Saint Etienne have spoken to NME about their final album and plans to “get together” on their 2026 farewell tour, whereas vowing to hold on working collectively and teasing future tasks.
The London trio, who fashioned again in 1990, shocked followers in Might after they introduced their thirteenth studio effort, ‘Worldwide’, which comprises collaborations with Confidence Man’s Janet Planet, The Chemical Brothers‘ Tom Rowlands, Paul Hartnoll of Orbital, and extra.
They later confirmed a UK and Eire farewell run for subsequent autumn, which can see them give followers “the very best of the very best” from their 35-year catalogue, as they bow out with the “enjoyable” and celebratory gigs. They’ve additionally hinted at some worldwide dates nonetheless to return.
Chatting with NME, keyboardist Bob Stanley appeared forward to the trio’s last commitments as Saint Etienne, and revealed that they might nonetheless “hold busy collectively” for the foreseeable future.
“It gained’t really feel like something is completed, as a result of there will likely be catalogue stuff to do, together with at the least a few fanclub albums,” he defined. “We’ve one other album that by no means bought launched, and that may come out sooner or later.”
Singer Sarah Cracknell assured that she’d “be doing the cha-cha” by the point the large reveals roll round, having damaged her leg 9 weeks in the past whereas on vacation in France.
“I had a bizarre second the place my foot went a technique, and the remainder of me didn’t,” she advised NME. “I used to be simply strolling in a superbly straight line. I’m on crutches now, however I’ll be alright.”
Learn on for NME’s full interview with the band, the place they specific their dedication “to not fuck up” their legacy, trace on the tour setlist, recall inadvertently upsetting Manic Avenue Preachers, being supported by Oasis on tour, and focus on upcoming solo work.
NME: Hello, Saint Etienne. How have you ever felt concerning the response to saying your farewell?
Bob Stanley: “It’s been extraordinary, as none of us anticipated something a lot.”
Pete Wiggs: “We did a signing tour for ‘Worldwide’. One particular person confirmed me a photograph of him along with his ex-partner, each carrying Saint Etienne T-shirts. They’d bonded by the band, however she’d sadly died of most cancers. That was clearly so unhappy, however then he stated: ‘Wait – my new accomplice delivered your son’. She was our midwife.”
Sarah Cracknell: “We’ve had lots of people inform us how we bought them by onerous instances after they had been youthful. Like Winona Ryder!”
(Ryder revealed this summer season how Saint Etienne’s music “completely rescued me” when she had a troublesome time engaged on a movie when she was 20.)
Wiggs: “We couldn’t consider it once we learn that. I want we’d recognized it on the time, we might have gotten Winona in for one thing.”
Have you ever began planning the farewell tour’s setlist?
Craknell: “We would like it to be very up, a celebration. In my thoughts, it’s an elongated pageant set.”
Wiggs: “It’s about which songs work greatest for a celebration, whereas additionally reminding ourselves: ‘Hey, we haven’t performed something off [2002 album] ‘Finisterre’ for ages’.”
What would be the final tune on the final present?
Stanley: “There’s a morbid thought! The final tune we ever play stay? We haven’t thought that far forward.”
Cracknell: “It’s going to be emotional, particularly if it’s a must to sing it with out crying. I’m not excellent at that.”
Stanley: “It’s alright for me and Pete, we are able to simply cry behind our keyboards.”
Cracknell: “Though these reveals are our final British tour, hopefully festivals and reveals overseas imply that is prone to creep into 2027.”
Since saying your farewell, are you continue to certain that is the best choice?
Cracknell: “Sure, that is the tip. I by no means renege on a promise.”
Wiggs: “The announcement has strengthened it, in a means. It’s been like going to your individual wake, listening to good tributes about your self, whereas additionally nonetheless having the ability to reply to them.”
Stanley: “The response to the band in recent times has been so good. None of us wished to exit once we had been tailing off, till solely 12 individuals had been .”
Cracknell: “I’m pleased with all the things we’ve completed. We haven’t let the aspect down in any respect. That’s a very good level to cease: let’s not fuck it up now.”
Wiggs: “We’ve made an impression on the world of pop music and I’m pleased with that. We did one thing good there.”
The place do you see Saint Etienne’s affect now? Confidence Man function on ‘Worldwide’, as an illustration.
Cracknell: “That’s onerous to reply, because it feels a bit showy-offy.”
Stanley: “I can’t consider many artists who use samples whereas writing conventional pop songs. It’s modified a lot since we began that it’s onerous to say, as now everybody has made bed room music for the previous 20 years.”
Wiggs: “We had been in the best place on the proper time. There weren’t many bands mixing British pop with electronics and hip-hop. We began within the early ’90s, when individuals had been changing into open to mixing scenes. That was our preliminary USP for fulfillment. Now, everybody strikes round genres and mashes all of it up.”
Did you ever really feel a part of a scene?
Stanley: “Pulp, Denim, early Suede, World Of Twist: all of us sounded completely different from one another, however there was a kinship. We had been extra vibrant than what got here later. As quickly as one thing has a reputation connected, it turns into extra generic. We stored our heads down when Britpop was occurring.”
Wiggs: “We had been influenced by the digital aspect of issues, like Stereolab and later Broadcast. With out essentially speaking to one another, that’s the place the cross-pollination got here from.”
There additionally gave the impression to be a scene at your file label, Heavenly, by its membership nights at The Social in London.
Cracknell: “That’s true. It goes again to that feeling of kinship and a similarity of perspective.”
Stanley: “I agree, however at any time when we noticed the Manics and talked about something we thought we had in widespread, James [Dean Bradfield, frontman] would have a look at us like we had been taking the piss. Manic Avenue Preachers undoubtedly didn’t really feel a part of any scene.
“For me, it’s linked to impostor syndrome, not feeling nearly as good because the individuals round you. I’d see Andrew Weatherall on the Heavenly workplace and assume: ‘You’re a correct DJ and [Primal Scream‘s] ‘Loaded’ is the primary file you’ve produced. Now, that’s spectacular’.”
Cracknell: “I’ve nonetheless bought impostor syndrome, massively. It’s terrible. Somebody requested me just lately concerning the finish of the band and I stated: ‘It’s exhausting, making an attempt to be me’. I’m riddled with it.”
Talking of Britpop, what do you bear in mind of the 1994 tour once you headlined over Oasis?
Stanley: “In Glasgow, all the viewers was pinned to the wall as they had been so loud, like a jet engine. Then we got here on and seemed like we had been taking part in Chad Valley devices. It was apparent they shouldn’t have been supporting us. They had been clearly going locations, however to a very completely different viewers.”
Wiggs: “That tour was two very separate Venn diagrams. Not lengthy after, I bear in mind shopping for them a spherical. This was on the level once we ought to nonetheless be shopping for them drinks, not the opposite means spherical, however I nonetheless bear in mind considering: ‘Ooh, I’m shopping for Oasis a drink!’ They appeared very grateful.”
What are your solo plans?
Wiggs: “I’m ending a movie soundtrack within the subsequent few weeks. I did the soundtrack to a brief, which has now was an extended. It was known as Ana Paula, however that may change. I’d actually like us to do one other movie and its soundtrack. We’re by no means wanting concepts for them.”
Stanley: “Bradford [where he now lives] is a captivating metropolis, for the variety of cultures built-in there. There are social golf equipment for every of these communities, the place everybody has a West Yorkshire accent. Working males’s golf equipment nonetheless exist, too. These golf equipment gained’t be there perpetually, and I wished to seize that on movie. It bought a bit means down the road, however the funding wasn’t there.
“I’m ending a e book in January which will likely be out round subsequent Christmas, on The Shadows. I’m doing one other e book after that.”
Cracknell: “I’ve no plans in any respect, nothing. I didn’t assume this factor by, did I? I can’t assume previous subsequent week, not to mention into 2027.”
How a lot are you wanting ahead to assembly up as mates as soon as the band is completed?
Cracknell: “After we meet, we simply discuss shit anyway. We solely discuss concerning the band once we’re compelled to.”
Wiggs: “We largely give you a whole lot of tune titles. We are able to’t do this anymore, although they had been largely silly and unusable anyway. There have been a whole lot of comedy band title solutions, too.”
Stanley: “’The Camomile Lawnmower’, there’s one. We stay in three completely different locations – Oxfordshire, Sussex, Yorkshire – so we don’t see one another as a lot as we like, however we’re nonetheless mates. We should always all go on vacation collectively. That’s one thing we haven’t completed.”
Saint Etienne’s album ‘Worldwide’ is out now on Heavenly. Their farewell tour, ‘The Lengthy Goodbye’, begins in September. Discover tickets right here and see the total schedule under.
SEPTEMBER 2026
15 – New Century Corridor, Manchester
16 – Beacon Theatre, Bristol
18 – Roundhouse, London
19 – Electrical, Sheffield
20 – SWG3, Glasgow
22 – 3Olympia Theatre, Dublin
24 – Glasshouse, Gateshead
25 – Dome, Brighton
26 – Corn Change, Cambridge
