  • "From Rush Hour with Love" (version 1), 1998
  • "From Rush Hour with Love" (version 2), 1998
  • "Try Everything", 1998
  • "Christiana Obey", 2013
  • "New York", 2023
  • "Hallelujah", 2024

See alsoEdit

ReferencesEdit

Template:Reflist

External linksEdit

Template:Sister project

Template:Republica

Template:Authority control