Shameless appreciation for Saga!
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=59126
Printed Date: November 28 2024 at 07:40
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Topic: Shameless appreciation for Saga!
Posted By: Queen By-Tor
Subject: Shameless appreciation for Saga!
Date Posted: June 28 2009 at 18:51
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Not everyone's cup of tea, for sure, but this Canadian blend of Queen and Rush is just my bag, and I've been deeply in love with a lot of their albums over the last couple of weeks. I also noticed that they've been moved (appropriately) to Xover! World's Apart is such a great Xover masterpiece. What say you, PA!? |
Replies:
Posted By: Queen By-Tor
Date Posted: June 30 2009 at 12:15
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*Bump* Come on, I know there's at least 3 of you out there!!  |
Posted By: rushfan4
Date Posted: June 30 2009 at 12:17
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Sorry. You snuck this thread out there when I wasn't looking. You know that I am one of the 3. ------------- 
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Posted By: Queen By-Tor
Date Posted: June 30 2009 at 12:19
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AH HA!! Knew it. I've been listening to a lot of Images At Twilight recently, I think it deserves better than the 2.51 that it has on PA right now. What say you? |
Posted By: CPicard
Date Posted: June 30 2009 at 12:25
| Do they really sound like 'a blend of Queen and Rush' ? The first time I read something about this band, the magazine said they were doing a fusion of folk and funk (if I remember well, it was "Hard-Rock Magazine" talking about... 'medieval funk'!) |
Posted By: Ricochet
Date Posted: June 30 2009 at 12:26
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Never heard, only noticed. They're the locusts band, right?
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Posted By: rushfan4
Date Posted: June 30 2009 at 12:28
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I rate it 8.8 out of 10 on the progfreak site. Which would probably translate into a high 3 or low 4 here on PA if I were to give it a review. -------------
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Posted By: Queen By-Tor
Date Posted: June 30 2009 at 12:28
I don't hear any folk side to them. They're all rock with a good dose of prog. |
CPicard wrote:Posted By: rushfan4
Date Posted: June 30 2009 at 12:30
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Posted By: Queen By-Tor
Date Posted: June 30 2009 at 12:31
they often have 2 or 3 keyboards going at once and they ALWAYS sync their guitars and keyboards during riffs and solos, it makes for a very grandiose feel 
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Posted By: rushfan4
Date Posted: June 30 2009 at 12:40
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Saga aren't the kind of band that are going to appeal to fans of avant prog or technical metal and probably not jazz fusion. I think their appeal lies with bands like the aforementioned Rush and Queen, Marillion, Asia, dare I say later period Yes, and neo-prog era Genesis. I guess that I would also say that either Crossover or Neoprog would both be legitimate genres for categorizing them. -------------
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Posted By: Queen By-Tor
Date Posted: June 30 2009 at 12:43
They're in Xover now  !!!
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Posted By: rushfan4
Date Posted: June 30 2009 at 13:19
That is what the O.P. said. Hey wait, that's you.  -------------
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Posted By: Atavachron
Date Posted: July 01 2009 at 20:55
| always had a soft spot for them, in the early 80s they had a big impact on the newly emerging Bay Area prog metal scene which was taking influence from them, Rush and Yes as much as from Maiden, Priest and the Scorpions. The debut is classic and the excellent Worlds Apart, still have yet to fully explore the catalog. |
Posted By: Atavachron
Date Posted: July 01 2009 at 21:10
gak, I was terribly dissapointed with this one, it was the first I'd bought since the debut after a long hiatus from prog, and got it assuming it would be on a par with their first... it isn't so Mike which should be my next Saga purchase ? |
Posted By: ghost_of_morphy
Date Posted: July 02 2009 at 01:22
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I like Saga's more recent stuff. Get the new album and work backwards until they start to suck. ------------- 
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Posted By: rushfan4
Date Posted: August 31 2009 at 08:36
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I'm currently listening to Contact: Live In Munich, which is the farewell show of singer Michael Sadler. Currently, listening to 10,000 Days, which was the title track of their last album with Sadler. This songs is just so beautiful with some gorgeous piano work. -------------
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Posted By: Abyssal Sheep
Date Posted: August 31 2009 at 10:00
| I kinda like their older work, everything up to Worlds Apart I guess. Their newer music isn't my cup of tea though (: |
Posted By: sealchan
Date Posted: August 31 2009 at 13:42
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I'm a big Saga fan going way back to 1982 when I was discovering music and quickly getting oriented toward prog. Saga's World's Apart came out and I was hooked. I heard Asia's Asia before that and discovered Yes via 90125 shortly thereafter.
The guitarist Ian Crichton's guitar riffs are awesome and a unique blend of tight, funky and metal-grinding. Michael Sadler's voice is also unique and part of what has made this band stand out for me.
Saga should qualify as a progressive rock band.
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Posted By: Queen By-Tor
Date Posted: August 31 2009 at 13:42
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...they do
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Posted By: E-Dub
Date Posted: September 01 2009 at 09:54
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I remember back in the days when MTV was really cool that they would play "Don't Be Late" quite often. I liked it, but never right bit. When "On The Loose" came out, however, I just fell in love with the song. Bought that album and so agree with KBT: prog masterpiece. "The Interview" is such a great (yet overlooked) song. What about Heads Or Tales? Nobody ever mentions it, but a great follow up. Sadler's vocals on "The Flyer" are powerful. What a freak of nature that guy is. Singing at such a high level for so long...and it sounds just as good today as it did back in the early 80's. What do people think of The Human Condition? E ------------- 
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Posted By: E-Dub
Date Posted: September 01 2009 at 09:56
I have this disc, but not the DVD yet. Really need to get it, as it's Sadler's farewell. Do you have the DVD for Worlds Apart Revisited? Awesome DVD!!! E -------------
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Posted By: rushfan4
Date Posted: September 01 2009 at 10:15
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I don't know how I missed them in the MTV days, but I don't remember ever seeing the videos or hearing the songs for Don't Be Late and On The Loose back then, and I used to watch MTV all of the time. Sort of the same with Marillion's Kayleigh. I never heard that song until a few years ago when I first learned about Marillion via the Transatlantic connection. Heads or Tales is a good album too. I pretty much like almost all of the Saga albums, although there was a stretch during the late 80's and early 90's which were pretty uninspired.
I don't have the Contact DVD nor the Worlds Apart Revisited DVDs yet. Maybe one of these days. I do have a couple of Saga DVDs though. I have Silhouette and All Areas: Live in Bonn..
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Posted By: E-Dub
Date Posted: September 01 2009 at 10:57
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You're not much younger than me, so not sure how you missed them either. "Don't Be Late" and "On The Loose" were in steady rotation back then. I had Behaviour on LP when it was released, but that isn't the Saga that I know and love. I did lose track of them for a long time, but got back in touch around 2003. I have Generation 13, Detours, Full Circle, House Of Cards and Marathon from that late 90's early 00's period. Just been apprehensive to get discs like Steel Umbrellas. Not sure what to expect. E -------------
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Posted By: rushfan4
Date Posted: September 01 2009 at 11:04
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Here is my review on Steel Umbrellas. http://www.progarchives.com/Review.asp?id=197566 - http://www.progarchives.com/Review.asp?id=197566 Definitely one of their least inspired releases in my opinion. -------------
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Posted By: E-Dub
Date Posted: September 01 2009 at 11:21
^^Don't think I'll be getting it anytime soon.  E -------------
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Posted By: Queen By-Tor
Date Posted: September 01 2009 at 23:07
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I like Heads or Tales, but it fails to capture me like their other works. Human Equation has its moments... |
Posted By: LinusW
Date Posted: September 02 2009 at 02:53
| Yes, I like quite a bit of their music. I think Trust is my favourite album. |
Posted By: E-Dub
Date Posted: September 02 2009 at 04:13
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Saga seem to gain their swagger back, starting with Network, continuing with Trust, and ending with 10,000 Days. Really finished the Sadler era off very strong. Out of the three, I still like Network the best. "Don't Make A Sound" could be one of my favorite Saga tracks of all time...and Sadler is what makes it for me. His vocals on the chorus are spine tingling. E -------------
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Posted By: rushfan4
Date Posted: October 24 2011 at 12:47
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Since the last post: 1. Michael Sadler is back.
2. They are touring Europe with Marillion; and,
3. News about a new album being released in January from their website http://www.sagaontour.ca/" rel="nofollow - http://www.sagaontour.ca/ :
Oct 20 2011
Okay, let’s see. What can I reveal without being too revealing? Let’s start with the album release being pushed back to January. Both Edel and the band understand how important this album is and we all feel that we have to “get this one right” so to speak. Instead of just finishing the record to meet a deadline, the whole team felt strongly enough about what we have that a January release date was chosen. This allows everyone the chance to give the album all the support it deserves. The team at Edel have been amazing and we are extremely pleased with the partnership. We expect only great things in the weeks/months/years to come.
A little info about the album? We will be announcing the title shortly, meanwhile, it will have 10 tracks, including a new Jim Gilmour lead vocal. These are the track titles (you may notice a familiar name in there!), although some may change by the time we go to copy.
So, in no particular order:
Another Day Out Of Sight Anywhere You Wanna Go Ball And Chain Ellery Lost For Words One Of These Days Show And Tell It's Not Gone Spin It Again ‘Till The Well Runs Dry -------------
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Posted By: Catcher10
Date Posted: October 24 2011 at 14:48
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I remember Saga on MTV but only On the Loose. They continue to be a favorite band of mine from the 80's. In Transit is one of my fav live albums. I saw them on the Heads or Tails tour in Baton Rouge, La in I think 1984-5, before my wife and I were married I know. She thought he sounded too much like a girl .
I remember it was a good show, I wish I still had the concert shirt
 .I would like to see them again for sure!!! Would bring back some good memories. -------------   
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Posted By: Atavachron
Date Posted: October 27 2011 at 01:27
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big fan of Ian, probably the best of the lesser-known prog guitarists |
Posted By: Icarium
Date Posted: October 27 2011 at 02:19
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Jim Gilmour aint to sloppy on they keys ethe, quite good actualy on those polyfoly synths that is my Humble Stance  -------------  
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Posted By: toroddfuglesteg
Date Posted: October 27 2011 at 02:27
| If there is to be a Saga appreciation society at ProgArchives, please send me the application forms. I want to join. |
Posted By: someone_else
Date Posted: October 27 2011 at 02:48
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I know some of their earlier albums. Images at Twilight is OK (3.5/5), Worlds Apart is superb (4.5/5) and in my top three of 1981.
On the other hand, In Transit, with its poor renditions of some songs from that album (1.5/5), proves that they are not a live band. ------------- 
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Posted By: Atavachron
Date Posted: October 27 2011 at 04:59
| Man the debut is just so good, an extraordinary record |
Posted By: Atavachron
Date Posted: October 27 2011 at 05:06
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Posted By: E-Dub
Date Posted: October 27 2011 at 05:10
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I've enjoyed this band ever since "Don't Be Late" and "On The Loose" were in steady rotation back in the good ol' days of MTV. Admittedly, I fell away towards the latter part of the 90's when they were reduced down to a trio and took the band into a different direction. Got back into them about 10 or 11 years ago and starting getting their stuff from about Generation 13 on. I hesitated getting The Human Condition when it came out because I identified this band by Michael Sadler, but I got it and suffice it to say I'm glad Sadler is back. In my opinion, he's the only one who should be fronting this band. And I still consider Worlds Apart to be a bloody masterpiece. E -------------
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Posted By: wilmon91
Date Posted: October 27 2011 at 07:32
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I have as much trouble describing Saga as I had 18 years ago when I was obsessed with them. Today I could try to describe them, but it would be a very long text. I still have the highest admiration for them, love everything from the first album until and including Behaviour. They haven't been afraid to try different sounds, that's why their albums sound different. Compare Behaviour with Security of Illusion, it's two different sounds. And the fans haven't always responded positively to their changes in sound. Pleasure and the Pain (-97) wasn't well receieved as I remember, the sound was a bit more rough and there was a different drummer. But I think there is some good stuff in it.
Maybe the bad response of that album led the band in a direction were they wanted to please the fans more. I think from 1999 there was a retrospective presentation of their music, beginning with Full Circle in 1999 that had an album cover in the same theme as the first three albums, the alien theme. That album was great though, but House Of Cards (2001 ) was in my opinion weak and the music had parts that was similar to classic Saga songs. The albums of 2000-2007 was a bit up and down in my opinion, I haven't been very positive about the retrospective touch, with the alien featured on some of the albums. But I really liked Network.
I thought The Human Condition was impressive in many ways and well executed. And it felt like something new. However it is slightly mechanic, which is in part due to the vocal style and also because the songs were probably recorded to a metronome click, which I don't think is a good thing. But there are moments were I appreciate the perfect tightness, for example in parts of Crown of Thorns which is a very cool song. There are many awesome instrumental passages on the album.
I've in the latest 2 years been feeling very enthusiastic about Saga , a sort of resurgence. As long as their up to something that feels new , I'm excited. They should always try new sounds and ideas.
I'm seeing them live in 9 november! ------------- http://www.lastfm.se/user/wilmon91" rel="nofollow - last.fm |
Posted By: timothy leary
Date Posted: October 27 2011 at 08:26
I like the song Avalon from the Human Condition.
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Posted By: rushfan4
Date Posted: November 17 2011 at 09:14
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I am listening to The Security of Illusion as I type. The first song is called Entracte on iTunes and Amazon, and Progfreak, but it is called Entrance here on PA and on the Saga website. Can someone confirm the correct song title? If I remember I can check the CD when I get home tonight, but if someone has access to it now and since I am thinking about it at the moment I thought that I would ask. -------------
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Posted By: clarkpegasus4001
Date Posted: November 17 2011 at 11:08
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[QUOTE=rushfan4]
I am listening to The Security of Illusion as I type. /QUOTE] I love that cd!  I have liked Saga since the first album. I have what is probably my fave Saga track on my Youtube channel right here on autoplay:http://www.youtube.com/user/clarkpegasus4001 ------------- Tony C. |
Posted By: wilmon91
Date Posted: November 17 2011 at 16:09
En'tracte if I remember right. Definitely not Entrance.
 I saw them live in 9 november. The coolest thing was that they opened with "Out of the Shadows". Undescribably cool.... unbelievable! Great concert. Couldn't help but thinking that it would be great to have Negus rejoining as well.
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Posted By: wilmon91
Date Posted: November 17 2011 at 17:24
I mixed it up with a Black Tape for a Blue Girl song with the same name. The song title is "Entracte (Instrumental)", with no dot (or what it is called)
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Posted By: scandosch
Date Posted: November 20 2011 at 17:41
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Saga is Saga! Not prog, no way..or every band in the world with keyboards is prog! That's the only problem with this band...Is unique, exactly like Rush and Queen, both bands that cannot be compared to others. But Saga never made it! Suffice to say to date the LIVE album is the most known. So don't expect to find support for Saga on this site, ever. Funny how my band in 1994 made an album exactly in Saga style and was killed by everyone for this reason. Not prog, not AOR, not pop, not...whatever. Just Saga. Besides, Saga is in my opinion one of the best bands ever and most of the material this band wrote is pure genius. And to see the band live...well...life changing, believe me.  |
Posted By: rushfan4
Date Posted: November 22 2011 at 09:02
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I am listening to Generation 13 right now. It is such a great album. I really need to find the time to listen to it closer with the lyrics in front of me and the headphones on. -------------
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Posted By: rushfan4
Date Posted: November 22 2011 at 09:21
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Ironically, while listening to Generation 13 Saga just became my 13th most played band on Last.FM. It won't last long though because before the album is finished they will be my 12th most played band on Last.FM. -------------
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Posted By: toroddfuglesteg
Date Posted: November 22 2011 at 09:40
| Keep your eyes on the Interviews section for a Saga related interview sometime before Christmas. |
Posted By: rushfan4
Date Posted: November 22 2011 at 09:44
Sounds cool.  -------------
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Posted By: rushfan4
Date Posted: January 12 2012 at 15:29
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I just finished Chapters Live, and decided to go on with 10,000 Days. This is such a good Saga album. It was such a shame that Sadler left after that. Definitely looking forward to their reunion album. -------------
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Posted By: rushfan4
Date Posted: March 05 2012 at 16:28
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Feb 1st 2012 For Immediate Release: -------------
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Posted By: rupert
Date Posted: March 06 2012 at 18:35
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I cannot say that I'm such a great Saga-Fan, but "Generation 13" does belong to the very best of albums of the 90s. To me, it's always been an "exception" but I don't know the entire Saga-Catalogue, especially not the ones that came afterwards ( had a listen in on "Steel Umbrellas" and found it not that bad but far from being a masterpiece ). I quite like "Worlds apart" and "In Transit" but couldn't really get warm with the predecessors and successors by then. Anyone has a recommendation for me or is "Generation 13" really remaining that exceptional in style and execution ? ------------- ...I'm a musician/singer/songwriter, visit me on www.reverbnation.com/rupertlenz and there you can choose from 125 recordings you can listen to ( for free ) if you're not limited to prog-rock ! |
Posted By: Queen By-Tor
Date Posted: March 28 2012 at 11:32
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Bumping da thread Saga's got a new album on the horizon with Michael Sadler (which I totally called in my review for Human Condition ), and I've been on a general Saga kick lately. Beginners Guide to Throwing Shapes and Generation 13 in particular .anyone else from this thread still kicking? Let's get a discussion going! |
Posted By: rushfan4
Date Posted: March 28 2012 at 16:13
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ATTENTION ALL DRUMMERS!! Want to be in the running for the position of the next SAGA Drummer? Good Luck! (Please bear in mind that there is no guarantee that Saga’s new drummer will be found using this format, -------------
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Posted By: rushfan4
Date Posted: March 28 2012 at 16:15
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The new album 20:20 is to be released on July 6th. -------------
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Posted By: dtguitarfan
Date Posted: May 04 2012 at 05:36
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I like Saga...while normally I'm looking for something a bit more technical (read: full of time signature changes), there's something about Saga's tunes which infectiously get stuck in my head for days after I listen to them and I just can't get them out, haha! But they're such happy tunes so I don't really care!
------------- http://tinyurl.com/cy43zzh" rel="nofollow - My 2012 List 
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Posted By: dtguitarfan
Date Posted: May 04 2012 at 05:39
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Dang, just posting in this thread started this in my head: I'm OOOOOOO - KAAAAAAAAY! I'm OOOOOOOOO - KAAAAAAAY!!! ------------- http://tinyurl.com/cy43zzh" rel="nofollow - My 2012 List
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Posted By: lucas
Date Posted: May 05 2012 at 12:26
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Well, I am sort of Saga fan as well. It's good to see that, similarly to Peter Nicholls with IQ, Michael Sadler is coming back to sing. Before he shortly left the band, he released a very good AOR album, called 'Clear', which features the exceptional drummer Chris Frazier, known for his collaboration with Steve Vai. I do not exactly understand why the word "shameless" is featured in the title of this thread. People who like prog rock like melody (at least I hope). ------------- "Magma was the very first gothic rock band" (Didier Lockwood) |
Posted By: rushfan4
Date Posted: July 09 2012 at 15:17
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Posted By: rdtprog
Date Posted: July 09 2012 at 15:45
| Don't think Saga is similar to Queen or Rush, but closer to the band A.C.T. And i prefer A.C.T., when i want listen to something light and easy, enjoyable but not transcendent. I prefer more adventurous music most of the time, but there is no shame to appreciate this band, or any... |
Posted By: Icarium
Date Posted: July 22 2012 at 18:23
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or A.C.T is closer to a band like Saga, if you go by the logic of ether bands origins in date,
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Posted By: rdtprog
Date Posted: July 22 2012 at 18:55
yes i thought about that statement after making my post. I think they have taken the guitar work of Saga in many places and, use also Queen's influence, in their own way. They are a underrated band in my opinion. |
Posted By: Gooner
Date Posted: July 23 2012 at 14:56
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I quit listening after "Beginner's Guide" (which is decent album). Then I read some great reviews about "Trust"...so I bought it. Now I like a lot of their newer material as much as their "classic" period...especially "Network" and "Marathon". Still haven't heard "Full Circle" or "Cards" yet...and I couldn't stand "Generation 13". "Trust" and "10,000 Days" is killer Saga. Can't wait for their new one "20/20". But...yeah...I'm a SAGA nut! Pretty much a staple on my "The Purple Room" radio programme: http://cjamlog3.cjam.ca/supercali/show_event.php?id=477&o=3&c=1&m=02&a=08&y=2012&w=1
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Posted By: Gooner
Date Posted: July 23 2012 at 15:05
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....and BTW...wait 'til you hear Saga's new drummer Mike Thorne: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3F0lznYUATQ He's a monster on the kit.
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Posted By: rushfan4
Date Posted: July 24 2012 at 16:23
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I will be in Toronto this weekend. I think that I might try and find the new album as one of my "souvenirs" from the trip. -------------
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Posted By: Mirror Image
Date Posted: July 24 2012 at 16:39
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Saga fan here. Worlds Apart, Silent Knight, and Images At Twilight are favorites of mine. ------------- “Music is enough for a lifetime but a lifetime is not enough for music.” - Sergei Rachmaninov |
Posted By: rushfan4
Date Posted: March 26 2013 at 11:27
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Saga marathon time. 3 down. Live album In Transit now playing. -------------
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Posted By: AtomicCrimsonRush
Date Posted: March 28 2013 at 04:42
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Saga fly under the radar in the prog community, but they still have consistent quality in their albums. Especially this!  ------------- 
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Posted By: Moogtron III
Date Posted: March 28 2013 at 05:06
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I haven't listen to Saga in more than 20 years, I think. I should try them out again.
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Posted By: AtomicCrimsonRush
Date Posted: March 28 2013 at 05:09
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Actually can any Saga fans recommend their best albums? There are so many and i have heard only a few and am genuinely interested in expanding my knowledge of their music. -------------
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Posted By: rushfan4
Date Posted: March 28 2013 at 08:51
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I would say that their debut through Behaviour are their best. Their debut, Worlds Apart, and Heads or Tales are probably the top 3 from that batch. The next 4 albums are OK but can be skipped until later. Generation 13 is a good concept album and probably a good album to check out. The Pleasure and the Pain is OK but can be skipped. I enjoy the rest of them quite a bit for Full Circle through 20/20. The Human Condition is good, but with a different singer, so may not be as representative as the rest of the albums.
As you may be aware, Saga has a theme going with their albums. They would have 1, 2, or 3 songs on an album that were a "chapter" of a concept story (Saga) that they created. The first 8 chapters came from their first 4 or 5 albums. They abandoned the concept for a few albums and then came back to it (on Full Circle I think) and did 8 more chapters. The songs were not in order though so the idea was to anticipate the next album to get the chapters. At any rate in 2005 they played a concert where they played the songs in order and released it as The Chapters Live. This might be a good album to check out too. -------------
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Posted By: AtomicCrimsonRush
Date Posted: March 28 2013 at 08:59
Thanks I have some listening to do then! -------------
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Posted By: rushfan4
Date Posted: March 28 2013 at 09:04
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Posted By: AtomicCrimsonRush
Date Posted: March 28 2013 at 09:11
I look forward to discovering some more then! -------------
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Posted By: The Doctor
Date Posted: March 28 2013 at 09:11
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Probably an aberration here among prog fans, but I actually think their best work has been in the last 10 years (Network, Trust, 10,000 Days and their latest 20/20 are all excellent and even Human Condition was pretty good). ------------- I can understand your anger at me, but what did the horse I rode in on ever do to you? |
Posted By: rushfan4
Date Posted: March 28 2013 at 09:19
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Network was their first new release that I ever bought and I remember really enjoying it from the get go. I am listening to it right now for the first time in a couple of years, and I am still enjoying it. It is a really good album. I definitely enjoy all of their latest albums as well. And just to throw another album out there, if you can find it, you might want to check out Negus' Dare to Dream. This was their drummer's solo debut from 2007, and I think that it is really good too.
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Posted By: AtomicCrimsonRush
Date Posted: March 28 2013 at 09:20
fair enough - I will check em all out eventually - fascinating band... -------------
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Posted By: axeman
Date Posted: March 28 2013 at 19:59
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Well when they did Worlds Apart there was nothing left of prog at that time! Kansas, Yes, Genesis, etc. had all entered sellout eras--heck even Gentle Giant had sold out by that time. (Of course, it's actually not too surprising, once you figure that Gentle Giant always hated being lumped in with the pretentious symphonic bands--and that Derek Shulman went on to be a record exec.) Floyd had released Waters' epic (theatric, but barely prog) The Wall. Only to follow it up with the bland The Final Cut. Anyway, you wanted prog, Wind Him Up was it! Pitchman was as close as bands came to sounding like they actually wanted to make a statement with their playing, as opposed to their attitude, or just wanted to chart. I had to wait until Queensryche started making something to listen to in 1988. Just look at PA. For bands that produced in from 1981 to 1990, look at the prog ratings. The incredible Camel was done, Fripp was practically new wave--as was Eno. Ferry was interesting, but danceable, groovable and rather poppy. Again, a band that I had heard release this insipid poppy "All you do to me is talk talk", named "Talk Talk" and releasing an album "Talk Talk", made me pick up my head and notice when they recorded Life's What You Make It, making me at least consider that I had misjudged them. Then in the early  )So I think Saga has to be considered as stalwarts in the face of the prog backlash. Okay, I omitted Marillion releasing Script for a Jester's Tear ~ 1983, and we still had Fugazi in 84--but by 85, while still better than about anything else around Misplaced Childhood was their transition to pop-if-prog, and Fish was signing over everything. Like a depression-era victim: You don't know what we had to go through, boy!!
------------- -John |
Posted By: AEProgman
Date Posted: March 28 2013 at 22:09
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I must say that Worlds Apart has special memories for me as that was nearly the last prog type music I listened to at that time before I delved into the Classical and Jazz world for a decade or so until I came back to prog in the early 2000s. Actually I just took Worlds Apart off the rotation a week ago. What would be the best album by Saga that I should explore since I only am familiar with WA? Seems 20/20 is getting some old time love.... ------------- 
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Posted By: infocat
Date Posted: March 30 2013 at 22:40
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A few comments... Saga was scheduled to play on Cruise To The Edge, but Jim Crichton's son died (car crash, I believe) a few days before the cruise. Nonetheless, Michael Sadler (with Jim's blessing) went ahead on the cruise. He did not play any Saga songs, but he did participate in a "meet & greet" and he did a set (along with Randy Jackson of Zebra on acoustic guitar, Saga's drummer, and another player on acoustic guitar and piano; Jim Gilmour maybe, but I didn't actually catch his name) of Beatles' songs (and Lennon's "Imagine"), and spoke some and answered questions. Even with the recent tragedy he says the band intends to work on a new album later this year. He was asked if they might tour the whole Generation 13 album, and answered that there has been some talk about doing something with it. More than just playing the songs, it sounded like. Cross fingers they get something good put together! I personally have Generation 13, Network, Full Circle and 20/20. While I would not put any of them in the "upper tier" of prog releases, I find them all to be quite worthy. 20/20 certainly is better than its star ratings here might indicate. They also have yet another new drummer! Sadler says he must stick around for at least ten years.  ------------- -- Frank Swarbrick Belief is not Truth. |