Severely underrated prog rock band. Moog galore. They had a singer that played bass and keys, and a bassist (underrated) that played keys, and a keyboardist. They were never huge in America but they did have a few hits on MTV. All I know is their '78 debut record was WAY ahead of it's time. I remember once a few months ago I was playing "Ice Nice" at full volume on the stereo and my friend came in from outdoors and his jaws hit the floor when the keyboard solo came on...Peter Rochon milks the hell out of the Moog on that song. All kinds of chorus and delay- sounds something from outer space. They were ahead of their time and I've still never heard anyone like em. They're big in Europe and Japan though. Someone told me they were one of the first to use the Yamaha synth to get that 80's sound. HURRY, AND DON'T BE LATE!
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SAGA!
- Thread starter SubEndSorcerer
- Start date
Not only do I know the band, I've actually seen them in concert here in the US. They opened for Jethro Tull in the early 80's (sometime - I fergit 
) and I saw them in Tallahassee on that tour. They were supporting the one top 40 hit they had at the time.
) and I saw them in Tallahassee on that tour. They were supporting the one top 40 hit they had at the time.
JSCHRO7376
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- Feb 23, 2004
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I've seen them live in Germany several times and had 3 of their albums, great band. Would like to know what happened to them.
Not to distract anyone from this thread, but I believe that Gentle Giant is/was another underrated band that really deserves a lot of credit and respect.
Not to distract anyone from this thread, but I believe that Gentle Giant is/was another underrated band that really deserves a lot of credit and respect.
Do they have a sister band named Edda?
:sound of crickets chirping:
If you don't get that, I'm sorry. Ask one of our local Icelandic/Norwegian/Swedish folk.
Rock on
Eric
:sound of crickets chirping:
If you don't get that, I'm sorry. Ask one of our local Icelandic/Norwegian/Swedish folk.
Rock on
Eric
"On The Loose" was their big hit. "What Do I Know" was a later, minor hit. They are one of my favorite bands from the 80s/90s.Hambone said:
I actually met their guitarist (who is brothers with the bassist and write most of the material together) in a club I was playing on the Minnesota/Canadian border (late 80s). He was a nice guy and was very surprised to be recognized by someone.
PhatBasstard said:
The guitarist...a little guy with long wavy hair that really liked his triplet runs as I recall. And the lead singer, I always thought of as kind of a cross between Gino Vanelli, Fee Wayvill, and Freddy Mercury. But the girls really went for that little guitar player.
SAGA have always had a very loyal fanbase in Germany. Their 4th album "Worlds Apart" (early '80s) was really "big" there. That album had the already mentioned "On The Loose" on it and the in Germany even more successful "Wind Him Up". "The Flyer" and "Scratching The Surface" from the follow-up "Heads Or Tales" were quite popular there, too.
During the '80s' second half, drummer Steve Negus and keyboarder Jim Gilmour left, and it got really quiet around the band, even though singer/multi-instrumentalist Michael Sadler and the Crichton brothers continued releasing albums. But it just wasn't the same anymore. In the early '90s, Negus and Gilmour re-joined, and the band released a "Best Of" (double) album,"Works", featuring a few new songs and a cover of Peter Gabriel's "Solsbury Hill". I've actually seen them play live when they were touring that album. I remember the song list being great, the sound being crappy, guitarist Ian Crichton being terribly overweight...and the rain when waiting outside the venue being very wet
Since then, they've released quite a few more albums, of which I own "The Security Of Illusion"('93) and the more recent "Full Circle"('99). Worth listening but in my book by far not measuring up to their great early stuff.
The last thing I heard was about drummer Steve Negus leaving the band again, a few months ago (BTW he also played on Chris de Burgh's "The Getaway" album, and for his son he once bought the original drumkit from the "Muppets Show"!).
=> www.saga-world.com
PS: Yeah, Michael Sadler does look like Gino Vanelli, and also like that guy from the band "Animotion" (songs "I Engineer" and "Obsession")!
During the '80s' second half, drummer Steve Negus and keyboarder Jim Gilmour left, and it got really quiet around the band, even though singer/multi-instrumentalist Michael Sadler and the Crichton brothers continued releasing albums. But it just wasn't the same anymore. In the early '90s, Negus and Gilmour re-joined, and the band released a "Best Of" (double) album,"Works", featuring a few new songs and a cover of Peter Gabriel's "Solsbury Hill". I've actually seen them play live when they were touring that album. I remember the song list being great, the sound being crappy, guitarist Ian Crichton being terribly overweight...and the rain when waiting outside the venue being very wet
Since then, they've released quite a few more albums, of which I own "The Security Of Illusion"('93) and the more recent "Full Circle"('99). Worth listening but in my book by far not measuring up to their great early stuff.
The last thing I heard was about drummer Steve Negus leaving the band again, a few months ago (BTW he also played on Chris de Burgh's "The Getaway" album, and for his son he once bought the original drumkit from the "Muppets Show"!).
=> www.saga-world.com
PS: Yeah, Michael Sadler does look like Gino Vanelli, and also like that guy from the band "Animotion" (songs "I Engineer" and "Obsession")!
Walking into a local rehearsal studio with Mickey DeSadist (www.forgottenrebels.com) here in Hamilton Ontario, he introduced me to who I believe was Jim Gilmore. Both bands (Forgotten Rebels and Saga) were touring Germany at the same time and were trading tour stories. Whoever it was, he was a nice enoough guy.
I'll have to look for that (assuming it was released in the States). It's probably a much superior collection to the single disc "Best Of..." I have.volker said:
Saga? Edda? Now we're Tolkien!Eric Cameron said:
See, Tolkien was a professor of Norse mythology, and...
Oh, yes, Saga. I always likened them to a Canadian version of Genesis as their arrangements were clearly reaching for something, but during the course of them they tended not to overplay, at least on the stuff that made it south of the border.
Lost track of them after What Do I Know unfortunately. Good to see they've found a following in Europe, where prog is still remotely appreciated.
Lost track of them after What Do I Know unfortunately. Good to see they've found a following in Europe, where prog is still remotely appreciated.
RevGroove
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Motorhead Mark said:
Yeh, at least one of them shop at L&M, our assistant manager in Burlington has done sound for them.
Really big on, of all places, Puerto Rico. Have played here maybe 10 times during their career. Still come every year or two.
I liked them a lot during the 80s and even the 90s, although my liking has faded over the years.
But great band with great synth sound.
IIRC "Wind Him Up" was more of a hit that "On The Loose". However it's "The Flyer" that's my favorite.
I liked them a lot during the 80s and even the 90s, although my liking has faded over the years.
But great band with great synth sound.
IIRC "Wind Him Up" was more of a hit that "On The Loose". However it's "The Flyer" that's my favorite.
Not in the US. It was a very minor follow up to "On The Loose".NewWaveBasser said:
I used to come to Puerto Rico every week when I played for Carnival Cruise Lines. Wish I could have caught them.
I just did a little research on the web and unfortunately I found out that "The Works" was obviously only released in Germany (actually their no.1 market, as I've just learned. So it's no surprise Michael Sadler has been living there for years). Here's the songs for you to compare with your single disc "best of"! @ PhatBasstardPhatBasstard said:
Disc I:
1. Gotta Love It*
2. How Long
3. What Do I know?
4. Only Time Will Tell
5. Humble Stance
6. Don't Be Late
7. The Vendetta (Still Helpless)
8. Time's Up
9. The Flyer
10. Angel
11. As I Am
12. On The Loose
13. Chase The Wind
14. You And The Night
Disc II:
1. The Call*
2. Scratching The Surface
3. Take A Chance
4. Starting All Over
5. Slow Motion
6. Catwalk
7. Once Upon A Time
8. Solsbury Hill*
9. Out Of The Shadows
10. Careful Where You Step
11. Wildest Dreams
12. Help Me Out
13. Wind Him Up (live)
14. A Brief Case (drum solo, live)
(*=previously unreleased)
Thanks for the effort and info.volker said:I just did a little research on the web and unfortunately I found out that "The Works" was obviously only released in Germany (actually their no.1 market, as I've just learned. So it's no surprise Michael Sadler has been living there for years). Here's the songs for you to compare with your single disc "best of"! @ PhatBasstard
I know someone who can still get it here.
They'll never be big in the UK, as "SAGA" is very well-known as the company that organises holidays for old-age pensioners....
About as "un-hip" as you could possibly get!!!
About as "un-hip" as you could possibly get!!!
