The Saints
Put together by Tab Martin (fresh from his stint as a Tornado), Roy Philips (at this time playing guitar) and drummer Ricky Winters this instrumental trio was named by Joe Meek and acted as house band on many of his recordings.Apart from being the backing group for Meek star Heinz, The Saints also released records in their own right. Two singles were issued on the Pye label in 1963, these were:
Wipe Out / Midgets Pye 7N 15548
Husky Team / Pigtails Pye 7N 15582
A single was issued in the US under the name of The Ambassadors, Surfin’John Brown / Big Breaker (Dot 16528) presumably in an attempt to cash in on the then surfing craze.The record has a writing credit of Joe Meek and The Saints and although it was not released in the UK, an Australian pressing has recently surfaced.Two further tracks ‘Happy Talk’ and ‘Parade of Tin Soldiers’ have since appeared on Joe Meek reissue compilations.
As an alternative to hunting down the original singles collectors can hear the following Saints tracks on two reissue CD’s.
‘Wipeout’ and ‘Husky Team’ are on ‘The Joe Meek story – The Pye Years’ (Sequel NED CD 171).While ‘Happy Talk’, ‘Midgets’ and ‘Parade of Tin Soldiers’ appear on ‘304 Holloway Road, Joe Meek The Pye Years Volume 2’ (Sequel NEX CD 216).
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