Britpop trailblazers Republica have announced a major UK tour this autumn, marking 30 years since their explosive rise as one of the late 90s’ defining acts. Running across October and November 2026, the tour will see the band bring their unmistakable ‘techno-pop, punk rock, electronica’ sound back to stages nationwide. Fronted by the iconic Saffron, Republica emerged alongside a wave of era-defining female-fronted bands including Catatonia, Elastica, Sleeper and Skunk Anansie, helping shape the sound and attitude of Britpop at its peak. We spoke to Saffron about the incredible success of 'Ready to Go', three decades of the band, and new music. Standing on the rooftops; Eamon O'Neill.
Photo: Omar Shaker
Hi Saffron, how are you doing today?
I'm fine, thank you.
It's thirty years since 'Ready to Go' was released; how does that feel?
Well, it feels like yesterday. Actually, it's strange counting the years, because you just live them. It's just a delight to still be out there touring and still having people appreciate your music.
Take me back to that time; how did Republica come about?
Well, I kind of blagged a record deal with an independent label called Deconstruction, and I just had to find a band really, so a couple of mates put me in touch with a couple of the guys, and told them exactly what sort of band I wanted, and more to the point, what sound I wanted, because I wanted to try and mix together acid house electronic music, with songs and guitars. So it kind of started from there, really.
Was 'Ready to Go' one of the first songs you worked on? I ask because the original '96 release had no guitars on it.
No. Our first early tracks we put out on white label, and we were lucky to have the Chemical Brothers and DJ Justin Robertson remix our songs. Our early sound was definitely more electronic, and then we got signed by the head of RCA Records in America, so we went out there, and they asked if we'd work with Ben Grosse, a producer who had worked with like Filter and Tool, and we really liked that music, it was more heavy sort of electronic, so we just remixed a few of the tracks with more heavy guitars, basically, and more bottom end with the drum and bass, so yeah, that's the guitar version of 'Ready to Go' that became the big hit.
That big guitar, post grunge type stuff was really popular in the States especially then; is that what they were aiming for, to get you into that market?
Yeah they just thought that - especially 'Ready to Go' - that we just needed to work on our guitars a bit, and more of a heavy sound on the bottom end as well, which we totally agreed because obviously, acid house and electronic music in the sense that we knew it from in the UK wasn't really known out there. It was more known for guitar bands that used electronics, like Nine Inch Nails and Marilyn Manson and stuff, so yeah, we were really happy to just make our songs better.
So you had a crossover hit where you were getting fans from different genres.
Yeah, the strange and the great thing was that we started touring in America and then we suddenly started having loads of people come to our gigs, and it suddenly started going up and up the chart. Then we were on heavy rotation on MTV, and it was the year that strong females were finally playlisted, like No Doubt and Garbage, because before that, no rock station would play any female fronted bands. So we were quite happy with that because we were kind of the underdogs. We were nobodies from the UK, so we were just delighted. and on the last tour we did was 65 city dates of the States, and it's such a great memory to have. And it gave us our career because then we were able to come back to the UK and get those gigs like main stage at Reading and Leeds and Glastonbury.
Is it difficult having something that big where a lot of people only know that one song?
I think any band, and absolutely for us. It's the opposite. I think any band would kill to have one big song that gets the number one around the place, and it is still known. I've got so many friends in other bands and they're going, "Damn it, Saffron, we wish we had a 'Ready to Go!" Also because it's been in many films and all the sports, cars, and this that, and it was like, the head of Marvel Films chose it for the official trailer for Captain Marvel, and then recently, it's been in Yellowjackets and Ted Lasso, and for us, it's great because it's like a much younger audience knows our songs.
Regarding the lyric, you said that "this is what was happening, how I felt". Is that what it was like for you back then, and is that where that came from?
Yeah, definitely, and as luck should have it, when we went to America, we didn't realise that everybody says; "are you ready to go?" Even the waitresses in Wendy's and stuff, and those great sort of cafes and stuff that you get along the highway, it's just part of their life language, so I think that's what caught on as well, which made it successful.
I'm fine, thank you.
It's thirty years since 'Ready to Go' was released; how does that feel?
Well, it feels like yesterday. Actually, it's strange counting the years, because you just live them. It's just a delight to still be out there touring and still having people appreciate your music.
Take me back to that time; how did Republica come about?
Well, I kind of blagged a record deal with an independent label called Deconstruction, and I just had to find a band really, so a couple of mates put me in touch with a couple of the guys, and told them exactly what sort of band I wanted, and more to the point, what sound I wanted, because I wanted to try and mix together acid house electronic music, with songs and guitars. So it kind of started from there, really.
Was 'Ready to Go' one of the first songs you worked on? I ask because the original '96 release had no guitars on it.
No. Our first early tracks we put out on white label, and we were lucky to have the Chemical Brothers and DJ Justin Robertson remix our songs. Our early sound was definitely more electronic, and then we got signed by the head of RCA Records in America, so we went out there, and they asked if we'd work with Ben Grosse, a producer who had worked with like Filter and Tool, and we really liked that music, it was more heavy sort of electronic, so we just remixed a few of the tracks with more heavy guitars, basically, and more bottom end with the drum and bass, so yeah, that's the guitar version of 'Ready to Go' that became the big hit.
That big guitar, post grunge type stuff was really popular in the States especially then; is that what they were aiming for, to get you into that market?
Yeah they just thought that - especially 'Ready to Go' - that we just needed to work on our guitars a bit, and more of a heavy sound on the bottom end as well, which we totally agreed because obviously, acid house and electronic music in the sense that we knew it from in the UK wasn't really known out there. It was more known for guitar bands that used electronics, like Nine Inch Nails and Marilyn Manson and stuff, so yeah, we were really happy to just make our songs better.
So you had a crossover hit where you were getting fans from different genres.
Yeah, the strange and the great thing was that we started touring in America and then we suddenly started having loads of people come to our gigs, and it suddenly started going up and up the chart. Then we were on heavy rotation on MTV, and it was the year that strong females were finally playlisted, like No Doubt and Garbage, because before that, no rock station would play any female fronted bands. So we were quite happy with that because we were kind of the underdogs. We were nobodies from the UK, so we were just delighted. and on the last tour we did was 65 city dates of the States, and it's such a great memory to have. And it gave us our career because then we were able to come back to the UK and get those gigs like main stage at Reading and Leeds and Glastonbury.
Is it difficult having something that big where a lot of people only know that one song?
I think any band, and absolutely for us. It's the opposite. I think any band would kill to have one big song that gets the number one around the place, and it is still known. I've got so many friends in other bands and they're going, "Damn it, Saffron, we wish we had a 'Ready to Go!" Also because it's been in many films and all the sports, cars, and this that, and it was like, the head of Marvel Films chose it for the official trailer for Captain Marvel, and then recently, it's been in Yellowjackets and Ted Lasso, and for us, it's great because it's like a much younger audience knows our songs.
Regarding the lyric, you said that "this is what was happening, how I felt". Is that what it was like for you back then, and is that where that came from?
Yeah, definitely, and as luck should have it, when we went to America, we didn't realise that everybody says; "are you ready to go?" Even the waitresses in Wendy's and stuff, and those great sort of cafes and stuff that you get along the highway, it's just part of their life language, so I think that's what caught on as well, which made it successful.
Obviously there's more to Republica than 'Ready to Go', and your second album, 'Speed Ballads' is a real banger, isn't it?
Yeah, we love that album, and I was so grateful because a few years ago I managed to get it re-released on vinyl because sadly, when it was released the first time, our record company collapsed the week of release of 'Speed Ballads', so sadly, there weren't any copies in the shop, so you're quite lucky to have one. I don't think I've even got one left! I gave it all away to fans! But yeah, 'From the Rush Hour with Love', I love, and it's still a great live song, and the fans love it. But we've got a new album coming out, and also we're re-releasing the debut album on red and black vinyl this year because it's the 30th anniversary, and we've got a big tour coming in starting in October, and we're going around and supporting local independent grassroots venues, so we're going back to the beginning.
Well, you've given me so much information there about what's coming up! Focusing on the re-release of the debut, it was reissued for Record Store Day in 2021; is it now getting a full release because that was a limited run?
Exactly, more people will be able to get hold of it, and we've also got a bonus album of live tracks from supporting Paul Weller at the Crystal Palace Bowl Stadium ['A Day at the Races', 1997], which hasn't been released before, so that's coming out as well. We're just really excited. 'Drop Dead Gorgeous' is currently in Trainspotting, the new musical in the West End, so please go and get a ticket and go and see the show because it's fantastic.
Is it nice to have so much happening because the band split up after Deconstruction collapsed, and Republica disappeared for a long while.
Yeah, I just carried on really, and I got to work with lots of great people. I worked with The Cure and Gary Numan and Jeff Beck. I worked with DJ Carl Cox, The Prodigy, and Junkie XL, and I had the number one record with 'Beauty Never Fades' [2003], so it was just extraordinary because I just got to work with all these amazing people who were like my idols growing up as well. So yeah, all things come round. And we've been doing festivals this summer, and I've been doing the Alex James Britpop Classical Tour, which is immense. It's just a great show with an orchestra, so yeah, it's just great to still be out there.
Speaking of touring, you're playing twenty shows on the '30 Years of Ready to Go!' tour; it's a big run of dates.
Yeah, I have to get fit, go swimming or something! We start, I think it's the first or second of October. I know we're going to the Netherlands again, which is great, and then we start. I think it's the Isle of Wight, and then Southampton, and then we go to nearly every town in the UK.
In terms of preparing a set list for thirty years, I'm guessing you're going to lean heavily on the first album.
Well, it's a very difficult position to be in because obviously, it's the thirtieth anniversary, which we're celebrating with us being thirty years, and thirty years of the record, but we've written all these other songs in between as well, which are firm fan favourites live, like 'Rush Hour with Love' and stuff. We've got some new songs as well, so I don't know how long our set's going to be, but we're going to try and fit as much as we can.
There's some great songs in the catalogue, like 'Fading from the Man', 'Try Anything', and 'Luxury Cage', to name just a few.
Yeah, you've just listed some of my favourites, but there's only so much you can fit into a set, so I don't know. We might have to do one night, and another another night. I'm just not sure. We just have to see how much we can fit in.
You mentioned a new album, and apparently, it's called 'Damaged Gods'. Talk to me about the album, because it's only been like twenty-seven years since the last one!
Yeah, we haven't quite surpassed Brian Wilson. I mean, we did have an EP out quite a few years ago ['Christiana Obey', 2013] which I did with other people like Andy Gray, but yeah, I just hope that we can get it out as soon as possible because these days there's not many people that have a lathe that make vinyl, so you get put on this waiting list, but we're pushing to have it out this year or the beginning of next year anyway. As you said, with the tour, it's going to be difficult because we're celebrating our thirty years, so obviously a lot of the older songs the fans are going to want to hear, rather than all of the new songs, so we'll have to do another tour next year to promote the other songs.
Yeah, we love that album, and I was so grateful because a few years ago I managed to get it re-released on vinyl because sadly, when it was released the first time, our record company collapsed the week of release of 'Speed Ballads', so sadly, there weren't any copies in the shop, so you're quite lucky to have one. I don't think I've even got one left! I gave it all away to fans! But yeah, 'From the Rush Hour with Love', I love, and it's still a great live song, and the fans love it. But we've got a new album coming out, and also we're re-releasing the debut album on red and black vinyl this year because it's the 30th anniversary, and we've got a big tour coming in starting in October, and we're going around and supporting local independent grassroots venues, so we're going back to the beginning.
Well, you've given me so much information there about what's coming up! Focusing on the re-release of the debut, it was reissued for Record Store Day in 2021; is it now getting a full release because that was a limited run?
Exactly, more people will be able to get hold of it, and we've also got a bonus album of live tracks from supporting Paul Weller at the Crystal Palace Bowl Stadium ['A Day at the Races', 1997], which hasn't been released before, so that's coming out as well. We're just really excited. 'Drop Dead Gorgeous' is currently in Trainspotting, the new musical in the West End, so please go and get a ticket and go and see the show because it's fantastic.
Is it nice to have so much happening because the band split up after Deconstruction collapsed, and Republica disappeared for a long while.
Yeah, I just carried on really, and I got to work with lots of great people. I worked with The Cure and Gary Numan and Jeff Beck. I worked with DJ Carl Cox, The Prodigy, and Junkie XL, and I had the number one record with 'Beauty Never Fades' [2003], so it was just extraordinary because I just got to work with all these amazing people who were like my idols growing up as well. So yeah, all things come round. And we've been doing festivals this summer, and I've been doing the Alex James Britpop Classical Tour, which is immense. It's just a great show with an orchestra, so yeah, it's just great to still be out there.
Speaking of touring, you're playing twenty shows on the '30 Years of Ready to Go!' tour; it's a big run of dates.
Yeah, I have to get fit, go swimming or something! We start, I think it's the first or second of October. I know we're going to the Netherlands again, which is great, and then we start. I think it's the Isle of Wight, and then Southampton, and then we go to nearly every town in the UK.
In terms of preparing a set list for thirty years, I'm guessing you're going to lean heavily on the first album.
Well, it's a very difficult position to be in because obviously, it's the thirtieth anniversary, which we're celebrating with us being thirty years, and thirty years of the record, but we've written all these other songs in between as well, which are firm fan favourites live, like 'Rush Hour with Love' and stuff. We've got some new songs as well, so I don't know how long our set's going to be, but we're going to try and fit as much as we can.
There's some great songs in the catalogue, like 'Fading from the Man', 'Try Anything', and 'Luxury Cage', to name just a few.
Yeah, you've just listed some of my favourites, but there's only so much you can fit into a set, so I don't know. We might have to do one night, and another another night. I'm just not sure. We just have to see how much we can fit in.
You mentioned a new album, and apparently, it's called 'Damaged Gods'. Talk to me about the album, because it's only been like twenty-seven years since the last one!
Yeah, we haven't quite surpassed Brian Wilson. I mean, we did have an EP out quite a few years ago ['Christiana Obey', 2013] which I did with other people like Andy Gray, but yeah, I just hope that we can get it out as soon as possible because these days there's not many people that have a lathe that make vinyl, so you get put on this waiting list, but we're pushing to have it out this year or the beginning of next year anyway. As you said, with the tour, it's going to be difficult because we're celebrating our thirty years, so obviously a lot of the older songs the fans are going to want to hear, rather than all of the new songs, so we'll have to do another tour next year to promote the other songs.
Photo: David Titlow
It all comes back to the success of 'Ready to Go', and the stats are amazing; it's had 36 million views on YouTube, for example; does that success surprise you, because the initial release wasn't a hit, right?
No, it wasn't. It's extraordinary as well because, the video, with the explosion of YouTube and the internet and everything, we were just on the cusp of its birth, so those videos, they haven't been up there since 1996. They've only been up thirteen years or something like that, so you think; "I wonder how many more we could have had, had it been up at the time". But we're just delighted with 36 million. You can't quite compute it in your head, that it was watched and hopefully people loved hearing the song.
There's some great footage out there, including from TFI Friday; what was it like doing that show?
Great fun! TFI Friday was this great show with Chris Evans, and I think he's just done a new one, actually. But it was like everybody was waiting for that on Friday night, like everybody used to do at Top of the Pops. It was just this party kind of atmosphere, and all these bands that were your mates were there every week. It was a really groundbreaking, trailblazing bit of telly, to give live bands an airing, which is a shame because you don't really have that anymore.
Looking to the present day, and what's coming up next for you? I'm guessing the tour is the main focus, and then the album.
Well, we just did Poole Harbour Festival, which was amazing, and as I say, the Alex James Britpop Classical tour, we've done every symphony hall in the country. We sold out the Royal Albert Hall, we did the F1 Grand Prix, and we did Henley Festival. We played some fantastic venues like Halifax Piece Hall, which is this open air place. It's where they used to make all the cloth, and it's a beautiful venue, and we're going to Jersey next with that show, and then Republica are playing the Stonemarket Festival, we've got North by East Festival in London in September, and I'm doing a couple of Gay Prides, the Out Festival in Scunthorpe, and then we're going to the Netherlands, and then we're going on the UK tour.
Are you ever going to get a break? That sounds exhausting!
I keep asking; "please, can I have a day off?!", so I hope so!
Republica's '30 Years of Ready to Go!' tour hits the UK in October. For a full list of dates, visit this link.
No, it wasn't. It's extraordinary as well because, the video, with the explosion of YouTube and the internet and everything, we were just on the cusp of its birth, so those videos, they haven't been up there since 1996. They've only been up thirteen years or something like that, so you think; "I wonder how many more we could have had, had it been up at the time". But we're just delighted with 36 million. You can't quite compute it in your head, that it was watched and hopefully people loved hearing the song.
There's some great footage out there, including from TFI Friday; what was it like doing that show?
Great fun! TFI Friday was this great show with Chris Evans, and I think he's just done a new one, actually. But it was like everybody was waiting for that on Friday night, like everybody used to do at Top of the Pops. It was just this party kind of atmosphere, and all these bands that were your mates were there every week. It was a really groundbreaking, trailblazing bit of telly, to give live bands an airing, which is a shame because you don't really have that anymore.
Looking to the present day, and what's coming up next for you? I'm guessing the tour is the main focus, and then the album.
Well, we just did Poole Harbour Festival, which was amazing, and as I say, the Alex James Britpop Classical tour, we've done every symphony hall in the country. We sold out the Royal Albert Hall, we did the F1 Grand Prix, and we did Henley Festival. We played some fantastic venues like Halifax Piece Hall, which is this open air place. It's where they used to make all the cloth, and it's a beautiful venue, and we're going to Jersey next with that show, and then Republica are playing the Stonemarket Festival, we've got North by East Festival in London in September, and I'm doing a couple of Gay Prides, the Out Festival in Scunthorpe, and then we're going to the Netherlands, and then we're going on the UK tour.
Are you ever going to get a break? That sounds exhausting!
I keep asking; "please, can I have a day off?!", so I hope so!
Republica's '30 Years of Ready to Go!' tour hits the UK in October. For a full list of dates, visit this link.
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