A Singer's Saga
Muirsical Conversation with Michael Sadler
In January 2011 singer Michael Sadler returned to Saga, three and a half years after stepping away from the band that had been his musical home for three decades.
In 2008 the Canadian melodic prog-rockers had replaced Sadler with vocalist Rob Moratti and, although they toured with Moratti and recorded one album together, the results and reaction were mixed. But with good reason...
Rob Moratti is certainly not a bad singer, but Michael Sadler has one of the most distinct voices in rock. He has a vocal dynamic both dramatic and melodic, and is very much part of the SAGA sound.
Sadler is also an original founding member of the band, a principle songwriter within the group and had been the voice of the band for thirty years.
Truth be told, it simply wasn't SAGA without him.
His return also marked the reunion of the core quartet that unarguably defines SAGA – Jim Crichton (bass, keyboards) Ian Crichton (guitars), Jim Gilmour (keyboards, vocals) and Sadler.
Original drummer Steve Negus retired from SAGA duty in 2003 but currently the band’s engine room is in the safe percussive hands of Brian Doerner.
FabricationsHQ chatted to Michael Sadler shortly after his debut 'return' gig with the band to talk vocals, favourite SAGA and solo songs and Alien Chapters...
Muirsical Conversation with Michael Sadler
In January 2011 singer Michael Sadler returned to Saga, three and a half years after stepping away from the band that had been his musical home for three decades.
In 2008 the Canadian melodic prog-rockers had replaced Sadler with vocalist Rob Moratti and, although they toured with Moratti and recorded one album together, the results and reaction were mixed. But with good reason...
Rob Moratti is certainly not a bad singer, but Michael Sadler has one of the most distinct voices in rock. He has a vocal dynamic both dramatic and melodic, and is very much part of the SAGA sound.
Sadler is also an original founding member of the band, a principle songwriter within the group and had been the voice of the band for thirty years.
Truth be told, it simply wasn't SAGA without him.
His return also marked the reunion of the core quartet that unarguably defines SAGA – Jim Crichton (bass, keyboards) Ian Crichton (guitars), Jim Gilmour (keyboards, vocals) and Sadler.
Original drummer Steve Negus retired from SAGA duty in 2003 but currently the band’s engine room is in the safe percussive hands of Brian Doerner.
FabricationsHQ chatted to Michael Sadler shortly after his debut 'return' gig with the band to talk vocals, favourite SAGA and solo songs and Alien Chapters...
Ross Muir: As it turns out, Michael, this is a good time to catch up. There was the announcement earlier in the year confirming your return to SAGA after a three year break from recording and touring to concentrate on family and the birth of your son, Seren, and you have just recently performed your first show with the band after that aforementioned break.
We’ll talk about that return later but first things first – just how is life treating the Sadler family these days?
Michael Sadler: Seren, as it turns out, is the eighth wonder of the world! All kidding aside, he is showing signs of being quite the clever little lad, which probably spells trouble somewhere down the road, specifically the teen years!
But we’ll cross that bridge... Gwen is in good spirits despite still dealing with a variety of medical issues since Seren’s birth. But you would never know it - didn’t I tell you, I married Superwoman! And it’s only after many lengthy discussions concerning whether or not I should return to the band that we both decided it was the best decision for everyone concerned that I do.
RM: And as regards that ‘other’ family… May 15th saw your return to the stage with SAGA when the band performed at The Rapids Theatre in Niagara Falls and other dates are now falling into place, including a schedule of November dates in Europe. Had you been keeping the SAGA live voice in trim, or did you have to get back in training for the return and upcoming performances?
MS: I’ve always been lucky enough to have the kind of singing voice and technique that doesn’t require a lot of training prior to touring, although I do have to start warming up the muscles required to sing that I haven’t been using as much as I had been. I think that pretty much goes for any singer. But I have been giving it a workout from time to time with various projects over the last three and a half years, so going out on tour with the band won’t be as much of a shock to the system as it would be, had I done no performing whatsoever.
RM: There are many great rock vocalists and also a number of vocalists who could be described as being truly ‘distinct’ singers. I would place you in both categories and you are one of the most consistent rock singers of the last thirty-plus years. What’s the secret?
MS: I wish I knew! The only comment I have on the ‘distinct’ moniker is that, as a teen I was never overwhelmed by any one singer or band at any given time, and certainly not enough to want to emulate the vocalist. In other words I guess you could say I never wanted to sound like ‘that guy.’ I just wanted to be in that position, the lead singer in a band! Don’t we all at one time or another?
Consistent? No, stubborn! There were a couple of times, early on, that someone would mention in passing that perhaps I could try ‘this or that,’ all in the name of constructive criticism of course. I’m sure at the time I very politely nodded, said something to the effect of, “you know, I think I’ll try that,” and proceeded to sing the way that felt most natural to me. That’s all any singer should do, really.
And the sound of my voice hasn’t suffered the ill effects of a long career the way it sometimes does with singers that rely on partially abusing their voice each night to get the required effect. I learned from my years with the church boy’s choir how to sing properly, the right breathing technique and all that. It saves wear and tear on the voice itself as well as providing far more power than just singing from your throat.
RM: We can’t talk about SAGA without talking about the songs collectively known as ‘The Chapters.’
The first eight Chapters appeared in random order over the first four SAGA albums and made quite an impact with fans of the band as well as fans of conceptual or progressive rock. Were the Chapters already mapped out or was there some creating on the fly over those four years?
MS: The Chapters, as far as the actual story is concerned, were pretty much mapped out although the running order in terms of which songs appeared on which album was ultimately decided by the track itself. In other words, the mood and feel of a particular piece of music would cry out to be one of the Chapter songs and then at that point it was a matter of Jim (Crichton) and I deciding what the lyrical content of that particular song was going to be and consequently where in the story it should appear. That’s the main reason that the Chapters are presented out of sequence. That and the fact that it made it more interesting, a kind of musical jigsaw puzzle as it were, for those that enjoyed reading between the lines and navigating their way through the sometimes intentionally ambiguous lyrics to figure out what the hell we were talking about! (laughs)
RM: The story the Chapters tell, which incorporates science fiction themes such as Alien visitation/ observation and Albert Einstein – including the preservation of his brain – how was that story conceived? You don’t just come up with that over the breakfast table, surely? (laughs)
MS: Well, that depends on what you’re consuming for breakfast, doesn’t it? Actually, Jim had read a book, the title of which escapes me, theorizing what happened to Einstein’s brain after his death and took the speculation and theories one step further, developing a science fiction scenario based on what he had read, using the creature - affectionately referred to as "GB" or "Golden Boy" - displayed in all his early glory on the first album cover as the "lead alien."
RM: The last two Chapters of the original eight appeared on ‘Worlds Apart,’ the band’s 1981 album and most successful record to date. That album is regarded by most fans and critics as not just SAGA’s finest work but also a genuinely classic rock release. Did you have any idea at the time what an impact that album would go on to make?
MS: I would have to say that somewhere about half way through the writing process I was starting to feel that we were working on something pretty strong.
But I don’t think it was until we started listening to the first mixes that I started to really believe that there was something special about it. I knew that what we had created was very strong, but you never want to presume and I certainly couldn’t have predicted it’s success, and the idea of it having the kind of impact that it had was beyond consideration. Impact? Hell, at that time we just hoped everybody would like it!
RM: And of course ‘Worlds Apart’ was produced by Rupert Hines who provided a great sound to the finished product. There have also been comments throughout the years that Rupert helped you become a better/ stronger singer - is that fair comment and/ or can you elaborate?
MS: Actually, Rupert had a profound effect on the way I sang on 'World’s Apart.'
An effect that has stayed with me ever since and one which I am constantly drawing on to this day. To make a long story short, I went through a kind of de-programming, as it were, with Rupert. You have to remember that coming from a background of almost eight years of singing with a church choir I brought with me all the disciplines I had learned. So when I started singing professionally I just sang the way I knew how and that was that. It wasn’t until an early meeting/ evaluation with Rupert where he basically said something to the effect of, ‘we know you can sing, now forget everything you’ve learned and just feel it!’
RM: And then there’s the story that to really get you to deliver while performing ‘On the Loose’ – a classic SAGA track and immensely popular rock song that became a worldwide chart success - Rupert got you to stand on the roof of a barn where the recording was done?
MS: Close. It wasn’t the roof. It was actually one of the cross beams of the original barn, now the “live room” of the studio, but it was a good thirty or so feet in the air! You can see a photo of it on the original vinyl sleeve. Yeah, that kind of thing was typical of Rupert. He just felt that the vocal needed a sense of urgency to it, sung with a touch of anxiety! And yes, I was a bit anxious and yes, it did seem to get the desired effect!
On the Loose (from 'Worlds Apart')
We’ll talk about that return later but first things first – just how is life treating the Sadler family these days?
Michael Sadler: Seren, as it turns out, is the eighth wonder of the world! All kidding aside, he is showing signs of being quite the clever little lad, which probably spells trouble somewhere down the road, specifically the teen years!
But we’ll cross that bridge... Gwen is in good spirits despite still dealing with a variety of medical issues since Seren’s birth. But you would never know it - didn’t I tell you, I married Superwoman! And it’s only after many lengthy discussions concerning whether or not I should return to the band that we both decided it was the best decision for everyone concerned that I do.
RM: And as regards that ‘other’ family… May 15th saw your return to the stage with SAGA when the band performed at The Rapids Theatre in Niagara Falls and other dates are now falling into place, including a schedule of November dates in Europe. Had you been keeping the SAGA live voice in trim, or did you have to get back in training for the return and upcoming performances?
MS: I’ve always been lucky enough to have the kind of singing voice and technique that doesn’t require a lot of training prior to touring, although I do have to start warming up the muscles required to sing that I haven’t been using as much as I had been. I think that pretty much goes for any singer. But I have been giving it a workout from time to time with various projects over the last three and a half years, so going out on tour with the band won’t be as much of a shock to the system as it would be, had I done no performing whatsoever.
RM: There are many great rock vocalists and also a number of vocalists who could be described as being truly ‘distinct’ singers. I would place you in both categories and you are one of the most consistent rock singers of the last thirty-plus years. What’s the secret?
MS: I wish I knew! The only comment I have on the ‘distinct’ moniker is that, as a teen I was never overwhelmed by any one singer or band at any given time, and certainly not enough to want to emulate the vocalist. In other words I guess you could say I never wanted to sound like ‘that guy.’ I just wanted to be in that position, the lead singer in a band! Don’t we all at one time or another?
Consistent? No, stubborn! There were a couple of times, early on, that someone would mention in passing that perhaps I could try ‘this or that,’ all in the name of constructive criticism of course. I’m sure at the time I very politely nodded, said something to the effect of, “you know, I think I’ll try that,” and proceeded to sing the way that felt most natural to me. That’s all any singer should do, really.
And the sound of my voice hasn’t suffered the ill effects of a long career the way it sometimes does with singers that rely on partially abusing their voice each night to get the required effect. I learned from my years with the church boy’s choir how to sing properly, the right breathing technique and all that. It saves wear and tear on the voice itself as well as providing far more power than just singing from your throat.
RM: We can’t talk about SAGA without talking about the songs collectively known as ‘The Chapters.’
The first eight Chapters appeared in random order over the first four SAGA albums and made quite an impact with fans of the band as well as fans of conceptual or progressive rock. Were the Chapters already mapped out or was there some creating on the fly over those four years?
MS: The Chapters, as far as the actual story is concerned, were pretty much mapped out although the running order in terms of which songs appeared on which album was ultimately decided by the track itself. In other words, the mood and feel of a particular piece of music would cry out to be one of the Chapter songs and then at that point it was a matter of Jim (Crichton) and I deciding what the lyrical content of that particular song was going to be and consequently where in the story it should appear. That’s the main reason that the Chapters are presented out of sequence. That and the fact that it made it more interesting, a kind of musical jigsaw puzzle as it were, for those that enjoyed reading between the lines and navigating their way through the sometimes intentionally ambiguous lyrics to figure out what the hell we were talking about! (laughs)
RM: The story the Chapters tell, which incorporates science fiction themes such as Alien visitation/ observation and Albert Einstein – including the preservation of his brain – how was that story conceived? You don’t just come up with that over the breakfast table, surely? (laughs)
MS: Well, that depends on what you’re consuming for breakfast, doesn’t it? Actually, Jim had read a book, the title of which escapes me, theorizing what happened to Einstein’s brain after his death and took the speculation and theories one step further, developing a science fiction scenario based on what he had read, using the creature - affectionately referred to as "GB" or "Golden Boy" - displayed in all his early glory on the first album cover as the "lead alien."
RM: The last two Chapters of the original eight appeared on ‘Worlds Apart,’ the band’s 1981 album and most successful record to date. That album is regarded by most fans and critics as not just SAGA’s finest work but also a genuinely classic rock release. Did you have any idea at the time what an impact that album would go on to make?
MS: I would have to say that somewhere about half way through the writing process I was starting to feel that we were working on something pretty strong.
But I don’t think it was until we started listening to the first mixes that I started to really believe that there was something special about it. I knew that what we had created was very strong, but you never want to presume and I certainly couldn’t have predicted it’s success, and the idea of it having the kind of impact that it had was beyond consideration. Impact? Hell, at that time we just hoped everybody would like it!
RM: And of course ‘Worlds Apart’ was produced by Rupert Hines who provided a great sound to the finished product. There have also been comments throughout the years that Rupert helped you become a better/ stronger singer - is that fair comment and/ or can you elaborate?
MS: Actually, Rupert had a profound effect on the way I sang on 'World’s Apart.'
An effect that has stayed with me ever since and one which I am constantly drawing on to this day. To make a long story short, I went through a kind of de-programming, as it were, with Rupert. You have to remember that coming from a background of almost eight years of singing with a church choir I brought with me all the disciplines I had learned. So when I started singing professionally I just sang the way I knew how and that was that. It wasn’t until an early meeting/ evaluation with Rupert where he basically said something to the effect of, ‘we know you can sing, now forget everything you’ve learned and just feel it!’
RM: And then there’s the story that to really get you to deliver while performing ‘On the Loose’ – a classic SAGA track and immensely popular rock song that became a worldwide chart success - Rupert got you to stand on the roof of a barn where the recording was done?
MS: Close. It wasn’t the roof. It was actually one of the cross beams of the original barn, now the “live room” of the studio, but it was a good thirty or so feet in the air! You can see a photo of it on the original vinyl sleeve. Yeah, that kind of thing was typical of Rupert. He just felt that the vocal needed a sense of urgency to it, sung with a touch of anxiety! And yes, I was a bit anxious and yes, it did seem to get the desired effect!
On the Loose (from 'Worlds Apart')
RM: Following ‘Worlds Apart’ and through the 80’s there were a number of solid SAGA releases but also what I feel are some seriously under-rated songs and albums. I noticed you cite ‘Behaviour’ as one of your favourite SAGA albums and interestingly I would also rate it as one of the band’s best. It probably closes more powerfully than any other SAGA album with the brace of ‘Here I Am’ and ‘(Goodbye) Once Upon a Time.’
MS: I still, to this day, consider 'Behaviour' my favourite Saga album to date.
But it’s not just for the content. There is that certain intangible attached to that album that I feel the moment I hear any of the tracks playing. I don’t say this very often as I am extremely critical of myself when it comes to any performance whether it be live or in the studio, but I like very much the sound and attitude of my vocals on that album.
RM: ‘Wildest Dreams’ too has some great moments but suffers from being one of the most under-heard SAGA albums due in part to the fact it has never had a fully promoted or remastered re-release because of issues with Atlantic Records.
‘Angel’ off that album is an absolute hidden gem of melodic rock balladeering…
MS: I have to agree that ‘Wildest Dreams’ does have some great moments and ‘Angel’ is quite a powerful track in it’s own way. Powerful enough I suppose to attract the interest of a young Mexican pop star by the name of Emmanuel, who would end up liking the song enough to do a cover of it in Spanish to be included on the album he was in the process of recording at the time! Not bad I’d say, considering that we were a three piece at the time, having recently parted company with Jim Gilmour and Steve Negus for what ended up being a six-year “trial separation.”
Angel (from 'Wildest Dreams')
MS: I still, to this day, consider 'Behaviour' my favourite Saga album to date.
But it’s not just for the content. There is that certain intangible attached to that album that I feel the moment I hear any of the tracks playing. I don’t say this very often as I am extremely critical of myself when it comes to any performance whether it be live or in the studio, but I like very much the sound and attitude of my vocals on that album.
RM: ‘Wildest Dreams’ too has some great moments but suffers from being one of the most under-heard SAGA albums due in part to the fact it has never had a fully promoted or remastered re-release because of issues with Atlantic Records.
‘Angel’ off that album is an absolute hidden gem of melodic rock balladeering…
MS: I have to agree that ‘Wildest Dreams’ does have some great moments and ‘Angel’ is quite a powerful track in it’s own way. Powerful enough I suppose to attract the interest of a young Mexican pop star by the name of Emmanuel, who would end up liking the song enough to do a cover of it in Spanish to be included on the album he was in the process of recording at the time! Not bad I’d say, considering that we were a three piece at the time, having recently parted company with Jim Gilmour and Steve Negus for what ended up being a six-year “trial separation.”
Angel (from 'Wildest Dreams')
RM: In 1999 SAGA released ‘Full Circle,’ which many fans regard as one of the band’s strongest ever albums with a return to the SAGA trademark sound, 'alien' cover and three new Chapters. Another five Chapters would also appear over the next four years/ two albums. Do you recall what inspired the return of the Chapters?
MS: I'm afraid I’m drawing a bit of a blank on that one, at least the specifics of the ‘light bulb moment.’ It was probably something as profound as, "hey, you think we should do more Chapters? sure, why not?" All kidding aside, the truth is that the original story that Jim (Crichton) had in his head, which developed more and more as we went along, could, at that point, still be elaborated on and there were a few loose ends and small gaps that needed filling, so... more Chapters!
RM: And all sixteen Chapters were later performed in sequence and recorded for a live album, which went down very well with the fans.
Outside of SAGA you have released a couple of solo albums and guested on a number of other projects and I’d like to talk a little about some of those.
You put your voice to an all-time classic when you covered ‘Nights in White Satin’ for the ‘Justin Hayward and Friends sing the Moody Blues’ album, first released back in 1994. How did it feel putting your voice to such a significant song – a song associated so closely with one of the most famous and celebrated voices in rock and pop history?
MS: I was delighted to be chosen by the producer to be a guest vocalist on that album. And when I found out that the classic Moodies song was one of the four I would be singing, complete with symphony orchestra as my backing track, well... as a vocalist it doesn’t get a lot better than that.
Also, it turned out to be quite a serendipitous opportunity as the producer of that album, Thomas Schmitt-Zijnen, ended up being the producer I chose to help me put together 'Clear.'
RM: I have to say at this point that my wife Anne is a massive Moody Blues and Justin Hayward fan so the fact that your Moodies covers are not just approved but enjoyed in the Muir household is a serious compliment (laughs)…
MS: ...and I take it as such! I’m actually very proud of my work on that album so please pass along my thanks. I hope I get the chance to perform the whole thing live at some point in the future.
RM: I'm glad you just mentioned ‘Clear’ because I wanted to touch on that particular album. It was your second solo album, released in 2004, and although it contains some up-tempo SAGA-esque numbers there is a warmth to the overall feel of ‘Clear’ and it features the softer side of Michael Sadler - both musically and vocally…
MS: There’s a great deal of artistic freedom that comes with creating something of your own. How far you decide to stray from the background you’re coming from, or still involved with for that matter, is completely up to the artist. There are some who say that a solo record should be a work created by the solo artist but shouldn’t wander too far, sound and style-wise, from what the public is familiar with from that artist. But shouldn’t a solo effort ideally be a chance for an artist to express themselves without fear of hearing “that doesn’t sound anything like SAGA?”
After all, this is a chance to show everyone what you’re capable of, left to your own devices. And at the end of the day, if you’ve been up to that point one of the principle songwriters of the band that you’re associated with, there’s bound to be enough moments where that will shine through, enough I would think to satisfy those who expect it to sound much like a new band album.
MS: I'm afraid I’m drawing a bit of a blank on that one, at least the specifics of the ‘light bulb moment.’ It was probably something as profound as, "hey, you think we should do more Chapters? sure, why not?" All kidding aside, the truth is that the original story that Jim (Crichton) had in his head, which developed more and more as we went along, could, at that point, still be elaborated on and there were a few loose ends and small gaps that needed filling, so... more Chapters!
RM: And all sixteen Chapters were later performed in sequence and recorded for a live album, which went down very well with the fans.
Outside of SAGA you have released a couple of solo albums and guested on a number of other projects and I’d like to talk a little about some of those.
You put your voice to an all-time classic when you covered ‘Nights in White Satin’ for the ‘Justin Hayward and Friends sing the Moody Blues’ album, first released back in 1994. How did it feel putting your voice to such a significant song – a song associated so closely with one of the most famous and celebrated voices in rock and pop history?
MS: I was delighted to be chosen by the producer to be a guest vocalist on that album. And when I found out that the classic Moodies song was one of the four I would be singing, complete with symphony orchestra as my backing track, well... as a vocalist it doesn’t get a lot better than that.
Also, it turned out to be quite a serendipitous opportunity as the producer of that album, Thomas Schmitt-Zijnen, ended up being the producer I chose to help me put together 'Clear.'
RM: I have to say at this point that my wife Anne is a massive Moody Blues and Justin Hayward fan so the fact that your Moodies covers are not just approved but enjoyed in the Muir household is a serious compliment (laughs)…
MS: ...and I take it as such! I’m actually very proud of my work on that album so please pass along my thanks. I hope I get the chance to perform the whole thing live at some point in the future.
RM: I'm glad you just mentioned ‘Clear’ because I wanted to touch on that particular album. It was your second solo album, released in 2004, and although it contains some up-tempo SAGA-esque numbers there is a warmth to the overall feel of ‘Clear’ and it features the softer side of Michael Sadler - both musically and vocally…
MS: There’s a great deal of artistic freedom that comes with creating something of your own. How far you decide to stray from the background you’re coming from, or still involved with for that matter, is completely up to the artist. There are some who say that a solo record should be a work created by the solo artist but shouldn’t wander too far, sound and style-wise, from what the public is familiar with from that artist. But shouldn’t a solo effort ideally be a chance for an artist to express themselves without fear of hearing “that doesn’t sound anything like SAGA?”
After all, this is a chance to show everyone what you’re capable of, left to your own devices. And at the end of the day, if you’ve been up to that point one of the principle songwriters of the band that you’re associated with, there’s bound to be enough moments where that will shine through, enough I would think to satisfy those who expect it to sound much like a new band album.
'Worlds Apart' and Michael Sadler's second solo album. Musically strong,
vocally distinct and great ways to hear Sadler's voice loud... and 'clear.'
RM: Do you have a favourite number on ‘Clear,’ whether musically or vocally that we can feature?
MS: Let’s see... for me there are three that best represent the moods of the album. 'I’m Not The Enemy' for it’s musicality, 'In The Name Of Love' for the emotional element and 'Clear' for it’s content in terms of summing up the whole album.
But having said that, if I had to choose one track that combines all of the elements and best represents ‘Clear’ as a whole it would be 'Who’s Foolin’ Who?'
Who's Foolin' Who? (from 'Clear')
vocally distinct and great ways to hear Sadler's voice loud... and 'clear.'
RM: Do you have a favourite number on ‘Clear,’ whether musically or vocally that we can feature?
MS: Let’s see... for me there are three that best represent the moods of the album. 'I’m Not The Enemy' for it’s musicality, 'In The Name Of Love' for the emotional element and 'Clear' for it’s content in terms of summing up the whole album.
But having said that, if I had to choose one track that combines all of the elements and best represents ‘Clear’ as a whole it would be 'Who’s Foolin’ Who?'
Who's Foolin' Who? (from 'Clear')
RM: You were also a featured vocalist on the albums by Roswell Six, the collaborative and creative project first put together by science fiction writer Kevin J Anderson and musician/ producer Erik Norlander in 2009. How did you become involved in that musical adventure?
MS: I was originally approached by Shawn Gordon (ProgRock Records) to be one of the characters/guest vocalists on that project and have done both the first and second instalments thus far and have recently been approached by Shawn to do the third and final instalment of the trilogy some time later this year. Not much to tell really, I’m generally very interested in singing on other projects and this was a chance to be part of what looked to be a very interesting gathering of some very good talent and was very pleased not only to be invited but to agree to contribute what I could.
RM: Last year you sang with the swing band Big Band East 17 including a re-interpretation of some SAGA numbers in a swing & jazz style. That must have been a blast, and great fun to throw some new vocal and musical shapes around…
MS: I can’t begin to explain how enjoyable this ongoing side project is to perform. It really brings out the 'lounge lizard' and latent Sinatra in me.
It’s impossible for it not to! I had no idea what to expect when I accepted the invitation but I can’t remember being so pleased with a musical decision I’ve made in a very long time. I remember thinking to myself, "this is either going to fall flat on it’s face or be a complete success, no middle ground." Well, I guess it must have gone fairly well as they’ve asked me back for another show this summer!
RM: And so to 2011, and the return to SAGA. You mention on your own site that although it was certainly not inevitable you would return at some point there is clearly a bond with the SAGA family. Just how did the reunion come about?
MS: The actual timing is hard to pinpoint exactly. I think at one point Jim Crichton and I were just mucking about, talking about how it could be fun to do a reunion kind of thing somewhere down the road. Which I suppose eventually led to the mutual decision to have me take over the vocal duties once again. As far as whose idea it was, that’s a bit of a grey area I’m afraid. It was almost as though one minute we were talking about it and the next I was working on melodies and lyrics for the forthcoming new album. And that, my friends, is about as politically correct an answer to that kind of question you could ever ask for! (laughs)
RM: Does it feel like putting on an old, familiar, comfortable jacket or is there a little trepidation that after three years it may not fit exactly as it used to?
MS: A little bit of both really, but I have to say that what little trepidation there was going into it was quickly eliminated shortly after the beginning of the first day of rehearsal. As far as the ‘just like riding a bike part goes,’ in this case it turned out to be true! And, actually, I dove right back into the deep end! We are writing and recording a new album as well as preparing a new show for later this year as we speak!
RM: As we end this little conversation I’d like to end with another SAGA song and leave the choice to you….
MS: How about 'Goodbye'? Seems appropriate and I like my performance and the overall feeling of this track. One of those that came as close to what I originally heard in my head while working on it as any Saga track has.
Goodbye Once Upon a Time (from 'Behaviour')
MS: I was originally approached by Shawn Gordon (ProgRock Records) to be one of the characters/guest vocalists on that project and have done both the first and second instalments thus far and have recently been approached by Shawn to do the third and final instalment of the trilogy some time later this year. Not much to tell really, I’m generally very interested in singing on other projects and this was a chance to be part of what looked to be a very interesting gathering of some very good talent and was very pleased not only to be invited but to agree to contribute what I could.
RM: Last year you sang with the swing band Big Band East 17 including a re-interpretation of some SAGA numbers in a swing & jazz style. That must have been a blast, and great fun to throw some new vocal and musical shapes around…
MS: I can’t begin to explain how enjoyable this ongoing side project is to perform. It really brings out the 'lounge lizard' and latent Sinatra in me.
It’s impossible for it not to! I had no idea what to expect when I accepted the invitation but I can’t remember being so pleased with a musical decision I’ve made in a very long time. I remember thinking to myself, "this is either going to fall flat on it’s face or be a complete success, no middle ground." Well, I guess it must have gone fairly well as they’ve asked me back for another show this summer!
RM: And so to 2011, and the return to SAGA. You mention on your own site that although it was certainly not inevitable you would return at some point there is clearly a bond with the SAGA family. Just how did the reunion come about?
MS: The actual timing is hard to pinpoint exactly. I think at one point Jim Crichton and I were just mucking about, talking about how it could be fun to do a reunion kind of thing somewhere down the road. Which I suppose eventually led to the mutual decision to have me take over the vocal duties once again. As far as whose idea it was, that’s a bit of a grey area I’m afraid. It was almost as though one minute we were talking about it and the next I was working on melodies and lyrics for the forthcoming new album. And that, my friends, is about as politically correct an answer to that kind of question you could ever ask for! (laughs)
RM: Does it feel like putting on an old, familiar, comfortable jacket or is there a little trepidation that after three years it may not fit exactly as it used to?
MS: A little bit of both really, but I have to say that what little trepidation there was going into it was quickly eliminated shortly after the beginning of the first day of rehearsal. As far as the ‘just like riding a bike part goes,’ in this case it turned out to be true! And, actually, I dove right back into the deep end! We are writing and recording a new album as well as preparing a new show for later this year as we speak!
RM: As we end this little conversation I’d like to end with another SAGA song and leave the choice to you….
MS: How about 'Goodbye'? Seems appropriate and I like my performance and the overall feeling of this track. One of those that came as close to what I originally heard in my head while working on it as any Saga track has.
Goodbye Once Upon a Time (from 'Behaviour')
RM: Michael, thanks for talking to FabricationsHQ and I wish you every success on your return to Saga. Hope we see you in the UK again soon…
MS: It was my pleasure and we hope to see us in the UK again soon as well! Cheers!
Ross Muir
Muirsical Conversation with Michael Sadler
June 2011
Featured audio tracks are presented to accompany the above Conversation article and to promote the work of Michael Sadler and Saga.
No infringement of copyright is intended.
MIchael Sadler website: http://www.michaelsadler.com/
Saga website: http://sagaontour.moonfruit.com/
MS: It was my pleasure and we hope to see us in the UK again soon as well! Cheers!
Ross Muir
Muirsical Conversation with Michael Sadler
June 2011
Featured audio tracks are presented to accompany the above Conversation article and to promote the work of Michael Sadler and Saga.
No infringement of copyright is intended.
MIchael Sadler website: http://www.michaelsadler.com/
Saga website: http://sagaontour.moonfruit.com/
