 |
|
| |
|
||||
Saga is a progressive rock quintet, formed in Canada. Their self-titled debut album was released in June, 1978. The next two albums, Images at Twilight (1979) and Silent Knight (1980) saw the group climb in the European album charts. They opened for U.S. supergroup Styx in France and Germany, where Saga proved more popular. In Canada, touring with Rush made them better known in their native land. Saga was named after the multi-song cycle that was released in pieces ("Chapters") on their first four albums. In 1999, they returned to the chapter concept for another three albums. These chapters have been performed live throughout the band's extensive touring career. Saga have had their share of detractors, but their fans have remained extremely loyal over the decades. Their unique use of keyboards often involves three members playing synthesizers onstage. Owing to their powerful -- not to say bombastic style, Saga has also been a major influence on similar American progressive rock and prog-metal bands, from Queensryche to Dream Theater. Bassist-keyboardist Jim Crichton (b. 1953) and Welsh-born vocalist Michael Sadler (b. 1954) have been the principal songwriters for Saga. Ian Crichton (b. 1956) is considered one of the most underrated rock guitarists, having recorded several solo albums and sessions with supergroup Asia. The band's longtime keyboardist, Jim "Daryl" Gilmour (b. 1958), replaced Peter Rochon in 1980. Recently, Steve Negus (b.1952) announced his retirement as Saga's original drummer. He has since been replaced by Christian Simpson. Their most famous album, Worlds Apart (1981) became a gold album in the United States, generating massive MTV exposure. The anthem "On The Loose," became a major Top-40 hit, while "Wind Him Up", a song about compulsive gambling, also received airplay. "Worlds Apart" also benefited from the production of Rupert Hine, although Jim Crichton later took over the band's studio phase. Unfortunately, neither 1983's "Heads or Tales," nor 1985's "Behaviour" solidified their earlier achievements. The former is considered a fan favorite, with Jim Gilmour singing the lead on "Scratching the Surface." "The Flyer" also gained some radio exposure in 1984, but failed as a follow-up to "On The Loose." "Behaviour" barely dented the charts, with the band touring the United States for the last time to date. "What Do I Know?" did even worse than "The Flyer." The fickle nature of American musical tastes, plus constant shifts between recording labels, may well have undermined Saga's promising foothold in the U.S. In 1986, Steve Negus and Jim Gilmour left Saga amicably, recording as the Gilmour-Negus Project (GNP). Meanwhile, Saga continued with Michael Sadler and the brothers Crichton, augmented by session musicians. The disappointing "Wildest Dreams" (1987) enjoyed better distribution under Atlantic Records, but it failed to match expectations. The Police inspired single, "Only Time Will Tell," marked Saga's last stab at American Top-40 charts. Thereafter, Saga concentrated on making European albums, such as 1989's "The Beginner's Guide to Throwing Shapes," which marked a return to their earlier form. In 1993, Steve Negus and Jim Gilmour returned to Saga, recording the band's "comeback" album, at least where Canada and Europe were concerned. "The Security of Illusion" restored the faith of many Saga followers. However, "Steel Umbrellas" (1994) was considered uneven when compared to "Security." Yet, the 1993-94 European tours proved that the band members had not lost their edge as live performers. In 1995, Jim Crichton composed and produced the majority of Saga's finest album, the conceptual Generation 13. Inspired by a popular political treatise by the same name, the story follows Jeremy's troubled search for his real father. The concept is reminiscent of Jimmy's quest for cultural identity in The Who's Quadrophenia, almost a North American interpretation. But the heavier musical compositions sound like Rush and vintage Kansas, with Michael Sadler's best vocal performances on the more nuanced tracks. What Gen 13 may have lacked in originality, it made up for in the overall production. Saga released the lackluster Pleasure and the Pain on the eve of their 20th anniversary tour in 1997. Fans considered the album a new low in the band's career, but the 1998 tour was captured on "Detours," a solid double-live album released worldwide. Three recent albums, Full Circle (1999), House of Cards, (2001) and Marathon (2003) have been much better received. House of Cards seems to have particularly enjoyed renewed interest. Its acoustic-flavored single, "Money Talks" received Top 5 video airplay in Canada. All three albums have included new "chapters," representing a return to the progressive rock of yore, albeit with Jim Crichton's cutting edge production giving it a modern touch that could appeal to younger music fans. Saga released a new studio album, Network, in the fall of 2004. Even though Jim Crichton and Michael Sadler now live in Los Angeles, they have yet to commit Saga to American tour dates, even though the band has remained active during the last five years. DiscographySaga (1978)
Images At Twilight (1979)
Silent Knight (1980)
Worlds Apart (1981)
In Transit - Live (1982)
Heads or Tales (1983)
Behaviour (1985)
Wildest Dreams (1987)
The Beginner's Guide to Throwing Shapes (1989)
The Works (1990)
The Security of Illusion (1993)
All The Best (1993)
Steel Umbrellas (1994)
The Very Best Of (1994)
Defining Moments (1994)
Generation 13 (1995)
Pleasure & The Pain (1997)
Phase One (1998)
How Do I Look (1998)
Detours - Live (1998)
Full Circle (1999)
House of Cards (2001)
Marathon (2003)
The Official Bootleg (2003)
All Areas - Live In Bonn (2004)
Network (2004)
External links
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Copyright 2008 WordIQ.com - Privacy Policy
::
Terms of Use
:: Contact Us
:: About Us This article is licensed under the GNU Free Documentation License. It uses material from the Wikipedia article "Saga (band)". |