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The Saga appreciation thread

Printed From: Progarchives.com
Category: Progressive Music Lounges
Forum Name: Prog Bands, Artists and Genres Appreciation
Forum Description: Discuss specific prog bands and their members or a specific sub-genre
URL: http://www.progarchives.com/forum/forum_posts.asp?TID=107991
Printed Date: March 29 2024 at 05:49
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Topic: The Saga appreciation thread
Posted By: Kingsnake
Subject: The Saga appreciation thread
Date Posted: October 04 2016 at 02:14
Saga: you love 'em, you hate 'em, or you just don't care. Either way, they're in a league of their own.

Too progressive for pop, too pop for progressive rock.
Heavy on the guitar- and synthsolos, but also heavy on the lovesongs.
Sometimes they write intricate spacerock concepts spanning 35 years of their career.
Sometimes they write an entire progrockoperaconceptalbum rivalling The Lamb Lies Silent or Operation: Mindcrime.
Sometimes they write songs for failed tvseries or badmovies (Cobra or Johnny B. Goode).
Sometimes they flirt with glamrock, house, AOR, funk, heavy metal.
 
They can be compared to Toto, Rush and It Bites and maybe Styx and Magnum.
Newer bands like Enchant and Everon cited Saga an influence to their music.
 
They managed to stay alive, having a steady career since 1977 till now (almost 40 years and still going).
They own their own studios and produce records for others, even providing vocals, keyboards, guitars etc. for greats like Magnum, Ozzy Osbourne, Yes, etc.
 
For me personally, they only really failed with one album, being Pleasure and the Pain, wich is too incoherent (although featuring some great songs).
 
I'm curious wich progressive rock enthousiasts have the same love for Saga as I have.



Replies:
Posted By: Cristi
Date Posted: October 04 2016 at 02:28
^ The Lamb Lies Silent? Never heard it...

Yes, I like Saga. Their late 80s albums are quite poppy, a bit uneven but still enjoyable from time to time.
Pleasure & the Pain is one of their weakest moments but still I've heard worse from other prog or rock greats.

The first thing I've heard from them, long time ago was a live album a friend of mine recommended (I had never heard of Saga back then) - In Transit (1982). I loved it and started looking for more albums from Saga. I have managed to listen to most of their albums.


Posted By: Kingsnake
Date Posted: October 04 2016 at 02:38
On In Transit the band proved to be one of the tightiest live bands. There's not a single mistake made.

The great thing about the band, is the accessablity in their songs. Their songs are full of hooks. They have more hooks in one songs, then some bands in their whole career.
But in the meantime their music is really complex and the synth/guitar-duets/battles are unmatched. I can't think of a band that can pull off what Ian Crichton and Jim Gilmour are capable off.


Posted By: kenethlevine
Date Posted: October 04 2016 at 11:40
liked the idea of the band, but none of their first 4 albums really worked well for me as a complete entity, as there were too many mediocre songs IMO.  The best of those I've heard is "Silent Knight", with at least 2 fantastic songs, "Don't be Late" and "careful where you step", and several very good ones.  But even that one had a few poor tracks.  After they hit big with "Worlds Apart", I lost touch with them.  In Canada, the group FM started around the same time and were often compared.  In the early going, FM seemed to be the band most likely to, but in the end Saga achieved much greater success.  FM similarly had trouble putting together a cohesive album, although "Black Noise" comes pretty close, and I actualy prefer "City of Fear" though it is not as prog


Posted By: Son.of.Tiresias
Date Posted: October 22 2016 at 05:16
Their finest hour in "Generation 13" from 1995, lowest "Pleasure and the Pain", from 1997. "Taxman" by George Harrison is nothing but awful. Oh yes, "In Transit" from 1982 is an awesome live album, really tight instrumentally and together.
Michael Sadler´s vocals fits the music flawlessly. Ian Crichton is the only metal guitarist I can stand, actually his brilliant and the best of them all. Period.


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You may see a smile on Tony Banks´ face but that´s unlikely.


Posted By: Steve Wyzard
Date Posted: November 02 2017 at 14:01
My third favorite band (after Yes and Genesis, natch)!
 
Their 5 best albums:
1) Worlds Apart (1981)
2) Heads or Tales (1983)
3) The Beginner's Guide to Throwing Shapes (1989)
4) Silent Knight (1980)
5) Saga (1978)
 
Special mention of their wonderful live album, In Transit (1982), must also be made. Everything they've done after Steel Umbrellas (1994) has left me ice cold. Similar to Rush, they reached a certain point where they were simply indulging a hobby. I sadly never saw them live, as they never played anywhere near California after 1983 (even though they live in the state). 


Posted By: verslibre
Date Posted: November 02 2017 at 14:15
Originally posted by Steve Wyzard Steve Wyzard wrote:

My third favorite band (after Yes and Genesis, natch)!
 
Their 5 best albums:
1) Worlds Apart (1981)
2) Heads or Tales (1983)
3) The Beginner's Guide to Throwing Shapes (1989)
4) Silent Knight (1980)
5) Saga (1978)
 
Special mention of their wonderful live album, In Transit (1982), must also be made. Everything they've done after Steel Umbrellas (1994) has left me ice cold. Similar to Rush, they reached a certain point where they were simply indulging a hobby. I sadly never saw them live, as they never played anywhere near California after 1983 (even though they live in the state). 

I urge you to give Full Circle (1999) and 10,000 Days (2007; the last album with Sadler before he took a "break" from the band) another go. I think they rank among Saga's finest recordings.

Also, not sure if you have it, but don't miss Phase 1 (1997), which contains previously unreleased music ("Hangman"!) and alternate takes from the Images sessions!


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Posted By: YESESIS
Date Posted: November 02 2017 at 16:11
I really like their Silent Knight album, to me it's strong all the way through. I got into them a little bit in the early 80's when I was hearing On the Loose a lot on the radio and loved it so I got the album it was on "Worlds Apart" and really liked it(cassette tape). But never explored them any further until recently I got Silent Knight on my mp3 player. So yeah I like them, should explore them even more. The problem is there isn't time to listen to all these bands that I want to get into lol. I've been getting into King's X(they jam out on those guitars and have a Christian message in a lot of their songs), and also IQ I keep meaning to listen to again. I wish I could just listen to all these albums at the same time lol. But Saga for sure, they seem like a band that I should get more into.


Posted By: rushfan4
Date Posted: November 03 2017 at 12:40
It really sucks not having enough ears to listen to everything that you want to listen to. Big smile


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Posted By: gr8dane
Date Posted: November 04 2017 at 04:13
Count me in.Love the first 3 albums.After that the albums became more patchy,but with a lot of great stuff yet.Of later albums I really like Trust.
Seen them several times,starting in 80 I believe.Sadler's voice is one of a kind,and so is Ian's guitar playing. All good things must come to an end,and I believe Saga is now on their farewell tour.Great great band.



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Shake & bake.


Posted By: Atavachron
Date Posted: November 04 2017 at 05:09
Clean, elegant, concise.  Great band.



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"Too often we enjoy the comfort of opinion without the discomfort of thought."   -- John F. Kennedy


Posted By: YESESIS
Date Posted: November 05 2017 at 11:55
Originally posted by gr8dane gr8dane wrote:

Count me in.Love the first 3 albums.After that the albums became more patchy,but with a lot of great stuff yet.Of later albums I really like Trust.
Seen them several times,starting in 80 I believe.Sadler's voice is one of a kind,and so is Ian's guitar playing. All good things must come to an end,and I believe Saga is now on their farewell tour.Great great band.



I just listened to their first two album and they're both really good! So I definitely agree with the first 3 albums comment. I'll have to check out this Trust album next.


Posted By: YESESIS
Date Posted: November 05 2017 at 11:59
Man I underestimated this band, they're becoming my latest obsession.


Posted By: verslibre
Date Posted: November 05 2017 at 13:15
Originally posted by YESESIS YESESIS wrote:

Man I underestimated this band, they're becoming my latest obsession.

Have you listened to:

Silent Knight
Full Circle
10,000 Days

?


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Posted By: YESESIS
Date Posted: November 05 2017 at 15:43
Originally posted by verslibre verslibre wrote:

Originally posted by YESESIS YESESIS wrote:

Man I underestimated this band, they're becoming my latest obsession.

Have you listened to:

Silent Knight
Full Circle
10,000 Days

?


I've listened to Silent Knight(have it on my mp3 player), it's great imo strong all the way through. The other two you mention I have no clue about. I've heard their first 4 albums and that's it, used to have Worlds Apart on cassette.


Posted By: verslibre
Date Posted: November 05 2017 at 16:18
Full Circle (1999) was the their first really good album since 1983's Heads or Tales, i.e. a return to form. 

10,000 Days (2007) is regarded as one of their best later albums, and it was the last one with Michael Sadler before he left the album. (They only made one album without him before he came back for 20/20.)


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Posted By: YESESIS
Date Posted: November 05 2017 at 16:31
Originally posted by verslibre verslibre wrote:

Full Circle (1999) was the their first really good album since 1983's Heads or Tales, i.e. a return to form. 

10,000 Days (2007) is regarded as one of their best later albums, and it was the last one with Michael Sadler before he left the album. (They only made one album without him before he came back for 20/20.)


Oh wow, I probably should listen to this Heads or Tales deal first then. Thanks a lot for the info. I've just been listening to some songs from that Trust album that someone else mentioned, and I love it! Yep I'm officially obsessed now. I get like this with bands sometimes and right now Saga is definitely IT!


Posted By: infocat
Date Posted: November 05 2017 at 20:30
I find Generation 13 from 1995 to be a pretty good concept album.


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--
Frank Swarbrick
Belief is not Truth.


Posted By: verslibre
Date Posted: November 06 2017 at 14:40
Originally posted by YESESIS YESESIS wrote:

Originally posted by verslibre verslibre wrote:

Full Circle (1999) was the their first really good album since 1983's Heads or Tales, i.e. a return to form. 

10,000 Days (2007) is regarded as one of their best later albums, and it was the last one with Michael Sadler before he left the album. (They only made one album without him before he came back for 20/20.)


Oh wow, I probably should listen to this Heads or Tales deal first then. Thanks a lot for the info. I've just been listening to some songs from that Trust album that someone else mentioned, and I love it! Yep I'm officially obsessed now. I get like this with bands sometimes and right now Saga is definitely IT!

Yes, you should! Wait till you hear "The Flyer," "Cat Walk," "Scratching the Surface" and "The Writing."


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Posted By: YESESIS
Date Posted: November 06 2017 at 17:00
Originally posted by verslibre verslibre wrote:

Originally posted by YESESIS YESESIS wrote:

Originally posted by verslibre verslibre wrote:

Full Circle (1999) was the their first really good album since 1983's Heads or Tales, i.e. a return to form. 

10,000 Days (2007) is regarded as one of their best later albums, and it was the last one with Michael Sadler before he left the album. (They only made one album without him before he came back for 20/20.)


Oh wow, I probably should listen to this Heads or Tales deal first then. Thanks a lot for the info. I've just been listening to some songs from that Trust album that someone else mentioned, and I love it! Yep I'm officially obsessed now. I get like this with bands sometimes and right now Saga is definitely IT!

Yes, you should! Wait till you hear "The Flyer," "Cat Walk," "Scratching the Surface" and "The Writing."


I just listened to it and it was terrific. This band is CRIMINALLY underrated!


Posted By: verslibre
Date Posted: November 06 2017 at 17:11
Do another pass. "The Writing" is a fantastic song that doesn't get the attention of a "Don't Be Late" or "Wind Him Up."

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Posted By: YESESIS
Date Posted: November 06 2017 at 17:20
Originally posted by verslibre verslibre wrote:

Do another pass. "The Writing" is a fantastic song that doesn't get the attention of a "Don't Be Late" or "Wind Him Up."


Ok, I will soon! I noticed several really good songs. This band... you should have voted for them in the poll. *looks up at the top left corner of the screen and sees the word PROG* err I mean, you made the right choice. ;)


Posted By: AFlowerKingCrimson
Date Posted: November 06 2017 at 17:44
I don't know Saga very well. What are some good ones to start with? 


Posted By: verslibre
Date Posted: November 06 2017 at 17:52
Originally posted by AFlowerKingCrimson AFlowerKingCrimson wrote:

I don't know Saga very well. What are some good ones to start with? 

Assuming you're a fan of wall-to-wall Moog synthesizers and robust melodies, try these two, released in succession:

Silent Knight (1980)
Worlds Apart (1981)


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Posted By: verslibre
Date Posted: November 06 2017 at 17:53
Originally posted by YESESIS YESESIS wrote:

Originally posted by verslibre verslibre wrote:

Do another pass. "The Writing" is a fantastic song that doesn't get the attention of a "Don't Be Late" or "Wind Him Up."


Ok, I will soon! I noticed several really good songs. This band... you should have voted for them in the poll. *looks up at the top left corner of the screen and sees the word PROG* err I mean, you made the right choice. ;)

I would have, but you said you were already listening to King's X and Saga, so I used the opportunity to talk about The Wake and Ever. :)


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Posted By: YESESIS
Date Posted: November 06 2017 at 18:07
Originally posted by verslibre verslibre wrote:

I would have, but you said you were already listening to King's X and Saga, so I used the opportunity to talk about The Wake and Ever. :)


I just listened to it again! The Vendetta and especially The Pitchman were very good also. What an album! This band.. they're so underrated I can't believe it!


Posted By: YESESIS
Date Posted: November 06 2017 at 18:09
Originally posted by AFlowerKingCrimson AFlowerKingCrimson wrote:

I don't know Saga very well. What are some good ones to start with? 


From what I've heard so far I would definitely also recommend their self-titled debut album. But, I haven't heard anything from them so far that I didn't like.


Posted By: Atavachron
Date Posted: November 06 2017 at 19:31
Yeah you can't really go wrong with the first ~

Saga saga.jpg




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"Too often we enjoy the comfort of opinion without the discomfort of thought."   -- John F. Kennedy


Posted By: dr wu23
Date Posted: November 07 2017 at 08:54
Never got around to buying any Saga.....by the time they started making records I was already into many other bands so they fell through the cracks ..so to speak.
I have listened to some of their early albums over the years but they never grabbed my attention. Some decent songs here and there and good musicianship but in the end they sound too much like Styx to me...another band that I never warmed up to. The vocals are too nice...too straight ahead.....if that makes sense.
Just finished listening to parts of the first one, Worlds, and Heads Or Tails....can't say my opinion has changed.
Still.....there is some good playing in there even though the vocals and song structures aren't my cup of tea.


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One does nothing yet nothing is left undone.
Haquin


Posted By: Barbu
Date Posted: November 07 2017 at 08:59
^ Try Mike Oldfield instead.

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Posted By: dr wu23
Date Posted: November 07 2017 at 09:03
^There's a joke in there ....somewhere.

Wink


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One does nothing yet nothing is left undone.
Haquin


Posted By: Barbu
Date Posted: November 07 2017 at 11:09
^ I would never dare to joke on a serious site like this one.

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Posted By: dr wu23
Date Posted: November 07 2017 at 13:00
Used to be one could quote someone or pos ta link or even a pic without f**king Captcha getting in the way......

At any rate.....Saga or Oldfield....tough choice....just shoot me now.
;)


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One does nothing yet nothing is left undone.
Haquin


Posted By: AFlowerKingCrimson
Date Posted: November 07 2017 at 14:27
Originally posted by YESESIS YESESIS wrote:

Originally posted by AFlowerKingCrimson AFlowerKingCrimson wrote:

I don't know Saga very well. What are some good ones to start with? 


From what I've heard so far I would definitely also recommend their self-titled debut album. But, I haven't heard anything from them so far that I didn't like.

Really? So you don't think they have any bad or sub par albums? How many have you heard? Apparently there's a few to stay away from.

To be honest my initial inquiry was a bit misleading. I used to have "worlds apart" and "generation 13" and liked them both but that was a long time ago. When I do decide to rediscover them those will go back on the list. I'll keep the first one in mind also. Thanks.


Posted By: verslibre
Date Posted: November 07 2017 at 14:39
Saga albums to avoid with a vengeance:

Wildest Dreams (pop drivel)
Steel Umbrellas (more pop drivel)
Pleasure & The Pain ("contractual obligation" release with no redeeming qualities whatsoever)

Marathon is liked well enough, but IMO it's not too hot.

...and the album with the other singer, The Human Condition, unless you don't mind a Saga album that doesn't really sound like Saga.


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Posted By: YESESIS
Date Posted: November 07 2017 at 16:24
Originally posted by AFlowerKingCrimson AFlowerKingCrimson wrote:

Really? So you don't think they have any bad or sub par albums? How many have you heard? Apparently there's a few to stay away from.

To be honest my initial inquiry was a bit misleading. I used to have "worlds apart" and "generation 13" and liked them both but that was a long time ago. When I do decide to rediscover them those will go back on the list. I'll keep the first one in mind also. Thanks.

No problem. Yeah if you listen to the first album all the way through it's fairly proggy(I really think you'll like it). On Silent Knight the first song "Don't be Late" is pretty proggy, then the rest of the album is a good listening experience imo(really no filler on that one). On Heads or Tales "Intermission" is slightly iffy imo, but other than that there is some very good stuff on it(all in all a really good album as well).  

Edit: Oh I typed more the first time but Captcha got me and would NOT let me post. Anyway, so far I've listened to the first 5 studio albums and that's it. Oh and some of the Trust album, I was liking what I heard from it. :)


Posted By: verslibre
Date Posted: November 08 2017 at 14:37
I love Full Circle (1999). It has fantastic melodies and a harder edge than most of Saga's albums.
 
"The One"
 
 
"Uncle Albert's Eyes (Chapter XIII)"
 
 
Then there's this gem, sung by Jim Gilmour.
 
"Not This Way (Chapter X)"
 


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Posted By: YESESIS
Date Posted: November 08 2017 at 15:55
Originally posted by verslibre verslibre wrote:

I love Full Circle (1999). It has fantastic melodies and a harder edge than most of Saga's albums.
 
"The One"
 
 
"Uncle Albert's Eyes (Chapter XIII)"
 
 
Then there's this gem, sung by Jim Gilmour.
 
"Not This Way (Chapter X)"
 

Wow. I just listened to all three of those and man were they good. The first one had a good catchy guitar. The second one had some proggy feel, and was just good. And the third one was BEAUTIFUL. 

Could this be.. ANOTHER great album from them. That's not even one of those big first 5? How many great albums do they have??? It's sickening how underrated this band is. 


Posted By: YESESIS
Date Posted: November 08 2017 at 16:22
I just found this! Prog at it's very best! This band is INCREDIBLE 



Posted By: verslibre
Date Posted: November 08 2017 at 16:51
^Yeah, you want to listen to 10,000 Days. One of their best albums.

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Posted By: verslibre
Date Posted: November 08 2017 at 16:53
Originally posted by YESESIS YESESIS wrote:

Could this be.. ANOTHER great album from them. That's not even one of those big first 5? How many great albums do they have??? It's sickening how underrated this band is. 

That's from 1999, the one I cite as a true return to form for them after years of uneven output from '85-'97,


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Posted By: YESESIS
Date Posted: November 08 2017 at 17:03
Originally posted by verslibre verslibre wrote:

^Yeah, you want to listen to 10,000 Days. One of their best albums.

Figures.. yet ANOTHER great album from them. They can literally do no wrong it seems. I wish I could change my username to "Saga" or "Saga123" or something but I tried to edit my profile and it like had my username up at the top and wouldn't let me edit that part. Oh well, but yeah this band needs to be in the rock n roll hall of fame quick fast and in a hurry! 


Posted By: verslibre
Date Posted: November 08 2017 at 18:32
No, they HAVE done wrong, haha! See my post on the previous page about these albums, and avoid:

Wildest Dreams (full-on pop)
Steel Umbrellas (meh)
Pleasure and the Pain (complete garbage)

YMMV:

Marathon (quite overrated, IMO)

Inhuman Condition (not a bad album, just the one without Michael Sadler on lead vocals)

Behaviour (1985) ain't too hot, but it's not that bad, either. I rather like "You and the Night," "What Do I Know?" and "Out of the Shadows."


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Posted By: AFlowerKingCrimson
Date Posted: November 08 2017 at 18:51
It looks like "pleasure and the pain" is Saga's "hear in the now frontier." Tongue


Posted By: verslibre
Date Posted: November 08 2017 at 22:20
More like their Tribe!

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Posted By: AFlowerKingCrimson
Date Posted: November 09 2017 at 10:19
Originally posted by verslibre verslibre wrote:

More like their Tribe!

So it's not the worst Saga album then? Tribe can't be worse than Q2k and it's not even one of the three lowest rated QR albums on this site.


Posted By: verslibre
Date Posted: November 09 2017 at 11:01
Originally posted by AFlowerKingCrimson AFlowerKingCrimson wrote:

Originally posted by verslibre verslibre wrote:

More like their Tribe!

So it's not the worst Saga album then? Tribe can't be worse than Q2k and it's not even one of the three lowest rated QR albums on this site.

Oh, it IS the worst! LOL

I mentioned Tribe for laffs. I don't like any QR after Empire until the revamp with Todd LaTorre on lead vocals. 


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Posted By: AFlowerKingCrimson
Date Posted: November 09 2017 at 11:31
^Ok, fair enough. Wink


Posted By: YESESIS
Date Posted: November 09 2017 at 16:06
Originally posted by verslibre verslibre wrote:

No, they HAVE done wrong, haha! See my post on the previous page about these albums, and avoid:

Wildest Dreams (full-on pop)
Steel Umbrellas (meh)
Pleasure and the Pain (complete garbage)

YMMV:

Marathon (quite overrated, IMO)

Inhuman Condition (not a bad album, just the one without Michael Sadler on lead vocals)

Behaviour (1985) ain't too hot, but it's not that bad, either. I rather like "You and the Night," "What Do I Know?" and "Out of the Shadows."

I just listened to the first album on your "avoid list" and liked it! Was it as good as those big first 5 albums? Well of course not, but still good. 





Posted By: Steve Wyzard
Date Posted: November 09 2017 at 16:49
In spite of popular opinion, I find the Wildest Dreams album to be very good, with only one weak link ("Don't put out the fire"). No, it's far from their best work, and yes, they were desperately trying for "hits" and popular acceptance, but the album is still worth a listen every now and again. Curt Cress proved a solid drummer and the outside songwriters that were brought in by the record company to give the project some hipness didn't distract the band from doing what they do best. Amazingly, "Angel" did become a huge hit in Latin America after Michael Sadler's vocals were replaced with a Spanish singer!


Posted By: YESESIS
Date Posted: November 09 2017 at 17:02
Originally posted by Steve Wyzard Steve Wyzard wrote:

In spite of popular opinion, I find the Wildest Dreams album to be very good, with only one weak link ("Don't put out the fire"). No, it's far from their best work, and yes, they were desperately trying for "hits" and popular acceptance, but the album is still worth a listen every now and again. Curt Cress proved a solid drummer and the outside songwriters that were brought in by the record company to give the project some hipness didn't distract the band from doing what they do best. Amazingly, "Angel" did become a huge hit in Latin America after Michael Sadler's vocals were replaced with a Spanish singer!

Yeah, I just listened to it for the first time and was really liking it. Interesting about the Spanish version of the song Angel being a huge hit in Latin America. 


Posted By: verslibre
Date Posted: November 09 2017 at 17:44
Re: Wildest Dreams, I despise "Only Time Will Tell." It's all good, though. 

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Posted By: verslibre
Date Posted: November 09 2017 at 18:20
Saga was much-loved in Puerto Rico, too. In one of Saga's interviews, Sadler said he was down there on vacation, on the beach, when suddenly he heard "Humble Stance" cranked up on a boombox a guy was carrying. He was like "Wow...a waltz!"

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Posted By: YESESIS
Date Posted: November 09 2017 at 18:48
Originally posted by verslibre verslibre wrote:

Saga was much-loved in Puerto Rico, too. In one of Saga's interviews, Sadler said he was down there on vacation, on the beach, when suddenly he heard "Humble Stance" cranked up on a boombox a guy was carrying. He was like "Wow...a waltz!"

Haha, great story. Thanks for sharing. 


Posted By: rushfan4
Date Posted: November 09 2017 at 18:53
Nice to see the Saga love the last few days.  There've been a few fans over the years here on PA but really not too much love sent their way.  I'd say that Steel Umbrellas is their least exciting album.  I like their "gimmick" of creating a concept album by adding one or two songs to each album in no particular order.  The final product being released as the live Chapters album.  

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Posted By: YESESIS
Date Posted: November 09 2017 at 22:01
Originally posted by rushfan4 rushfan4 wrote:

Nice to see the Saga love the last few days.  There've been a few fans over the years here on PA but really not too much love sent their way.  I'd say that Steel Umbrellas is their least exciting album.  I like their "gimmick" of creating a concept album by adding one or two songs to each album in no particular order.  The final product being released as the live Chapters album.  

Yeah, pretty neat and unique idea I'd say. This band is special and I guess finally getting the love they deserve. In general they're not super "proggy" but they definitely have their moments where they can be. 




Posted By: Boojieboy
Date Posted: November 15 2017 at 16:30
I like Saga a lot. Favorites include their first four albums and 13th Generation. House of Cards has grown on me too. Haven't heard their most recent three or four yet

You could probably put the better songs from the 80's all on one long CD.


Posted By: YESESIS
Date Posted: November 15 2017 at 18:52
Originally posted by Boojieboy Boojieboy wrote:

I like Saga a lot. Favorites include their first four albums and 13th Generation. House of Cards has grown on me too. Haven't heard their most recent three or four yet

You could probably put the better songs from the 80's all on one long CD.

I think you'd need a double CD for that. Three of their best albums came out in that decade.. Silent Knight, Worlds Apart, and Heads or Tales. Plus I've been listening to Wildest Dreams a lot lately, so I'd want that whole album on there as well lol. 

And I agree wholeheartedly about those first four albums. Smile


Posted By: verslibre
Date Posted: November 16 2017 at 15:01
Originally posted by Boojieboy Boojieboy wrote:

I like Saga a lot. Favorites include their first four albums and 13th Generation. House of Cards has grown on me too. Haven't heard their most recent three or four yet

You could probably put the better songs from the 80's all on one long CD.

More love for album #5, Heads or Tales! About as good as Worlds Apart, IMO.


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Posted By: YESESIS
Date Posted: November 16 2017 at 19:01
Originally posted by verslibre verslibre wrote:

Originally posted by Boojieboy Boojieboy wrote:

I like Saga a lot. Favorites include their first four albums and 13th Generation. House of Cards has grown on me too. Haven't heard their most recent three or four yet

You could probably put the better songs from the 80's all on one long CD.

More love for album #5, Heads or Tales! About as good as Worlds Apart, IMO.

Yeah Heads or Tales is great. Imo not quite as good as Silent Knight or the debut.. but still really good(on par with Worlds Apart yes, which is very good). 


Posted By: verslibre
Date Posted: November 18 2017 at 01:59
YESESIS, have you heard Sagacity, their most recent studio album (2017)?

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Posted By: YESESIS
Date Posted: November 18 2017 at 09:52
Originally posted by verslibre verslibre wrote:

YESESIS, have you heard Sagacity, their most recent studio album (2017)?


No I haven't. Why? Is it great too? If so then I'm done.. They're so RIDICULOUSLY underrated that I.. I can't



Btw, I just found this...

http://www.progarchives.com/forum/forum_posts.asp?TID=25826&PN=3" rel="nofollow - http://www.progarchives.com/forum/forum_posts.asp?TID=25826&PN=3

Fully Prog!!!


Posted By: verslibre
Date Posted: November 19 2017 at 19:37
Dig the bassline.






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Posted By: YESESIS
Date Posted: November 20 2017 at 15:42
Originally posted by verslibre verslibre wrote:

Dig the bassline.





Wow! That was really good. Now I'm gonna go listen to the whole album.. Starting to get obsessed again thanks to you lol. 


Posted By: verslibre
Date Posted: November 20 2017 at 16:26
It gets even better. You can score that album CHEAP. New and CHEAP. For under $10 shipped!

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https://www.ebay.com/sch/i.html?_ipg=50&_sop=1&_rdc=1&_ssn=musicosm" rel="nofollow - eBay


Posted By: YESESIS
Date Posted: November 20 2017 at 16:56
Originally posted by verslibre verslibre wrote:

It gets even better. You can score that album CHEAP. New and CHEAP. For under $10 shipped!

I understand you have a business to run and all that but I never buy cds anymore, all mp3s. Anyway I just finished the album and it was really good. I wouldn't rate it quite as high as a monster like Silent Knight but still very good. But why should I be surprised lol, it's freaking SAGA. I'm started to like this band a ton. And now that I know they're considered fully prog, I just like them all the more. 


Posted By: verslibre
Date Posted: November 20 2017 at 19:09
Originally posted by YESESIS YESESIS wrote:

Originally posted by verslibre verslibre wrote:

It gets even better. You can score that album CHEAP. New and CHEAP. For under $10 shipped!

I understand you have a business to run and all that but I never buy cds anymore, all mp3s. Anyway I just finished the album and it was really good. I wouldn't rate it quite as high as a monster like Silent Knight but still very good. But why should I be surprised lol, it's freaking SAGA. I'm started to like this band a ton. And now that I know they're considered fully prog, I just like them all the more. 

No, no, no. I am not selling the CD. It is on Amazon. I do not sell on Amazon. The same applied to the Gerard CD I told you to go get. I am not the seller. Just helping out a fellow progger! LOL


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https://www.ebay.com/sch/i.html?_ipg=50&_sop=1&_rdc=1&_ssn=musicosm" rel="nofollow - eBay


Posted By: YESESIS
Date Posted: November 21 2017 at 15:37
Originally posted by verslibre verslibre wrote:

Originally posted by YESESIS YESESIS wrote:

Originally posted by verslibre verslibre wrote:

It gets even better. You can score that album CHEAP. New and CHEAP. For under $10 shipped!

I understand you have a business to run and all that but I never buy cds anymore, all mp3s. Anyway I just finished the album and it was really good. I wouldn't rate it quite as high as a monster like Silent Knight but still very good. But why should I be surprised lol, it's freaking SAGA. I'm started to like this band a ton. And now that I know they're considered fully prog, I just like them all the more. 

No, no, no. I am not selling the CD. It is on Amazon. I do not sell on Amazon. The same applied to the Gerard CD I told you to go get. I am not the seller. Just helping out a fellow progger! LOL

I just clicked on your link and looked at both pages, and didn't see Sagacity or Gerard anywhere. So.. I humbly apologize. Embarrassed


Posted By: verslibre
Date Posted: November 21 2017 at 17:40
No prob! 

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Posted By: rushfan4
Date Posted: December 01 2017 at 14:38
They have a number of nice live albums and videos as well.  I am currently listening to Live In Hamburg, which I fairly recently purchased a long with Spin It Again - Live in Munich.  They definitely love playing in Germany.  I've never had the chance to see them live; they've played a few gigs in Ontario in recent years and that isn't too far of a trip for me, but to date I've not made the trip yet.


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Posted By: verslibre
Date Posted: December 01 2017 at 15:04
Originally posted by rushfan4 rushfan4 wrote:

They have a number of nice live albums and videos as well.  I am currently listening to Live In Hamburg, which I fairly recently purchased a long with Spin It Again - Live in Munich.  They definitely love playing in Germany.  I've never had the chance to see them live; they've played a few gigs in Ontario in recent years and that isn't too far of a trip for me, but to date I've not made the trip yet.

Germany is probably the #1 country to sustain a level of appreciation for Saga.

Sadler even played there solo, singing Saga songs in a big band format!!!


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Posted By: Tao2112
Date Posted: January 16 2018 at 18:37
Saw them warm up for Styx in 1980 in W Germany.  Incredible!


Posted By: YESESIS
Date Posted: January 16 2018 at 18:43
Originally posted by Tao2112 Tao2112 wrote:

Saw them warm up for Styx in 1980 in W Germany.  Incredible!

Wow, awesome. I have no doubt whatsoever that they were. Man I'm jealous. 


Posted By: mlkpad14
Date Posted: January 16 2018 at 19:48
Originally posted by Tao2112 Tao2112 wrote:

Saw them warm up for Styx in 1980 in W Germany.  Incredible!

Makes sense. The two have always sounded the same to my ears... LOL
Sorry, but I fail to understand why Saga, Styx, Kansas, ELO... Well, I don't understand why any of these guys get so much attention. Just okay music, in my opinion.


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https://gamecrazyprofessional.weebly.com/


Posted By: YESESIS
Date Posted: January 16 2018 at 19:55
Originally posted by mlkpad14 mlkpad14 wrote:

Originally posted by Tao2112 Tao2112 wrote:

Saw them warm up for Styx in 1980 in W Germany.  Incredible!

Makes sense. The two have always sounded the same to my ears... LOL
Sorry, but I fail to understand why Saga, Styx, Kansas, ELO... Well, I don't understand why any of these guys get so much attention. Just okay music, in my opinion.

Saga gets so much attention? To me it's just the opposite.. I think they don't get anywhere near enough. 

You should listen to their Silent Knight album, it's really really good!


Posted By: mlkpad14
Date Posted: January 16 2018 at 20:19
Originally posted by YESESIS YESESIS wrote:

Originally posted by mlkpad14 mlkpad14 wrote:

Originally posted by Tao2112 Tao2112 wrote:

Saw them warm up for Styx in 1980 in W Germany.  Incredible!

Makes sense. The two have always sounded the same to my ears... LOL
Sorry, but I fail to understand why Saga, Styx, Kansas, ELO... Well, I don't understand why any of these guys get so much attention. Just okay music, in my opinion.

Saga gets so much attention? To me it's just the opposite.. I think they don't get anywhere near enough. 

You should listen to their Silent Knight album, it's really really good!

I will try again just because you threw it out there. Wink
I have already tried once though, and it did not go so well. Confused


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https://gamecrazyprofessional.weebly.com/


Posted By: verslibre
Date Posted: January 17 2018 at 15:02
Originally posted by Tao2112 Tao2112 wrote:

Saw them warm up for Styx in 1980 in W Germany.  Incredible!

At a BOC show a few years back, we talked to one of the roadies, who said he saw Saga open for Styx, as well.

He added that Saga blew them away! 


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Posted By: Kingsnake
Date Posted: January 25 2018 at 06:38
Wow. Great to see the renewed enthousiasm for this great band.
I haven't started this thread in vain :D


Posted By: dr wu23
Date Posted: January 25 2018 at 09:21
With this Saga thread it certainly shows that music is definitely a subjective thing.


btw....Styx, ELO, Saga,....meh........but Kansas rules.  ;)


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One does nothing yet nothing is left undone.
Haquin


Posted By: Kingsnake
Date Posted: January 25 2018 at 12:43
Wow. This is your cynical day?

Why even bother commenting?
But you're right: musical taste is subjective.

For me, it depends on the mood I'm in. So I can eventually almost enjoy anything, except maybe Metallica.


Posted By: dr wu23
Date Posted: January 25 2018 at 13:37
Just having some fun and if you can't do that on a music forum.....where can you?

We agree on Metallicaca.......but then I don't really like any metal.


ps: Someone has to take over from 'Micky' now that he isn't posting these days.
:)




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One does nothing yet nothing is left undone.
Haquin


Posted By: Barbu
Date Posted: January 25 2018 at 13:39
Originally posted by Kingsnake Kingsnake wrote:

Wow. This is your cynical day?

pretty much everything that is not Crimson 72-74 is meh for the doc.

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Posted By: gr8dane
Date Posted: January 25 2018 at 13:44
Originally posted by verslibre verslibre wrote:

Originally posted by Tao2112 Tao2112 wrote:

Saw them warm up for Styx in 1980 in W Germany.  Incredible!

At a BOC show a few years back, we talked to one of the roadies, who said he saw Saga open for Styx, as well.

He added that Saga blew them away! 

Saw them in Copenhagen,same tour.Yes Saga was better.
I love Styx,but they were touring Cornerstone,which ehhh has some questionable songs, to say the least.
Saga became big in Europe and I believe they lived in Germany, for quite some time.


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Shake & bake.


Posted By: Frenetic Zetetic
Date Posted: January 25 2018 at 16:46
Originally posted by Barbu Barbu wrote:

Originally posted by Kingsnake Kingsnake wrote:

Wow. This is your cynical day?
 
pretty much everything that is not Crimson 72-74 is meh for the doc.  

Hey, the Dr. has great taste! Wink


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"I am so prog, I listen to concept albums on shuffle." -KMac2021


Posted By: Barbu
Date Posted: January 25 2018 at 19:21
^ Great distaste indeed.

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Posted By: dr wu23
Date Posted: January 25 2018 at 21:00
Originally posted by Barbu Barbu wrote:

Originally posted by Kingsnake Kingsnake wrote:

Wow. This is your cynical day?

pretty much everything that is not Crimson 72-74 is meh for the doc.

Oh no....that would be Crimson 69-74

;)


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One does nothing yet nothing is left undone.
Haquin


Posted By: dr wu23
Date Posted: January 25 2018 at 21:02
Originally posted by Barbu Barbu wrote:

^ Great distaste indeed.


Well...there is a lot of distasteful music out there...

;)


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One does nothing yet nothing is left undone.
Haquin


Posted By: Kingsnake
Date Posted: January 26 2018 at 01:36
I can fullheartedly agree that Saga is kitsch.

But almost prog from that day and age is kitsch.
It were the days of the synthesizer, drumcomputer, electronic drumpads.

If you compare Saga to Yes's Big Generator or Rush's 80's output or Genesis 80's output than Saga were really doing the best they could and even hold their own.

When you compare Saga (and maybe It Bites) to the more boring plagiarism of the neo-prog movement than Saga were at least original.

Maybe Saga were just a kind of thinking's man synthpop with metal-guitarriffs.
But to compare it to the grandeur of early King Crimson, Genesis, Focus, Camel and the likes, is just silly, I guess.

Nevertheless, Saga were great in what they were doing. And in their wake influenced progmetal. Especially the synth/guitar duals, and double-time drums (Humble Stance, Pitchman, wich is borderline heavy metal).
Saga is a matter of taste, but no-one in his/her right mind can say that they were a bad band.


Posted By: Kingsnake
Date Posted: January 26 2018 at 01:39
Saga in their prime. Combining metal, discopop and progrock with some reggae (before even Rush and Police did it, this song is from 1978!)
Just listen to 1001 breaks, al the riffs, solos, hooklines.
Okay it's all just basically a 4/4 shuffle but the tempo changes are there.




Posted By: verslibre
Date Posted: February 03 2018 at 10:12
Originally posted by Kingsnake Kingsnake wrote:

Saga in their prime. Combining metal, discopop and progrock with some reggae (before even Rush and Police did it, this song is from 1978!)
Just listen to 1001 breaks, al the riffs, solos, hooklines.
Okay it's all just basically a 4/4 shuffle but the tempo changes are there.

Easily one of their best songs. Don't forget Peter Rochon's tasty synth solo (played by Jim Gilmour on a Moog Liberation)!


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Posted By: Tom Ozric
Date Posted: February 03 2018 at 12:16
I only own Saga’s debut. It’s a beauty. Love those mini-moogs. Ice Nice is a winner.


Posted By: verslibre
Date Posted: February 03 2018 at 12:57
Keep going, Tom! Saga was an all-Moog band on those first few albums! Up through Heads or Tales, at the very least.

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Posted By: Tom Ozric
Date Posted: February 03 2018 at 14:35
Their LP’s are hard to find here in Oz.


Posted By: verslibre
Date Posted: February 03 2018 at 14:39
Ah, sorry. I take it you've already heard the albums via YT?

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Posted By: Tom Ozric
Date Posted: February 03 2018 at 17:41
Originally posted by verslibre verslibre wrote:

Ah, sorry. I take it you've already heard the albums via YT?
I haven’t !! Yet.


Posted By: Kingsnake
Date Posted: February 04 2018 at 03:16
Does the band earn any money from people listening to it, via youtube?

I'd rather say; try Spotify or Itunes or any other music-streaming-website. Then at least they make 1 cent.


Posted By: YESESIS
Date Posted: February 05 2018 at 16:18
Originally posted by Tom Ozric Tom Ozric wrote:

I only own Saga’s debut. It’s a beauty. Love those mini-moogs. Ice Nice is a winner.

I strongly recommend Silent Knight. Monster album imo. 



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