Saga (band)

Saga
Background information
Origin Oakville, Ontario, Canada
Genres Rock, progressive rock, symphonic rock
Years active 1977–present
Labels Portrait, Warner Bros., Atlantic
Associated acts Fludd, Gilmour-Negus Project, Helix, My Wicked Twin, Asia
Website www.sagaontour.ca
Members Michael Sadler
Ian Crichton
Jim Crichton
Jim Gilmour
Mike Thorne
Past members Brian Doerner
Rob Moratti
Steve Negus
Christian Simpson
Peter Rochon
Gregg Chadd

Saga are a Canadian rock band, formed in Oakville, Ontario. Jim Crichton and Welsh-born vocalist Michael Sadler have been the principal songwriters for Saga. Ian Crichton is the band's guitarist; apart from his work with Saga, he has recorded several solo albums as well as sessions with Asia. The band's keyboardist, Scottish-born Jim "Daryl" Gilmour, joined Saga in December 1979 after Greg Chadd left the band in August 1979 (Chadd joined Saga in December 1978 after original member Peter Rochon left the band to become a full-time music equipment company executive shortly after the band's first album was released).

After the 2003 Marathon tour, Steve Negus, Saga's original drummer, announced his retirement. Christian Simpson, a Canadian-American, replaced Negus for 2004's Network album, until sidelined by a neurological condition that affected his drumming. In late 2005, former Helix member Brian Doerner became Saga's third drummer in as many years. Doerner suffered a heart attack in 2007 and was replaced by Chris Sutherland (of the Kim Mitchell Band) for the 10,000 Days Tour and Contact DVD, more recently Mike Thorne has joined the band. Lead singer Michael Sadler left Saga for family reasons at the end of the 2007 tour. Rob Moratti replaced Sadler in April 2008, after an Internet talent search, spanning Europe and both Americas, failed to yield a potential lead vocalist. On January 28, 2011, an official statement was made announcing Michael Sadler's return as the lead singer of Saga. Saga have been awarded gold and platinum albums worldwide and have sold more than 8 million albums.

History

Originally known as Pockets, Saga formed in 1977 from the nucleus of Canadian rock band Fludd. In June 1978, they released their self-titled debut album Saga. A modest success in Canada, it would eventually sell over 30,000 copies in Germany as an import. It also became a major seller in Puerto Rico, after a local stereo equipment store featured the guitar-keyboard duet of the band's single, "Humble Stance" as part of its radio advertisements. Two other songs, "How Long?" and "The Perfectionist" (a song about a psychopath, Ellery Sneed, who secretly poisons the attendants to a feast he has organized), also became local favourites.

Their 1979 follow-up album Images at Twilight gave them their first charting single in Canada with the song "It's Time" peaking at No. 84 in the Canadian Charts. From the album, the songs "See Them Smile" and "Slow Motion" became strong radio favourites elsewhere. Saga's next album, Silent Knight was released in 1980 and included the singles "Don't Be Late" and "Careful Where You Step".

In 1981, the band's 4th album Worlds Apart was released. The lead single "Wind Him Up", finally broke them into the Top 40, peaking at No. 22 on the Canadian Charts in January 1982. A second single, "On the Loose", also fared well with the help of its music video receiving heavy rotation on MTV, and in December 1982, proved to be their breakthrough in America where it peaked at No. 26 on the Billboard Charts in March 1983. "Wind Him Up" became the second single in America, peaking at No. 64 on Billboard the following month. Eventually, Worlds Apart was certified Gold in the USA in 1983. The band opened for Jethro Tull on their North American tour in 1982.

Following on the success of Worlds Apart, the band won the 1982 Juno Award for "Most Promising Group of the Year."

A 5th album Heads or Tales was released in late 1983 and became another success. The lead single "The Flyer" fared well in Canada and also became their final U.S. hit, peaking at No. 79 on Billboard in November 1983. The follow-up single entitled "Scratching the Surface" became popular in Canada, peaking at No. 45 in April 1984.

Their 6th album, Behaviour, was released in 1985 and included the singles, "Listen to Your Heart" and "What Do I Know?" (charted No. 57 in Canada).

Separation and reunion

In 1986, Steve Negus and Jim Gilmour left the band over management concerns, soon deciding to form a new band project under the name Gilmour-Negus Project (GNP). In 1988, they released their one and only album, Safety Zone (featuring Robert Bevan on lead vocals). Meanwhile, Saga continued to record and tour, with Michael Sadler and the Crichton brothers augmented by session musicians.

Their 1987 release Wildest Dreams enjoyed better distribution under new label, Atlantic Records, but it failed to match expectations in America. The lead single "Only Time Will Tell" became a popular Chart favourite in Canada (No. 93), with a memorable video rotated on MTV for a brief period. However, the remainder of the album suffered from over-reliance on technology, with armies of sequencers and drum machines replacing much of the band's earlier trademark sound with Gilmour and Negus.

For 1989's The Beginner's Guide to Throwing Shapes, Saga refocused on their earlier European popularity which marked a return to their earlier progressive style with a few pop elements to it. In 1993, Steve Negus and Jim Gilmour returned to Saga. The band's next album, The Security of Illusion, was well received by Saga fans in Canada and Europe. The 1994 followup, Steel Umbrellas, was considered uneven when compared to their previous release, perhaps due to the material originally being produced for the short-lived television series Cobra. However, despite lacklustre album sales, Saga's 1993 and 1994 tours helped maintain some of the band's early popularity; their reputation as live performers was not lost among the band's long time fans.

Comeback

In 1995, Jim Crichton composed and produced the majority of Saga's next album, the conceptual Generation 13. Inspired by a popular political treatise by the same name, the story follows main character Jeremy's troubled search for his real father. The concept is somewhat reminiscent of the storyline in The Who's Quadrophenia. The album's heavier compositions have a sound similar to fellow Canadians, progressive rock band Rush, and even early Kansas.

Saga's next release, Pleasure and the Pain was released on the eve of their 26th anniversary tour in 1997. The album failed to maintain the interest created by the previous release. On the same anniversary tour the album Phase 1 was released. Phase 1 was an album containing demo songs from the 1979 album Images at Twilight — some of them were songs found not good enough for the album, some of them were different version songs. The album quickly sold out and a second issue was printed. The album was hard to get and it soon became a most wanted item for Saga collectors and fans.

Their 1998 tour was captured on the next album, Detours, a double-live album released worldwide. Saga's next three albums, 1999's Full Circle, 2001's House of Cards, and 2003's Marathon have all been popular with the band's longtime and loyal fanbase. House of Cards, in particular enjoyed renewed interest. Its acoustic-flavoured single, "Money Talks", received Top 5 video airplay in Canada. All three albums included new "chapters", representing a return to the progressive rock of the band's early days. Saga released a new studio album, Network, in the fall of 2004. Their next album, Trust, was released in 2006, featuring Brian Doerner as their new drummer. Doerner made his debut on a live Canadian television broadcast in late 2005.

Even though Jim Crichton and Michael Sadler both live in Los Angeles, they have not committed Saga to any full-length American tours since 1986. However, in late 2005, Michael Sadler announced a limited tour on the West Coast to promote his solo album, Clear. The trek featured Ian Crichton as touring guitarist. Saga also played one show in New York City during their summer 2006 tour in support of Trust.

The Chapters

The Chapters is the name given to a series of songs that the band revealed over a 28-year period in a mixed-up order, creating a conceptual puzzle. Each song in the sequence was subtitled "Chapter One", "Chapter Two", etc. In its final form, The Chapters tells a cohesive science fiction story concerning the preservation of Albert Einstein's brain, aliens who are concerned with humanity's self-destruction, and the resurrection of the dead through technology.

The first eight Chapters were issued, out of order, across the band's first four albums, issued between 1978 and 1981. After a long layoff, Chapters 9 through 16 were issued, again out of order, across three album releases between 1999 and 2003. Songs from the cycle have been performed in concert throughout their career. The Chapters were finally released all together in a 2 CD live recording called The Chapters Live in 2005.

Legacy and future plans

Despite the band's fluctuating musical styles and limited commercial success in The United States, their fans have remained extremely loyal over the decades. Their musical style was defined by Ian Crichton's staccato guitar riffs, often in harmony with a synthesizer, and complex keyboard arrangements, frequently featuring three players.

The band has been constantly successful in Germany since its inception. It is also very popular in Puerto Rico: Saga has visited the island twelve times. Saga's second concert in Puerto Rico (1981) caused riots from fans trying to crash into a sold-out concert that sold over 10,000 tickets. Most of the inner cover photographs from the original vinyl release of In Transit (1982) were taken in Puerto Rico, including a live photograph from the 1981 concert. For a few years, a keyboard riff from their song "No Regrets" became the background music for station breaks at WCAD-FM in San Juan. The band received formal recognition as distinguished visitors from the Puerto Rican legislature in February 2005. Their concert on December 9, 2007 (at the Pier 10 Arena club in Old San Juan) was the last concert that Michael Sadler did with Saga until his announcement of returning to the band on January 2011.

On January 16, 2007, it was announced by InsideOut, the band's current record label, that lead singer Michael Sadler would be leaving Saga for personal reasons at the end of 2007. Later that year on Michael's personal site, michaelsadler.com, a note was posted by the singer revealing that his departure was due to a desire to focus on his family life and retire from the stress of being in an active travelling band. A farewell tour of sorts is in the works which will also commemorate Saga's 36th anniversary as a band. Saga announced on July 15, 2007 that they were recording a new album in Los Angeles. Titled 10,000 Days the album was released on November 6, 2007 in conjunction with their planned European tour. ("10,000 days" equates to 27 years, 4.54 months, approximately the amount of time Sadler spent with the band). Sadler also recorded a forthcoming DVD commemorating his last European tour with Saga. Just prior to the release of 10,000 Days, in October 2007 drummer Brian Doerner suffered a heart attack. He has since made a full recovery, but a stand-in drummer (Chris Sutherland) was required to fulfill touring commitments.

Saga announced they were auditioning lead vocalists to continue the band's career. The musicians recorded instrumental versions of "On the Loose" and "Wind Him Up" for prospective singers to perform on YouTube, with the winning candidate to be announced at a later date. During the search, Ian Crichton remarked that hopeful candidates "should have a set of pipes" as well as personality. The guitarist also remarked that a Canadian would be preferable, presumably because of travel considerations and the band's nationality. Over 20 candidates (including one woman) submitted demos from across the Atlantic and Caribbean.

SAGA's Michael Sadler.
SAGA's Michael Sadler in August 2011
Ian Crichton.
SAGA's Ian Crichton in August 2011

On April 15, 2008, Saga announced that Rob Moratti of Toronto, former singer of Final Frontier, had joined the band as the new lead vocalist. Moratti's background included more than a decade of experience in the Canadian rock music industry, recently working with the respected guitarist-producer Mladen Zaron. Throughout his tenure with the band, Moratti concentrated on lead vocals, leaving the band's instrumental dynamics somewhat changed from the Sadler era, where the lead vocalist often doubled on bass guitar and keyboards. Saga's first gig with Moratti took place in the summer of 2008. Also, 2008 saw the release of a book about the band's history, 'Saga: The Biography', by renowned rock journalist (and long-time friend of Saga), Edwin Ammerlaan.

In 2009, Saga released their first CD with Rob Moratti. This CD was titled The Human Condition and was released in the spring 2009. The band toured in Europe and Canada.

On January 28, 2011, an official statement was made announcing Michael Sadler's return as the lead singer of Saga.[1]

On February 1, 2012, Saga announced that after 6 years of touring and recording together, Brian Doerner and Saga have parted ways. Following YouTube auditions, Mike Thorne (a native of Toronto [2]) was announced as the new drummer of Saga. On July 6, 2012, Saga's twentieth studio album, 20/20, was released. It marked the return of original vocalist Michael Sadler.

On June 27, 2014, Saga released their 21st album entitled Sagacity, which received mostly positive feedback from fans. The album quickly topped the iTunes rock lists around Europe (most notably in Germany).

Band members

Current members
  • Michael Sadler vocals, guitar, bass, synthesizer, drums (1977–2007, 2011–present)
  • Jim Crichton bass, keyboards, Moog synthesizer, guitar (1977–present)
  • Ian Crichton guitar (1977–present)
  • Jim Gilmour synthesizer, keyboards, vocals, clarinet, harmonica (1980–1986, 1992–present)
  • Mike Thorne drums, electronic drums, vocals (2012–present)
Former members
  • Brian Doerner drums, backing vocals (2006–2012)
  • Rob Moratti vocals (2008–2011)
  • Christian Simpson drums (2003–2005)
  • Steve Negus drums (1977–1986, 1992–2003)
  • Gregg Chadd synthesizer, keyboards (1979)
  • Peter Rochon synthesizer, keyboards (1977–1978)

Session and studio musicians
  • Chris Sutherland drums (2007 tour, 2009 tour) (session)
  • Glen Sobel drums (1997) (studio)
  • Marcus Deml guitar (1995) (session)
  • Graham Lear drums (1990) (session)
  • Richard Baker Moog synthesizer (1990) (session)
  • Curt Cress drums (1987, 1989) (studio)
  • Trevor Murrell drums (1988) (session)
  • Tim Moore synthesizer (1988) (session)

Discography

Studio albums

Year Album Canada Billboard 200 Germany Norway Sweden Switzerland Austria
1978 Saga - - - - 33 - -
1979 Images at Twilight - - - - - - -
1980 Silent Knight 42 - - 15 42 - -
1981 Worlds Apart 22 29 2 5 33 - -
1983 Heads or Tales 17 92 3 4 4 4 -
1985 Behaviour 39 87 2 6 4 3 29
1987 Wildest Dreams 77 - 18 11 8 17 -
1989 The Beginner's Guide to Throwing Shapes - - - - - - -
1993 The Security of Illusion - - 46 - 41 38 -
1994 Steel Umbrellas - - 65 - 29 39 -
1995 Generation 13 - - 89 - - 49 -
1997 Pleasure & the Pain - - 93 - - - -
1998 Phase 1 - - - - - - -
1999 Full Circle - - 44 - - - -
2001 House of Cards - - 34 - - 100 -
2003 Marathon - - 40 - - - -
2004 Network - - 78 - - - -
2006 Trust - - 23 - 37 - -
2007 10,000 Days - - 78 - - - -
2009 The Human Condition - - 91 - - - -
2012 20/20 - - 13 - 39 - -
2014 Sagacity - - 17 - - 32 -

Charting singles

Year Song US Mainstream Rock Billboard Top 100 Canada Germany
1979 "It's Time" - - 84 -
1981 "Wind Him Up" 24 64 22 7
1981 "On the Loose" 3 26 - 26
1983 "The Flyer" 19 79 - -
1983 "Scratching the Surface" - - 45 -
1985 "What Do I Know" 24 - 57 65
1987 "Only Time Will Tell" - - 93 -

Live albums

Year Album
1982 In Transit
1998 Detours - Live (2CD)
2005 The Chapters Live (2CD)
2007 Worlds Apart Revisited (2CD + 2DVD)
2009 Contact - Live in Munich (2CD or 2CD + 2DVD)
2011 Heads or Tales - Live (CD)
2013 Spin It Again! Live in Munich (2CD)
2016 Live in Hamburg (2CD)

Compilations

Year Album
1986 Time's Up
1991 The Works (2CD)
1993 All the Best
1994 The Very Best Of
1994 Defining Moments
1995 Saga Softworks
1998 How Do I Look
2006 Remember When - The Very Best of Saga (2CD)
2013 The Collection (3CD)
2015 Best Of - Now and Then - The Collection (2CD)

Videography

Year DVD
2002 SILHOUETTE
2003 The Official Bootleg
2004 All Areas - Live in Bonn
2007 Worlds Apart Revisited (2CD + 2DVD)
2009 Contact - Live in Munich (2DVD or 2CD + 2DVD)
2013 Spin It Again! Live in Munich (2CD)

References

  1. "SAGA Reunite With Singer Michael Sadler - Bravewords.com". Bravewords. Retrieved January 29, 2011.
  2. "Mike Thorne Interview - Meet Saga's New Drummer - TMAKWorld.com". TMAKWorld. Retrieved April 20, 2012.
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