Republica

Republica are an English alternative rock band from Windsor, United Kingdom. The group forms in 1994 and is active from 1994 to the present. Its sound spans alternative dance, alternative rock, dance-punk, electronic, electronic rock and electronica, and the band describes its music as combining techno, pop, punk and rock elements.

Formation and line-up

Republica is founded by Tim Dorney, formerly of Flowered Up, and Andy Todd. The original line-up includes Samantha Sprackling, known as Saffron, on vocals, Tim Dorney on keyboards, Johnny Male on guitars, Andy Todd on keyboards and David Barbarossa on drums. Pete Riley joins on drums in 1997. Alix Tiernan also performs on percussion and Mick Pirie on bass during the band’s early period. The band members also include Dave Barbarossa, Tim Dorney, Johnny Male, Pete Riley, Saffron and Andy Todd.

Key releases

Republica’s first single is “Out of This World” in 1994, followed by “Bloke” in early 1995. The debut album, Republica, is released in July 1996 and reaches number four on the UK Albums Chart. From it, “Ready to Go” becomes the band’s best-known single and reaches number 13 on the UK Singles Chart, while “Drop Dead Gorgeous” reaches number seven.

The second album, Speed Ballads, is released in 1998 and reaches number 37 on the UK Albums Chart. Its lead single, “From Rush Hour with Love,” peaks at number 20 in the UK.

Later activity

After the collapse of Deconstruction Records shortly after the release of Speed Ballads, the band’s activity declines and it goes on hiatus in 2001. BMG later releases a compilation album in 2002 after acquiring Deconstruction’s catalogue. Republica reforms in 2008 and performs three songs at a Contra Mundum concert in Windsor. The band continues to perform live in 2010 and releases a remixed version of “Ready to Go” called “Ready to Go 2010,” produced by Andy Gray and Alan Moulder.

Saffron and collaborations

Saffron is born on 3 June 1968 in Ibadan, Nigeria. Before Republica, she works as an actress and appears for two years in the London production of Starlight Express. She also appears in music videos for Chesney Hawkes’s “The One and Only” and N-Joi’s “Mindflux,” and provides lead vocals on N-Joi’s 1990 hit “Anthem.” During Republica’s hiatus, she collaborates with other artists, including vocals on The Cure’s “Just Say Yes” and work with Junkie XL on Radio JXL: A Broadcast from the Computer Hell Cabin. In 1997, she also contributes vocals to The Prodigy’s “Fuel My Fire,” which appears on The Fat of the Land.