Saga - 40th Anniversay tour - interviews and music

[MagmaShark]

Canada's own prog rock band Saga has called it a day after 40 years. Join me for exclusive interviews with vocalist Michael Sadler and guitarist Ian Crichton and great tunes from the band's rich catalogue. With over 20 studio albums, 8 live albums and 10 compilation albums Saga is second only to Rush as Canada's progressive rock ambassadors. The band basically stopped touring in North America in the early 80's but spent most of their career playing in Germany and Europe. I caught up with the band during their show at Cannafest (the Canadian music festival in Grand Forks, BC) as part of their farewell tour, before they headed off to Europe and Puerto Rico. They will also be on Cruise To The Edge 2018 and possibly more dates to follow. It's all on Cals Progessive Rock Show ... the only on air live prog rock radio show in Canada (and the USA, probably?)

You can hear this show and other podcasts of the show on mixcloud.com -

https://www.mixcloud.com/magmashark/...ews-and-music/

[flowerking]

Sad to see them call an end to their career (as a band) although their last 3 studio albums (20-20, Sagacity, Human Condition) didn't do much for me, but the one before it, 10,000 Days, was tremendous. One of my all-time favorite bands and a band that is really underrated among prog fans.

[ronmac]

I saw them open for Jethro Tull on the "Broadsword and the Beast" tour in 82 or 83, I believe. Was that their first big tour?

[Paulrus]

I saw them open for Jethro Tull on the "Broadsword and the Beast" tour in 82 or 83, I believe. Was that their first big tour?

You know, that might have been why I missed seeing them on that tour. I was looking for them as headliners, not as a support act to Tull (who I was not into at all at the time.)

[the winter tree]

I saw them in Burlington, Vermont on their "Behavior" tour in 1985. Met Michael Sadler in a rock club afterwards and talked for a while and he bought me beer and gave me advise. Really great guy.

[flowerking]

I saw them open for Jethro Tull on the "Broadsword and the Beast" tour in 82 or 83, I believe. Was that their first big tour?

1981 saw the release of Worlds Apart and they got a ton of MTV airplay from some videos that were among MTV's earliest (On the Loose from Worlds Apart and Don't Be Late from Silent Knight). Worlds Apart was a pretty big seller for them since On the Loose and Wind Him Up got some decent FM airplay. So I would think that the 1982 tour was their first tour when they were a known rather than an unknown. But, as you say, they were still an opening band so I don't know that I would call it a "big tour". I think they were headlining on the next tour, Heads and Tales. Unfortunately, they just never made much of a splash in the US while finding enormous popularity in Europe, especially Germany. So they pretty much ignored the US after about 1986.

[JKL2000]

1981 saw the release of Worlds Apart and they got a ton of MTV airplay from some videos that were among MTV's earliest (On the Loose from Worlds Apart and Don't Be Late from Silent Knight). Worlds Apart was a pretty big seller for them since On the Loose and Wind Him Up got some decent FM airplay. So I would think that the 1982 tour was their first tour when they were a known rather than an unknown. But, as you say, they were still an opening band so I don't know that I would call it a "big tour". I think they were headlining on the next tour, Heads and Tales. Unfortunately, they just never made much of a splash in the US while finding enormous popularity in Europe, especially Germany. So they pretty much ignored the US after about 1986.

I managed to know the songs Wind Him Up and On the Loose without knowing who they were by or seeing a video for them. I didn't learn they were by Saga until I saw a tribute band that also played Genesis, Supertramp, etc do them in 82 I think, in Syracuse.

[refugee]

I managed to know the songs Wind Him Up and On the Loose without knowing who they were by or seeing a video for them. I didn't learn they were by Saga until I saw a tribute band that also played Genesis, Supertramp, etc do them in 82 I think, in Syracuse.

I first saw them in the UK as support to Styx at the Hammersmith Odeon in 1981.....I think? Me and a mate had travelled to see Styx and we were both blown away by Saga that night, we then had to track down the albums which were only available on import, I've loved them ever since and managed to get to see them live three or four times more thankfully as headliners. They were always a great live band, brilliant musicians and a singer in Michael Sadler who always delivered.

I'll miss them.

[dgtlman]

I saw them open for Jethro Tull on the "Broadsword and the Beast" tour in 82 or 83, I believe. Was that their first big tour?

I saw them around that same time as an opener for Billy Squier.

[Paulrus]

I saw them around that same time as an opener for Billy Squier.

Dealing with Saga as an opening act must have been a nightmare back then. They toured with a crap-ton of gear that would all had to get gotten broken down and moved off stage in a hurry after their set. Three separate keyboard rigs, gear for two bass players (Sadler did double duty), acoustic and electronic drums... they were like Rush on steroids.

[gearHed289]

I saw them open for Jethro Tull on the "Broadsword and the Beast" tour in 82 or 83, I believe. Was that their first big tour?

Same here. Crimson got rained out (Beat tour), so I traded my tix for Tull. Really had no idea who Saga was at the time, but it was an impressive show. Lots of talent on that stage. Funny, my band keeps getting compared to Saga, but I've only ever owned 1 of their albums (you can guess which one).

[iguana]

... they were like Rush on steroids.

oct25th … my 12th and final concert.

[BravadoNJ]

they are actually like Rush as a Quintet....

from Full Circle to 10,000 days their albums were rich in songwriting.
that writing suffered from Michael's his exit, and couldn't recoup with his return.

i'd like to see Alex Lifeson & Geddy Lee tap into some of that talent for their next project.

[MagmaShark]

I thought the band made some great music at the end of the nineties with Full Circle, House of Cards and especially Marathon, but without touring in the USA and absolutely no radio airplay I guess they just couldn't grow their audience. I was fortunate to see them at Baja Prog in 2014 and (almost) at Cruise To The Edge in 2015, except their show got rained out and I never found out they did a make up show around midnight until it was too late. Their performance at Cannafest in Grand Forks, BC was excellent. The band sounded like a fresh new band, not like a band in their 40th year! And as a bonus we got the backdrop videos and images that they couldn't use at the show in Calgary, AB. They have one more show in Ontario, Canada on Aug 26th then back to Europe. For the USA it looks like Cruise To The Edge 2018 will be the last chance to see them on this farewell tour. Definitely do not miss your chance to see them live if you can.

[JKL2000]

I thought the band made some great music at the end of the nineties with Full Circle, House of Cards and especially Marathon, but without touring in the USA and absolutely no radio airplay I guess they just couldn't grow their audience. I was fortunate to see them at Baja Prog in 2014 and (almost) at Cruise To The Edge in 2015, except their show got rained out and I never found out they did a make up show around midnight until it was too late.

The ONLY time I've ever seen Saga live was on Cruise to the Edge 2015. I think it was their second scheduled show, on the pool deck. Weather was good and there's wasn't a big crowd, so the floor area in front was easy to deal with. I watched about half of the show down there, and then went up to the next deck to watch the rest. It was excellent. I'm glad I got that one chance since I won't be on the next cruise for their last show. Unless of course something crazy happens.

I forget what else was going on during that show - I think something big to keep the crowds away. Maybe a show in the main theater?

[timmy]

I'm pretty sure I heard Michael Sadler interviewed mentioning the possibility of a 40th Anniversary box set being released. Anyone else hear news on this?

[dropforge]

I thought the band made some great music at the end of the nineties with Full Circle, House of Cards and especially Marathon

Full Circle is one of their best albums, IMO. A little more aggressive than their usual fare, but nothing off-putting. Just good music. HoC was good, but Marathon was mostly forgettable. It's not a bad album, per se, it just doesn't stand out.