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SAGA explores 'The Human Condition' on new album
 Posted
5/19/2009 3:00:00 PM
“It’s progressive rock mixed with memorable melody.”
That’s what SAGA guitarist Ian Crichton had to say about the band’s new album, The Human Condition, in stores in North America on Tuesday, May 19th.
In a recent phone interview from Germany, Crichton was enthusiastic about the new album and what it offers fans.
“I think we’ve gotten heavier on this record for a lot of parts. It’s more progressive in path in a way in a few of the songs, but we still keep our melody. We love our melody, y’know? That’s why we’ve been a neo-prog band.”
The Human Condition comes on the heels of SAGA’s worldwide search for a new lead singer after original vocalist Mike Sadler chose to leave the band in 2007 to focus on his family life and to escape the rigors of touring.
After conducting an online contest that saw potential singers from around the world audition via YouTube for the chance to sing classics like “Wind Him Up” and “The Flyer,” SAGA found their man in Rob Moratti, a Toronto-based singer formerly of the group Final Frontier.
“Rob has blended in with the band so great,” said Crichton. “For the first time, I get to hear vocals before the album’s finished, which really helps my guitar playing. If I’m going to do a solo, it’s good to know what note Rob’s going to hang so I can come in properly with it.
Originally called The Pockets when they came together in 1971 in the Toronto suburb of Oakville, SAGA released their self-titled debut in 1978 and numerous albums since in North American and Europe, where the band is currently touring.
“Canada’s kind of similar to the European audience, in a way,” said Crichton. “Over in Europe, you’d find that the audience sings a lot of the stuff. Rob can actually back off on the big choruses and they just take it themselves.”
“We’ve always kept it up (in Europe)," said Crichton, reflecting on the band's high popularity overseas relative to their homeland. "We were out of Canada for a few years there, unfortunately. We should have kept it up a lot more, but it’s really about getting back into people’s faces, playing some bigger shows, getting on some bills, some shed tours and stuff like that...that’s going to make the difference.
Part of that plan will see SAGA return to Toronto for a special CD release party at the Mod Club on Wednesday, May 27th. Tickets for “An Evening with Saga” are available through Ticketmaster for $25.50. The band will then return to Europe in late June to perform in Romania and Bulgaria.
“We’re looking forward to playing our home town, Toronto, gangbusters,” said Crichton. “(We) can’t wait to play at the Canadians.”
To hear the full interview, including Ian Crichton’s thoughts on life in SAGA after Mike Sadler and the band’s future, click on the link to the right.
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Jason Ward
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check out their new bio: http://stores.lulu.com/sagabio. It's 179, written in English and covers everthing from the early days in Toronto 'till Mike Sadlers leaving.
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Posted By
Edwin
On
5/21/2009 4:32:24 AM
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Wow, amazed they're still going. The Mighty Q too! I'm in Austin now and haven't been home for quite some years. I can still recall listening to the very first day of Q107 back in the late 70s; we all needed an alternative to ChumFM and the Q was it. Those first few years were classic, specifically Scruff Connors (he still around?). Man, he would come on air so loaded and just crack everyone up in the booth. Good times.
But back to Saga...perhaps some folks here remember the show they did at Massey Hall on the Worlds Apart tour, pretty sure it was January 1982, and man did they kick some ass. I had just been introduced to a certain green plant the night before (at The Cue, a wonderfully nefarious pool hall right at the downstairs entrance to the Bloor subway station, the guy who ran it had all sorts of goodies for sale right over the counter. Those were the days. And Q's studios were in that same building, 30 stories up, methinks. Small world...). Anyhow, a friend called at about 6 pm on a Saturday night and said he had tickets to see Saga and would I like to go? Hell yeah! I was 15 and knew little of the band but free tickets to Massey plus my new little bag of Mother Nature? Say n'more, squire.
So we get in and sit down and guess who the opening act was? This still cracks me up: Bryan Adams! No one had heard of him. He was really solid and everyone around us in the front of the balcony was saying, "Hey, this kid's not bad!" Did he ever go anywhere, by the way?
My little wood pipe, purchased 20 minutes earlier for three bucks from one of those headshops run by some hilariously suspicious Pakistani guys, really came in handy. (Remember those two stores? One beside Sam's and one across the street from A&A's. Oh, the memories. A million Zep posters and black lights and coconut incense and strawberry-flavored rolling papers and paraphernalia for daze. Remember the Power Hitter?) I recall eating two hot dogs at intermission after Bryan Adams and wondering why I was so damn hungry.
Then Saga came on and the pipe was relit (everybody was smoking, I mean it was EVerywhere and no one cared, not a popo in sight...hope it's still that way, sure ain't down here) and wow, the band was happening that night. Negus is a very underrated drummer. Sadler's voice was huge. The sound was super-tight and loud but clear. Ian wailed like mad and his harmony lines with the keys were sublime. Tight and right, the whole band was on. This was the show they'd always dreamed of, I'm guessing: great new album with some viable singles, playing at the best venue in their home town, with the blinding light show and everythang. I still remember during one tune, maybe Don't Be Late, every time the bass pedal was pressed and came thundering out the of P.A., a big purple spot would come up from behind the drum kit and make the place look like one of those headshops' black light velvet poster backrooms, but sooo much better. It blew my mind. I thought, "OK, now I get what all those heads in the high school parking lot are talking about."
Over a thousand concerts later and years of playing guitar for a living, that's still one of the best shows I've ever seen. Yet I can't find a damn mention of it on any Saga fan site or anywhere on google, etc. It's like it never happened. But it did! I was there and will never forget it. Maybe this little float down memory lane will make it to the search engines and that gig will earn its rightful place in the Saga hall of fame.
Saga still never gets their due. I saw them once in Germany in the '90s and they were decent, though Ian was hammered and sloppy (we all have our off nights). It only made me realize how damn good they were in '82. They really are legends in Germany. Things grow in stature when they're from faraway, a strange but lovely phenomenon.(Here's a good one: I was playing a gig in Berlin and a guy heard I was from Toronto and he came up all breathless and said, "Rush is my favorite group ever! I would give anything to visit their home. Willowdale must be so beautiful!" I just smiled and said, "Oh yeah, it's something else." Let people hold on to their dreams, is my motto.)
Thanks to Saga for all the music (still think WA was the musical peak), to the Mighty Q, and especially to the Mighty Cue for setting me up for one hell of a night (and a lifetime of flying high again and again and leading me to pluckin' strings for a living). The guy who ran that place was a Toronto legend. Kinda looked like Bob Ross, the painter guy on TV (love that dude, talk about mellow). I wish I knew his name, he sure made a lot of folks happy! Who knows, maybe that was where Scruff was getting his supplies...a quick elevator ride down, and then a nice looong ride back up...
Peace to all, and best of luck to Saga during this new chapter of their saga.
One last thang: Toronto rocks! I've been to many countries and there's no place like the Big Smoke, eh. Great folks who know how to party and
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Posted By
Hey, pass this down the row, man.....but try some first!
On
5/21/2009 1:00:07 AM
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Ah to be 20 again. Would love to see these guys again but Please start playing on weekends.
Loved these guys for years and actually won a Q secret meet up with the band with 19 others many moons ago and what a party all of them great guys, approachable great Party Actually drove with Steve Negas in his van when we did arrive...anyhow long story Hoping they come back and Play on the weeknd.
cheers
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Posted By
debbie m/over 25yrlsitner
On
5/20/2009 11:11:51 AM
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This is good news. I've been a Saga fan since seeing them open for FM at Mohawk College cica say '78? Had never heard of them but they blew the roof off that venue. Remember a lot of great shows at MLG too. I would like to go to this but i'm running out of 'dawn is late for work this morning because she had to go to a bar last night' notes. Wednesday? And i always thought they were out of the Hammer but i guess from Germany that seems the same. Good to see you back, Jason.
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Posted By
dawn
On
5/19/2009 7:12:54 PM
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