Recordstore

Saint Julian was the first album recorded by Julian Cope for Island Records, following his two albums on the Mercury label.<

Encouraged by his new manager, Cope changed his image: cutting his hair, wearing rocker’s leathers and embracing a "Rock God" perspective (as well as investing in a bizarre climbable microphone stand (with integral steps). To record and tour the album, Cope put together a new backing group, this featured lead guitarist Donald Ross Skinner and drummer Chris Whitten and James Eller (who’d played alongside Cope on the second Teardrop Explodes album, Wilder) and Cope himself on vocals and rhythm guitar.

For the album, Cope also played keyboards under the alias of "Double DeHarrison", Several songs on the album originated from much earlier than the others. "Screaming Secrets" had been a Teardrop Explodes song which never made it to album, while "Spacehopper" dated back to late 1970s writing sessions with Ian McCulloch.

The album’s new songs abandoned the collapsing psychedelic styles of Fried in favour of a crisp, punchier and more structured sound, drawing partially on Cope’s professed love for Detroit heavy rock acts such as early Alice Cooper.

Early sessions were supervised by Ramones producer Ed Stasium and delivered the song "World Shut Your Mouth" (which became Cope’s biggest solo hit, reaching #19 in the UK in 1986), "Pulsar" and "Spacehopper". The remaining album sessions were produced by Warne Livesey. The parent album was well received and generated two more singles ("Trampolene" and "Eve’s Volcano").

This deluxe version of the album contains all the B-side and remixes which have been sequenced by Julian himself. With notes by Ian Harrison and updated art this is a great testament to one of Julian Copes best and well-loved albums.