She's 'Ready to Go'

Republica lead singer Saffron excited by enthusiasm of American audiences

by Joey Guerra

Lifestyle Editor

Sitting in a hotel in West Palm Beach, Fla. one day after a late-night appearance on The Conan O'Brien Show, Republica front-woman Saffron recounts the evening's events.

"It was good," she says, in an energetic, English accent. "I like (Conan). He's got some interesting sketches in his show."

Unfortunately, our fair city doesn't pick up Conan O'Brien's talk show, so the band's television performance might as well be a mere product of imagination. Republica itself hasn't been so sporadic, ensuring that most of America know just who they are.

With the release of its self-titled debut album, Republica has introduced audiences to an aggressive, highly danceable beat that is decidedly British.

Propelled by the first single, "Ready To Go," the album is currently number nine on Billboard's Heatseeker Chart and climbing the Top 200 Album Chart. The video for "Ready to Go" has also been receiving extensive airplay on MTV. A second single, the tongue-in-cheek "Drop Dead Gorgeous" will soon be serviced to radio stations.

Originating in London's club scene, where Saffron admits that popularity was not that easy to come by, Republica includes keyboardists Tim Dorney and Andy Todd; guitarist Johnny Male and drummer Dave Barborossa (formerly with Adam Ant).

All of Republica's members come from dance music backgrounds, including Saffron, who toured over 250 clubs with techno gods NJOI and visited Houston four years ago with the Shamen ("The Shamen have always been very behind me," says Saffron).

Republica's success in the U.S. has been a pleasant surprise.

"We're just totally shocked by the whole thing," says Saffron, with genuine enthusiasm in her voice. "We're just nobodies from London."

Influenced by early '80s icons such as The Human League, Blondie and Siouxsie and the Banshees, the impetus for forming the group came from a dissatisfaction with the current music scene. A desire to address "real-life" issues, such as the ups and downs of relationships, the daily grind and poser-boy socialites (blasted in the song, "Bloke"), also fueled the formation of Republica.

"We felt that the music at the time was very bland," Saffron says. "We wanted to try and meld electronic with rock." The result is a hybrid of the attitude of Ruby and the casual smarminess of early Siouxsie Sioux.

Success in England was elusive because of a much smaller, more concentrated music scene in which there are more bands than there are fans willing to listen.

"If you're not flavor of the month, you don't get very far very quickly," says Saffron. That can be good, she adds, because those interested in longevity are usually the ones that stick around.

Republica's goal is just that, and their combination of trippy club beats and in-your-face lyrics ("It's the same routine the life you lead/The friends you keep your lack of taste/I'm gonna take you on") ensure immediate attention. But don't call any of them overnight sensations.

"It's been such a long time clawing our way to this point," says Saffron. "It's exactly what we've had in mind - for the last 10 years!"

Response so far has been upbeat. Republica made its U.S. debut in front of a sold-out audience Sept. 5 at the Metro Club in Long Branch, New Jersey.

"We sold 17 T-shirts, and we made them ourselves," says Saffron with more than a hint of excitement in her voice. The current tour, which has the band opening for Gravity Kills, continues through late October.

"It's extremely tiring, but it's exhilarating," says Saffron. She cites audiences for making it all worthwhile and motivating the band to do what they do.

"Anything that keeps me from getting a nine-to-five job," says Saffron. Guess she takes the avoid-the-norm advice of her own songs after all.

Republica will join Gravity Kills and Love In Reverse at 8 p.m. Tuesday at Numbers, 300 Westheimer. Tickets are $11. Call 526-6551 for more information.