Saga (Official Thread)

[LG]

Re: Saga

World's Apart and Heads or Tales are both excellent albums Whaler...I'll update this thread tomorrow seeing we have a couple more fans with good taste showing up.

 

[stepcousin]

Re: Saga

I have 3 Lp's of theirs: Heads Or Tales, Worl'ds Apart, and the live album around that time. I had a chance to buy about 10 of their LP's but only bought the three. I dont know them very well (I know a few hits and like em alot) and I'm kinda kickin' myself for not buying all of those records (this was about 4 months ago).

 

[Big Ears]

I first heard Saga when their Reading Festival performance from 1981 was played on Tommy Vance's Friday Rock Show on BBC Radio One. I recorded it on cassette, but I do not remember the tracklist. Does anyone know if it was ever officially released (it may exist as a boot)? I think this is the tracklist:

Too Much Too Loose (?)
See Them Smile
Humble Stance
It's Time
You're Not Alone
Careful Where You Step

It really captured my imagination at the time, as they did not sound like anyone else. Their influences are difficult to identify.

 

[LG]

^^I still love them Martin...I have looked and cannot find the song list you are asking about. It might be on a bootleg somewhere but I am no expert on those.

I can say the double live album they released in 2005 "The Chapters Live" puts all the various songs about the continuing story they were telling over the years on one Double CD. The production values are very good and I thought it was a great idea for the band to do that.

 

[Big Ears]

Thank you for the recommendation Bruce, I'll try to track that one down.

 

[Big Ears]

There is a very good 2011 version of Heads or Tales Live, with the superb Rob Moratti on lead vocals. Apparently, he has left the band to make way for the return of Michael Sadler. Manfred Mann wisely kept the two successive singer/guitarists, Mick Rogers and Chris Thompson, in the Earth Band at the same time. Saga should have done the same by bringing in Sadler for songwriting, instruments and second vocals and keeping Moratti for lead vocals. Moratti's solo album, Victory, is also strong, with some top-notch guitar playing, but it is not like Saga.

 

[LG]

Thanks for the update Martin...I knew Sadler had left but hadn't paid attention to Saga for a while. I think I'll play one of their albums later today in fact.

 

[Howie Felterbush]

I saw Saga in 1984 in San Juan Puerto Rico. Eddie Money opened for them. Very good show. I was pretty messed up that night.

 

[LG]

^^I have Eddie Money's first and Best record Howie...I still love "Baby Hold On", off that album.

 

[Howie Felterbush]

Yeah, the main reason I went was to see Eddie Money. He put on a solid show. He had a current hit (fairly current anyway) Shakin. Two Tickets to Paradise was my favorite though.