Republica - WikiHQ

| years_active =

| label =

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| current_members =

Saffron

| past_members =

Pete Riley
Andy Todd
David Barbarossa
Alix Tiernan
Mick Pirie
Tim Dorney
Johnny Male

Republica are an English alternative rock band formed in 1994. They reached the height of their popularity from 1996 to 1999. The band went on hiatus in 2001 and reunited in 2008.

The Republica sound was described by the band as "technopop punk rock". Saffron (vocals) is the sole member, the rest of the original band having left.

History

thumb|200px|Republica live at San Antonio, TX in December 1996

1994–1997: Beginnings, debut album and international success

Former Flowered Up keyboardist Tim Dorney met producer/engineer Andy Todd while both musicians were working in the studio for the band Soul Family Sensation. The two decided to form Republica as an electronic-oriented outfit.

Republica released their first single "Out of This World" in 1994, followed by the single "Bloke" in March 1995. After the music video for "Bloke" was filmed, Johnny Male joined the band on guitar. Male was an acquaintance of Dorney and Todd, since Male was formerly a member of Soul Family Sensation.

2002–2009: Hiatus

In 2002 BMG released the compilation Ready to Go: The Best Of against the band's wishes. After the band went on hiatus, Saffron worked with the Cure, appearing on the single "Just Say Yes" from their Greatest Hits album. She also collaborated with Junkie XL for his 2003 album Radio JXL: A Broadcast from the Computer Hell Cabin. In September 2008, Republica reunited at Windsor at a Contra Mundum concert. They played "Ready to Go", "Drop Dead Gorgeous" and a cover of "You Got the Love".

2010–2020: Reunion, sporadic performances and new material

In early 2010, Republica performed a string of gigs. They also issued a remixed version of "Ready to Go" entitled "Ready to Go 2010". In June 2010 the remix was released and reached No. 1 on the Upfront Club chart. The track was produced by Andy Gray and Alan Moulder. In October 2010, the band performed a comeback gig at O2 Academy Islington followed by several dates in Eastern Europe and the Middle East in 2011. They performed at GuilFest in July 2012.

The band released a new EP, Christiana Obey, and also recorded a session for Brentwood radio station Phoenix FM in April 2013. A joint 20th anniversary tour with the band Space took place in the spring of 2014. In October and early November 2014, Republica toured the UK in support of the Boomtown Rats "Ratlife" tour and took the opportunity to premiere some new material. Friday 29 May 2015 saw the public debut of more new material when Republica performed at the "Under The Bridge" venue in Chelsea, London, with support from Tenek and Kenelis. A deluxe edition of Republica was released on 28 February 2020 on Cherry Red Records.

2021–present: Damaged Gods

The band released a new single, "New York" in November 2023, from their upcoming studio album Damaged Gods scheduled to be released in the spring of 2025, their first in 27 years, on Armalyte Industries. The second single off the album, "Hallelujah", was released 28 June 2024. As of May 2026, the album remains unreleased.

In June 2024, Saffron announced that Steve Hewitt, former drummer of Placebo and Six by Seven, had joined Republica as the band's live drummer. That same year, both Dorney and Male departed from Republica, leaving Saffron as the only remaining member of the band.

Members

Saffron – lead vocals, tambourine, guitar (1994–2001, 2008–present)

Touring members

Steve Hewitt – drums (2024–present)
Maxine Cahill – guitar (2025–present)

Former members

Andy Todd – keyboards, guitar, bass (1994–1998)
Mick Pirie – bass (1994–1995)
Alix Tiernan – drums, percussion (1994–1996)
Tim Dorney – keyboards (1994–2001, 2008–2024)
Johnny Male – guitar, bass (1995–2001, 2008–2024)
David Barbarossa – drums, percussion (1996–1998)

Former touring members

Pete Riley – drums (1998–2001)
Nigel Champion – drums (2008–2012)
Conor Lawrence – drums (2012–2024)
Timm Hamm – bass (2013–2015)

Timeline

Discography

Studio albums

{| class="wikitable plainrowheaders" style="text-align:center"

! scope="col" rowspan="2"| Title

! scope="col" rowspan="2"| Album details

! scope="col" colspan="9"| Peak chart positions

! scope="col" rowspan="2"| Certifications

! scope="col" style="width:2.5em;font-size:smaller" |UK

! scope="col" style="width:2.5em;font-size:smaller" |GER

! scope="col" style="width:2.5em;font-size:smaller" |NED

! scope="row" | Republica

Released: 30 July 1996
Label: Deconstruction, RCA
Formats: cassette, CD, LP

|align="center"| 4

|align="center"| 95

|align="center"| 34

|align="center"| 47

|align="center"| 36

|align="center"| 26

|align="center"| 9

|align="center"| 48

|align="center"| 153

BPI: Gold

! scope="row" | Speed Ballads

Released: 5 October 1998
Label: Deconstruction
Formats: cassette, CD, LP

|align="center"| 37

|align="center"| —

|align="center"| 45

|align="center"| —

! scope="row" | Damaged Gods

Released: TBA 2026
Label: Armalyte Industries
Formats: TBA

| colspan="9"

| colspan="12" style="font-size:smaller;"| "—" denotes a recording that did not chart.

Compilation albums

{| class="wikitable plainrowheaders"

!Title

!Release date

!Label

! scope="row"| Ready to Go: The Best Of

| align=center|May 2002

| Camden

Live albums

{| class="wikitable plainrowheaders"

!Title

!Release date

!Label

! scope="row"| Live at the Astoria

| align=center|March 2013

| Independent

Extended plays

{| class="wikitable plainrowheaders"

!Title

!Release date

!Label

! scope="row"| Christiana Obey

| align=center|March 2013

| Independent

Singles

{| class="wikitable plainrowheaders" style="text-align:center"

! rowspan="2" style="width:12em"| Title

! rowspan="2"| Year

! colspan="10" | Peak chart positions

! rowspan="2" style="width:12em"| Certifications

! rowspan="2"| Album

! style="width:2.2em; font-size:smaller"|UK

! style="width:2.2em;font-size:smaller"|AUS

! style="width:2.2em; font-size:smaller"|GER

! style="width:2.2em; font-size:smaller"|NED

! style="width:2.2em; font-size:smaller"|NZ

!style="width:2.2em;font-size:smaller"|SCO

! style="width:2.2em; font-size:smaller"|SWE

! style="width:2.2em; font-size:smaller"|SWI

! style="width:2.2em; font-size:smaller"|US

! scope="row"| "Out of This World"

| 1994

| — || — || — || — || — || — || — || — || — || —

! scope="row"| "Bloke"

| 1995

| 81 || — || — || — || — || — || — || — || — || —

|rowspan=4 style="text-align:left;"| Republica

! scope="row"| "Ready to Go" (original mix)

| 1996

| 43 || — || — || — || — || — || 59 || — || — || —

! scope="row"| "Ready to Go" (remix)

| rowspan="2"| 1997

| 13 || 40 || 33 || 26 || 25 || 42 || 12 || 40 || 34 || 56

BPI: Silver